Easin' Along

We left Tucson with the idea that it was the hottest place in the country…We are incorrect. Apache Junction, AZ, is hotter. Helen, Mortimer, and I scheduled six nights in Lost Dutchman State Park; we made four of them before we waved the flag and moved on. Daytime temperatures hovered around 105°, making it almost impossible to hike or participate in outdoor activities as we had done on previous visits here.

Nevertheless, I can’t complain too much. Lost Dutchman is surrounded by beautiful desert scenery and the picturesque Superstition Mountains, both offering plenty of opportunities for the amateur photographer that I am. Our campsite gave us a front row view of desert splendor at the base of the Superstitions.

In addition to the daytime view, we witnessed some spectacular sunsets both in Apache Junction and at our next stop in El Centro, CA. Amazing is not an apt description.

It’s probably not necessary to say we spent a lot of time in our camper. Helen worked on her puzzle (not a great picture), while I read some and watched a lot of sports. When we did get out, we went early. Helen captured a blooming Saguaro Cactus with a cute bird perched on its needles, along with desert vegetation growing from the rocks. The Superstitions always loomed large and were hard to ignore.

I hope readers enjoy the pictures because that’s about all for this stop. I would love to return here at some point…in the spring.

Relief is coming soon! After El Centro, we have 10 days in beautiful (and cool) Coronado, CA. Our pace will quicken, but we’re still Easin’ Along.

Helen, Mortimer, and I drove out of White Sands, NM, looking forward to our next home on the road less traveled. This would be our first opportunity on this trip to spend more than three nights in one location. In addition, we would spend seven nights at the Voyager RV Resort in Tucson, AZ, for some real “glamping.”

We have stayed here a couple of times previously, usually in a pull-through site in the middle of the resort. This time, however, we were escorted to one of two campsites located in one of the neighborhoods containing homes for permanent residents and part-time “snowbirds.” We were a little concerned at first, thinking we would prefer a pull-through site, but we soon learned how convenient our new home proved to be. We were across the street from the swimming pool, the pickleball courts, showers, and the laundry room. We were set up for a great week! Even grumpy ol’ Mortimer approved!

Campsite 01-243 was a tight one to back into while avoiding a huge Palm. It required several attempts, but I eventually got straightened out, and we settled in. For our first night in Tucson, we enjoyed a meal of Costco footlong hot dogs—a fave of mine!

Helen planned to join the pickleballers on the first morning, but arrived on the courts just as everyone was leaving. She soon learned that pickleball matches begin around 7 a.m and end at 9 a.m when the temperatures approach 90° and continue rising. We experienced temperatures above 100° while there. Helen played pickleball the next morning and for several days thereafter, making new friends in the process.

Adjacent to the pickleball courts was the swimming pool and aquatics area. I wanted a break from the heat, so I walked to the pool. A spirited game of water volleyball was underway in the exercise pool. I was not noticed. The pool felt great, but the sun felt fierce on the delicate skin of this Southern Snowflake. I covered up when lounging. The pool became my daily activity.

Helen’s new pickleball friends insisted that she join them for an aquarobics class one afternoon. She suited up, donned her cap, and hopped right in. According to Helen, Janice, the class instructor, was a pro. She brought music and a long list of exercises, which she led without a break. I walked over to see what was going on and made it in time to capture the action. I received a robust welcome.

During our stay, a Blue Moon came over the resort, and I did my best to record it. Below are photographs of our street in daylight and one of it during the Blue Moon. We only get these once in a Blue Moon (chuckle).

In addition to the Blue Moon, the Tucson sky offered up some awesome sunsets for our viewing pleasure. The second one shown here was taken on our last night, and I did not spend one second editing it. What you see is what I shot.

We really enjoyed our time at the Voyager Resort. We left relaxed and ready for another adventure. Next stop—Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, AZ. It holds beautiful surroundings, so please join us. We’re Easin’ Along.

Helen, Mortimer, and I drove northwest from Carlsbad to spend three days in White Sands, NM, at the Army’s White Sands Missile Range campground. We’ve been here before, and I’m not sure why we don’t camp here more on our trips to the West Coast. There are only eight campsites, but at $20 a night, White Sands is a bargain and rarely filled. Our home for the next three days would be campsite number three.

To the front of our campsite sits the towering Organ Mountain Range. We arrived in mid-afternoon, set up, and stared at the scenery. At dusk, the clouds hovered over the mountains, offering a very picturesque display to wrap up the day (pictured below.

White Sands National Monument is about 30 miles east of the Missile Range. Our second day was cloudy and somewhat windy, but Helen and I decided to visit anyway. The parking lot and Visitor Center were surprisingly crowded with tourists. After a short visit to the gift shop to stamp our National Park Passport, we drove through the gate, flashing our National Park Senior Pass.

The White Sand is actually gypsum, a component of drywall, that washes down from the mountains and is reduced to tiny grains by water and wind. A basin collects the gypsum and retains it in an area that resembles a huge beach or the result of a blizzard.

Helen and I drove the Loop Rd, which takes visitors through the National Monument. The wind picked up during the drive, blowing the sand around — now it really did look like we were in a snowstorm. I felt for the folks in the picnic area.

Near the end of the Loop, we parked in front of a large sandhill to watch kids and adults alike ride down the hill on sleds. It was slow sledding. Our visit didn’t take long, but we found it both interesting and enjoyable.

Our next stop is Tucson, AZ. We will step up our game there because we booked eight nights at an upscale RV Resort. Helen will meet you on the Pickleball court.

Please join us. We’re Easin’ Along.