As the weather has been so cool, we decided to just go for a short ride today. We left the park at noon and explored the back country behind the Arizonian RV park where we keep our ATV. Our friends Trent and Ann wanted to drive over to the Peralta Trail head to show us all the marked trails for hiking and another old site that was interesting just to explore. It was a gorgeous day but cool by Arizona standards.
These are the hills as we are getting to the Superstition foothills and the trail head.
There are excellent maps showing all the trails, the elevation, mileage and difficulty. We have family that love to hike so intend to introduce them to these trails!
Close up of the map with the trails
Each trail identified by elevation and mileage
Every where you looked you could see the rugged hils and saguaro cacti
This was the old camp we could see in the distance and the sign that explained it was a base camp for the Don's club. A club of like minded people who once a year venture into the Superstition mountains looking for the "fabled" Lost Dutchman gold mine
A look at their base camp from a distance.
The view as we hiked into their base camp
One of the old plaster buildings still standing
There was even this amphitheater in the distance. It was huge and we all wondered what they heck it was used for since it would have held many, many people
There were trails among the boulders with cement benches along the way to rest and get out of the hot sun
Molly and I taking a rest in the shade
Outdoor brick and plaster cooking ovens
After touring around the site, we headed home to get our campfire supplies. Tonight, December 10th is the full moon so we want to be all set up with the campfire going before the moon rises.
We found our spot and got set up. Doug keeps his burn barrel out in our cargo trailer so easy to transport out into the desert. We are planning to roast marshmallows and make S'mores, what a life!
Still daylight, just after 5pm but we are all hungry so the wieners are on the fire!
It is starting to get dark, we are all fed and just sitting around enjoying the fire
Not the moon, this was the first star we saw and everyone thought it was Jupiter. A beautiful sky!!
The fire was great and sure kept us warm as we waited for the moon to come over the mountain.
Finally just before 7pm, the moon came over the mountain. It was gorgeous
The moon higher in the sky with a saguaro cactus in the fore front
This is a week later. Our Alberta friends are heading home to Lethbridge tomorrow for Christmas so we all got together at their place at the Arizonian for happy hour and treats. They have a little park model home so not enough room for us to be indoors but as the sun sets in the desert, it really gets cool. We were all wishing for Doug's burn barrel!
We were resorting to wrapping ourselves in blankets by the end of the evening to keep warm.
A couple of days later we had torrential rain for 2 days and when we went by the golf course just down the road from us, we could see all the snow on the mountains in the distance. Just the way we like it - you can golf and look at the snow in the distance!
A beautiful rainbow over the neighbours' houses looking out our front yard.
Saturday night we had our friends Garce and Malcolm for dinner and then we went up to main street in Apache Junction to watch the Christmas parade. A different slant: they started the parade with the fire truck with Sata Claus. We are used Santa being at the end of the parade.
Some of the floats in the parade. It was a wonderful little parade
I only have one palm tree but this truck has all three sizes!
All the old model T's decorated for the parade. They were great
This was a decorated ATV with Santa on the back
You can't have a parade in Apache Junction without horses and their princess' riding on their backs! Love it!!
It was so cold that Grace and I were bundled up. I was even wearing my rabbit skin mittens Catherine had a Dene lady from Fort Providence NT make fro me
We had to cover our fruit trees with sheets for 3 nights as we went below freezing. I had to go to the thrift store and garage sales to buy enough sheets for all the trees.
It looked so funny to have them all covered but everyone was doing it.
Our bird bath was frozen solid one morning
Doug finally got my $5 curtain rods up (brand new still in the package from a garage sale) so I could hang my new curtains I bought (New sigh...) for our bedroom
Got the walls painted in the spare bedroom, the queen size mattress put in the room and the bed all made up ready for our first company coming in January. Theresa (my sister) and her husband Dan are arriving for a week January 20th.
This was the moon not quite full in December as we headed out our driveway for our evening walk
The quail have taken a liking to Doug leaving them seeds out by the fountain and they come every morning now waiting for their hand-out
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