Happy New Year! 

We're basking in the sunshine in Hope, Arizona awaiting New Year's festivities at Ramblin' Roads RV Park. They only go from 7 to 10, probably because this is a 55+ park!

This little community between Quartzite and Wickenburg is where we're hanging our hats for the winter. We returned yesterday from a Christmas trip to Vancouver where we filled up on grandkid love and are back to blue skies once again. 

We've made a dramatic change in our life style this year, selling our home of 25+ years, moving into our 5th wheel trailer and living life “at Large” for an as-yet-to-be determined period of time. 

We're looking forward to seeing the goodness of the Lord in 2014 and wish you and yours all the best.

Our campsite on Beyond Hope Road! What's beyond hope? The golf course!

 Trying to figure out how to take our picture

 Beautiful skies

 Fun in our ATV

 They grow cotton around here (Pima County Arizona)

 Lemons are almost ready to pick

Loved being with our grandsons.

RV life: Random odd thing

Our old trailer had a digital clock on the microwave as well as a"round-time" clock mounted in the living room. Our new trailer only has the clock on the microwave which is fine, but small and hard to see from the couch located down and across from it and, of course, impossible to see from the recliners beside it and directly across the the couch, so we felt the need for a clock. Where does one go to get a wall clock if Bi-Mart isn't handy like at home? Wal-Mart of course.

Wal-Mart is every RVer's go-to store.
     Casserole pans - I somehow gave mine all away, no problem. They have glass, ceramic, aluminum
     Fruits, veggies, ice cream, milk, yogurt - you bet.
     RV TP - just believe me on this one - they've got it.
     Vitamins? Yep.
     Soap or soup, you can count on Wal-Mart.
In RV "paradise" Wal-Mart is the only place you're likely to see children - everyone, everyplace else is over 55. (Don't get me started on Wal-Martians!)

Anyway, we went to Wal-Mart and found a very nice clock, 1 AA battery, not included.

Supplied the battery (#1), hung it up, and it worked fine for about 36 hours then slowed considerably. It took a while to register that the time was wrong and then to determine the solution.

Troubleshooting, I changed the battery (#2). Clock worked fine for about 15 hours then slowed again.

Troubleshooting again,  (advice of husband - take it back, looks good but just a piece of junk, but it was just before Thanksgiving and I'd already stood in endless lines there twice) I changed the battery again (#3) but used one that was just lying loose in the box of batteries, not matching the two previous batteries. Inadvertently I dropped the clock but was able to catch it before it hit the floor but it did bounce lightly off Dick's head. It must be the combination - that 3rd battery, the head bonk, the threat of return (back to China with you, clock!) but the clock is ticking away!

A solution to every problem! We just used Dick's head!

Fun in the sun on the RZR

So the ATV we ended up getting is a 2010 Polaris Ranger RZR:

We went on what's called a Poker Ride today. Everyone pitched in $5, spun a wheel and got the first of 5 card values at the community hall at Ramblin' Roads RV Resort here in Hope, Arizona. We took off at 10:30, all bundled up because it was chilly and the air conditioner works full time on these rigs! We stopped three more times, spun the wheel and then one more spin, 35 miles and 3 hours later. Dick ended up with three 9's which was the highest hand and he won $115 which I think he should use for helmets for us for the next time. (warmer and safer)

We saw some beautiful scenery but with all the bouncing around didn't get too many pictures. We're going to retrace our steps another time.

I think we drove all over the first mountain and in the gulley behind it. Possibly we were up on the other side of the tall mountain. It was awesome. The desert has so much variety. We were on a trail the whole time on both sides of highway 60. Fun, fun, fun.

 



We're back in the lad of saguaro cactus, rugged rocky hills and wide open desert.



We arrived in Hope, between Quartzite and Wickenberg, Arizona, on Highway 60 yesterday. 


We signed in to Roamin' Roads RV Resort, a lovely oasis with palm trees, cactus, friendly people and room to roam over the surrounding desert. Each of the parks around here has an ATV club as does the church we went to.

 

Somebody cleaned up the sign, at least for the internet. I was ready to get my paints out!

In addition to the ATV group, the Little Church of Hope immediately adopted Dick into their shooting club when he told someone that he had a spotting scope. We'd worn jeans to church this morning and fit right in. The pastor was wearing a western cut jacket and the song leader removed his cowboy hat for prayer but stuck it on again as he led worship. The church members met at a local restaurant after service and we joined them for breakfast. We'll probably go back tonight because they're having a hamburger feed after communion. Not cooking is important to me. The lady across the table at breakfast was named Pat Bergstrom which took me back to our first service at The Country Church where we were greeted by Reuben and Marilyn who are probably distant cousins.

In order to better fit in with the population of the area we've been looking at side x sides. Everybody else has at least one ATV parked in front of their trailer and we need to fit it!

We both like this one:One of these would do just as well!