RV LIVING, CAMP HOSTING AND THE HALF WAY MARK

RV living for many reading this is a given.  Home on wheels, open road and adventures.  We purchased our Cameo for the long haul and it works.  We have replaced the old Carrier AC system which had a heat pump and going to a Coleman, going up to 15000 BTU from the previous 13,500 system.  The heat pump has been a worthy partner in our RV lifestyle, acting as a furnace when the temperatures are chilly and if really cold the propane furnace kicks in.  Saves in propane and keeps us warm.  I am glad we got it and upgraded it to boot.  The dogs seem to have adjusted to the lifestyle, sleeping inside at night and spending most of the day outside.  They get a two mile walk at the end of the day which allows them to romp through the desert and do that which only dogs can do.  

  We added a front curtain on the nose of the Cameo which allows us to keep the bicycles relatively protected from the elements.  The product, purchased from Camping World, snaps on and just hangs there.  One of the snaps has already failed and wind is not its friend.  I purchased some PVC and formed a brace at the bottom, tying it to the PVC.  We will see how it stands up but does make a neat little garage in the front.  The PVC will be disassembled when we leave, wrapped in the curtain and stored in the rig for later use.  The jury is still out on it but for now it works.

 Picacho Peak has a steep North face and a somewhat less rugged slope on the South side.  The Park owns both sides but only use the North Side for hiking and general visitor use.  There is a 4x4 road that goes behind the Peak and I was just itching to explore it last year but never made it.  This year I aired up the moutain bike tires and headed back there on to have my butt handed to me.  The road is composed of loose rock and has hills and valleys as you ascend.  The bottom of those valleys are arroyos so as you go down the hill you are met by erosion and large rocks.  The result is you cannot gain any speed in anticipation of the uphill side so it is all work.  I went about 1.5 miles and decided my 68 years had caught up with me.  I stopped to rest for a bit and looked around, noting some old mines about half way up the Peak.  I promised to return but felt there would not be much of anything to look at.  A couple weeks later Carol was shopping and I decided to do the hike.  I got my two ladies and away we went.  The walk is not easy but sure beat the bicycle.  We got to the place where I turned around and began the ascent.  Some of it was old road but in many places it was hard to tell where the road went.  We got to the mines and it turned out to be very rewarding.  I figure the mines were for copper and were dug around 1900.  Despite the proximity to the Park very few people venture up there.  We did find some javelina dung and possibly coyote dung in the area which was fresh.  The mines go back 30 or 40 feet although being alone I did not venture in too far.  A true find and the dogs had a ball.  I decided to go to the top of the Peak as you could see a way to it.  I figured we would intersect with the trail the visitors use on the other side.  We made it to the top and the views were awesome.  No intersection of trails could be found so we had to back track.  The footing is loose rock and many times I would be sliding four or five feet as we descended.  I know my way around most of the Park but thought to myself how easy it would be for someone to get lost or injured on this little Peak.  We do have a lot of Search and Rescues and I can see why!  

  Christmas was fun, simple and warm.  The eve was raining and very windy so we stayed indoors and enjoyed the Season.  The girls got everything they ever wanted like bones and chew toys.  Carol and I exchanged modest gifts which were cool.  The cart we use became decorated with a ribbon on the front, I did my duties with a Santa hat and Carol had elf stuff on.  The campers loved it as much as we did.  Christmas Day we were off and decided to host a campfire for our fellow volunteers which went well.  Arizona may be warm during the day but the desert does get cold at night.  New Years was the same, rain on the eve and a campfire at another volunteer's site.  We did not make it to midnight!

January 15th marks the middle of our time here.  The hosting has been both rewarding and not so much.  The 0800 call out is early and the weather at that time is cold.  Cold is measured more on how you feel and 40 degrees is brutal riding around on a cart.  We dress warmly and by 9 or 10 AM we are warming up.  Most campers make our day being friendly and sharing their stories.  The stories are varied with boy scouts freezing at night to folks in half million dollar motorhomes not stepping outside their rigs.  We did have a bloke change his oil and diesel filter in one of our sites.  The campers who came in after wards complained of stink and indeed it did.  The hardest part of our work are the bathrooms.  They require a thorough cleaning and is not my first choice of jobs.  Most of the time people use the bath house and leave it decent but there are some who break things and have little respect for those who keep them up.  I am learning to smile and be agreeable.  The appreciation I have developed for those who do this for a living has grown tremendously.