Arizona – 2DogsTravel.com

Hippy Hole

New Years 2022 It’s back to the Cibola NWR area and a couple days with a friend, Jayne, and her giant sweet black dog, Rio, down from Canada for the winter.

Jayne has been to Hippy Hole before, but it’s new to me and The Chiweenie Brothers. Located a bit north of the refuge, Hippy Hole is a small BLM camping area with a few covered tables, a fire ring, and vault toilets. It sits on a small lagoon alongside the Colorado River and is so peaceful. An occasional vehicle rumbles by, but it’s not constant and not a bother.

We spend our days walking the dogs, playing card games, relearning how to play Mexican Train … and eating. Jayne fixed a scrumptious dish called Mission Shrimpossible, starring jumbo shrimp in a tomato sauce with zucchini and feta cheese served over rice. I made a salad and brought snacks and fixings for hot toddies when night descends and the wind blows. Yeah, it was pretty cold on New Year’s Eve. Just another reason to have another toddy! Cheers!

Birds are plentiful and a joy to watch from our respective vehicles in the cold mornings. Egrets, a great blue heron, many coots, a pair of grebes that were too quick to photograph, and two pair of American white pelicans. The pelicans flew off at one point, but one pair came back soaring low, extending their ‘landing gear’ and gliding silently onto the water. Of course, I didn’t have my camera ready. A Flock of sandhill cranes flew over in the early morning on New Year’s Day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Hippy Hole!
Thanks for stopping by 2DogsTravel. We’re so glad you are here.

The wind blew all night beginning New Year’s Eve and by noon on January 1, 2022 it hadn’t let up. We decided to call it a wrap. Fun while it lasted!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Stay safe, be happy, and make 2022 one to remember.

Thanks for stopping by 2DogsTravel. Hugs, Shawna

Current Read: Her Perfect Family by Teresa Driscoll. Having trouble getting through this book. It’s a good read, just a lot to do around the ol’ homestead.

Catching Up

Hello Friends! With the COVID-19 lurking around and people being asked to self isolate I thought this would be a good time to get caught up on 2DogsTravel.
Since finding this bugger Snake in my little home this past fall and having it removed by a couple of our wonderful fire department personnel (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!) things pretty much went down hill.

Thanksgiving and Christmas were uneventfull except for the morning lows in the mid-20s for a week between Christmas and New Years. Another reason to be thankful that I have a warm(er) place to hunker down in the Arizona Winter.
Welcoming in 2020 we were delighted with this fabulous sunset

Sunset, New Year’s Day 2020

Gotta love Arizona sunsets.
Late January brought news that my SIL, Karen, had been hospitalized diagnosed with myeloma. That on top of diabetes and Parkinson’s. To her credit she had agreed to the bone marrow testing; she is not one who can handle much pain so this really surprised me. She had lived with her sister in Oregon for the past two years since my brother passed, and Sharon was her primary care giver. I will be eternally grateful for this.

To make a long agonizing story shorter, she was finally sent home. Weak, discouraged, and with the knowledge that she would be taking chemo for the rest of whatever her life span would be, Karen decided that the treatments, constant doctor’s appointments, and continual tests were too much. She decided to let nature take its course and requested that all her meds to be withheld including her diabetes medications. That, of course, put her into a diabetic coma and in less than two days she was released from her torment and went home to be with her Lord.
Ten days later I got a call from my niece that it was time to come say goodbye to my sister. Edie had been in rehab, again, to try and get her up and walking after yet another hospitalization in December. She came down with pneumonia on top of her CHF, years with COPD, and several bouts with sepsis. She continued to decline in hospital and come to the point of not being able to swallow amongst other various ailments. The doctors said she would never make it out of hospital and she didn’t.
I made the fastest trip ever to California (Hey, I could still be a truck driver if I wanted to . . . at least for a couple of days!).

One of us was with her 24/7 until she took her last breath at 9:30 a.m. February 27th. I stayed for a couple more days to help as I could and to visit with my sons before making a mad dash for Arizona before an incoming storm arrived.

The Chiweenie Brothers and I didn’t quite make it ahead of the storm and it was a snowy drive higher up on Hwy 44 near Lassen Park, but we came out the other side just fine and didn’t hit snow again until near Mammoth Lakes on Hwy 395 where the worst of this section of the highway was starting, but it wasn’t too bad.

Some shots taken with my phone on the trip back.
Mono Lake March 2020 MONO LAKE
The halfway point in our trip is right about Lone Pine, CA Where we spent a very brutal, cold night in the Alabama Hills. The wind coming off Mt. Whitney and surrounding Sierra Nevada made it feel like my hands were going to fall off and permanent grimace left on my face when we got parked for the night and The Boys needed their evening potty walk. I was so glad to have dug through a couple of my storage bins while in Redding and had brought my sleeping bag back with me.

A cold-but-windless morning presented a beautiful dawn creeping over the horizon.

Alabama Hills March 2020 Dawn is Breaking

Sunrise Alabama Hills March 2020
And this interesting little dinosaur, eh?
Alabama Hills Dinosaur Graffiti
A stop at McD’s for coffee and The Chiweenie Brothers and I head for the barn. I was feeling a bit off, but was determined to get back to our little desert hideaway.

Back in Arizona The Boys relax after racing around their tiny back yard trying to get some of that pent up energy burned off.

I am totally exhausted and don’t even bother with unpacking the car.

Thank you for stopping by 2DogsTravel. Hugs, Shawna

Marana Dog Park, Saguaro National Park

November 6, 2017. With mail in hand we grab a block of ice and head out taking 87 south and catching I-10 east to find the dog park in Marana, AZ. I love my GPS! This girl would be lost, literally, without it. I’m a right and left kinda girl; this go north, south, east or west kind of stuff confuses the heck outta me. With the GPS I have to deal with none of that, although I only use it for city/main road driving. I do not rely on it for any of this boondock stuff where you could end up, well, in the boondocks but not in the spot you were expecting.

I easily find the park and the boys have some fun. A lot of fun!!!

Once the boys have worn themselves completely out we head out towards the west side of Saguaro National Park.

We find a boondock* site in The Ironwood Forest to spend the night and then we are off on Hwy 86 toward Ajo. I was not looking forward to this drive as it looked on the map to be pretty desolate, but we were surprised.

Thanks for joining us! Hugs, Shawna

*For those who may be unfamiliar with the term “boondock” (also called, in more genteel terms, dispersed camping) it’s a camp made on BLM public lands or other places that have zero amenities. No water, no toilets, no tables, no nothing. Maybe a rock fire ring, but that would be a luxury site. 🙂

Oak Flat C. G.

October 31, 2017. From Gila Box we head northwest on Hwy 70 to Globe. A planned stop and camp near Pinal Pass is nixed as I can’t find the BLM office and the sign pointing toward the area took me into a residential area. It’s me, not them, but I decided I was too stressed driving through the traffic in Globe (which is a cute little town, by the way) to spend any more time looking. It’s getting a bit late in the afternoon anyway and the decision is made to travel on.

By sheer luck I was looking in the right spot at the right time and spy a campground sign between the little towns of Miami and Superior on Hwy 60. We pull in seeing these brush teepees on the left. This sweet little campground was not on my map, so I am thrilled to have found it. Honestly a lot of these little places aren’t on the map I have!!

It’s a free campground with minimal amenities. We find a suitable site and settle in for the night. Around 2:00 a.m. the boys go nuts and a peek out the door reveals the silhouette of a very large wild pig. I shine the flashlight at him its eyes glow green, and he wanders off.

Being very curious about the area I look up some information. There is an on-going controversy between mining interests who want to privatize Oak Flat and the surrounding area so the copper can be mined, Native Americans who claim it is a sacred site and want it closed to the public, other Native Americans who claim it is not a sacred site, and outdoor enthusiasts who want to keep the area accessible for their activities.

We stay two nights here and leave midmorning, November 3rd, heading toward Florence, AZ. The drive takes us along the Gila-Pinal Scenic Route and it doesn’t disappoint. Devil’s Canyon is gorgeous and the bridge over Queen Creek is high … I did not get a photo of the bridge; no place to stop.

Thanks for coming along on our big adventure. “See you” in a few days! Hugs, Shawna

CAMP AMENITIES
Water: No Garbage: No
Bathrooms: Vault Electricity: No
Tables: Yes Shower: No
Fire Pit: Yes BBQ: No, but there’s a grate over the fire pit
# of Sites: 16 Fee: Free
Other: Elevation is 3900 Ft, open all year, pets need to be kept on leash or restrained. There is an area suitable for group camping. Trailers over 30 feet not recommended.

Riverview Camp Ground, Gila Box

October 30th and 31st
It’s an easy, early trip from Bowie to Safford, AZ where we find a Wally and get supplies, and finally, finally find block ice! Walmart didn’t have it, but there is an “ice house” (that’s what the clerk calls it) next door and she assures me they have it.
Supplies bought and put away, the clean cube ice now in liquid form, is drained out of the water container that I cut the lid off of to hold the bagged ice is poured into a drinking water container. The block ice is put into the now empty ice container and we are off to the Riverview Camp Ground in the Gila Box Reparian Conservation Area.

One small sign obviously wasn’t enough. They added another, bigger one!

It’s quite a drive, not in miles, but in pucker factor. The last few miles are still paved road, but it is winding, one lane, oh-my-gosh-it-looks-like-they-have-had-a-serious washout-can-I-make it, 15% grade in places, praying-no-one-comes-along-in-the-opposite-direction kind of road. We make it, but BOY HOWDY!!!

Expecting trees I am dismayed to find they are along the river, of course, that is down in the canyon where no camping is allowed. It’s a pretty view, though.
I choose a campsite and walk up to the iron ranger and pull out my checkbook, paying for two nights. $5 per night is the fee, but it’s half price with a senior pass.

We may or may not stay additional time. The temps and internet availability will decide that for us. Although they have covered picnic tables, fire rings, BBQs, potable water, and very clean pit toilets, parking in the sun can make for very uncomfortable van temps that take forever to cool down even after dark.

Discovering there is no internet or cell service I get a lot done in the van over our two-day stay: inside blackout inserts removed and replaced with lace curtains, doubled for more privacy. I like this a lot better. I will keep the inserts to use to cover windows from the outside to keep the van cooler. I also shore up the drawer unit where the passenger seat used to be—the boys sit on the top while we are traveling—as it has shifted with all the rough road and steep grades we’ve driven on since driving in the desert southwest.

I also decide to keep the camp chair with its fold-down side table inside and open. A one-drawer plastic storage unit fits perfectly underneath and extra water jugs along the side between chair and bed. It’s easily lifted up to take outside when I want to do that, and the drawer underneath can be pulled out to take out to the table.

I put clear mailing tape on the rare earth magnets that I use to keep the outside window covers in place. They are strong enough to put blood blisters on one’s fingers if you lose your grip while trying to pull them apart, and the tape tabs seem to not only prevent that but also makes them much easier to pull away from the van when it’s time to remove the covers.

Having a place to sit and being able to see out when we are stuck inside due to the wind wreaking havoc with my sinuses or if a storm blows through will make those situations a whole lot nicer to deal with.

The campground is nicely maintained and there are lots of little rock-lined trails kept nice and tidy. I couldn’t find the camp host when I thought about asking who did all the rock work, but I would imagine it was a civic group or perhaps some inmates. In any case it’s looks very, very nice.

On our last evening in this camp we are rewarded with a very nice sunset. And perhaps a little Halloween treat —- can you see the dog in the sky? Or perhaps it’s a hound from the Baskervilles …

Thanks for stopping by 2DogsTravel. Hugs, Shawna

CAMP AMENITIES
Water: Yes Garbage: Yes
Bathrooms: Vault toilets Electricity: No
Tables: Yes, with shade covers Shower: No
Fire Pit: Yes BBQ: Yes
# of Sites: about 15 with lots of space between Fee: $5 per night, half that with senior pass
Other: Nice walking trails, nice view, very steep downhill grade to get to this camp. The camp host had a large trailer, but honestly I would be very cautious if it were me towing that big thing down this road

Indian Bread Rocks

October 27th, 2017. Deciding to move on we leave Lordsburg, NM and cross into Arizona. A search on freecampsites.net showed a BLM recreation site near Bowie and that’s where I point Freedom’s nose; westward on I-10.

Exiting the freeway at Bowie we pass through the north side of town and travel through pistachio orchards heading toward the Ft. Bowie Historical Site.

Following the directions given on Freecampsites.net we take a right onto Happy Camp Road. It’s dirt and a bit rough, washboard style. I drive slow. A small motor home passes us heading in the opposite direction and they wave and smile so I know if they can make it so can we, and we travel on. Seems like a long ways out but in reality it’s only a couple of miles.

There is no one at the picnic area and no signs saying no camping so, liking the idea of a table and shade (only shade around!!) I set up camp: Swing away hitch tray moved to the side, solar panel taken out of the back of the van and plugged in, reflectix window covers set up as it looks like the afternoon sun will shine directly onto us despite the large shade tree.

No sooner am I set up and ready to do a walkabout with the boys than a couple from North Carolina pulling a small camp trailer come up asking if we are staying for the day or …. They want my campsite! When I tell them we are staying the man looks a teeny bit put out, but the woman is chatty and we introduce ourselves, discovering they, like me and the boys, are full-timing. Full-timing meaning we live and travel full-time.

We chat a bit more, learning they are heading to Q for the winter also. They decide to set up camp a little farther north.

The area has some terrific topography.

As interesting as the area is, being hot and tired and sick of stewing in my own sweat for days on end I consider moving on tomorrow, but the night cools down into the 40s and I sleep like a log. I can deal with the day’s heat if it cools down at night, so we will stay until we are forced to leave when our water runs out.

Saturday, October 28, 2017. The morning is crisp and cool and after the boys are fed and do their potty thing, they want back inside to snuggle under the covers. Too cold for The Chiweenie Brothers! These boys like heat! Charlie sticks his head out every once in a while to check the temperature, but Fries is just a lump under the covers. He DOES NOT like to be cold–ever! When I pull back the covers this is the look I get!

Today I will research where to go next,. I am thinking north instead of west since higher altitude sounds better than still-hot summer on the route I originally planned. I don’t want to arrive in Quartzsite (Q for short) before the lovely winter temps settle in.

I am having a hard time adjusting to the “I-don’t-have-to-be-anywhere-at-a-certain-time” routine now that I am officially retired, but I’ll get there! Learning to slow down has been hard.

The soft light of early morning gives a warm glow to the rocks surrounding the area.

As I sit writing this, Burger, sleeping in the front and The Chiweenie Brothers snug under the covers, these little guys visit camp.

October 30, 2017. A planned hike into the Ft Bowie Historical Site is nixed as it’s farther than I thought and I don’t think Burger could make the three mile round trip. Off we go to the next camp, and on the way out the boys spy these guys along the road. Biggest dogs they’ve ever seen! LOL!

DSC_0057 (1)

Thanks for stopping by 2Dogs! Hugs, Shawna

CAMP AMENITIES
Water: No Garbage: Yes, there’s a can in the picnic area
Bathrooms: Yes, vault toilet Electricity: No
Tables: In picnic area only Shower: No
Fire Pit: Rock rings BBQ: In picnic area
# of Sites: At least 6 close to picnic area, others farther away Fee: None
Other: Small trailers easily fit, larger ones may be hard to turn around. Watch for big holes and dips in some of the camping spots. The road in is very dusty.