2019 - the first half

I always seem to have to play catch up.  Here we go again.

A bus trip to the Rose Bowl Parade started the year in a wonderful way.  Great trip.

In January it seems to be a tradition to RV to Yuma and Quartzite.  While in Yuma I get to visit  NOMADS friends and make a trip into Algadones, Mexico.  In Quartzite I get to enjoy the chaos that happens each Jan/Feb in this small town.  It becomes a haven for tens of thousands of RVers who come for the rock and mineral show, flea market, and RV show.  Tons of fun.

February started with a visit from one daughter.  We went to the Renaissance Fair, which is as big as the state fair.  Now there's some people watching!  Most are in costume, as were we.

At the end of February, I was back to Kearny, AZ for another project.  It was a great team and we had a lot of fun as we painted the exterior of the parsonage and did other odd jobs.  This little community is so nice.  Unfortunately, it will be the last project there for awhile.  I just hope they can keep the church going.  I will probably go back for a short drop-in project some time.  While there we did birdwatching, watch javelinas get at the birdseed, did a tour of a monastery, and saw beautiful scenery.

In March I flew to have a brief visit in the Duke Center area.  Back to Mesa.

In April it was time to leave for a journey to NE Utah.  For three weeks, I was able to do a great deal of sightseeing.  Northern AZ and Southern Utah are full of great national and state parks.  Unbelievable scenery.  Capitol Reef National Park is amazing.  Also got to see the world's largest copper mine and Promontory, where the golden spike was driven.  Of course, I went to the Great Salt Lake and to SLC.  All was well, the to the project.  The UMC church camp was at 6700 ft elevation.  It was cold the whole time.  There was a few sunny days, but most were cold with freezing rain or snow.  We were building a large storage shed.  Many times we delayed because of the weather.  Even the last day, Memorial Day weekend, there was snow.  Ugh, don't want to be cold again, or see snow.

Mesa is providing the hot weather.  Very hot.  But it's wonderful.

2018 catch up

Well, I have been neglectful.  I still  want to keep this going to have a record for myself of my travels, but I certainly need to be more diligent.

The Kearny project last year was very good.  I enjoyed the work and the team.

After that I returned to Mesa and did some sightseeing travels around AZ.

In April/May 2018 I went to Potosi Pines UMC Camp near Las Vegas to do a project there.  I had done a drop-in project (1 1/2 weeks) here several years ago. This was a full team, 3 week project.  The main work involved taking off the existing siding on the lodge/dining hall, and putting on new siding.  The wood siding all had to be painted first.  A roof was created to join the hall all storage shed.  Some other odd jobs were completed.

I returned to Mesa, but in June flew to Kansas City.  I accompanied my brother as he made a trip to Cleveland Clinic.  While driving to Ohio we stopped in Casey, IL to see a lot of "the world's largest...." that are around the town.  In the Cleveland area, I was able to visit some friends and family.   Then it was back to Kansas City, and back to Mesa.

The next adventure involved driving the RV to northern Colorado to camp with other brother.
Along the way I was able to do other stops to sightsee- Winslow, AZ and La Posada, Two Guns (a ghost town), Canyonlands National Park.  The camping in Rifle Gap State Park was nice, but cut short due to some health concerns of my brother's. (He since had some procedures done and is doing well.)  On the return trip to Mesa, I stopped at Mesa Verde National Park.  An amazing place!!!  I want to go back.  Incredible ancient cliff dwellings.

In July there was a damaging monsoon storm that went through the RV resort where I stay.  Luckily I had no damage to my park model or RV.  About 50 of the park models in the park had damage.  Crazy.

At the end of July I flew to Philadelphia to see one daughter and took the train to NYC to see the other daughter.  In NYC we were able to go to a show and in Philadelphia we saw another show.  And while in that area I was able to meet up with Duke Center friends and then spend some time with college friends.  It was a great time to see so many people.  Back to Mesa.

In August I flew to Jackson, CA to see sisters.  Another great trip. Back to Mesa.

The end of September brought another plane trip.  I flew to Memphis, TN to attend the NOMADS annual meeting.  It is always a good time to visit, take seminars, and be with other NOMADS.  While there I toured St. Jude Hospital.  What an amazing facility and worthy of any donations.  I was pleased to be able to give blood after I had the tour.  I also was able to walk on Beal Street where Elvis had done some recordings.  Back to Mesa.

In October I returned to Potosi Pines Camp in NV to help paint a shed and assist with building a handicap ramp. It was their 60th anniversary party.  It was a good week.   Driving back to Mesa, I went on historic Route 66 and stopped at a variety of places.

Later in October I flew to Philadelphia again to help daughter with her business.  Halloween is a busy time.  Back to Mesa.

The rest of the year was spent enjoying the activities of the RV resort and sightseeing in AZ.

Kearny, AZ

I've had a lovely winter.  It's been mostly warm and dry here in AZ.  I've had a few visitors and fun side trips.

In the end of February I went on a three week NOMADS project to Kearny, AZ.  It is about 70 from Mesa.  There we painted the outside of the social hall of the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the entire inside of the parsonage.  We also did some other odd jobs.  It was a fun project with fun people with whom I had never worked.  We were able to tour a large copper mine in the area.  Very interesting.

It was then back to Mesa for a month.  It was time to do taxes, go to the doctor and dentist, and get all those necessities done.

The next project is in a week at Potosi Pines, a church camp near Las Vegas.  I had stopped there a few years ago.  This time the team project will be residing the dining hall.  The altitude will probably provide some cool weather.  Mesa seemed to skip spring and jump right into summer temps.

My Mistake

The post before this one is dated today.  I had written in July, thought I posted it, but just realized I hadn't.

      I had ended that post with going to a family reunion in KY.  It was a delightful time.  So good to get together with everyone.  We surely missed the ones who couldn't be there.  Thanks to Larry and Becca for hosting.
     After leaving Berea, KY, I headed to Ravenna, KY to Aldersgate UMC camp.  I had been there several years ago.  I stayed just over a week this time.  It was the end of their camping season and I spent the time deep cleaning a couple cabins, especially the kitchens.
     I headed to Nashville airport after that and flew to NYC.    It was great to be able to visit there.
     Upon my return, I drove to Arkansas.  During that travel time, I was able to have brief visits with friends.  I headed to Mount Eagle UMC Retreat Center.  I spent my week there power washing and sealing the decks around a couple cabins.  What a beautiful setting.  So glad to be there.
     Then I was headed to San Antonio, TX.  I had never been there and was excited about the work and to see the city.  I worked at a UMC educational facility for challenged adults.  They have a deaf program.  I was able to chat with some of the students, interpret chapel, and do some touch-up painting in a couple buildings.  On the weekend I was able to go to the Alamo and enjoy the Riverwalk.
     I left that area and headed to AZ.  It was a week later that Hurricane Harvey went through the area I had traveled across.
     I am now settled in AZ again.  I have some short trips planned, some NOMADS projects planned, and some plans to visit with friends.  I continue to enjoy being in AZ even though the month of September was quite hot.
     Until next time.  Happy Trails
   
   

     

It's Been a Long Time

      I spent the fall and winter in Mesa, AZ  at my favorite RV resort.  In December I spent a week in Globe, AZ helping with ''stocking week" at Arizona Reservation Ministries.  I was able to help sort items, fill some of their huge stockings, sort blankets, load the van with boxes of stockings each day, and be a part of the controlled chaos that happens at distribution.  I also went to the assisted living home on the rez while ARM conducted Bible study.  I was surprised to find that one of the residents is deaf.  When she found out that I understood sign language, she just began telling me her life story.  She was so glad to have someone to talk to.  I decided, then, to go once a month to visit her and try to interpret Bible study.  So for a couple days during the next three months, I would go to ARM and be a part of their daily children's ministry one day, spend the night, and go to the assisted living home Bible study the next day.  I look forward to doing that again if the resident is still there.

     Christmas week, my daughter and I spent sightseeing different places in southern CA, Utah, and northern AZ.  The highlight was Antelope Canyon in Page, AZ.  Amazingly beautiful.  

     In February, I was able to tour parts of southern AZ with friends.  Quartzite is an annual destination, Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, Tucson, Bisbee, Douglas, and a couple border towns in Mexico.  Highlights from that trip were San Xavier Mission Church in Tucson, copper mine tour in Bisbee, and historic hotel in Douglas.  

    Another trip in the spring was to Canyon de Chelly, Petrified Forest, and Chiricahua National Monument.
      It's been awesome to be able to enjoy so many of the National parks and historic places.

      I left AZ the end of April.   There was a stop at Mojave National Monument and Sequoia National Forest before getting to Gleanings for the Hungry.  This was my third time to Gleanings.  I spent two weeks there doing the different aspects of making the dry soup mixes that gets sent to the hungry around the world.  Millions of servings are made each week by all the different volunteers there.  It's a great place to volunteer.  Nice housing, great RV sites, and three wonderful meals/day.

     Then there was a disappointing trip to Yosemite.  It was so busy, roads under construction, traffic, and no parking that we unable to park and get out to see anything.  

     Sequoia National Park was better.  Calvaras Big Trees County Park was awesome.  The giant sequoias in all the parks are impressive.  Two days at Calvaras County Fair was so much fun. The famed frog jumping contest was just crazy. (Mark Twain made it famous).  The rodeo was one of the best. 

    After spending time with my sisters, I headed up the coast of CA and OR to do a NOMADS volunteer mission project at a UMC church camp in WA.  The weather was not the best, but the work was good.  I spent a few days with a tank on my back spraying invasive nasty weeds, helped split and stack firewood, and painting.

   Tripping  to Mt Rainier and Seattle was how I spent my birthday.  

   After the work at camp, I began my trip east by following the Oregon Trail-backwards.  It was a wonderful two weeks of stopping at historic sites, landmarks, wagon ruts, museums, and parks.  I thoroughly enjoyed being submerged into that part of our country's history.

     It's now time to visit with family and attend our family reunion in KY.  

   

    

SD, NE, OK, MO and Places in Between

      Leaving Mesa in July was a good idea.  Hot!!  I visited a few national parks and monuments along the way, getting good use of my senior pass.  I went to ancient cliff dwellings, pueblos, Bryce, Zion, and others.  Utah/AZ border area has spectacular places to see.  I then headed to Rapid City, SD.  I got to have a brief visit with family along the way and the opportunity to visit the Wounded Knee Indian Massacre site.   In Rapid City I renewed my driver's license, visited the place of my address, and spent time (and money) in Deadwood.
     I then volunteered a week just south of Rapid City at Storm Mtn UMC camp.  It is just a few miles from Mt. Rushmore.  There I cut, drilled, & stained 72 boards that would be used to mount memory plaques in their new gazebo.  It was a good week.  I was able to hike with some other visitors and go into the old gold mine that is on the camp property.
     Driving from there to NE, I stopped at the Archway Museum.  It stretches across I-80.  If you ever get the chance, stop there.  Great museum about the Oregon Trail.  The next week I spent at Camp Fontanelle just northwest of Omaha, NE.  There I spent the week painting and detailing both sides of their large entrance sign.  After ten years of weathering, the sign needed the paint job.  What a difference.
     It was then on to Tahlequah, OK.  I spent 3 weeks there with a great team remodeling the inside of one of the houses at the UM Children's home.  I did a lot of carpet removal, painting and, trim work.
While there we went to Cherokee historic sites, a rodeo, and even attended a Cherokee UMC service.
     I am now in Branson, MO waiting for the start of our NOMADS annual meeting.  Also, I am awaiting a new ac unit.  The other one quit about a week ago.  ugh.  hot and humid here.  Luckily I am in the shade.  Along the way to Branson, I visited the Will Rogers museum and had the opportunity to spend a few days with family.  During this time of waiting for the meeting, I am visiting with friends from AZ, going to a show, and catching up on paperwork.
     After this I will head west.  I plan to see some of the sights in Las Vegas, NM and Santa Fe, NM which I missed when I went through a couple years ago while following the Santa Fe Trail.  Then it's back to Mesa.  Let the parties begin.
     Someday I will figure out how to add the pictures.
 

Summer Travels

   Time to go. After moving stuff into the park model, I had to move stuff into the RV.  

The first week of my trip was spent visiting national parks with a friend.  We went to cliff dwellings in Walnut Canyon, pueblo ruins in Wupatki National Monument, Cameron trading post, Horseshoe Bend in Page, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, Bryce National Park, Zion National Park, and St. George.  The senior pass that I got last year had a work out this year.  All those places were free!  

      From St. George, I left to go on to NOMADS projects.  I headed to South Dakota, first meeting family in Grand Junction, CO for dinner.  Then in SD I visited the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre.  In Rapid City, I renewed my driver's license.  (My permanent address is still here.)  I also picked up my mail in person.  I visited Deadwood and supported their economy.    

     Then it was on to Storm Mountain UMC camp just south of Rapid City.  I will spend a week here. I then will go to Camp Fontanelle in Nebraska for a week.  I have been to both of these places before.  

I will be part of a team for three weeks at a girls' home in Tahlequah, OK.  After that the NOMADS have an annual meeting in Branson.  When that concludes,  I will head back to AZ and volunteer at the Arizona Reservation Ministries.