No, not quite like the popular TV program rather more like
holding down the fort – make that holding down the RV – while JoAnne is in St.
Louis babysitting the grandkids.
After leaving Quartzsite last Sunday we headed east about
165 miles to McDowell
Mountain Regional Park a few miles outside of Fountain Hills, AZ. The park
is located in the lower Verde River basin at the base of the McDowell
Mountains. We had heard a lot of good things about this park and it has
certainly lived up to our expectations. The park and campground are spotless –
clearly, the camp staff and volunteer hosts are doing a great job managing and
maintaining the park. Kudos!
The campground is full – yet, it is still feels very
“un-crowded”. The campsites are
huge and angled in a manner to provide everyone with great and mostly
unobstructed views.
While still in the Sonoran Desert the desert here is very
different from the one around Anza-Borrego and Quartzsite. First, we are higher
in elevation with the park ranging from 1500 to 3000 ft.. Secondly, I believe
this part of the desert receives more rain – to that point we good a good rain
last night along with some pretty strong wind. What we notice is a much
“greener” desert landscape.
On Thursday, I drove JoAnne to Sky Harbor for her flight to St. Louis. I am sure she felt strange caring a heavy coat, gloves, hat and scarf. When you are in this part of the U.S and have been running around in shorts and tee shirts, it is easy to forget that we are in the middle of winter. That being said, we are having a cold spell. It is only 55 here, which is only 10 degrees warmer than Saint Louis.
Before JoAnne left we had time to explore a little around
Fountain Hills – which one of Arizona’s fastest growing cities and only about
25 years old. It has a really nice "feel". Why the name Fountain
Hills? Why for the fountain of
course. It sits in the middle of a manmade lake in the middle of a large town
park. This is their version of Old Faithful. Every hour on the hour between 9am
and 9pm a column of water shoots over 300 feet into the air. The show lasts
about 15 minutes.
So, what have I been doing? Not much. I have gotten in a
couple of hikes. Most of the pictures here are from the North Trail hike. Also,
I did get a chance to meet fellow travelers and bloggers Dave and Sue and
their two traveling companions Lewis and Sasha. I also met Alex and Ellen who I
was introduced to through Nina and
Paul’s blog and who also know Dave and Sue – crazy. As it turns out, we are
all camping in the same loop. Dave and Sue are kitty-corner from us and Alex
and Ellen are in the space just west of us – what are the odds? I find it
interesting to hear the stories of others who have become tin can nomads and
who are enjoying the adventure of life on the road.
Lots more pictures here.
Today is our Anniversary and I am wishing JoAnne were here. We will celebrate when she is back next week.
Happy Anniversary – I love you.
