Death Valley Spot Ralley

This was our third gathering with Alpine folks in Death Valley in January. (Links to previous Death Valley posts: 2018; 2017)

The drive into the National Park is always picturesque. This time it was even more so because of the low cloud cover that hung  like a veil, creating a mysterious effect. 

A few of the mountain peaks had snow sprinkled on top. There had been a recent cold and also wet spell that seemed to follow us all the way into California from Arizona.

Even after we entered the park,  the low banks of cloud persisted,  eerily suspended over the valley.








We set up at Stovepipe Wells with the rest of our group. This year it was the Smiths, Johnsons, Collinses, and Vosses.
The clouds moved on and we enjoyed mostly sunny, calm days.  And in the late afternoons we gathered for Happy Hour as we watched the sun setting and the moon growing fuller each evening. This year we timed the gathering to view the Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse of 2019 on January 20th. It turned out to be a memorable spectacle and in tribute to this rare celestial event, we all howled in appreciation once the full eclipse occurred (generating peals of laughter from many of our neighbors who were also watching the eclipse).  It felt like a fitting tribute!

moon watching

Michael has an App on his phone that tracks satellites and the International Space Station. This App cleverly gives him a warning whenever a satellite's appearance is imminent and I have come to know the signature melody well over the months mostly because the sightings always seem to happen as we are about to have dinner or are watching a show. Under Death Valley's dark and vast skies, we were all able to watch a few of these sightings. One ISS sighting was particularly long and exciting to view.




Despite the government 
shutdown that coincided with our stay, and necessitated several road closures to protect the park, we were able to enjoy our time in the park and visit some of our favorite sites. A skeleton staff continued to work at the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek and provided daily updates on current road closures. And since the Hotels and Stovepipe Wells campground are run by private concessions, they remained open for business as usual. We were able to eat at the restaurant, enjoy an ice cream at the gift store, and on Sunday we had brunch at the newly renovated Oasis Hotel then strolled through the palm groves to the natural spring.

One viewpoint that is always stunning at any time of day is Zabriskie Point. 

Zabriskie Point with its stunning eroded badlands
and snow on Telescope Peak (11,049 ft) in the distance

This visit we drove the 2.8 mile one-way Twenty-Mule-Team Canyon Loop for the first time. The sandy formations and various colors all converging in one area were amazing to see. 






Dante's View Point was breathtaking. 

the views across the valley were spectacular

A couple of exhibits at the recently updated viewpoint provided a good overview of what lies 5,500 feet below in the valley.  

the Amargosa River lies hidden beneath the valley floor

There was snow clinging to the peaks of Panamint Range across the valley. 

On the return trip from Dante's View we had a good view of a mine. Ryan Camp, formerly known as Devar, is a former mining community and company town now maintained by the Death Valley Conservancy Organization. 
Prior to Death Valley becoming a National Park, mining did exist: Mining in Death Valley


The two of us hiked from the campground to the Mesquite Dunes about a mile away. Tromping across the cracked clay formations to reach the dunes is always fun. They make a hollow sound yet are quite hard and sturdy. They remind me of slate.




The dunes in this area of the park are mostly surrounded by mountains. They are not very tall, the largest dune reaching a height of approximately 130 feet. And it's not difficult to climb to the top of the dunes. 
Apparently several movies have been filmed here including Star Wars (which I suspect my SIL would love to know). 

the dunes shift daily just a little

Last year we drove the one-way juddering off-road trail through Titus Canyon. This time we drove up the exit point and hiked into the canyon. Walking among the towering smooth rocks was a different experience.  

entering the canyon

fascinating rock formations

the rocks feel surprisingly smooth

We enjoyed and survived yet another Death Valley stay. The camaraderie, the environment, the feeling of being in the midst of natural grandeur, is always rejuvenating. 
On Thursday morning the Johnsons and we left, stopping at Shoshone for brunch at the Crowbar Cafe. We continued on to Jurupa County RV Park in Riverside where we stayed the next three nights. The reason: Debi and I were going to the Road To California Quilt Show! It would be my first ever judged, large quilt show and I was excited.

Shoshone for brunch is a tradition

2018 STATS

• In our second full year of full-time RV living, our home on wheels had 51 different “back yards” at 46 RV parks. 
• We attended 4 rallies (Alpine Death Valley, Escapees Boondockers in Bouse, Alpine NorCal Rhody Festival, Escapees Boomer & Balloons).
• Alpine drove 7,002 miles and consumed 788 gallons of diesel at the cost of $2,616, average $3.32/gallon.
• Alpine averaged 8.88 MPG.
• Jeep was towed the same 7,002 miles, and drove an additional 6,738 miles.
• Jeep consumed 368 gallons gasoline at cost of $1,104, average $3.00/gallon.
• Jeep averaged 18.3MPG.

Our travel maps tab is usually up-to-date. Click on the MAPS link at the top of the blog page (or on this link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CvjXGhkZnDb0sLzLb2pEjApnYzlilS8j&ll=39.41611066412571%2C-114.149405&z=5)

Snow Birding at the Arizonian RV Resort, Arizona

our back yard at the Arizonian

Site 267 at the Arizonian RV Resort just outside Gold Canyon, Arizona, was our home for two-and-a-half months. Other than our stays in the Seattle area at Lake Pleasant for family obligations, this was the longest stay in one park. 

It was also a "test" to see if my boy scout hubby, who can never resist scouting out what's around the next corner, would be able to tolerate being in one place for this length of time. 

We had a blast, and as it always does, time flies when you are having fun. Time certainly flew for us and we plan to return again for the next winter season to join all the rest of the snowbirds that like to gather here in warmer weather. In other words, Michael passed the test and is willing to stay longer next time!

The Arizonian, just like most RV resorts in the greater Phoenix/Mesa area, is a 55+ and active snowbird hangout. The folks who spend the winter here come from all over the Midwest, Oregon, Washington, and, of course, Canada. And just like at other RV resorts where we have stayed, except for Happy Hour, no one sits on the porch rocking their time away. Folks are active and engaged in numerous daily activities like pickle ball, bowls, shuffleboard, pool, cards, golf, water aerobics, you name it. The open desert behind the resort particularly attracts folks with ATVs and off-road vehicles. 

We enjoyed our stay even more this time, got to know more people, and also went exploring in the area. 

So here are the highlights of how we stayed 55+ and active during our stay - 

Jeeping in the desert

One of the highlights soon after we arrived was going on a Jeep Rubicon excursion with several friends who are die-hard off-road explorers. Of course it helps that one of them, Jerry, grew up in this area, explored the surrounding hills with his brother during their youth, and is very familiar with the back country where few venture.

peeking into an abandoned mine

lunch break on our way to Youngs along the off-road desert trails

quartz rock found in the Superstition Mountains

stopping at the old abandoned Dupont cabin 

Click here to view Michael's video of the trip: Jeeping with Randy and Dar

On a separate occasion, Michael went on another Rubicon excursion to find a trailhead:
Jeeping with Randy and the Gang
Later the guys returned to hike from the trailhead to some ancient cliff dwellings:
Cliff Dwelling Hike


Pima Air Museum
When my brother was in Tuscon on business, we drove to meet him for dinner. But first we stopped at the Pima Air Museum. What a fascinating museum! The docent-led tour was excellent and although planes are not my expertise or passion (like they are for my boyscout husband), I learned a lot and enjoyed seeing the exhibits. I typically find something that interests me. This time I learned about flying boats like the PBM-5A Mariner. It's incredible that something of this size and proportion can fly and also land and take off on water.

Then I read this plaque which caught my attention because it happened in Seattle:

Other exhibits that caught my eye were the smallest biplane, the Starr Bumble Bee, which looked like a toy plane but actually flies.

There is also a Bede BD-5 "micro-jet"

At the other extreme is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane

I wondered what the Wright brothers would think about all of this if they knew what their first attempts at flight have evolved into.

Another display that caught my attention is the one about the color coded deck shirts worn on aircraft carriers for safety. It occurred to me that color-blindness would not be a good thing in this job!
 

I suspect my plane crazy hubby came away with more appreciation for the various planes on exhibit. This museum certainly warrants another visit because there is a lot more to see than we had time for that day. I suspect we will return.

Tortilla Flat and the Apache Trail to Roosevelt Dam
We took a trip to Tortilla Flat, then followed the Apache Trail until we reached  Roosevelt Lake. 

The quaint town of Tortilla Flat, population 6 with its total of two main buildings, is a regular tourist stop. Prior to 1906, this location was a welcome stop for travelers on the Yavapai Trail which connected Tonto Basin with the Salt River Valley.  In 1906, the trail, now known as the Apache Trail, was completed as a freight road for the construction of Roosevelt Dam. Tortilla Flat became an important water and supply stop on this road. The Apache Trail is now Arizona State Route 88 but Tortilla Flat remains a welcome stop for inquisitive tourists.

To attract visitors and make the stop more interesting, both buildings are adorned with colorful sayings and period antiques.







The Superstition Saloon Restaurant exhibits the history of its origins and description of the colorful original proprietor.


We poked our heads inside. Dollar bills are plastered everywhere and the barstools are fashioned like saddles.

The Ladies' is also worth a stop.


The second building is a Country Store that serves ice-creams and doubles as a gift shop and US post office.

From that point on the road was unpaved and took us through picturesque landscape as we wound and juddered our way through the mountains, imagining what it must have been like traveling through here by stage coach.

view of Apache Lake

Eventually the road ended at Roosevelt Dam on the Snake River, completed in 1911, and the largest stone dam in the world. Later in the 1990s the dam was remodeled and raised another 77 feet to increase the storage capacity by another 20 percent.


An iconic arched bridge spans the dam. Completed in 1990, Roosevelt Lake Bridge is the longest two-lane, single span, steel-arch bridge in North America. The bridge, spanning 1,080 feet across Roosevelt Lake, was painted blue to blend in with the lake and sky.


Video link to the trip: Apache Trail and Tortilla Flat

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Casa Grande Ruins, is a fascinating monument to the ancestral native Sonoran Desert People who inhabited this region. The National Monument preserves remains of the ancient farming village as well as the Great House (Casa Grande).

No one alive knows what name the ancient people who built Casa Grande called themselves centuries ago.  Archaeologists today use the term Hohokam to label the culture that flourished here from 1,500 to 550 years ago. Six tribes in today's Southwest still have histories that link themselves to the people that once lived here. To them, Casa Grande Ruins remains a sacred place.

built of caliche mud, a concrete like mix of
sand, clay and limestone

Casa Grande Ruins, like other archaeological sites in the area, has platform mounds, ball courts, irrigation networks, and homes placed around plazas inside walled compounds. These ancient sites also share a distinctive red-on-buff pottery and carved shell jewelry. 

four stories high, 60 feet long, and the largest known structure of the
ancient Sonoran people

About 800 years ago people here began to build not only pit-houses but above-ground buildings and walled compounds like these ruins. Archaeologists don't know for sure what the original purpose for the large structure was. Speculation is that sacred ceremonies were held here. But there is also evidence that the building could have functioned as an astronomical observatory. The Hohokam used holes in the walls of the Casa Grande that align with the sun and the moon to mark important events in time.  Each year around the 21st of June, at the summer solstice, the setting sun shines through a hole in the upper left of the west facing wall. The ancient people also appear to have marked the equinoxes in March and September when the morning sun passed through a pair of holes located in the opposite walls of the uppermost room on the Casa Grande.

one of the "celestial" holes that marks the sun's path

remnants of walls and above ground dwelling structures on the site

Perhaps the most intriguing discovery was learning how advanced the ancient inhabitants were in their irrigation practices. The Hohokam created a network of canals, several of which are now lined with concrete and still in operation today. These ancient canals provided irrigation water for 19,000 acres of cultivated fields.  

Farming in this part of Arizona started 4,100 years ago with corn. Little by little over the centuries, travelers brought in beans, squash, gourds, pumpkins, tobacco, and cotton. People here gradually dug a vast 220-mile network of canals to take water from the rivers into their fields. Communities living along the miles of ditches worked together to maintain their irrigation system. 

The first Spaniards who visited the Casa Grande in the late 1600s noticed that people here grew cotton. Cotton thrives in hot climates, but it is also a very thirsty crop. Without irrigation, cotton wouldn't grow in the desert. Today the farm fields near Casa Grande ruins are still one of the largest cotton-producing areas in the US. 
I remember seeing enormous bales of harvested cotton in fields around the towns of Casa Grande and Eloy where we stayed last year. It intrigued me to know that cotton is grown here and now I know that this crop has been cultivated in the region for well over a thousand years!

It remains a mystery that the ancient culture vanished. Several theories offer explanations: extreme drought, floods, and disease and a general breakdown of the culture. Studies of prehistoric water discharge on the Salt and Gila Rivers, studies of climate change, increasing soil salinity, disease, including malnutrition, are some of the theories being examined in conjunction with local O'odham folklore. 

As to the name Casa Grande, it was a Jesuit missionary and mapmaker, Eusebio Francisco Kino, who in 1694 was the first European to see and document these ruins. He called the large building Casa Grande, Spanish for great house.

St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
We discovered a Greek Monastery tucked away in the Florence area. It seemed such a contrast among the native saguaro in this desert landscape that attracted European prospectors and cowboys. Yet I suppose the attraction for these Greek monks may well be a similar climate to which they were accustomed. 
As you round a bend, the first glimpse is of a white byzantine structure on a hilltop.

Prophet Elijah Chapel

Tall palms line the driveway leading on to the property. There is a dress code for guests: long pants and and long-sleeved shirts for men; and long skirts, long-sleeved tops, and a head scarf for women. In the parking lot I pulled a skirt on over my pants and donned a head scarf before entering the monastery grounds into the gatehouse area. We were cautioned not to photograph, make eye contact,  speak to, or disturb any monks we may encounter. Their vow of silence is broken only when in the bookstore/gift shop where the monks freely engage with visitors and answer questions then. 

entering the gatehouse courtyard through the monastery gate

We took a self-guided tour through the main St Anthony's Church and the five smaller chapels situated in the beautifully groomed gardens. It felt like being in another world. 

St George's Chapel (typical Romanian architecture)

St Nicholas' chapel (Byzantine architecture)

inside St Anthony's church

traditional Orthodox cross with its three bars

Spanish fountain

In the summer of 1995, six monks arrived here to establish 
St Anthony's Monastery, bringing with them the monastic heritage from Athos, Greece. Upon their arrival, the monks began constructing the first main church, living quarters for themselves, a dining hall, and guest quarters. As the monastery expanded, four more chapels were built, each an example of architecture typical to Romanian, Russian, and Byzantine styles. 
The monks continue to tend to the vegetable garden, a small vineyard, citrus groves, and an olive grove. 
On our way out, we stopped at the book and gift store. A jar of Fig jam caught my eye along with olive leaf powder which supposedly has health benefits when drunk daily. I also chatted with a monk who gave me a loaf baked by the monk who cooks for the fathers. It was the most delicious bread we have tasted! 
During our conversation, I learned several facts about the origins of the Orthodox religion and the many orthodox communities that are in this area. This particular monk was American but had Romanian cultural roots and grew up attending the Orthodox church with his parents. 
He handed me several information sheets about the Orthodox religion. One was the timeline of the development of Christianity. The Orthodox religion remains the original Christian religion with its first churches established by the Apostles: St Paul in Antioch, Saints Peter and James in Jerusalem, St Andrew in Constantinople, St Mark in Alexandria, and Saints Peter and Paul in Rome. For essentially the first one thousand years, the Christian church was unified and the five patriarchs worked together in cooperation. For the most part. Then in 1054 with the Great Schism, the Roman patriarch broke away to become the Roman Catholic Church led by the Pope in Rome. Whereas the Orthodox churches and four patriarchs remain unchanged and intact, the Roman or Western church has since splintered further into various sects since the Protestant Reformation.  
A handout listing the many church denominations and their ages was quite enlightening:


Hiking Club 
One of our favorite activities while perched at the Arizonian were the weekly hikes. Michael went on both the Monday and Wednesday hikes. I joined the Monday easier hikes. 
We explored interesting and scenic areas in the vicinity. One of my favorites was the Arnett Creek hike. The trail winds its way along a river against the backdrop of the Apache Leap Mountains in Superior. 




Along the trail is a group of caves where folks like to look for small marble-like beads of basaltic obsidian called Apache Tears. The native legend is described here: Apache Tears Legend  

caves up ahead

caves closer up

Michael prospecting for Apache Tears  - 

The black obsidian rock visible

Apache Tears in various stages, from being embedded in the limestone to being
clean and more polished

Other great hikes included the Silly Mountain trail with its vistas of Mesa to the west-

Silly Mountain

The old Miami Highway Route hike with its original tunnel now replaced by a wider tunnel and highway -

old tunnel along the original highway

the new tunnel and highway

view into the steep canyon along the old highway

The Butcher Jones trail hike where we saw wild horses that inhabit this area -

Views across the lake were stunning.



The Hieroglyph Trail hike with views across the valley to Phoenix - 


The Whitford Canyon Arizona Grand Enchantment Trail hike -

a peek into the canyon along the trail

The Arizona Trail South hike - 


The scenery in this vast desert terrain is never boring. The Superstition Wilderness Area with its many ranges offers beautiful vistas and numerous hiking opportunities. And this winter, with the record breaking rains, the desert was especially lush and green.  

Michael shared some wonderful photos from the Wednesday hikes. Here are links to the videos he created from those hikes:
Arizona Hikes

Superior and Mining in the area
The town of Superior has strong ties to the mining of copper. William Bryce Thompson, a self-made millionaire, purchased several mines in the Superior area which resulted in the beginning of the Magma Copper Company. In 1929 there were seven shafts and a smelter. 
At the edge of town is a park commemorating Superior's mining heritage.

mine shaft entrance replica

air compressors that operated the drills

hoist and cage replica: the deck held 3 rows of 9 men taking
30 minutes to go down to the 3,000 foot level

From Superior we drove south along route 177 through beautiful scenery 
towards Hayden. Rounding a bend, the terrain changed dramatically to reveal a landscape created by open pit mining that in effect destroyed and re-arranged the mountains into uniform stepped layers.

Asarco open-pit mine near Hayden

man-made mountain

Seeing the open-pit mine left me with mixed feelings. The mining operation was visible for miles and it's jarring to one's senses to see a landscape that is unexpected and contrasts so starkly with the natural surroundings. Yet, as we learned in Bisbee, copper is integral to our daily lives. Likewise, this area is barren, uninhabitable to humans, and pretty much useless other than to enjoy the scenery. So if we do need to harvest minerals to support our lives then perhaps this basically uninhabitable piece of real estate creates least impact overall. 
But it does rather mar the natural beauty of the landscape....

ASARCO fact sheet: ASARCO


Botanical Gardens
Boyce Thompson Arboretum boasts three miles of paths and trails through its 392 acres of plant exhibits and striking landscapes. We and our Alpine friends staying in Mesa, the O'Neils and Hearseys, joined a docent led tour by a geologist as we explored several of the trails together.  
Over 4,000 different types of plants from the deserts of Australia, North and South America, southern Africa, and other arid-land regions of the world blend into this Arizonian landscape.




Here is a link to more information about the history of the park, and the mining magnate who created this plant oasis: Boyce Thompson Arboretum History

Afterwards the six of us gathered at Porter's, a popular restaurant in Superior, known for its burgers and beer and highly recommended by many folks who spend the winter in Arizona. We were not disappointed.

Porter's, the only place that showed any activity in Superior

Line Dancing 
Another one of my favorite activities was line dancing every Thursday. What a fun and determined group of ladies, and  a few men too! This was the first line dancing experience for most of the ladies and the popularity grew, as did the number of dancers. I was impressed that the newbies gathered separately to learn and practice the dances prior to the next session. I know that by next season they will be ready for more dances. As will I. 

Vickie, our teacher, instructing the group

Sewing up a storm
My other favorite activity is, of course, time spent in the sewing room. I set up my Singer Featherweight with all the machines that spend winter at the Arizonian. What a wonderfully friendly and talented group of women hang out in the sewing room. The creative sewing muses generated more ideas than I could hope to complete in one lifetime!

Jan and John's corner, and my machine next to theirs on the left

quilts in progress on the design walls

I happily worked on several projects: storage bags, embroidered towels, a sewing machine cover, a new bed cover, and a strip quilt. 

embroidered towels

digitized and embroidered Rubicon towel

machine cover for the Bernina

experimenting with sewing vinyl storage bags

my sewing corner and strip quilt in progress

Socializing
We attended several social events during our stay. There were Sunday night ice-cream socials, potlucks, Thanksgiving Dinner, Xmas dinner and Xmas brunch. And the highlight of the holiday season was the Xmas Parade. These folks know how to party!

Thanksgiving table decorations

being thankful for our Thanksgiving feast

Xmas parade

signs of Xmas at the Arizonian

Michael watching the parade

post-parade hot cider and cookies

Xmas dinner

The resort also hosted a craft fair. It was interesting to see the talented folks and their creations. And now they have the time to enjoy their hobbies in retirement.

We have Alpine friends who now live in the Mesa area and got together with them several times. Lori is an award-winning quilter and has a longarm quilting machine which I got to use. In fact I was able to quilt our new bed cover on Lori's longarm machine.

longarm quilting machine

bedcover finished and quilted

Lori then helped me outline the reverse applique elephant wall hanging that I finished stitching.
 

We attended a Xmas Eve service with the Gaileys at their local community church. 

And had dinner at a restaurant with them and their friends afterwards, where I was carded when I ordered a beer from this mischievous elf!

Lori and John and friends

We also spent time with Alpine friends from Washington, the O'Neils and the Hearseys. We visited them for Happy Hour at their RV Park, and they in turn visited us one afternoon to do a hike around Little Mountain in the desert behind us. We showed them the petroglyphs on the rocks on the side of Little Mountain. 
We met up with other Alpine friends in Mesa, the Maurmanns, who also full-time. It appears that Arizona attracts a lot of us during the winter!

Barleens
A group of us at the Arizonian enjoyed the Xmas dinner show at Barleens. The entertainment was first class, the musicians versatile and talented. And it's the first time I was served chocolate cake prior to the meal!

with friends Jan and John

Snow on the mountains on New Year's Day
The weather this season was on the cooler-than-typical side. It seems that the entire country was affected by an unusual fall and winter. So perhaps it wasn't too surprising that during one of the cold snaps, snow blanketed the mountain tops around us for a few hours. Not even southern Arizona, it appears, escapes cold and snow. But it made for an interesting contrast to see white peaks rising above the saguaro. Within a few hours the snow had melted. 

Papgo Park
Michael's brother and wife were in the Phoenix area one weekend. His brother is a competitive cyclist and was participating in the Papago 6-Hour Mountain Bike Race. We went to cheer Kevin on and watched him complete the race in which he finished 43rd out of 88 starters. At age 66 he was the most mature (oldest) participant. He rode a total of 63 miles in 6 hours 27 minutes. Wow!  

Alpine projects

lubricating the pac brake

Daily life and its various chores and responsibilities still continued despite all the outings and fun. There is always housework, cooking, shopping, laundry. The never-ending To-Do list of repairs and maintenance also filled Michael's spare time. As soon as we arrived, there were some perplexing electrical challenges that he eventually resolved. But not without a couple of scary incidents that occurred when he plugged the coach in to the electrical pedestal. We now have a new surge protector which is a replacement for the original one we bought when we first got the Alpine. Considering the number of times this device gets plugged and unplugged during our stays at campgrounds and RV parks, it has served us well. And over time and constant use, all things eventually age and deteriorate and need to be replaced.

Wintering with the snow-birds definitely has its advantages. And this is a scenic and interesting area of Arizona to enjoy for any length of time, especially in the winter. Our two-and-a-half month stay seemed to vanish all too quickly. We decided to reserve again for next winter season. And My Dear Husband seemed happy to stay (and explore) a little longer....we extended our stay to 4 months! 

Tomorrow we leave to continue northwest to Death Valley where we will meet with our group of Alpine friends once again for a week. On our way there, we will overnight in Kingman, a convenient stop for Alpine to also have an oil change and refueling.