Author: Easin' Along

After a restful visit, Helen and I pulled out of Tucson, AZ.  We toured Saguaro National Park and slipped into Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for a much-needed couple of hours in the laundromat. We drove to our next stop at Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, AZ, east of Phoenix, with fresh minds, fresh coffee, and fresh laundry.

We camped at Lost Dutchman once before and loved the experience.  The elegant beauty of the Superstition Mountains hovers over the campground and provides a fantastic backdrop to almost every campsite. I booked the reservation several months ago and obtained the last site available at the time…I soon discovered why.  Our campsite had no electric or water hookups. We don’t roll that way.  I have sleep apnea and MUST have electricity. I carry a portable power bank for emergencies, but it only has enough stored power for about five hours. It was a long night.

The following day, we called Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, AZ, to see if a campsite was available at Saguaro Skies RV Park on the base.  We were living right.  One site was open for the next two nights, and we arrived before noon. The staff at Saguaro Skies were so helpful and welcoming, Helen and I couldn’t feel more at home.  The RV Park was clean, well-landscaped (we had a desert garden at our front door), and the pads were large. Luck was with us on this one!

During the planning stage of this trip, I reached out to a blogging friend, Ingrid (Live, Laugh, RV), to see if she and her husband, Al, would be around when we got to the Phoenix area. I knew they were in the process of moving out of their full-time RV life and into a new home, so the timing might not be good. She replied that they would be around and contact her when we reached Phoenix.

Ingrid was one of the first blogging “pen pals” I made when Easin’ Along got up and running. Whenever I researched lifestyle blogs, Live, Laugh, RV always appeared on the list. It also seemed that every blog I read included Live, Laugh, RV on their blog roll, so I began to follow her website around the time she and Al were wintering over in Texas.  I became a fan of her blog and her incredible photography. We corresponded through the comments section of her blog and eventually met when Helen and I camped at Lost Dutchman in 2019.  Ingrid and I had similar cameras, and she came to help me learn the ins and outs.  Al joined us, and we enjoyed a delightful afternoon hiking and taking pictures.

On this trip, Ingrid and Al invited us for lunch. Although they have only lived in their home for a few months, they have done a lovely job with what Ingrid described as a mess.  Her choice of colors and her decorations are beautiful. It seemed that they had lived there for much, much longer. After lunch, Helen and Ingrid went into the citrus grove in the rear of the house, where Helen filled a bag with Naval oranges, tangelos, and ripe grapefruit.  The time passed quickly, and I can’t thank them enough for sharing their day with us.  I hope I can repay the favor at some point in the future.

The next evening, we visited a local casino…Helen cashed in for $450, which doesn’t happen very often. She was kind enough to share.

Next up on the itinerary was the El Centro (CA) Naval Airfield, the winter home of the Blue Angels, the Navy’s precision flying team. We camped at El Centro in March 2019, but the Blue Angels had moved out by then, and we missed their training flights…not so on this trip. The roar of jets overhead became part of our daily life at El Centro, and I loved it.  I captured a picture of two aircraft flying near the campground one morning.  I put the camera in burst mode and barely got them. These jets are FAST!

On our second day, the winds reached gale force and remained that way for the entire day. El Centro is in the heart of the Imperial Valley. Enormous agricultural fields are in the tilling and planting stage now, and it is scorched there. A dust storm kicked up in the windy conditions, and we could barely see beyond our trailer. I have a picture of the dust in front of us and a picture of the following day.  It is an excellent example of what was around us.  I also captured sunset in El Centro.  The image is the real thing; I only made one adjustment to the contrast

From El Centro, we drove about two hours to Fiddler’s Cove RV Campground on the Navy Base in Coronado, CA. Fiddler’s Cove is an exceptional campground in the military inventory.  Our campsite is within fifty feet of the waters of Coronado Bay.  Sailboats are moored in front of us, and San Diego’s skyscrapers form the backdrop. We couldn’t ask for a more beautiful setting.

Yesterday, I took a picture of the view from our trailer (above). After dark, I captured the same view with the skyline lights in the background.  This shot stretched the limits of my camera, but I’m proud of the results (f/8, 1/3.2 sec, ISO 800).

We’ll be in Coronado Bay for two weeks of relaxation and exploration and we’ll post an update next week. Thanks for Easin’ Along with us…it’s gonna be fun! Helen and Joe

When I retired from working full-time, I took a part-time position inspecting HUD-owned foreclosed homes. The work was both stress-free and fun.  I awoke each day and opened my computer to read each day’s assignments. I would then drive to the properties in Eastern Tennessee or Western North Carolina to complete the inspections.

The above summarizes the work portion of the job.  The fun began when I would travel through the small villages and towns in our region that I would never visit without this position.  Eventually, I learned many of the small diners where locals gathered, browsed the unique thrift shops and antique stores filled with someone’s discarded treasures, and met friendly people who greeted me along the way.

That describes a large part of why we RV…

Helen and I have visited countless small towns and villages as we’ve crossed our beautiful country from Key West to Seattle, Northern Maine to San Diego, sampling diners, drive-ins, dives, local shops, and unusual attractions. A recent example is our drive from New Orleans, LA, to Tucson, AZ, earlier this week.

We spent nights in Beaumont, Van Horn, and Fort Stockton, Texas, on this leg of the trip. Each town had its assortment of small diners and coffee shops offering barbeque varieties, Mexican specialties, waffles, and biscuits. There were thrift shops, the local mechanic, T-shirt stands, even a Dollar General.  Fort Stockton featured a large Road Runner Statue and mock-ups of cowboys on the plain. Each town had a style and charm of its own.  You don’t get this fun sitting in an airplane.

Las Cruces, New Mexico, came next—more significant than the others, but small. We checked into a well-run KOA campground and issued a prime campsite overlooking the town of Las Cruces. The picture below is our view of the city and the mountains.  I also captured a night shot in the same direction.  We were fortunate that our view was completely unobstructed

The following day, we ventured into Mesilla, a historic village and once the territorial capital of the region. Helen and I parked near the town square and walked through the shops and the square itself.  Mesilla reminded me of a miniature Santa Fe with its Hispanic touch and without people around.  On one corner was the building where Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang for his crimes.  It’s now a gift shop and tourist attraction (of course).  Las Cruces was our last stop in a small town.  The next day we left for Tucson.

On the recommendation of our friend Pete, a former Knoxvillian and resident of Tucson, we drove to Saguaro National Park on the outskirts of Tucson. After a short drive from Voyager RV Resort, we left the residential and business district and entered the Sonoran Desert.  The scenery was stunning. Giant Saguaro Cacti filled the expanse of land in front of us several miles before we reached the park entrance.  We stopped at the Visitor Center for recommendations on short hikes.

The friendly and very helpful Park volunteers suggested we take the Desert Discovery Trail first.  The hike followed a loop through the desert marked by informational signs about the Saguaro Cactus, the wildlife found in the area, and the vegetation that thrived through long periods without water.  The experience was delightful.

Next, we drove to the Signal Hill Trail, an area inhabited between 450 and 1450 A.D. We hiked from the parking area to the top of Signal Hill to see the petroglyphs, ancient rock drawings, and designs left by people of the Hohokam culture. The hike covered about a half-mile up Signal Hill.  Helen debated doing the climb because she had a touch of bursitis in her hip. This condition was also complicated by Helen’s lifelong affliction of the FOMO curse (Fear Of Missing Out).  There was no way she would sit in the truck and miss the adventure of the day. With assistance from her husband, she climbed the hill and did fine. The petroglyphs were as fascinating as the entire National Park.

We met Pete and his friend Barbara at the Silver Saddle Steak House for a great steak and prime rib dinner.  We thanked him profusely for his suggestions for seeing the best of Tucson.

At this point, I’m going to have to sign off.  We’re in Apache Junction, Arizona, at Lost Dutchman State Park. We have no electricity at our campsite, and my computer battery is about to shut down. 

We’ll see you next week.  We’re Easin’ Along and loving it!

When Helen and I planned our trip to the west coast, we eagerly looked forward to one of the early destinations—our three nights in New Orleans! Although Charleston, SC, has replaced the “Big Easy” as my favorite destination, I remain very fond of this great American city and its fantastic food. Our visit would be short, but we intended to sample a few of our favorite menu items during our stay. First, however, let me catch everyone up.

Our trip began on January 12^th. We made it out of Knoxville in cold temperatures and snow on the way. Before we left town, Helen was so concerned that all the blooms on her camellia would freeze that she cut them off to make a bouquet for Dora, our fifth-wheel. Her camellias have never been so productive.

As we usually do when we drive south, we spent the first night at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. The drive took about five hours, and we made it with no problem. The first day of every road trip always wears me out. After an early dinner, it’s lights out.

We rolled into Gulfport, MS, the next day to spend three nights at the campground on the Navy Base there. There were two items on the agenda. First, Helen likes to spend the first full day of a trip reorganizing the pantry and the closets in the trailer and cleaning the floors. This task usually doesn’t take long, and I’ve learned that I should stay away. I worked on the second agenda item.

While in Montgomery, we discovered damage to the outer dome of one of our skylights. A tree limb probably decided to smack our skylight—hard! I’m not sure how it happened. We had a brief hailstorm in Knoxville a few weeks ago, which could have caused the damage, but, more likely, this happened sometime during our trip to Charleston and Edisto Beach.

I called the campground in Gulfport as soon as we discovered the problem to see if they could recommend an excellent mobile RV repair business. The manager recommended Dave’s Mobile RV Repair, a great suggestion. I contacted Dave and gave him the size of the skylight. Fortunately, he had one in stock and time for us on his schedule. Someone would drive out to us the next day.

Justin, the repairman, met me at the gate to the Navy Base, and I signed him in with the sentry on duty. He showed us a pair of replacement domes, and Helen (the picky one) made her selection. Justin climbed the ladder to the roof, attacked the repair, and completed the job in under an hour. We thanked him for his work and for coming out to us so quickly. Rain was in the forecast for later that night which would have been bad for our trailer without the dome. The sunset over the campground was a nice one.

The weather warmed up nicely for us, and we made plans to explore the city early the next day. New Orleans is only about an hour and a half to the west of Gulfport, which meant we could take our time driving to Ponchartrain Lake RV Resort. We were assigned a lovely campsite overlooking the lake.

Plans don’t always work out. We felt lazy the following day and didn’t leave the campground until after 10 am. I found a parking place on Decatur Street, and we walked through the French Quarter to see what had changed since our last visit…thankfully, nothing.

Satisfied that New Orleans is still New Orleans, we walked to Acme Oyster House, always our first stop. A line formed in front of the door, but we volunteered to sit at the bar (my preference). The doorman escorted us inside immediately. Helen and I love fresh oysters on the half-shell, and they don’t come any better than in New Orleans. We split a dozen, served by an amiable waiter. These oysters were large, fresh, tasty, and soon devoured.

For our second course, Helen ordered a crab and corn bisque. I, the gumbo lover, ordered the Acme gumbo. Helen loved the bisque, and although I make a great gumbo, I can’t top Acme’s gumbo. The roux is thick, the shrimp taste fresh, and there is just enough spice to make it savory. I could have eaten two bowls… a fabulous treat for our first full day.

We weren’t as lazy the next day because the plan was to drive to the French Market for beignets and chicory coffee at Café Du Monde. After parking the truck, anticipation increased during the short walk to the Café under a bright morning sun. We arrived as a jazz band opened and trombone music wafted gently over the open-air dining area. We both ordered large chicory and three beignets. Again, it’s great that some things never change.

Helen and I walked off the beignets around the French Market, going up and down both sides of Decatur. Helen spotted a purple stocking cap in one of the shops near the market that we decided would come in handy in the cooler weather we expected in Texas. It fit, and she had a new addition to the travel wardrobe. Here’s the picture.

Most would think that the last thing we needed was another meal, but this is New Orleans. Satisfied that we had walked off the beignets, we drove to a small deli recommended by my nephew, Domilise’s Po’Boy and Bar. We had it confirmed by several of our friends and New Orleans residents that this is THE place for Po’Boy sandwiches. A crowded parking lot assured us that the food had to be good. The exterior was underwhelming and very understated.

I ordered a fully dressed Oyster Po’Boy and Helen ordered a half Shrimp half Oyster Po’Boy. Great food takes time to prepare. While we waited patiently for these babies to come out of the laboratory, I bought a Domilise’s T-shirt. I watched as each sandwich was prepared on fresh bread and smothered with a zingy dressing. Both wrapped tightly and bagged (we ordered take-out).

Once we arrived at Dora, we each ate half of our Po’Boy and saved the other half for dinner. They were as good as promised and another special treat. Now we have a new reason to return.

A lovely sunrise greeted us the following day and, having eaten our way across the city, it was time to be Easin’ Along. Please join us next week!