Happy New Year!

 This morning started out beautifully with just a breeze and blue skies.  Got up around 7:30 and had my breakfast outside on the lounger.

Yuma loves the sunshine too.

Checked with Tom and Deb (Celebrating the Dance ) to see if they would be around 1 o'clock  today and if I could stop by.   Everything is a go.

I could see smoke billowing from across the sand dunes to the west.  So large it blacked out the sun and looked like an atomic bomb.

From what I've learned it is fire from a garbage dump in Mexico.  Lots of pollution!

Arrived at Tom and Deb's place and they had guests from just up the road visiting.  Turns out they are Yoopers as well living across the upper peninsula on the west side. They had been following Deb's blog and had first met in Texas. 

Deb, Tom, Cathy and Shane

Shane  and Cathy are in the first year of travels to the southwest and learning where the good places to go are through following their blog.

Tom had gathered tons of firewood to make a huge 🔥 this evening but wouldn't you know it. The wind kept getting stronger throughout the afternoon and looks to stick around this evening.

I noticed a nice remote place near their area, so decided because I've been in one place for 11 days I would move over there.  I do have to stick around till the 7th so that's a good place to move to be nearer friends.

Yuma and I headed for home at 4 o'clock to get dinner going and my blog finished so I can relax and watch a little TV this evening.

Wishing all my family and friends a wonderful 2021 😀

Happy New Year! 😀

Computer Saga

Thankfully, last night Dolly reminded me it was an hour later in Yuma so I would have to get up by 7 o'clock to get there by opening time of 9 o'clock.

You will have to bear with me on my posts because without a computer I can't use my camera so I'm stuck with trying my best with my cellphone.  😞

I woke up by 6:30 and up by 7 right on time.  Decided to wait till after I return before having breakfast.   Don't want to rush the best part of the day 😀

Last night I googled computer repair shops and found Computer Solutions of Yuma that had a high review rating so decided on them.  Rather go to a small shop than a big one like Best Buy.

Yuma and I whizzed the 12 miles into their location and was there at 9:30 

Wasn't there very long.  Told the young lady that I had laid the laptop on its end where the start button is and now the button doesn't work.  She told me someone would call later today to let me know what's going on.

On the way home I could see a dilapidated homestead in the desert and Yuma and I went to investigate. 

Talk about leaving everything behind.  This place had everything!  Cars, bikes, busses and trucks not to mention all the buildings and water tower.  I was a little leery of wandering too far in.  Might be someone living back there.

We headed home and waited for our call.  Decided not to venture too far from home in case I was needed.  Plus it was windy all day with 14 mph winds keeping it a little cool with a high of 63.

It was around 4 o'clock when I heard a 4 wheeler come to a stop out on the road.  Two people were off and looking all around it so Yuma and I walked over to see if we could help.

One was a young lady and the other a young gentleman.  He had a big English accent.  After introductions I asked James and Elizabeth if I could help and boy do they need help.

They were from New Zealand and staying in the Pilot Knob long-term area.  They were headed into the desert to search for his truck that had gotten stuck last night in the sand dunes.  😳  

Problem is they can't remember where it is!  Now that is a problem.   Add onto that James broke his arm last week and couldn't dig it out so they walked home in the dark.  I would say James has lots of problems.

They got it started and were going to limp home with it.  I told them I would be happy to help if they needed it.  Just then my phone rang.

It was Stephen at the computer repair shop with good news, sort of. 😀  The start button had just fallen apart and a new start board would be $53 and labor $85.  That's great!  Bad news, with the holiday and Covid, the part won't arrive till the 7th 😞

I had to run back into Yuma to prepay the part so he could get ordered.   We quickly did that and gassed up the Jeep just in case.  I sure hope they take me up on my offer in the morning.  Like to show them some American hospitality.   Get that group of guys next door and we'll have them taken care of ASAP. 

Time for dinner and a little TV before dream time. 

See you later.

Visit with Friends

 This morning woke up with a streak of clouds that went right along with the rising sun.  What luck!  Didn't last forever and the sun was out warming up the desert.  Be a little cool today with a high of 63.  Not bad so long as the sun is shining.

 Had a date at 1:30 today so after my long breakfast we got ready to go.  It would take about an hour and to confuse things they live in Arizona.  I'll  just stick with California time. 😀

Headed east on I-8 at 12:15 to give me time to find their place in case I messed up instructions.  Went across Yuma and up over Fortuna Foothills and down into Dome Valley.  

The first small town is Wellton and I exited there.  I evidently had everything correct because I pulled right up to Jerry and Elva's driveway.  Jerry was sitting outside reading instructions about erecting a large shed that had just been delivered from Home Depot.

Yuma jumped out of the Jeep and ran right over to Jerry and of  course jumped on him and just then Elva stepped out of their motorhome so he jumped on her as a greeting.   We got the greetings done and sat down to catch up on happenings over the last year.

They have a large double sized RV lot that easily fits their 42 foot motorhome, huge dually truck, four wheeler, 25 foot trailer and a 12 X 26 foot concrete slab for his new shed.   

Stayed for several hours until the clouds cooled things down and it was time to head for home.  Poor Yuma stayed in their trailer the whole visit.  There was a sharp sound coming from the fields at regular intervals to scare birds.  Don't know about the birds but it certainly worked on poor Yuma 😕

Elva had made some Hamburger soup and she gave me some for dinner tonight so I don't have to cook.  Thank you Elva.

We got hom

e just before dark around 4:15 and settled in for the night.  Hoping to get my blog out early, I went to turn on my computer and darn, it would not start.  What a bummer!  Now I have no way to download my pictures for today from my camera.  Sorry!

Writing my post on my cellphone.   I will take my computer into Best Buy first thing tomorrow and hope it's something simple, but not holding my breath 🙃.   Might as well have some soup and a hotdog and call it a night.  

Tomorrow I'll try to figure out how to use Wi-Fi on my camera to download to my cellphone but not tonight. Don't have the right frame of mind 😕. 

See you later.

Mittry Lake, Arizona

 This morning  slept in till almost 9 o'clock before getting out of bed.  I could see it was going to be a partly cloudy day and they called for a high of 62 degrees.  Wouldn't have been bad, but the wind was making a noise like it wanted to keep us inside.

We went through our morning routine and I tried watching a little TV, but couldn't stand the noise.   The wind went from about 7 mph to 14 mph by noon.  Decided this should be a drive day, so Yuma and I got in the Jeep and headed towards Mittry Lake to have a looksee.

About six mile east on I-8 we took the turn-off to Winterhaven, California.  This is where Yuma was born.  

Stopped at Jimmies Market hoping to find some canned dog food for Yuma, but nothing.  I had forgotten to get his food when I was at Walmart yesterday. :(

Then we were off on California S24 heading towards Bard and the lake.

Drove by the Cloud Museum.  Lots of old farm implements and cars inside.  Didn't go in this time.

Stopped here to get a shake but as soon as I stepped out somewhere a shotgun went off and Yuma would not budge.  We left.

Old bar and grill has been closed for many years.

Stopped along S24 to get a picture of this old farm house and as I was leaving, someone fired off a shotgun.  Guess they didn't want their picture taken!

Passed the pretty Laguna Dam.

After 30 miles, we arrived at Mittry Lake, Arizona.

Small protected area with lots of duck.

This area on the east side of the lake is the most beautiful with the walkways into the lake with palm trees everywhere.

After a long afternoon, we headed home along the road up to highway 95 where I filled with gas.

Stopped at a Fry's and picked up the dogfood and headed home.  It was nearly 4 o'clock by now.  Yuma had been so scared all day, he wouldn't do his business till we got home.  Now, he's a happy camper racing for the White Lion to call it a long day.

Another fun day.  The wind has died and it will be a lovely evening for cooking hotdogs and watching Monday Night Football.

See you later.

Finishing my Hike of Pilot Knob Mountain

 Woke up at 6:30 this morning feeling pretty good and even caught the sun coming up over Pilot Knob Mountain.

As planned I didn't do much.  Went through my routine and around 1 o'clock, Yuma started bugging me to go somewhere.   I was watching Kansas City win in football so he had to wait.  I knew I needed to make a Walmart run soon, so that's what we did.

First, I drove North on Sidewinder Road, the road I take to get to I-8 but I went further.  I knew there was BLM land up this road and sure enough there is and not crowded at all.  Maybe next year I'll stay there.

Then it was off to Walmart with Yuma for some shopping.  The clouds have come up so it is mostly cloudy but warm with no wind.  We were done and home by 3 o'clock.  

Watched more football and now I'm ready to watch Green Bay for the evening.  The sunset tonight with the clouds is beautiful.

Now I'll take us down the mountain.  Since I was at the top looking down, I could tell that the trail I had taken was the hardest I could have picked.  I selected a new trail to go back down but I knew when I got to the bottom I would have a long walk to the Jeep.  But at least it would be flat.

One last look to the west over the Imperial Sand Dunes.

Then it was time to head back down.  It is 2:30 and the sun was moving quickly to the west.

Yuma had already run down part way and came back to make sure I was following.

Last look back up at the cross.

This trail is a switchback thankfully.  Going down is always harder than going up.  Too easy to slip on loose gravel and fall.

Another look back towards the peak.

Yuma is too close to that edge for me.  Called him back away from it.

 As I got close to the bottom there is a gravel pit.  The trail made it along the crest of gravel.  Not much room for error.  Soon, I was walking the road the big gravel trucks made up the side of the mountain and I was coasting from there.

Had a long walk back to the Jeep, but a short trip home of a few miles.  When I looked back at the mountain I was surprised.  Did I leave a fire going at the top?  I'll never tell.😚

  There was no wind and as I rested on my lounger, I could hear an engine noise and looked up to to see a paraglider scooting along enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Time for dinner and some football.  Life is good.  See you later.

Climb to the top of Pilot Knob Mountain

This morning I woke up at 6:30 and opened window shades so the sun could come in and decided to lay down till 7.  Next thing I knew it was 8:30 and time to get up and start my day.

The morning was just gorgeous.  Sunny with just a slight breeze to keep it from feeling too hot.  I fixed breakfast and Yuma and I just laid outside and relaxed.

I thought about just doing nothing all day but relax but I just couldn't waste such a beautiful day.  About noon when all my breakfast courses were finished, Yuma and I hopped in the Jeep and headed over to Pilot Knob Mountain.  I had seen on my AllTrails app there were foot paths to the top of the mountain.  

I wasn't sure if I was still young enough to take on such an endeavor, but I was going to find out.  The app said it was around a mile and half to the top depending on which trail you took.  The app didn't tell anything about trails.  I was on my own to figure out how to get to the top.   The top is 827 feet above sea level.  High off the desert floor.

When we arrived, there was an elderly gentleman coming down the hillside with a big German Shepard named Rex.  Rex was a little pushy and Yuma didn't like that but they got along for the most part.

Asked him if he made it to the top and said it got too steep so he turned around.  Didn't let that deter me, so we walked on towards the mountain looking for a trail.

There is my goal ahead.  I hope I make it.

Feeling pretty good and the walking pole is a big help.

Looking ahead.

Still got a long way to go.

Jeep's still there.

Yuma runs up ahead but always checks to make sure I'm still coming.

Slipping and falling is not an option.

Jeep's still there.

Top is looking closer.

Yuma is an angel.  He is still checking.  I think he wonders why I'm so slow.

Getting up there now.  That is the Pilot Knob RV Park in the distance.

Zoomed in on the church in Felicity.

Give you an idea of how the trail looks.  Got to look down all the time while walking to keep from turning an ankle.

I'm starting to feel like I'll make it!

Cargo Muchacho Mountains north of here.

Getting very close now.

I can see forever.

There's the White Lion off in the distance via zoom.

I have arrived.

Mexico

Yuma in the distance.

Goal accomplished!

I have to stop here.  I have got to fix dinner because it is already 8 o'clock.  I'll document the hike down tomorrow.  Walked over 9000 steps today and I know I'm going to be sore tomorrow and will stay close to camp.

I had the best time on this hike for some reason.  It was just so beautiful and the views were forever.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

See you later.