Toilet Overflow....Hello Tucson !

We are now staying at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.  We will be here until around April 7, 2013. Everything depends on our mood and of course the weather.  We don't want to head east or north until the weather stays "spring like". Today it is sunny, clear skies and the temp is 82 degrees.

Donna and Chuck as well as Dee and Andy are here.  How great is that !  Happy hour this afternoon that's for sure.

Just inside of Main Gate looking out

If you only knew what I had to do to get this shot !

A-10

While we were in Fort Huachuca we had a little flood in the motorhome.  The toilet had been sticking and I thought "oh ...no big deal, I will fix it later".  I was woken the next morning by Andy screaming, "there is water all over the place"

What had happened,  Andy woke up in the middle of the night and had to go potty.  When she pushed the handle to flush the toilet all was good... "except"....the water kept running into the toilet and of course into our tanks. Andy never heard the water running, since she is hard of hearing, and she never turned on the light.

So, here we are, six hours later ! Andy gets up and goes to the bathroom and sits on the toilet.  She jumps up because she sat down and got her butt wet and cold.  LOL.  The toilet was full of water and was flowing all over the bathroom floor.  Thank goodness I dumped the tank the night before so it was clean water and not...well you can guess !!

I ran outside and opened the black tank valve to drain the tank. So thankful that the overflow kicked in so we were not flooded out!! That would have been way worse than Andy just having a wet butt.

While we were there we also went on a 57 mile ATV ride through Patagonia, McClintock Range and the San Rafael Valley.  We even stood at the border of United states and Mexico.

OK GUYS I AM READY   LETS GO !!

My honey and I

Zoom...Zoom

 

I have been trying to explain what a Jesus Bush looks like....see below !

Because when you run into one at night on a patrol you yell..Jesus "Blank" Christ !

Just for Andy... in the middle of no where.  I mean nothing around for 10 miles !

We met a nice couple that are full timing in their 26 foot travel trailer, which is not so common, in a trailer that small.  What was even more surprising is they are traveling with seven children.  Twins who just turned 2 and the oldest is 10. Even more astounding is they are all adopted! The kids were well behaved and sweet. What an endeavor!

Andy wanted me to take a picture of the gym in the RV Park here in Ft Huachuca ?

Andy said I have to look like this in 6 weeks...Dang, how do I get all those pretty colors !  lol

When we got here to Tucson we went to the flea market with our ole buddies Chuck and Donna ! 

Candy, Chuck,Chuck Andy and I...Hey where is Donna !

Donna is still missing !  Where is that woman !!

What ?  What ?  Whats so funny !

Organ Pipe National Monument

We took a day trip, about 60 miles, from Gila Bend, Arizona to check out Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the Sonoran Desert. Twenty-eight (28) cactus species live there, including the Saguaro and Organ Pipe.

The Organ Pipe Cactus are rarely found in the United States.  They are called Organ Pipe because the way they sound as the wind blows threw.

Andy and her pipe  LOL !

 This Organ Pipe is a mutant. The Ranger told us to keep an eye out for it..  It came alive after I ...well... you can see!   It was like something out of "Men in Black !

I didn't...just teasing !

Andy did !!  She didn't either !  wink wink

This is an average size saguaro with small arm.  The number of arms, or the lack of any, is determined by access to water.

Can you find Waldo...well "me"!

 ? ....drugs and/or it's parents.  Got to blame something or someone

 The monument is located in the Ajo Mountain Range.  We drove the 21 mile loop...well worth the trip !

Ajo mountains

Double Arch

While we stayed at Gila Bend Air Force Base, we meet some of the nicest people. They welcomed us with open arms like you wouldn't believe.  Many of them have been coming here, to winter, for many years. I am sure we will stay in touch. We will be back !   Happy hour every night we were there.   What a blast !!! 

The 4:02 Club !  See the two empty chairs ?

I would post another picture of a couple but they asked me not to. You know who you are !!   I think they are in the Federal Witness Protection Program..lol 
 

The golf course ..no rock to big !  Blast !!

 This hat was made from a beer 12 pack. He wears it with pride...no not the hat....the belly. lol Love ya man

Found out Lewy actually does not own a shirt!

Yesterday we departed and had to say goodbye to our new friends...Sad.

We are now in Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona.  Had a chance to say hi to Larry but haven't had a chance to hang out much.  Hopefully that will change.  We should be here for about a week and are planning on going to Kartchner Caverns State Park to see the caverns and four wheeling with quads around Tombstone, Arizona

Yuma and Gila Bend, Arizona

We departed Camp Pendleton last Wednesday , March 6, 2013, and are now in Gila Bend, Arizona via Yuma.  We are staying here in a FamCamp on Gila Bend Air Force Base.  We have no idea when we are leaving. Can't believe we were in Portland only a week ago, quite the weather change.

 

The 1.7 million acre base is managed by Luke AFB and is located in SW Arizona.  The base extends south to the Mexican border. The base is used for live fire exercises for all types of weapon systems including bombs.  The USAF Academy parachute team conducts over 6000 jumps per year here.  Currently the UK airman/soldiers are here using the base.

At 1200 and 1500 everyday- free air shows right outside our door

Fast Mover

The RV Park is located where the military family housing used to be.  They just demolished the houses and left the driveways, sidewalks and of course the utilities in place and converted them for RV use.  They say don't drink the water because of the high level of arsenic...however, they do provide drinking and cooking water at each site along with the normal RVwater connection. For full hook-ups, it is only $10.00...not a bad price.  Trust me, this is not a fancy place to stay but a good place to hang out with friends !  There is no gas station..BX/PX or anything, except FREE laundry. The little things that Andy loves.

"Epinephrine" and the DuFault's" Beaver" Rigs together "again"  lol !

We decided to come here to hopefully see Andy and Dee and to take day trips to the Phoenix area. Dee and Andy are here ! So how cool is that !   Donna and Chuck came here with us for a few days which was very nice.  They left this morning. I am sure we will see then again soon in Tucson, Arizona.

The weather here has been a lot better than San Diego.  We are sure enjoying the sun and higher temperatures.

 

RIP ..Old Man Winter !

I went golfing today with the Gila Bend Golf Team, had a blast, yes this is it!  

18 hole golf course

Andy and Max

If anyone really knows Andy then you know the cabin in Joseph, Oregon is her favorite place in the world. When she met Max, the Ex-mayor of Joseph, Oregon, she couldn't wait to chat with him ! She even made me take this picture.  lol

Happy hour in Gila Bend, Arizona

While we were in Yuma, Arizona ,Chuck and Donna decided it was time for us to go visit Los Algodones, Mexico. We have never been there.  What a crazy place ...but fun!  We bought all kinds of useless stuff  we just "had" to have.  We even looked for stain glass windows for our RV door.  Couldn't find one that fit. However, I took a picture of the one I liked.  Maybe we have a great friend that would like to make us one...hint hint Eileen

Mostly Canadians and RV'ers go there for dental and prescription drugs.  Yes, I bought some drugs...no I didn't buy Viagra!  I bought some inhalers for Adam..like 6 for $10.00.  He will be a happy boy!

So while we were there ...I had to taste and enjoy !

The gang minus one.

There is the 'one"...loving the sun and the flowers

Also, while we were in Yuma we went to the casino.  Nope, we lost ! Donna was the big winner.  She says she never wins. She always does when we are with her....maybe she is stealing my chi !! UMMM !!!


This is for Garth and Kathy...thinking of you guys !

Garth and Kathy's future rig !

Sneak attack by Grandma and the Marines !

We are still in Camp Pendleton which is 45 miles north of San Diego, California.  Our plan, as of right now, is to head east to Yuma, Gila Bend, and then onto Tucson in a week or so.  Always flexible in the RV lifestyle!

Staying in Camp Pendleton has been wonderful !  Yesterday I laid on the beach and soaked up some rays.  This marine base has everything you would want...BX, commissary, bowling alley, movie theater.  We highly recommend staying here if you are active or retired military.  During the weekdays the place is empty.  Weekends with nice weather is a different story.

"Our" beach at sunset

Since we have been here we have been hanging out with Donna and Chuck DuFault. We met them last year in Tucson, Arizona while we were staying at Davis Monthas AFB. They departed here yesterday and are heading east.  We should see them again soon.  Miss them already !

They are Fulltimers and have taught me so many things. I could never say "Thank You" enough !  They are a wonderful and a fun loving couple. I am sure we will remain friends for a long time. Andy even learned how to play Pinochle.  Of course single deck is better than double deck and Donna is nicer than Chuck..lol lol

While we were here I had a chance to see and visit with Casey and Anne Jones. They currently live in La Paz, Mexico on their Baba sailboat "Vger" and have for many years. Casey and I are both retired Army.  I first met them while stationed at Ft Lewis, Washington.  For some strange reason we would follow each other from duty station to duty station.  From Ft. Lewis, Washington to Germany to Fort Carson, Colorado. We used to go skiing in Germany, Austria and Colorado.  We were so broke sometimes we would just sleep in the parking lot at the ski resorts so we could get two days of skiing in.   It was great seeing them again and hopefully seeing them again soon !!

Andy, Casey, Anne and myself

Also, since we have been here, Andy's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  What a shock ! Andy flew home to be with her mom for the surgery.  She was gone for a week.  A week after Andy came back here we found out the first surgery didn't get all the cancer. Another surgery was scheduled. This time we both flew back to Portland to be with her mom and dad. Just before surgery, like 5 minutes, they cancelled it!  Her sugars were too high...another shock ...now she has diabetes? She finally went into surgery a week later when her sugars were under control.

This had been a very stressful on her mom and the family. Andy has been so worried and scared.  The other day we were informed that the pathology report came back negative and it seems like they got all the cancer.  No chemo !! What a stress relief.  Mom don't do that again...enough is enough ! We love ya

While we were back in Portland we had a chance to visit our friends and family.  I even had a chance to go to my granddaughters birthday party. She sure is a firecracker!

Kloee

Since we are staying in a military base you never know what can happen.  We came under attack!

Armored vehicle swimming

Japanese attacking us with the US marines help..huh !

Picture taken from the RV window

Carrying the wounded

Joint exercise with the Navy

We even got sneaked attacked by the good ole Girl Scouts !!

How cute !