2025 - West - AZ - Camp Verde, Sedona, and Jerome - March 14 to March 19

 

3/14 – on to Camp Verde AZ

Jill snapped this picture of us driving past Picacho Peak. Vaughan climbed to the top of that peak nearly 10 years ago. He tried to get us to do it with him again but we all agreed that climbing up the side of a mountain using chains was not in our comfort zone.

For dinner friends from Georgia who now live in our RV park in Florida surprised us by driving up from Phoenix to join us for dinner. We had a great meal at Camp Verde's Bullpen Grill & Watering Hole.

3/15 – Sedona AZ – Hiking Long Canyon Trail to Birthing

The drive up was stunning with the snow on the mountains surrounding Sedona.

Long Canyon Trail

Vaughan took this up inside Birthing Cave.

My view from below.

Another view of Sedona

Bell Rock - 

3/16 –Hiking Boynton Canyon

Vaughan continued to Subway Cave while I waited down below (as usual).

While Vaughan was climbing through Birthing Cave I had a visitor. This Javelina came withing 25 feet of me. Larger than a big dog but I guess I was too much of a mouthful and he kept going.

3/17 – Sedona AZ – Hiking Soldiers Pass Trail

Sinkhole along Soldier Pass Trail - 

Seven Sacred Pools - 

Soldier Pass Cave - 

Vaughan climbing into Soldier Pass Cave

My view - 

Jim & Jill down below. - 

3/18 – drove to Jerome AZ - an old mining town on the side of a mountain. Had lunch at the Clinkscale Hotel & Restaurant,

Outside of an old movie theater was this old Peerless movie camera - so cool.

3/19 - Sedona - Bell & Cathedral Rock Loop Trail

This formation is called - The Spaceship.

Of course Vaughan had to crawl up the other side.

Jim, Jill & Jazzy chose wisely to stay down below - 

On our way back from Sedona we stopped for some Fry Bread with honey and then for a walk  to Montezuma's Castle.

2025 - West - Las Cruces NM - March 6 to March 9

3/6 – Heading to Las Cruces NM

3/7 – Dinner at a favorite place of ours – Pepper’s in Old Mesilla. Drinking Prickly Pear Margaritas.

3/8 -Hatch NM – Lunch at Sparky’s then hiking a slot canyon near Las Cruces. Yes, that is a large smiling Hatch pepper. Sparky's have the best burgers with cheesy Hatch chili sauce.

Jazzy did not know what to make of this giant Uncle Sam.

I remember these Zoltar fortune teller machines when I was a kid.

A beautiful day for a hike through a slot canyon.

3/9 – Outside of Las Cruces is the Pine Tree Trail. Vaughan, Jim & Jill went on this one without me. It would have been too much too soon for this old girl with a bad knee. 

2025 - West - Tucson AZ - March 10 to March 13

 3/10 - Got to see the Good Year blimp on our way to Tucson

3/11 – Tucson AZ – Saguaro NP East

I guess this was a female cactus.

3/12 – PIMA Air & Space Museum

Below is the largest strangest airplane we have ever seen - The Guppy.

Jim was in the Air Force and used to fly these beauties.

Finally, dinner at Cattletown Steakhouse with more Prickly Pear Margaritas.

3/13 – Hiking Sweetwater Preserve

2025 - West 2025 - Land O Lakes to New Orleans to San Antonio - Feb 27 - March 6

 

2/27 – left our sweet RV Resort in Land O Lakes Florida

2/28 –Dropped RV off in Livingston LA and joined long-time friends Danny & Jeannette in New Orleans.  It had been way too long since we had seen them.  We had a wonderful dinner at Mr. Ed’s then back for an evening of old and new stories.

3/1 – It’s Mardi Gras time and Danny & Jeannette live within a block of the Endymion Parade route. Each year they host a huge party and then we all go to the best parade viewing spot. This year was special. Danny’s brother, Wayne, married a wonderful lady (Mary) whose grand-daughter was chosen as a princess for the parade. This is a great honor. This is Caroline and her father.

We always enjoy the Budweiser Clydesdales.

3/3 – Made it to San Antonio TX and met up with our travel buddies, Jim & Jill.

Went to the Riverwalk for a nice Mexican dinner.

3/4 – The Alamo & Tower of the Americas

2023 - West - Las Vegas to home - Sept 15-30

 Sorry for the delay in posting this - 

September 16 - Left Kanab for Las Vegas. Beautiful drive through the gorge along the Virgin River crossing into Nevada. Had a wonderful buffet dinner at South Point Casino.

September 17 - Good friends Dianne & Burt got us VIP Media tickets to Jennifer Ramos new burlesque show Exxcite at the Rio casino.  We've seen her past show, Sexxy, a few times in the last couple of years and she never ceases to amaze. Local celebs all attended - Murray the Magician, Perez Hilton, John "Kats" Katsilometes, Khoree the Poet, and others I did not recognize.

Vaughan can never resist getting his picture with a pretty girl - 

Here is our hostess, Dianne, with Murray the Magician.

And Vaughan with Jennifer Romas.

September 18 - Had a fabulous lunch at a favorite of ours in The Linq - Hash House A Go Go. Later we met up with Burt & Dianne for football and hot dogs at South Point.

Here is Jill with their famous Chicken and waffles - 

September 19 - Dinner with Burt & Dianne and Tom & Kathleen had a big surprise for us. A friend we hadn't seen in many years and her new husband, Joyce & Jerry, surprised us.  Such a treat telling all the old stories from past vacations.

September 20 to 24 - We headed back to Georgia with stops along the way: 1) Twin Arrows Casino, Flagstaff, AZ,  2) Route 66 Casino, Albuquerque, NM,  3) Grand Casino, Shawnee, OK, 4) Southland Casino, West Memphis, AR, 5) National Indoor RV Center, Lawrenceville, GA.

Yes, we stop at lots of casinos along the way. You get to park for free, have fun, and have a nice choice of restaurants. One even had free ice cream.

NIRVC was a necessity for 2 reasons - we needed a new DEF head in the RV and it served as a good place to stay for a few days while we visited our favorite resort, Paradise Valley.

We went up most evenings to Paradise Valley for dinner, poker, bingo, and good friends that we have missed. 

Finally on September 30 we returned to our beautiful home in The Woods in Land O Lakes, Florida.

Over the last few months we drove 7990 miles on the RV (about 28 stops along the way) and 6640 miles in the Jeep. 

It's funny that most people go on vacation to relax. It seems like we never stopped moving. There were never any arguments between the couples even though we had never travelled together. We respected each other and gave space where needed.