Wednesday, October 26, 2016

A Test Run

We want to see how our remodeling has improved the comfort and convenience in our Airstream. How better than to go somewhere in it?

Looking for events around the area, I found a BBQ cookoff in Laughlin, Nevada, at the Riverside Casino and Hotel. It is sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society and is part of the Smoke on the Water American BBQ Championship circuit. We enjoyed attending another event like this in Kansas City in 2013 and are looking forward to this one.

I will be posting pictures from the event in the next few days, as well as our thoughts about the trailer remodel.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Look at the Changes

In June we purchased our Airstream trailer. At that time, this is what the interior looked like.



By the time we returned to Arizona, we knew the seating in the trailer wasn't comfortable and we needed to do something about it. We connected with RV Renovators in Mesa to remodel the interior. We dropped it off two weeks ago on a Friday. That Monday, they called us to come look at the space after the couch and dinette were removed.



Three days later we were back in their shop, looking at how the work was coming. The cabinets were well on their way.



And Friday, just two weeks after we took the trailer to them, the job was done! Just look at what the interior looks like now.





We love it! We finally have comfortable recliners to sit in and so much more open space. There is more storage space and it is so much more convenient than pulling up one of the dinette seats to get into the space inside.

Good job cabinet maker Curtis and the staff at RV Renovators

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Second Hike

Today we hiked the 3+ mile round trip Hieroglyphics Trail in the Superstition Mountains. We have hiked the trail at least five times before. It was just as beautiful this time. I love looking at the palo verde trees and saguaro cactus.




There is a lot of rock art at the end of the trail.




This old, dead saguaro reminds me of an old, gray grandpa with green children a his feet.


Does anyone else think this balanced rock looks like Abraham Lincoln's head?


The Phoenix skyline was very hazy as we returned to the trail head. That is not unusual.


What was unusual for this mid-week hike was the large number of families with children on the trail. We didn't realize it was fall break in the Phoenix area schools! I just wish I had the energy those children had as they hiked up the trail.

Thursday, October 06, 2016

First Hike of the Season

We love to hike and we love the desert. We hope to get out regularly this winter to hike in the Arizona desert. We didn't do that much last year. We have been here for just over a week and decided it was time to start.

Our destination was the Wind Cave trail in Usery Mountain Regional Park. The temperature was in the low 70s when we started out, thankfully low for this time of year.  John stopped by the great saguaro.


Usery is at the right elevation to support a beautiful desert landscape.




Last week we had a good rain and it brought out the leaves on this ocotilla.


Wind Cave is a steep but fairly short trail--3 miles round trip. We have hiked it almost every year we have come to Arizona for the winter but we didn't go there last year. It was good to do it again today.

The cholla was really pretty today.


This is the rock face of the mountain  where Wind Cave is located.  Lichen on rocks here in southern Arizona is always this fluorescent lime green--so striking.


Scenery like we saw today is why we enjoy Arizona--when the weather cools down. It's so much better than snow back in Colorado!

John took a picture of me in the cave--which really isn't a cave but an overhang of rock above the trail.