IN HACKBERRY, WHICH IS 15 MILES FROM KINGMAN IS THE GENERAL STORE. THIS IS A SITE TO SEE. WE SPENT ALL DAY THERE. IT HAS ESSO SIGNS, TEXACO SIGNS GREYHOUND BUS SINGS, MULTIPLE GAS PUMPS FROM THE 20'S TO THE 60'S. A RESTORED WORKING AND FOR SALE CORVETTE. THERE IS A CAR GRAVE YARD AND A PARTS GARAGE. THE INSIDE HAS A WORKING SODA FOUNTAIN MULTIPLE MANNEQUINS IN PERIOD COSTUME AND A TOTAL WALL DEDICATED TO ALL WHO HAVE VISITED WITH SIGNS CURRENCY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THERE IS ALSO A WORLD MAP THAT PEOPLE CAN STICK MULTIPLE COLORED PINS IN TO LET US KNOW WHERE THEY ARE FROM.

KINGMAN, ARIZONA

WE DECIDED TO STAY IN KINGMAN FOR A MONTH, THERE WAS A LOT TO DO AND THE CAMPGROUND OFFERED A GREAT FINANCIAL DEAL.  KINGMAN IS THE "HEART" OF HISTORIC ROUTE 66, A SHORT DRIVE TO LAKE HAVASU CITY, PEACH SPRINGS, SELIGMAN, OATMAN AND SEVERAL OTHER HISTORIC OR SENIC SITES.
WE FIRST SPENT THE DAY AT HAULAPAI MOUNTAIN STATE PARK. THE PARK IS BEAUTIFUL AND UP A STEEP MOUNTAIN PASS. WE WENT ON A COUPLE OF SMALL HIKES AND AT THE CAR WE NOTICED A SMALL HERD OF MULE DEER(8).  THEY DID NOT BACK OFF AS WE APPROACHED.  WE WERE ABLE TO SIT IN THE CAR FOR  5 MINUTES OR SO AND THEY STILL STAYED. THEY DID NOT SEEM AFRAID OF OREANA. I REMEMBERED THAT WE HAD BIRD FOOD IN THE TRUNK. I GOT OUT,OPENED THE TRUNK AND TOSSED SOME OUT TO THEM. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THEN HAD APPROACHED THE CAR AND WERE LETTING ME FED THEM FROM MY HAND.

AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WE WENT TO SELIGMAN. THIS A NITZY TOWN. IT IS LIKE WALKING BACK INTO TNE 50'S. LOTS OF OLD CARS, A&W ROOT BEER CAR HOP. 50'S MUSIC PIPED THROUGHT THE TOWN. MANNIQUINS DRESSED IN PERIOD COSTUME IN FRONT OF THE RUSTY BOLT BAR OR THE WILD WEST MALL.  WE HAD LUNCH IN THE "ROAD KILL CAFE". THE SPECIAL WAS "BEAVER POT ROAST FROM THUXTON"

BACK TO ARIZONA

WHILE WE WERE IN CALIFORNIA A FRIEND,TERRY SMITH,CALLED, SHE WOULD BE IN ARIZONA VISITING HER BROTHER, AND ASKED IF WERE WOULD LIKE TO COME OVER FOR DINNER. I HAVE KNOWN TOMMY AND HIS WIFE DOTTY FOR YEARS,WE ALL OWN PROPERTY IN ARUBA,I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE.  WE SET SAIL BACK TOWARD PHOENIX. STAYING IN THE USERY STATE PARK IN MESA ARIZONA. THE PARK WAS BEAUTIFUL. ON A MOUNTAIN,OVERLOOKING PHOENIX. DINNER AT THE SMITH'S WAS TOTALLY GREAT.  WE DROVE AROUND THE NEXT DAY AND LEFT FOR KINGMAN EARLY THE NEXT AM.

SMALL JAUNT TO CALIFORNIA

WE TRAVELED TO THERMAL CALIFORNIA ON AN EXTREMELY WINDY DAY. THE GUSTS WERE CLOCKED AT 40-80 MILES /HR. THE SANDS OF THE DESERT WERE BLINDING AND I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME WITH THE RV. THE CAMPSITE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE SALTON SEA,WHICH IS CALIFORNIA'S LARGEST SEA. IT WAS CREATED IN THE 1920'S WHEN THE COLORADO RIVER FLOODED. CREATING THIS LAKE IN A BED OF SALT. IT IS NOW SALTIED THAN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.  SOME 50 SPECIES OF BIRDS USE IT FOR NESTING OR MIGRATING. THERE IS THE SONNY BONO WILDLIFE REFUGE, THIS REFUGE SHELTERS,TEN DIFFERENT SNAKES,6 DIFFERENT RABBITS AND MULITPLE BIRDS. WE VISITED IT THREE TIMES WHILE IN THE AREA. WALKING AROUND THE REFUGE IS A CHALLENGE, DOWN PATHS AND UP LARGE MAN MADE HILLS. LARGE FLOCKS OF MIGRATING SNOW GEESE WERE THERE AT THE TIME, AS WELL AS GALIHAD QUAIL.
WE SPENT A DAY TOURING THE JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK AND DRIVING THROUGH 29 PALMS. DRIVING THROUGH A FOREST OF WINDMILLS WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE,EACH GOING THERE OWN SPEED ACCORDING TO THE DEMANDS OF THEIR MASTERS.

THE CAMPGROUND WAS TIGHT BUT CLEAN AND WELL KEPT. EACH AREA HAD IT'S OWN ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT OR LEMON TREE. THE GERERAL AREA HAD SEVERAL PALM TREE FARMS,CITRUS GROVES OR OLIVE TREES.

ARIZONA

WELL WE SPENT CHRISTMAS IN TERLINGUA TEXAS. WENT TO CHURCH IN PRESIDO, WHICH WAS 67 MILES WEST OF TERLINGUA.  WE LEFT THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS AND HEADED WEST. WE BOONDOCKED IN EL PASO TEXAS.  WE HAVE BOONDOCKED AT MANY CRACKERBARREL RESTAURANTS. THEY ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND ACCOMODATING. THEY HAVE NEVER REFUSED US. WE HAVE BEEN REFUSED BY WAL-MARTS HOWEVER. WE THEN DROVE THROUGH NEW MEXICO AND STOPPED IN TUCSON, AT THE PIMA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
     TUCSON IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA, SURROUNDED BY DESERT AND FRAMED BY MOUNTAINS. THE CATALINA MOUNTAINS WITH MOUNT LEMON AS THE CENTER. THE FAIRGROUNDS ARE 450 ACRES OF BUILDINGS AND STALLS AND HOURSE RINGS.  THEY RENT OUT THE RV PARK WHILE THE PIMA FAIR IS NOT TAKING PLACE. THE FAIR IS IN APRIL AND IS THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE AREA.  THERE ARE LOTS OF TRAILS THAT WE CAN WALK WITH OREANA ON. THERE ARE A FEW AREAS THAT HAVE GRASS THAT SHE CAN MAKE HERSELF COMFORTABLE IN.  WE HAVE SEEN NO SNACKES BUT THERE ARE COYOTES AT NIGHT AND WHEN WALKING OREANA AT NIGHT THEY ARE FREQUENT AND CLOSE BY.  THEY ARE NOT AGRESSIVE AND SCARE EASILY.
IT HAS BEEN CLOD AT NIGHT AND MILD DURING THE DAY.  THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS A SNOW STORM, MOST OF THE SNOW STAYED ON MOUNT LEMON,  BUT WAS MELTED EARLY IN THE MORNING.
WHILE HERE WERE WENT TO THE MUSEUM IN THE DESERT. THIS WAS A MUST SEE IN TUCSON. IT IS OUTSIDE WITH WALKING TRAILS, LOTS OF FLORA AND FAUNA. IT IS ABOUT 30 ACRES.  MOST OF THE WILDLIFE ARE IN ENCLOSURES , SUCH AS BEARS, HAVALINAS AND BOBCATS.  THEY HAVE A GREAT HUMMINGBIRD ENCLOSURE THAT IS WORTH SEEING.
WE ALSO SPENT A DAY AT SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, WHICH WAS NINE MILES OF CACTI AND DESERT. A MOUNTAIN CAVE AND A WORKING RANCH.  OREANA LOVED THE PARK AND THE CAVE. ALL NEW SMELLS AND AREAS TO MARK.
THE SUN RISES AND SUN SETS HAVE BEEN STUNNING. WE ARE LEAVING HERE FOR A SMALL TOWN CALLED THERMAL CALIFORNIA. THE JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK IS THERE.