A Creative Holiday Moment

Yes, you can have fun on the road and even be a little creative --- my sister, Linda sent me this Gingerbread Camper as a Christmas surprise and I managed to get it put together (with Darrel's help).  I was so proud of this accomplishment that I am putting the pictures on this post --- although the camper is a "spam" can camper, it is a camper nonetheless.

Here's the door side of the camper

Here's the reverse side

I think it came out pretty good, but let me tell you, those little candy balls for the lights, sure can bounce when they hit the floor : )

I had Darrel take a picture of me with the masterpiece in front of the camper --- yes, if you read the previous post, we are experiencing quite the cold temperatures and I have dug out sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts (lots of layers) and my heavy, quilted zippered hoodie.

Gingerbread camper in front of Zoe and the Arizona cactus -- you can see my "holiday wreath" on the 5th wheel hitch!

A close up of the camper with Susan

We wish you a Happy New Year! -- Friends from Topeka, visiting their son in California, are here for a couple of days as they return home to Kansas after the New Year.  We are enjoying catching up with news from Kansas.

Wishing you all the best in the New Year,

Love,

Susan & Darrel

Baby, it's Cold outside....in Arizona???

Hello Readers,
What's up with the temperatures in Arizona -- oh, yeah, the Pendergast's are here!!!! We must bring the wacky weather as we travel.  There are freeze watches, warnings (yes, for us in Congress) and snow in the upper levels to 5,000 feet elevation.  I am just hoping the Sun will decide to make an appearance tomorrow which helps immensely to warm up the RV and surroundings.

The screenshot is from our weather app on our phone which shows Congress, AZ temps for the next week!  See those low numbers???  26 degrees for a couple of nights, but you can see the sun symbol on several days so I am hoping that is true!

We are dripping our water inside, running our room heaters, electric blankets on the bed at night -- and the neighbor told us to wrap the water connection with tarps/blankets, etc. to prevent freezing!!  I thought I was leaving this stuff behind, but I guess we brought it with us 😊

OK, I am done complaining -- we are a lot warmer than some places in the USA and we definitely do not have a winter storm coming near us and I guess, it is winter after all....but really, it hasn't been this cold in a couple of years...so we jinxed AZ!

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm, too.

Love you all,
S & D

Merry Christmas....from Arizona

Season Greetings, Dear Family & Friends,
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Although we miss you all, we are enjoying the Arizona temps (although, they will be dropping into the upper 50's this coming week!!) and have been busy with gold metal detecting and touring the desert that surrounds North Ranch.

Mickey and Brad came to visit and show us the places to metal detect (hopefully for gold) and Darrel was so lucky to have found a 1998 nickel (5 cents) and a couple dozen gun shells.  Of course, Mickey found some small pieces of gold as we dug and dry washed in her little banjo gold pan in one of the washes she selected!  Brad had about the same luck as Darrel but no nickel!

On Friday and Saturday, Bob and his dog, Ruger, took us to see the Indian Rock and explore the "Spanish Mines" northwest from the town of Congress.  The trails are endless and Bob & Ruger are great guides.  Indian rock (Mother rock) has some hieroglyphics you can still see if you are looking carefully.

The guy on the right is Darrel, he is about 6 foot so you can see the size of Mother Rock!

Here's Ruger!

There terrain is very different that what we see behind North Ranch

Susan, Bob and Ruger, looking for a well.

You can find flowers in the desert if you look for them!

On Saturday, we headed out the back gate (without Ruger) with Bob as our guide.  We headed toward Stanton, AZ, a mining town and around the Weaver Mountains.

There are lots of "mines" dug out and you can see the tailing piles from the excavation.

Posted Mine claims show the active mines in the area!

Cactus, Cactus, everywhere you look!

Some with really unique growth patterns.

Darrel caught Susan below the trail waving hello!

Again, more flowers among the dried bushes.

Traveling in the "desert" in a 4 x 4 Ranger is really a bumpy ride.  You hang on as you are climbing up and down sheer rock and/or washed out paths.  It is really funny that Darrel has an aversion to amusement parks especially roller coasters, well, let me tell you, I've been on tamer roller coasters compared to a few of the trails -- one is called suicide hill --- yeah, much easier coming down than going up!!!

We come home, tired, dusty/dirty but just inspired by the landscape....it can change in a heartbeat and you see something completely different just around the bend!  There is so much more to see for another day!

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best in 2019.

Stay Tuned to the Traveling Gypsies,

Love,

Susan & Darrel

Desert Sightseeing

Hello Readers,
We had an absolute beautiful weekend and was able to go with people from the park to visit some pretty cool sights.  We have learned that there is Arizona State Trust land -- you need an annual permit (which we purchased) to drive/hike/explore, etc.  There are usually signs posted but some of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) laps over -- BLM land is free and usually has "dry" camping opportunities too.

The pictures below are from just NW of Congress on AZ State Trust land -- there is so much topography changes with outcrops of rocks and then typical "desert" looking land.

Darrel is picking is way up the rocks to Jim, who was in the traveling group.

Darrel always picks out the tiny rock (just in in the middle of pic) and says,

"what keeps it there from rolling down the cliff?"  I always reply, not today!

Pretty cool Indian rock where they lived

You can see the holes where they ground their grain.

On to BLM land which is located behind North Ranch out the back gate -- the travel is definitely by Side x Side, 4 wheelers and the gentleman one street over, Bob and his dog, Ruger, offered to take Darrel and me out to see the trails that go out further than we could probably hike!  

We were in search of the Crested Saguaro cactus and we saw so much more.

Deep ravine with Darrel (in coveralls) and Bob exploring the options.

It just kept going with lots of deep drop offs

You could slide a long way down, if you started down!

Beautiful scenery across the acquifur

Vulture Mine Peak in the center of the pic

Ah ha, the Crested Saguaro -- they have this "crown" the looks like a Fleur de Leis (sp)

Right next to it was the traditional Saguaro, framing the Weaver Mountains

Just amazing!

Closer up to the Crested top

Susan next to this tall giant -- puts the size into perspective!

So we had a really great couple of days seeing the sights in the desert, just around the corner. We just find more new things to see as people share their knowledge and willingness to share with us.

Until next time ---

Happy Travels,

Susan & Darrel