Did Montezuma have a Castle in Arizona??

Where are we today? 

Dancing Eagle Travel Center RV Park

We left Camp verde early and got to Montezuma's Castle National Park by about 9:30 am so that we could get RV parking.

It is a very interesting place and we enjoyed the hour we spent there looking at the ancient construction high up on the cliff face. Here are a couple of photos.

The main part of the "Castle"

Diorama of the inside of what the living quarters were like

The rest of the photos are from the road of our trip up to Flagstaff and then through Eastern Arizona and into New Mexico. We are overnighting at Dancing Eagle Casino Travel Center. Not a very aesthetically pleasing place, but we do have $50 amps and full hook ups for only $10 for the the night. In the morning we will have breakfast at the casino and be on our way, probably to Santa Fe. Looking at San Felipe Hollywood Casino for 2 nights while we take in the sights in Santa Fe.

Starting to see snow as we get to the higher altitudes of Flagstaff. They had a big snowfall yesterday.

Closer to Flagstaff

Curious dome construction.

Starting to see some of the beautiful red colours in the buttes and mesas 

Strange rock formations

Camping World Sale Alert

For anyone wishing to replace their fluorescent lights with LEDs, Camping World has Double Pancake lights on sale. We bought some a couple of months ago and have installed them, in preparation for when we start doing some serious boondocking. We also bought the bezels.

Double Pancake LED lights

Bezel for Double Pancake LED lights

Update!!!!

April 16th, 2012
We bought these A month ago for just $39 per light fitting!! This price is crazy!

Weather and Campground woes.

Where are we today? 

Camp Verde, AZ

The weather is awful! Last night it started pouring with rain and there was a howling gusty wind. This morning it was really cold, just a few degrees above freezing here in Camp Verde RV Resort. We decided to do our day trip despite the weather...did I say Bad Mistake? We took off for Jerome at about 10 am. The higher we went, the harder it snowed. So we abandoned our plans and thought that we would just ask at the resort if we could stay an extra day. Didn't think it was a problem because the place is half empty anyway.See the rest of this story at the end of my post.

Here are some photos from our trip up the mountain to Jerome. Very disappointing day. I remember (12 years ago when we came through here) all the beautiful views over the valley showing the different colours in the rocks.  In a way the drive was pretty, all the snow in the pines up on top of the mountain pass, but disappointing all the same.

Our photos from the road:

Here is the review I have written for the RV Park Reviews website. It will be posted tomorrow after we have left here.

"We came here because it is near Sedona, Montezuma's Castle and Jerome. We were given a site that did not have sewer. It seemed that because were using a Coast to Coast membership, we did not have the option of getting a full hookup. When we got to the assigned site, the site was too small for the rig and the water and electric hookups were on the wrong side of the pad for us to hook up. It looks as if this campground used to be a KOA back in the days when no-one had a trailer longer than about 18 feet. When we checked in we were told that we not permitted to put a mat out on the "lawn" and we were not allowed to park on the "lawn". Well, if the hookups had been on the right site of the pad, then we would not have had to park on the "lawn". Apparently this is a rule of the new manager. The term "lawn" is used loosely here as there are a few tufts of grass in among all the weeds, This is a desert area, for heaven's sake. When our first full day here turned out to be too awful, weather-wise, to do any sight seeing, we asked if we could stay a third night. We were told (presumably by the "new" manager, M****a) in no uncertain terms that we could not because too many people had asked already to extend their stay. What kind of reason is that? The campground is half empty for heaven's sake! The other staff in the office at the time could even raise their eyes to look at me.  There is just a general air of unhappiness and shabbiness about the whole place. We will not be staying here again. I would rather stay in the Cottonwood Walmart parking lot! DO NOT STAY HERE".

Is this too strong?? 

The down side of this lifestyle!

Where are we today? 

Camp Verde, AZ

I know it is all very nice and great to stay in the warm weather, travelling south in the fall and then north in the spring, but there is a downside all this. What is that, you say???

The Grandchildren!

Noah

Owen

When we left Ontario at the end of October 2011. We will be back at the end of April, 2012. What has happened in this time? Can't be much, you say. Well Noah was 51/2 when we left and Owen was just shy of 2. Owen was speaking in 2 word sentences. Now I see him on Skype and he is speaking is almost full sentences!  How much have we missed? A lot! and that is the downside. We will be back at the beginning of April next year. Only 5 months away. That gives us about a month that we can be out of Province to maintain our healthcare. Have to get ready and start planning for next winter.