January 2017 Bend and Bullhead

January has been a good month for exploring the area around Bullhead City, AZ.  Plus we took a ten day trip to Bend, Oregon to see Mike.  Of course we were traveling during all the recent bad weather in California and snow in Oregon!!  Timing is everything!  We drove from here to Bakersfield, CA then up CA route 5.  What we didn't know was we would go through the Central Valley which is this 60 mile wide and 450 mile long area of agricultural land that apparently grows fruits to nuts with cattle on the side.  Amazing!!

We stayed overnight in Sacramento, CA and then continued the next day up into northern CA and into Oregon.

Sierra Nevada Mountains,

Mt Shasta

Everyone takes a picture in Weed, CA!

BEND!  We actually had to buy chains to get through the passes and while in Bend, we needed them as the roads were so incredibly bad.  They only plow main roads.  

Alan with grand animals!!

Leaving the snow and rain behind and headed for the AZ sunshine!

After we rested up from our adventurous ten day trip, we started again exploring the AZ desert.  

These are the ancient petroglyphs Just about five miles or so out of town.

They are said to be sacred to the people who created them.  

Katherine's Landing, Lake Mohave, part of the Colorado River, was created when Davis Dam was built in the 1950's.

Telephone Cove

 Davis Dam

Laughlin/ Bullhead City

While this is not the prettiest area we have been in, we certainly enjoyed the rugged desert and being near my sweet sister and her great husband.  We thank them for putting up with us for three months.  Their hospitality has been wonderful.  After seeing her several times every week, it will be hard to leave and say good bye.

Here are several other activities we have been doing. 

We've been attending a nice small local church with a lovely group of folks who have been warm and welcoming to us.  Our thanks to Valley Christian Church.

Golfing with new friends once a week has been a lot of fun!

We visited Hoover Dam and saw the "new" bridge so that most traffic doesn't cross over the dam anymore after 9/11.  This is still a most amazing sight.  What a feat of engineering!

 Other things we like to do!

Baskin Robbins!!

Hanging around the RV park and watching the beautiful AZ sunsets.

Thanks for reading along with us.  We will be in Southern California from the 18th of February until

March 20th.  I'll write again during that time with the next chapter.  

Wintering in Bullhead City, AZ

We have now been here in Bullhead City near my sister, BJ and her husband, Brian, for over six weeks.  Bullhead sits right on the Colorado River.  When you cross the river you are in Laughlin, NV and have an hour time change.  Oh brother, just a little confusing.  To add to this, if you go a few miles south and cross the Colorado at the next bridge, you now are in California!  Always interesting!   Bullhead is a sleepy small city with the biggest problem being Burros in the road!  

   

This is my sister and me!

Thanksgiving dinner at BJ"s with Brian's sister, Diane, and us.  

On December 6th - 13th, sister Barbara and husband, John, flew to be with us here for a week.  It was great being with both sisters and spending time together.  Our cousin, Nancy and her husband, Leon, came over from Phoenix to spend some time with us.  Great family time!!

One thing that was a must do...baking Christmas cookies together!!  FUN :)  

We ATE cookies together, too!

Going to Oatman, AZ, about thirty miles away, was one of our family outings.  Oatman is on historic route 66, an old mining town with lots of wild west aura.  Burros are allowed to roam free in the streets.  Hmmmmm...

After lunch at the local hotel, we drove the rest of the way, 28 miles, to Kingman - switchbacks and all!  What a narrow, winding, interesting road.

This is a working gold mine up in the mountains.

It was a fun day driving with our two guys who love the stories of America's historic byways.

So you can see we have been busy and having a good time.  We also have travelled to Las Vegas two different days.  It is less than a two hour trip and gives us a nice destination.  

First trip, we went to see the sights.

Our second trip, we went to see the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, part of the Mars candy family.  Besides wonderful candies, they have a three acre Cactus Garden.  So many kinds of cacti!  

Who knew??  

YUMMY!!

Here is Christmas day at my sister's.

Bj"s tree!

And our RV decorated for Christmas!  

 This is our Advent calendar.  The only place to put it is on the bedroom mirror!  

Thanks for following along!  We will be going to see Mike in Bend, OR by car next week and leaving the RV here for ten days.  It doesn't like the cold.  Neither do we, but looking forward to seeing our guy!!  We'll travel up route 5, right in the middle of California.  Please pray for safe travels.  Thanks, friends.  We"ll write again when we get back from Oregon.  Happy New Year!