Arizona

 Now that I am retired as of 1-1-2007 we can start making plans for heading south for the winter. So 1-20-07 is the beginning of our 10 week trip that will take us to Arizona, California, Texas, Florida and back home. After spending a couple days loading up the motorhome we started the trip started on the wrong foot. First, when we left the garage about 8:00AM the GPS did not work and second the temperature was -5 degrees. By the time we got to Owatonna I figured out why the GPS did not work, it has something to do with the GPS repeater, so I disconnected it and the GPS is working fine. Well at least I have a future project to look forward to. That takes care it one problem and the only cure for the second is to keep driving south, so on we go. Things went fine until around Lincoln, NE where it started snowing. We finally stopped at Wood River, NE about 3 hours and 80 miles later. After finding a motel that had 11 RV sites, we settled in for the night with about 4 inches of snow on the ground. It was good to have electricity.

 Figuring it was going to be a slow day of travel, we were up by 6:00AM with a temperature of 24 degrees outside and about 6-7 inches of snow.

 

 After breakfast and lots of coffee we hit the ice & snow packed roads. The roads were not quite as bad as I predicted and we were able to travel 50-60 MPH. When we stopped for lunch where 83 crosses I-70 just north of Oakely  we got out and saw we must have had 2000 pounds of frozen slush on the vehicles.

 

Most of the rest of the day was the same except from Liberal, KS to Dalhart, TX It got worse. The last few miles in to Dalhart was on bad ice, 15-30 MPH. We called it a day and pulled into the Corral RV Park.

 When we crawled out of bed it was 51 degrees inside and 9 degrees outside. The vehicles are a mess. Taking off after breakfast and again lots of coffee we encountered bad roads for the first 30 miles. After that all the roads were clear. The roads were good the rest of the day. By the time we got to Holbrook, AZ  it was time to find a RV park with cable so we could watch “24”. Good old KOA would do us for the night. It’s bad when you get hooked on a TV series like this.

 Next morning we were on the road at 6:45AM with 6 degrees outside. When we into Cave Creek County Campgrounds at 11:00AM there was only one campsite left in the campgrounds. After getting checked we went and found a place to wash the vehicles, what a job. The Denali took a little beating from the pea gravel they used on the roads in Nebraska. After washing the vehicles we spent the afternoon & evening at Ron & Jane’s where we had supper and washed some clothes. Even after washimg the vehicles, ice continued to drop off the vehicles for the rest of the day.
January 24th was the start of the SW Lazy Daze get together so we met up with the Ron and Jane to go to the White Tank Mountain Campground just west of Phoenix. It’s getting warmer as it was 40 degrees when we got up this morning. There were 24 rigs on this initial gathering of the SW Lazy Daze.

 

 

 

 

 January 27th was the last day with group so we took a group picture and said our goodbyes, what a great group of people. By 10:00AM we were on our way back to Cave Creek County Campground and later went out to supper with the Ron, Jane and their granddaughter.

 

 The next day we took Ron and Jane’s LD to their storage area and then it was off to Camping World. Seems there is still more stuff to buy. I cleaned up the rig with “Ace It” polish then later we went to Ron and Jane’s to eat supper and do some laundry before we leave tomorrow.

Until next time,

Dave and Sandy