WE GOT SOME RAIN IN THE DESERT FINALLY!

It's always exciting when it rains heavily in the desert.  We had gone into Quartzsite Monday morning to walk around in the big tent at the RV show,  About 2 pm it started to rain just as we were headed home.  Within two hours the landscape around us was covered in pooling water and the wash behind us was a raging brown coloured creek.  That's how flash floods occur miles away from where the rain fell.  We drove into Phoenix on Tuesday and the storm mostly moved east so we caught up to it along the way.  We also ran into more storms on the way home.  It makes for crazy driving because other than the freeways, most of the roads have dips for the water rather than culverts so you'll be zooming along and all of a sudden there is a flooded section of road you have to slow down for really quickly.  You don't want to hit them too fast or you could lose control and wipe out.  It's more difficult to see them in the dark.

In front of the motorhome during the rain.

Poked the camera out the door, very windy with the heavy rain.

Near Bouse the next morning, it had been lots higher earlier.

Heading along I-10 toward Phoenix catching up to the first storm.

On the way home about 5:25 I stopped to take a few images of the light rays.  A little later we ran into another downpour.

On the way home about 5:25 I stopped to take a few images of the light rays.  A little later we ran into another downpour.

On the way home about 5:25 I stopped to take a few images of the light rays.  A little later we ran into another downpour.

On the way home about 5:25 I stopped to take a few images of the light rays.  A little later we ran into another downpour.

On the way home about 5:25 I stopped to take a few images of the light rays.  A little later we ran into another downpour.

Looking out our door this morning.

American Kestrel.

American Kestrel.

There was a geocache hidden here.  This tree is about 1024 years old and is located on the edge of Quartzsite, AZ.

WE LOST A GOOD FRIEND A FEW DAYS AGO.

Did you think we got lost or something?  Moving into Glendale wasn't conducive to taking photos so we did some geocaching but had to drive an hour or more to do it.  After a little over a week visiting with friends Maggie and Ray, when they weren't busy working, we have moved over to our usual spot at the 14 mile post on Plomosa Road near Bouse, AZ.  We poked around in Quartzsite one morning and we had a good geocaching trip east of Salome another day.  Today is raining off and on so we did laundry in Bouse.  This morning was our warmest morning in a long while at 10C/50F.  It is currently 14C/57F and sprinkling.

Our friend Ken passed away on Thursday. He was 87 and had been facing increasing health problems for some time.  He and Marie were our best friends in Caliente for most of our time there and we made many visits to see them in Grand Junction, CO on our way south.  Aileen met Marie in the laundry when we first went to Caliente in 2008 and she quickly gathered us under her wing.  Through Ken and Marie we met a great group in the Grand Junction area and some of them wintered in AZ at times too.  We played various card games with Ken and Marie and shared some great meals, often sitting out in their carport.  We plan to drive up in the car for the funeral which is in early February.  

On January 8th when we left our 96 Ranch Road camp this thick ice came off the slide topper.

I spotted this neat cactus display at Home Depot in Peoria, Az.

As we were leaving Maggie invited Aileen to raid her garden.

Our new home at the 14 mile post on Plomosa Road.  It doesn't look like that today!

Arizona sunsets keep following us.

Arizona sunsets keep following us.

I was impressed with this bamboo hedge near Salome, AZ.  There was an RV park behind it.

Across the road from the bamboo hedge was a large field of garlic.

Across the road from the bamboo hedge was a large field of garlic.

While geocaching along Eagle Eye Road several loads of cotton went by heading for a gin somewhere.

I went looking for a few geocaches not too far from camp yesterday.  I had to walk to the last one.  If you look closely you might be able to spot my car way over toward that black hill.  That's Bouse in the far upper left.

DECEMBER 30 ROAD TRIP WITH RICHARD AND JUDY.

Here are a few more images that haven't been shared.   We started out wandering some back roads north and west of Florence then north of Hwy 60 in Apache Junction.  After a nice lunch at a Culvers, we took Hwy 88 out past Tortillo Flats to the top of Fish Creek Hill where the road is probably permanently closed due to being destroyed by flooding and landslides caused by a forest fire.  I saw Go Pro videos of the damage several years ago and it would be a very expensive rebuild as the side of the steep hill collapsed and huge boulders came down on other parts.  It is still a great scenic drive to where you can go.  I picked up a geocache out at the end too.

Aileen and I did a geocaching afternoon yesterday out in the country to the west.  When Bell Road turns into the Sun Valley Parkway civilization quickly ends.  Kind of neat how sudden it happens.   Today was a shopping day as it has been a while since we replenished our larder.

This coyote ran across in front of us and didn't stop and pose but I managed to grab a couple of quick shots before he disappeared.

Pigeon. 

Harris' Hawk.

Harris' Hawk.

Harris' Hawk.

Windy sky.

Along Hwy 88.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

Salt River Canyon at the end of the road.

WE'RE PARKED IN FRIEND'S BACKYARD IN GLENDALE, AZ FOR A FEW DAYS.

 We'll be spending a few days here in Glendale and with this bit of downtime, I am catching up on my photo archiving and organizing.  I know, a bit out of character for us to be in the heart of the big city!  The surprising thing though is most of the lots seem to be about an acre each and we wake up to roosters crowing, turkeys gobbling, horses neighing and more.  There is a goat ranch just up the street where we heard goats chatting last night when we walked by.

Here are a few photos taken on December 10, 2023 in Bisbee, AZ.  We were parked at Whitewater Draw and took a circle drive to Tombstone, Bisbee and Douglas then back to the motorhome.  We found a quiet spot up in the hills above Bisbee for our lunch spot then later I did a short walk around the old town.

Looking down onto Bisbee, AZ.