New Experience in the Desert

It's fun playing in the desert, but sometimes we need to return to civilization to fix things. Sometimes schedules and repair opportunities run parallel, like having to leave the RV park  to make space for an RV boot camp, and getting the proper tires put back on the trailer. On our way back Carol and I stopped in Quartzite AZ for a night of "boondocking". For those that don't know this term, it is RV camping through self-sustainment (on board water supply, solar/generator power, and on board sewer storage).

Carol and I are thinking that we are going to have a good time boondocking in the future. The night we spent there was peaceful, stars everywhere, and coyotes talking to each other. If you have ever had the opportunity to listen to a group of coyotes socializing, you begin to hear distinct voices of the individual coyotes... fantastic! This part of the trip was in preparation for upgrading our solar on the trailer. At the time of this boondock adventure we only had 60 watts (60W) of solar which was enough to charge our two 12V batteries. The batteries only support the LED lights, stereo system, and monitoring devices, and only had a converter, so we cannot run 120V appliances.

We arrived back at North Ranch RV Park to rest for a night before we drove to Glendale AZ to have our new solar system put on. 

From the photo you may notice three solar panels on the roof, there is actually four, for a total of 720W. The new system has four 6V batteries, inverter, and battery management. With the upgrade we will be to run some of our 120V appliances. The solar equipment was purchased through RV Solar Electric http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/ and installed by D&R Family RV http://www.drfamilyrv.com/. D&R was very accommodating during the installation. We spent two nights at their lot, in our rig (with electricity). While waiting for the work to be completed we drove by a bowling alley boasting about how cold their beer was: "Our beer is colder than our X-wive's heart". Once the job was done we headed back to the ranch for our next evolution... replacing the truck windshield. It was unfortunate for us when we took a rock to the windshield a few weeks earlier. Safelite came out and did their thing and we are good to go, and go we did.

 If one is willing to drive the back roads around Arizona a lot can be discovered. While looking for new camping sites to stay at I found an old cemetery out in the desert near Congress.

This cemetery, backed up against the hills was a "working" cemetery until about 1912, when they moved to a closer and larger cemetery.  what is interesting about walking through cemeteries is learning about people in the area. Some of you folks may know of a company called "Modern Woodman". At one time in the beginning they were known as "Woodman of the World". In this old cemetery there is a gentleman who was a member of "Woodman of the World". In the new cemetery there are many veterans buried, some actually from the local area, others who moved here.

A little farther in the hills, there is a working mine. This mine is not a mine that allows tours, but it appears that they are mining copper and silver. The water tower indicates that the the mine was established in 1884. After we drove near the mine we turned around and continued to look for areas that would be good to boondock at, and there were several nice spots with creature comforts, like a fire pit and fairly level ground. There were a couple of spots I don't have the nerve to drive to because the roads are so rutted, and I didn't have climbing gear to get us out if we had fallen in.

We have explored for the day and now it's time to go home and have dinner. Later.

Still in Arizona

I figure it's time to let people know what we have been up to the last few weeks in between relaxing and doing nothing. We took a drive to Scottsdale AZ and visited the Odysea Aquarium. It is not just an aquarium, there is an atrium filled with butterflies, a Titanic display, and a dinosaur exhibit. There is no need to hurry through to get to lunch, they have a food court. If you have young children there is an opportunity for them to run some of their energy before seeing exhibits, or after lunch, in an area designed for your young adventurers.

For those of us that enjoy our seafood but don't see it in the wild too often, you can enjoy halibut relaxing at the bottom of their tank. For those not familiar with halibut, they are similar to flounder who have both eyes on one side of their body so they can swim the ocean floor and still their surroundings. The aquarium not only has fish but other aquatic animals such as otters, penguins, and  alligators and crocodiles. I didn't get a picture of the 18 foot crocodile on temporary assignment to the aquarium, too many people at the glass.

The otters were just as curious of us humans as we were of them, but did not find us worthy enough to come closer for further inspection.

These are just some of the beautiful fish that can be seen at the aquarium. They also have some strange creatures as well, like the Frogfish that actually walks on it's fins vice swimming. Believe it or not, there is a creature/fish... matches the coral.

Like other aquariums there are areas of interaction. One of the touching pool allows the opportunity to "pet" sturgeon. I didn't realize how many varieties of sturgeon there are, some are even being watched to prevent extinction. We learned that there is only one authorized caviar farm in the United States. The other touching pools are like tide pools. I forgot to mention an educational ride that rotates stopping at four stations. Each station talks about a different part of the ocean and it' respective wildlife.

OFF TO LUNCH.

We're back, and off to the butterfly atrium. One problem I have with atrium's is the fact that they are Florida on steroids in the summertime. We walked into this one and by the time we left I was 20 pounds lighter... unfortunately it was only in my mind. 

Before entering the atrium people pass through the nursery. Odysea imports cocoons and raises their butterflies. Approximately 300 butterflies are introduced into the atrium daily. There are many butterflies, some are willing to land on the obnoxious creatures roaming through their home. Carol and I learned that none of the plants are indigenous for the butterflies, it is to prevent uncontrolled breeding. The butterflies have access to the fruit so that they stay healthy while they are on display. 

After we had the opportunity to commune with the butterflies we headed to the bugs.
For you scorpion lovers - same guy - day and night.

 

The bug collection isn't huge, but nice to see. 

The excitement doesn't stop with the bugs, they have toads and poisonous frogs too.

It was a fun day and only a short drive from Congress AZ. Now we are home and ready for bed.