Hiking, Good Friends and Electricity

Here in our boondocking compound we all tease each other about our awaking and going to sleep times.  Michael and I along with Jim and Ellie are early to bed, early to rise folks.  Deb and Rod are the exact opposite, up late, sleep late.  But, Rod asked us to hike with them to the top of the mountain, we set a time of 9am this morning and off we all went.

We drove over as far as Deb and Rod’s Ford Edge would take them and hiked the rest of the way.  Right off the bat we saw two female desert big horn sheep—so we got a gold star for hike leading!  We all huffed and puffed our way to the top—it is only a little over one mile to the top but that is one aerobic mile!

The views from the top were awesome, we all signed our names in the log book, took lots of photos and came back down the mountain. 

Michael and I finished our loading chores, I showered then we began to say our goodbyes.  Ellie brought me the coolest little fabric heart pin—I will have to take a photo, it is hard to describe but beautiful.  We all had our hugs and said, “see ya, down the road.” 

Hooking the trailer to the motorhome, Michael decided he should see if the jeep would actually fit inside—we had measured and were almost 99% sure it would fit but had never tried to load the jeep yet.  It fits with lots of room to spare.

Off we went saying goodbye to our favorite boondocking spot and headed to the community park to dump our tanks and fill with fresh water.  While Michael was doing that chore, I returned library books and checked to see if our mail was there—YEA, it was—we are now totally cleared for takeoff!!

I called Mike and Pat to tell them we were heading their way.  Mike and Pat own a great spot in the Escapees North Ranch park and we are parked in their front yard.  They have a vacant lot here, too and Larry and Gerri who used to own Broken Arrow Campground in Custer, SD are parked there now. 

Pat met us at the front gate and we discussed what to do with the trailer.  Mike came and got it with his pickup as it was easier to get the trailer backed onto their lot with the truck than the motorhome.  We are parked in their full hookup site where their own motorhome usually sits.  And, on top of all that, Pat and Gerri provided us with a wonderful dinner!  Grilled chicken, green beans and pasta salad!  We sure have great friends, don’t we???

And I need to eat my words about Wal Mart from last night’s blog!!  As we were driving to Congress, my cell phone rang—it was the young man Michael talked to yesterday at Sam’s Club in Surprise.  He came in on his day off and got our tires ordered—he and his boss decided we didn’t need to pay for the tires ahead of time, we could wait until we picked them up.  So, the tires will be in Surprise in a few days.

And, may I say, electricity is a wonderful thing after two months in the desert!

Mike and Ellie Michael, Emmi and me Jim saying, “I made it!!”