Friday, November 11, 2011

Settling In

We have spent this past week getting used to our new surroundings. Unloading “Damnearahouse” was surprising, there is no longer any doubt of why we could never find anything.  There was a lot of sometimes two and three of the same item, but we  could not lay our hands on any of it.  Having that shed will make it a lot easier, hope that when we will need something it will not be in the shed.  Think we have come to a much better understanding of what we really do need to be out on the road.
Our site, 410 Hummingbird Lane
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Landscaping at the entrance
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Huge pool and spas
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Surrounding area
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  Jojoba was literally craved out of the hillsides, with mostly sweat and back breaking work.  I’ve taken an  scanned it to share the history.   Amazing!
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Life is Good

Friday, November 4, 2011

Land of Fruits, Nuts and 4.30 Diesel

Having spent the night in Camp Verde, Arizona at a pricey park, 39 dollars, with the Good Sam discount, we were off to an early start. 001 Mostly to get back to the audio book we were finishing up, John Gresham's, Litigators.  Easy drive over to Dewey, and then Callie (gps) took us up this hill right through  a up scale neighborhood, but did take us out to 89, so all was fine. ca2 046 That is till we found us on this mountain trail, but we were committed so on we pressed.  Thirty some miles later we we coming down into the town of Congress.  Know that the Escapees have a park in the area, but we 026were white knuckled out and went on down the road, not that we would have stopped that soon after all.  From there it was a okay ride, some wind, bad for a few miles, smoky for a while, due to a controlled burn.  Only the government would do a controlled burn in a 30 mile plus wind storm.  Finally we were within 45 miles of  Jojoba, and we were feeling giddy,

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we had made it………well not so fast, that mountain in the distance, we were going over it!  Course we did not realize that till once again we were past the point of no turn around.  The only thing I can compare this part of the trip to was driving up Pike’s Peak. 

042See that tiny little line in the picture, that is the road, I was taking these pictures without looking, just holding the camera out the window snapping away.  Could not bring myself to look, and heights do not bother me that much.  But this was high!047

Chuck has to be the bravest driver ever, or else he was so scared he could not utter a word.  The truck pulled us up and over without even working up a sweat, and the jake break took us down like we were a feather.  Have a feeling if it knew where we were it would have threw up in it’s exhaust pipe. I can guarantee you there will be a new route next time. 

Now to the best part, we are all set up on our huge site.  Wow, we have space to park 3-4 vehicles.  And a nice large storage shed, so will be able to leave some of the stuff we use in the winter months here.  That will be so nice.  The weather when we got here was great as was yesterday, but today rain off and on.  Yesterday we ran into Temecula and found a family doctor and got appointments scheduled.  Then ordered a golf cart, which we will need in these hills.  Don’t have pictures of the area yet, but soon.  Think we will be happy to spend the winter here, and in years to come, lots to do, great shopping in Temecula, casino about 8 miles, plus San Diego and L.A.  Not that we will be running to the big cities, but they are there, along with all they have to offer.  And I’ll be able to get my ocean fix as it is about 40 miles away.  All that for the price of 230 monthly, which includes cable, water, garbage.  The only extra we have is electric, don’t think we could beat that.  Of course there is the 4.30 diesel!

Life is Good