Parque Natural Mexiquillo

3.12.2024

Museum of Miniatures

 We went to the museum to see the amazing creations of Salivate Fidai. His medium is number two pencils. He spends several hours to several days sculpting the lead in number two pencils with only an X-acto knife.




This is how the pieces are displayed. 


All the pieces are for sale

They are tiny jewels  

3.11.2024

Sabino Canyon

 Lush Sabino Canyon is located just north of Tucson. This year round steam bings life to this oasis in the desert. We rode the tram four miles up the canyon and then had a lovely stroll back down. 




Ancient metamorphic gneiss



Saguaro cactus standing tall


Layer by layer, the pages of time

Another wonderful day with good friends.

3.07.2024

Oatman AZ

An original section of historic route 66 runs south from Kingman to hwy 40. A major stop on this byway was and is still Oatman AZ. Gold was discovered in 1915 and that small mining camp grew into the town of Oatman today. There is still gold there, but it is  now being mined from tourist's pockets. 



Modern technology meets old fortune teller. You can tap to pay. 

There is a heard of wild burros that have the run of town. 
You can buy a sack of alfalfa pellets to feed them.
They can be aggressive and will grab any bag you are carrying.


Rustic beauty



The Oatman hotel has no rooms to rent, 
but is a bar and restaurant papered in dollar bills.


Upstairs is the room that Carole Lomard and Clark Gable occupied on their honeymoon. 
I was told Clark like to come to Oatman to play poker with the local boys.




It is a tourist trap




Old rusty stuff



Very interesting industrial style fireplaces. 


2.26.2024

The Really Big Show

For the annual manufactures fireworks show I had decided to splurge, $250, and stay in SARA park where the  fireworks were going to be set off from. I assumed that I would be in the center of the action and within walking distance of the grandstands. Wrong. The fireworks are set off at the Speedway and those dry camping are located line of sight 0.7 miles away at the Rodeo grounds. To get to the grandstand at the Speedway requires 2.2 mile drive through heavy traffic.  We decided not to brave the traffic getting to the grandstands and watched from our rigs at the rodeo grounds. We could see all the fireworks that were launched in the night sky, but missed out on the fireworks closer to the ground.   The better option is to camp across hi-way 95 from the entrance to SARA park. 34.450188, -114.244203  There is a no overnight camping sign that is not enforced. Camping there, for free,  you are only 0.4 mile from the fireworks and a 0.4 mile walk to the grandstands. It was dazzling show. Three nights of non stop fireworks.

There was a band each night before the show







It was a wonderful show.

2.25.2024

Lake Havasu City

For years I have wanted to see the manufactures fireworks show here. This is the year. We have several days to explore the area before the show. 

Super Bowl Sunday

Feeling good at halftime. 
It was an exciting, nail biting game, 
with a disappointing outcome for me.

The commercials were great. I liked the State Farm ad the best.

Playing Five Crowns

There were many beautiful old cars in town.





and some beautiful new cars


I like the faux drive-in order




After enjoying the classic cars, it was an all you can eat dungenesse crab diner.