The Wandering Minstrel

Our last vacation to Arizona was the second time this year we rented a trailer. This time, however, we did not rent the trailer until we were over in the Phoenix area. I figured that we could save some time and expense by heading out early to the rental facility in Mesa, Arizona, and camp a few miles from there on our first night at Apache Junction, so that’s what we did.

This (clickable) image is from the morning after as we were getting ready to break camp and hitch up to head out to a part of Arizona neither of us had ever visited, down through Pima and Safford, winding up in Willcox along U.S. highways 70 and 191.

We can report a lesson learned on this trip; driving the six or seven hour trip straight through to Mesa takes a lot out of us. On the way back, the Better Half had the idea that we should stop at a pet-friendly motel somewhere near the halfway point. I found one just a few hundred yards from the Colorado River along I-10 in Ehrenberg, Arizona. We were able to relax there, the dog was welcome (with a modest pet cleaning charge) and we watched Monday Night Football as opposed to going another almost four more hours to get home.

Good choice - next time, we’ll stay there on the way out to Mesa as well.

I was poking around in the American Rifleman website when I ran across yet another poll, in effect a popularity contest, to select your favorite handgun from a list of the top ten plus an ‘other’ choice. I tried my skill at voting, not necessarily for my personal favorite, but rather what I thought would be the people’s choice.

I was right, of course. It wasn’t even close.

Did you ever misplace your wireless cellphone? You want to call it so you can go toward the ring tone but you misplaced your wireless. That’s a catch 22 if there ever was one.

Check this out:

We’ve all misplaced our keys or wallet at some point. Likewise, we’ve all hunted for a misplaced cell phone. The easiest way to find a cell phone, of course, is to call it. You will hear your phone and be able to find it.

That’s easier said than done sometimes. Many have abandoned their landline and rely solely on a cell phone. In that case, make a quick visit to WheresMyCellPhone. Enter your number, and it will ring your cell phone. It’s just the helping hand you need!

The site does not share or store your phone number. But you can block your number if you wish. If someone else accidentally enters your number, your phone won’t ring.

http://www.wheresmycellphone.com/

Hat tip to my long time buddy, Frank N.

The last several trips out of town have (partially) been driven by our desire and intent to relocate to a more second-amendment-friendly place. With that goal in mind, we started looking into acquiring a travel trailer that we can use while traveling to potential relocation sites and (possibly) as a temporary residence outside the state while we look.

Clickable Image - one of the rigs we looked at today.

The last couple of trips, we rented a 24 foot rig from a major RV rental company which I towed with our 6.0 liter equipped SUV. With that experience, the Better Half and I will be OK with being in a travel trailer for a limited time in order to establish residence and to find or build our new home.

Today, we drove to one of the area’s larger RV dealers and looked at some of the rolling stock available. I was surprised at how nice some of these are and at a price that seems very reasonable. First things first, though - we need to get our current residence on the market, and that involves getting rid of a lot of “stuff” and some “fixing up.”

Those trailers looked pretty good, though . . . This last trip did little to curb the wanderlust.

Out in the middle of the California Desert, along an otherwise pretty boring ride, the George S. Patton Museum at Chiriaco Summit provides an interesting place to stop and visit. We have visited here before, so this time we only paused long enough to rest, walk the dog and snap a few pictures of the equipment in the museum’s display yard.

If you happen to have a pair of 3D glasses handy, you can see a 3D image of this tank on the family website.

The Better Half and I were talking about a dream I had the other night. The dream included a sequence where I had the ability to jump tremendous distances - not actually flying, but to escape the bad guys by leaping away. You know, weird dreams - you’ve had them.

The following conversation then took place:

Better Half: “If you had any super power you wanted, what would it be?”

Me: “Well, I would like to be able to melt the minds of politicians - to turn Nancy Pelosi’s brain into a mass of jelly that would make her babble like an idiot.”

Better Half: “Well you’re too late - she already babbles like an idiot.”

Image - Something Really Scary - Pelosi and Baucus. (Courtesy The Patriot Post).

Just off of Interstate 10 in Quartzsite, AZ, there is a park dedicated to the concept of freedom through strength. That’s something that the Obamination seems to forget - we’re free because we are willing to FIGHT for freedom.

This is an F-4 “Phantom” (clickable image) - sometimes referred to as the “Wild Weasel.” This remarkable aircraft was deployed as Navy Squadron VX-4 at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Point Mugu, CA, while I was stationed there as an aviation electronics technician. Seeing these here today took me back to the days when we were proud to serve under a Democratic administration headed up by JFK.

Today? Not so much.

This has been a very good road trip. We’ve seen lots of old west nostalgia, beautiful scenery, interesting places to visit and, most of all, the delightful task of adjusting to retirement. Take, for example, our conversation tonight:

Better Half: We have a long drive tomorrow, if we’re going to get home in time for Monday Night Football. Why don’t we just stay halfway or something and relax?

Minstrel: Yep, Let me take a look on the Google map. (Pause) - OK, we’re booked into a place near the Colorado River on the Arizona side.

Better Half: Goodie. (Pause) - I’m sure glad we don’t have to be on time anymore.

Minstrel: America - F**k yeah!

Clickable Image - Superstition Mountains seen from Apache Junction, AZ