DAGGERS TO THE GUY WHO SPOILS MY VIEW

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY
RV LIVE PART THREE

View has always mattered to me.

Sitting inside this morning, the sun barely up, my fireplace the only light, I watched the rain coming down out my window.

If you’re considering renting space at an RV Park, think about it. Think about how close the quarters are. Think about how much time you’ll spend outside. The outside time is so important.

The out-of-doors ambience is why we chose this RV Ranch. This place is not the typical grid layout with gravel grounds, a square of

Rainy view...one direction

cement, and one spindly tree. Our Ranch is rustic with lots of old trees. But not all of the spaces are desirable…from my point of view.

We chose our current spot on the RV Ranch because of the view out our back window and while sitting on the patio. Most all of the spaces have views of other RV’s. When we first moved our small fifth wheel to this park, we had to take a cramped space in the middle. We were surrounded by other trailers. We added our name to the wait list for any spots that might open on the fringe. It took a year, but we finally landed one at the rear of the park with the forest and Tonto Creek beyond. It’s narrow. Our patio abuts right up against our neighbor. But the space we have out the back is worth it. When we’re sitting on our patio we feel the open space, watch the hummingbirds and quail, and enjoy the old trees.

My spoiled view the other way.

And then the neighbor on the other side vacated and Charlie moved in with his big trailer that halls all his “stuff”. I immediately visited Charlie and told him my dilemma. He wasn’t very sympathetic. He’s parked on his allotted space and that’s where he wants it. Too bad, Brenda.

What to do? We’re on the wait list again, but the only better spots than ours will take a death to get them. This RV Ranch is very popular in this area. People rent a spot and pay for it year-round, even if they only come on weekends or three months in the winter.

We're at the end of Lazy Loop.

So now, the only logical alternative is to send subliminal thoughts to Charlie…move, move, move. We’re working hard on it. FDW is much better at sending daggers than I am. Surely, Charlie won’t be able to take the atmosphere here much longer!

The Apache Trail - Risky Road to a Beautiful Day

Part of the road seen from the water.

Tortuga Thursday 

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

Happy Tortuga Thursday. Since Frank and I have been in Tonto Basin all week, I'm a little short on farm news, so I'd love to share some pictures of Apache Lake. I don't get out on the water very often. I decided to not get a fishing license this year since most days I write. But I love an occasional lake day, and I hadn't been on Apache Lake in many years.

On the road. Water below.

The road in is narrow, dirt, and a bit treacherous. The Apache Trail

There's a story of someone who lived in a cave.

hasn't changed in decades. It certainly keeps the crowds down so that one of the most gorgeous lakes in Arizona isn't overrun.

The evidence is there.

Rusty waits for Frank to catch a fish.

It was a beautiful day.

Apache Dam

There are areas that look landscaped.

Rusty licks the fish before it goes into the water.

The scenery changes.

A relaxing day to read.

Nothing In The Bank...But (More) Love

Tortuga Thursday 

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

A site on the way into Tonto Basin

I start every Tortuga Thursday with the same paragraph. We're still getting through the trials and tribulations, and there's no more in the bank financially speaking, although there is more love with the addition of Sadi two years ago. Hard to believe there would be room for more love but that room expands quite easily.

I should've renamed this blog Tonto Thursday for the winter. Frank and I spend more time at the RV than the farm. But the grass is growing now, the garlic needs more weed attention, and there will be clean up to start on soon, so we may find ourselves heading to Tortuga Flats more often. Late May or early June, we'll move the RV back to the farm. It gets hotter here so we may be ready to bail. But right now, spring is unfolding and we have warm days and cool nights. Love it.

For now, we're living like retired people (not me really because of writing but no one but me sees that as a

A local hangout next to Lazy JR

job) on the cheap. I always promise to share some of those tips. Here's a good one. The first month here, I was miffed at the electricity bill. I didn't budget $62 for this little RV for power. We were still using the heater and it's propane. We also cook on gas. The hot water, refrigerator, and whatever small appliances we plug in was all that pulled electric. We made some adjustments. By switching the hot water over to gas and unplugging everything when not in use, we dropped our bill over $20 the following month. I believe most of it was due to unplugging. We have a Keurig coffee pot so that ran all the time. Not now. And I'd heard that even when appliances are not in use, they pull juice. Now I believe it.

Have to ford the river to get across

Tree along Tonto Creek

If I haven't mentioned it before, we also switched from crock pot to pressure cooker. Not only does it cut the plugged-in-appliance time from six plus hours to thirty minutes, we can do last minute meals easier. And I like the flavors better, too.

By choosing a park that has three lakes close by, lots of hiking opportunities, and a fun group of people, we spend next to nothing for

Water provides entertainment

entertainment. Life is good.

 

Mountains, Lakes, and Misleading Road Signs

 Tortuga Thursday 

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

Mazatlan Mountains to our west in Tonto Basin

Every winter seems to be colder than the last. I looked through the archives and read my blogs from last January to confirm that. Nope. I complained of the freeze killing greenhouse plants last year, too. I guess time does dim some memories.

As the winter farmers’ market vendors, well, mostly Frank, we’ve

Sierra Ancha & Tonto Creek to the east

decided to do them every other week only. Since we’re staying in Tonto Basin for most of the winter season, it’s too long a trek to make every week. We have to stay two nights at least. Even if we didn’t do the farmers’ market we’d have to go for a stay every couple of weeks – I miss the fam, you know.

I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the Tonto Basin area. There is a rich Indian history here that I’ve yet to delve into but want to as soon as I get caught up with the two books I’m writing. Both the Hohokom and the Apache inhabited this area.

Roosevelt Lake

We headed up the mountain to Payson yesterday then back down into the basin and beyond to Roosevelt Lake.

Payson isn’t the little cowboy town I remember from the early 80’s. Too bad. It's still small, but the cowboy bars are mostly gone replaced by chain restaurants and Walmart. It’s still a gorgeous area but the highway across the rim bypasses some of my memories.

I’m awed by the dam and Roosevelt Lake. It’s unbelievably low and a

The highway to the lake from our park

testament to Arizona’s water problems. I got a big laugh out of a road sign. The Apache Trail is a road (using the term loosely) that connects the dam area to Apache Junction (outskirts of Mesa which is on the way to Phoenix). It’s the only way to get to Apache Lake. If an unsuspecting tourist saw this sign and thought “wow, a short cut to the valley” …boy would they be

The dam from the Roosevelt side

in for a shock. It quickly turns into a dirt road that is not much more than a car wide and a sheer drop off to death. In fact, you can spot vehicles that met that fate along the way. Boaters must really want to go to Apache Lake to brave the road. The road is aptly named a

The damn from the Apache side

trail.

The day was beautiful and a mixed weather event. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Don't follow that Apache Jct arrow!

Around the corner the pavement ends and it hugs the cliff

As you enter the Apache Trail