Category Archives: Apache Junction

Always fun meeting bloggers

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Invited for dinner

I was invited for dinner by Sandie of Where are the Dixons fame.  I met both Sandie and Jim several years ago in Quartzsite and she always writes nice comments on my blog.  They spend their winters in Apache Junction, AZ and their summers on the road or in their home state of Montana.  They are always such fun people.  So I jumped at the chance to see them before they left the area.  I drove to Apache Junction, AZ and we had dinner at Superstition Skies.

More famous bloggers

I also met Rod  of Retired Rod fame.  We had some great conversation and then he mentioned a blog post he wrote that went viral.  In case you haven’t read about his experience with his Roomba and the dog poo you should check it out here.  It is a hilarious post and will keep you in stitches.  Rod is a very funny guy and I have added his blog to my list of “must reads”.

Then I met Diana of Life on the Open Road fame.  I started reading her blog a couple of years before I even started RVing and it is still on my “must read” list.  I have always gotten a lot of enjoyment out of her posts as they are usually sort and sweet and have many pics.  Lots of good information.

It is really neat when you meet up with the people whose blogs you read and enjoy.  Some people like Diana were my mentors even though they didn’t know it.  I got lots of great information and encouragement to realize that the fulltime RV lifestyle was the one for me.

Great Dinner

We all had a great dinner.  Several of us ordered the “all you can eat” chicken wings and legs. We all kept going back for more.  They also had a group that played a wide variety of music.  It was a great time and I was so glad I went.  Here is a pic of our table.  Left to right, Rod, Phil, Phil’s friend (sorry I didn’t get his name), Diana, Sandie and Jim.

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Thanks Sandie for inviting me.  It was so much fun.

Pawdicure on the way to Gros Ventre, WY

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Chica’s Pawdicure

After leaving Riverside campground we headed to Idaho Falls, ID for a couple of things.  I had to stop in Walmart to pick up a prescription and supplies and Chica needed a pawdicure.  She last had her nails trimmed in Mesa, AZ shortly after we found each other.

They were getting too long so we headed to a Petsmart where you didn’t need an appointment.  I also mentioned in my last post that she was going to get her teeth cleaned.  That was wrong.  She was only going to get a breath freshener.  Here she is waiting to get her nails down.

Am I next Dad?

Am I next Dad?

It took quite a while and two people to complete the job.  I don’t think she was too happy at the time.

I thought this was a pawdicure not a two-on-one wrestling match

I thought this was a pawdicure not a two-on-one wrestling match

On to Gros Ventre

After the pawdicure and the stop at Walmart we made the drive to Gros Ventre campgrounds.  It is northeast of Jackson, WY.  I figured I may be able to fill up with propane there.  No way Jose!  Jackson was slammed with lots of traffic, both cars and campers.  I decided to head on out to the campground as I had enough propane to last me a few days.

John and Linda had talked to the camp hosts and they were reserving a spot right next to them.  The cost of camping here is $21 per night, but only $10.50 with the geezer card.  This is a bit more then I have been paying, but they have the beautiful mountains and lots to do as well.  It is really a great bargain.

The next day John and I drove into town to fill up my 5 gal. tank with propane.  On the way we saw this herd of bison crossing the road.  They had been down to the river and were no heading up to graze.  Needless to say it stopped traffic.

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Kayaking on the Snake River

The following day seven of us decided to go kayaking.  It was a long drive to where we started and we had several cars.  It was really great fun even though I started off facing the wrong way in my kayak.  DUH!!

This is where we put into the water.

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John and Linda with all the inflatable kayaks blown up and ready to go.

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This is John and Linda on the water.

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It was a great time and it gave me a chance to practice my kayaking skills. ???

Farmer’s Market in Jackson

The next day was spent checking out the fabulous farmer’s market in Jackson.  John and Linda drove me around Jackson and we walked around the downtown area.  The farmer’s market was held in a park downtown.

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The entrance to the park was made entirely of antlers.  How cool!

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Let’s Party!!

On Friday everyone got together for a party with lots of great food and conversation.  We invited the camp hosts in our campground as well as Shannon, who is another camp host at Jenny Lake.  She and I worked together at Amazon last winter and saw each other at Apache Junction last spring while she was camped there.  It was really good to see her again and we had a lot of catching up to do.

After dinner, we all sat around the campfire and Ally roasted marshmallows and made us all Samores.   It was a great time.  I also saw Tony who I had also worked with at Amazon.

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I plan to stay at Gros Ventre until after Labor Day.  There is lots of great things to do here and terrific friends to do them with.

 

Hiking in Fish Creek Canyon

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Off to Fish Creek Canyon

My friend Key of The Ramblin Rivercat fame and I planned to head into the Superstition Mountains just outside of Apache Junction for the day.  We decided to hike in Fish Creek Canyon about 20 miles from Apache Junction.  On the way we drove past Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats and the hit a very bumpy dirt road which led down into Fish Creek Canyon.

We hiked up a very rough trail to a cave that looked out to the bridge.

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This pic was taken inside the cave looking out.

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Key then wanted to hike further into the canyon, but the trail on one side of the creek seemed to end at a water fall and the other was a bit too much since I was carrying my new Nikon and all the water.  The gravel was very loose and steep in spots and I did not really have my hiking legs.

Here is a look up into the canyon.

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These are the surrounding canyon walls.  It was a very cool spot.

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This was the trail we were on.

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Apache Lake was our next stop…

The it was further down the washboard road to Apache Lake. I was really impressed with my new for me Samurai 4X4.  The ride is rather bumpy but it takes the bumps pretty good.

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We did stop along the road for Key to look for tarantulas (he didn’t find any) and check out the scenery.

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Just up the road as we were following the lake was a beautiful campsite called Three Mile Wash right on the water.  That would sure be a great place to boondock.

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It had a really neat island out in the middle of the lake.

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Paved road again..

We finally reached pavement after 22 miles of narrow, washboard unpaved road (sometimes down to one lane).  It was nice to drive on pavement again.

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Roosevelt Dam

The end of the dirt road came at the Roosevelt dam.

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On the other side of the dam was a large bridge that led to Payson however we were on our way to Globe and then back to Mesa.

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Stopped in Globe for a cold one

We stopped in Globe for a cold one and then headed back to Mesa which was quite a distance away.  It was a very full day.

A great day in Apache Junction

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Meeting up with Shannon and Sheba

On Saturday I drove out to Apache Junction to go hiking with Shannon and her dog Sheba.  I had originally planned this for last Thursday but had to cancel in order to get my car checked out and serviced.

Shannon is camped at the base of the Superstitious Mountains with many hiking trails nearby.  Here are a couple of pics taken just a few feet from her campsite.

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A few miles up the road we stopped at a lookout.  Great desert views.

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Further up the road was Canyon Lake.  It is a huge lake with a nice beach and marina.  It looks like a great place to kayak.

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Then it was on to Tortilla Flats where we enjoyed a couple of cool beers and listened to a great country western band.

We walked around the campground at Tortilla Flats, but it was already closed for the season.

Fantastic view from Fish Creek Overlook

Driving further you run out of paved road.  We drove on a washboard road for a few miles until we got to the Fish Creek Overlook.  What magnificent views and colors.

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This is a pic of Shannon and Sheba looking over the canyon.

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More pics of Fish Creek.

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I also liked the many plant and cactus varieties.

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Then we headed back to Shannon’s campsite where she made us a snack before heading out and a late afternoon hike at the base of the Superstitious Mountains.  I managed to get a couple of pics of the sunrise and the beautiful colors of the mountain.

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We just managed to get back as it was getting dark.

Pizza and another country western band…

We then drove a few miles down the road and stopped at the Hitchin Post pizza joint.  Shannon insisted on buying me dinner and we had a great pizza and beer.  They also had a great country western band that played some fantastic music.  It was really a fun day.

Only 5 games left in Spring Training

There are only 5 games left and I am planning on leaving Mesa on the 28th.  I have the itch and want to get out of the city atmosphere I am presently in.  After seeing Apache Junction I would like to return there and stay a few days.  Then it is off to New Mexico.