Since we
are in the Southwest, we hit another old favorite – the Scenic Roads RV Park in
Quartzsite Arizona. When we took in the big RV show last year we stayed in this
park and really liked all the people, and joined in most of the activities.
While we
liked being back here, we are learning a bit about hanging around with the RV
crowd. Most are a bit older than even we are, and so stuff happens. Sadly
Randy, the husband in the really nice couple who own the park, suffered a
massive heart attack in October and passed away. His wife is still running it,
but we didn’t see her around at all in the short time we were there. Also, Ed,
the amputee Vet that we so much enjoyed chatting with and always had a treat
for Niko, couldn’t handle the pancreatitis he came down with and also had
passed away. It was so recent that his trailer he lived in was still in the
same spot in the park – too little time since Ed had passed to be able to react.
On a
positive note, the Woman was able to spend some really nice quality time with
her kindred friend, Annie Rockholdt, and Annie’s hubby Rocky. We originally met
them many years ago at a Fleetwood owner’s rally in Gillette Wyoming, and Robin
and Annie were instant sole mates. We had some meals together, chatted in each
other’s coaches, and just generally hung out. We did manage to con Rocky into
coming along when we took Annie to Reader’s Oasis used book store to see if
Paul Winer was still around. Paul is the owner of the book store, and is a
practicing nudist. Well things haven’t changed. He still wears the lone sock
that he agreed with the city council to wear – oh, and the hat – but that is
it. Rocky later thanked us for the entertainment value.
The Woman
had learned a while back that Rocky had been diagnosed with a very challenging
cancer. Well, Rocky had surgery and he looked great when we saw him. It seems
like he feels like he may have it licked, and we sure hope that he is right. He
and Annie are so good together and she really needs his company and help.
After summer
like weather in Quartzsite we headed up into the Cleveland National Forest in
the Laguna mountains. The US Forest Service operates several campgrounds,
picnic areas and other amenities. We had contacted the Forest Service to see if
we could fit Colectiva into any of the campgrounds. The Woman talked on the
phone to what we thought at the time was a nice, helpful ranger who told her
there were lots of sites that could fit a 40 foot motorhome, and that the place
would be wide open when we get here – just come in an pick a site – and when
Robin asked her about reserving a site, the ranger said it wasn’t necessary. We
found out when we got here that the ranger, perhaps, was neither nice nor
helpful!
When we
got to the Laguna Mountain campground – the main one open year round – we knew
we might be in big trouble. There were 4 or 5 groups hanging around the sign up
kiosk for campsites. We parked Colectiva, unhooked the Saturn, and began
driving the various camping loops. Immediately we could see that the campground
was maybe 98% full, and that scant few sites were big enough to put Colectiva
in. Because National Forest campgrounds are first come, first serve, we often
find that what few large sites there are often are occupied by tiny little tent
trailers or vans, leaving only the small sites empty and available – and today
was no exception. We scoured the loops, found only a few that could even fit
Colectiva, and of course they were all occupied – but lo and behold, we finally
found a site that with a couple of shoehorns we could squeeze her into – only
one site in the entire campground – and even then we couldn’t open the slides
out completely – got the big slide out enough the we could use it, but the few
inch gap where the slide should be sealed against the frame means that the
heater runs a bit extra duty at nights.
Unlike
Quartzsite with highs in the mid-80’s, by 5 in the afternoon, it is too cold to
be out around a campfire. Although the nightly dip into the 30’s is a bit rough
when you don’t have electrical hookups, it makes the daytime temperatures ideal
for hiking. We have been knocking off good sized chunks of the Pacific Crest
Trail. Much like the Appalachian Trail which the Woman needed to hike pieces
of, the PCT runs atop the ridge lines 2,650 miles - all the way from Mexico to
Canada. We have been chewing up 5 mile plus stretches with some spectacular
crest views, as well as high meadow sections.
While I
complain about the cold, it is actually quite temperate for mid-February. The
Woman was wondering whether we might see some through hikers since the snow
pack in the Sierra Madres is pretty much gone – each hike we have been keeping
our eyes peeled for Reese Witherspoon, but haven’t bumped into her yet.
However, the moderate temperatures make for an occasional delicate wildflower,
a bonus you wouldn’t normally get in mid-February.
We did
get a visit from Murphy. As will happen in an RV, you don’t know that something
you only need to use occasionally isn’t working until you actually need it. Our
first coach battery bank lasted only a couple of years before they needed to be
replaced. Shortly after we replaced them, we installed some solar panels on the
roof which trickle charges the batteries a bit and clearly extends their lives.
Five years later they seemed like they were still going strong.
We had a
clue when we picked up Colectiva to start this trip – the coach batteries were
registering dead on the electrical system monitor. But, she had been stored for
4 months and we hadn’t visited her to charge them as we try to, so I wasn’t
surprised. Well, now that we are in a US Forest Service campground with no
services, we are learning that they are severely compromised. Normal routine is
you can usually charge them in the evening, and they will take care of power
needs through the night, and even give you enough power for coffee in the
morning. Not now – when we get up early, the batteries have been fully depleted
by the little power needed to run the refrigerator and the propane heaters –
both take some power just to operate. Luckily the quiet hours – the no
generator hours – in the campground are generous – after 6 AM you are allowed
to use generators – we wait till 6:30 just because – but we learned that the
batteries don’t even have enough power to start the generator! Now what!
Well,
they think of most things in the design of these units. We have 4 deep cycle
coach batteries that run the house. We have two 12 V starting batteries to
start the engine just like in a car. If either set is depleted, there is a switch
on the dash to bridge the two sets of batteries for a boost – and the last two
days it has been just enough to get the generator started – joy! When we are
ready to leave, hopefully there will still be enough starting power in the
starter battery bank to get us back on the road again!
Talk to
you soon!
Many
moons ago I wrote a blog about the Mount Soledad Cross. First built in 1913 and
twice thereafter, the cross served as a very visible memorial to our fallen
heroes of the Nation’s military forces. Today, thousands of plaques with names
and often faces of lost loved ones adorn the memorial.
From the
memorial is one of the best views of the San Diego valley that exists. The
mount towers over downtown La Jolla, with to die for views of the coastline as
far as the eye can see. But the height of the mount also affords 360 degree
views of the entire San Diego valley. You can’t help but be mesmerized as you
stroll around the memorial.
So, the
city of San Diego worked to convey the ownership of the land the memorial sits
on to the Federal Government. In 2014, President Obama the National Defense
Authorization Act for 2015, which included a bill authorizing the Secretary of
Defense convey the ownership of the cross to the Mount Soledad Memorial
Association. So, now that it is not public land, the US Court order no longer
has power. All the property outside the sidewalk that circles the memorial
belongs to the City of San Diego – all the property inside the circle belongs
to the Association.
