A busy week for the Smiths, Vegas, a hike, a parade and a dance

Love our Tucson sunsets

Life is good in the desert. As soon as Elin flew out of her last weekend (and I got to see her plane bank right over Voyager on its way to Denver) we began preparations for a short trip to Nevada to visit our friends Ed and Betty there.

Saturday was spent washing clothes and packing for a three-day trip to Las Vegas where we met Ed and Betty. Ed and Betty spend a month or more in Las Vegas during the winter and we try to make a quick trip each year to visit them. Ed and I are not gamblers so we always make a pilgrimage to Fry’s Electronic Store which has every conceivable electronic part you could imagine. Want to build your own computer? It’s all there?

At dinner with Ed and Betty

Want to set up an elaborate security system in your home?  Fry’s is your place. Need a drone to fly over your neighbor’s pool? Fry’s got it! Fry’s also has a large section called “As Seen on TV” where they sell all that junk you see advertised on television. Last year we each bought a special bag for microwaving baked potatoes.

It takes us about 90-minutes to cover the store and look at all the new stuff and we usually escape with only minor monetary damage. This time I found a 32 gigabyte thumb drive storage device for less than $9 so I picked that up for use in doing my Navy newsletter.

Ed bought a surprise gift for Betty in the “As Seen on TV” aisle, but it was too big and dangerous for him to fly home with so it is tucked into a storage place in my Tahoe for a future Michigan delivery.

Petrogylphs from ancient grafitti artists

We had dinner with Ed and Betty Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at various places, the most noteworthy the buffet at The Palazzo where we did a lot of damage to the prime rib and lamb windows. Trust me we got our money’s worth that night.

While the ladies were playing on Tuesday, Ed and I drove about an hour north of Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire, which is one of the most unusual geological places I have been. It is so unusual that apparently a number of science fiction movies have been filmed there due to its unusual rock formations.

Ed and I spent several hours driving through the state park enjoying the ancient petroglyphs and not-so-ancient graffiti that some idiots just can’t help themselves from doing. While there we ran into two very nice families. The first was a family of four from South Korea who have been traveling the country for three weeks. They asked us to take a photo of them and I immediately turned that job over to Ed who made a living taking photos and directing the photo department at the Oakland Press.

Ed taking a photo of our Korean friends

We actually ran into them at a couple stops and after taking their photos at each one, they offered us an orange, which I remember from my Asian visits is a very grateful gesture. The husband and father was pretty taken with my big Tahoe and his broken English let me know that such a big car would never work in South Korea. We made sure to make them feel welcome and encouraged them to enjoy the rest of their visit to our country.

The next family we met had a very strong Eastern European accent, but when they asked where we were from they were gleeful that we came from Michigan. They are recent immigrants from Romania and now live in West Bloomfield, Michigan, which is in the coverage are of the Oakland Press where Ed and I worked.

Our picnic lunch spot (my Tahoe)

At one point I annoyed Ed by going on and on to a couple of women who asked us to take their picture and I gushed about the fact they were getting their photo taken by a world renowned photographer who won many awards during his long career as a professional newspaper

photographer.

Ed and Betty are more than just long time friends, Ed was my mentor and confessor at the Oakland Press. My first real professional daily newspaper job was there and Ed took me under his wing, even though I was just a reporter, and taught me what it takes to bring a story photographically to life. He and I shared a number of major and national news events, not the least of which was the “Fatal Attraction” case of Judith Watson.

I got a tip about the fact a woman was stalking a local attorney and showing up to his home and trying to arrange a liaison with him. When we showed up to take photos at her house she met us at the door wearing just a skimpy negligee and when she invited us to come in Ed waved her off and told her she would have to come outside for the photos.

The Telephone Line Trail in Sabino Canyon

Ed was protecting me and him from some future grief. So she posed in her negligee in the front of her condo and in front of some very annoyed neighbors. Later Ed and I made a few bucks selling the story and photos to the Weekly World News. That is just one of many great story memories I have with Ed.

After reading this post, continue to scroll down and view some of the great photos Ed took of me while we were visiting the Valley of Fire.

We were up and at ‘em early Wednesday for the trip back to Voyager RV resort. 

One thing we notice about Arizona that is different from Michigan is the gas prices can vary by dozens of cents in just a short distance. Between Las Vegas and Kingman, Arizona gas prices soared to $2.99 a gallon, probably owing to the fact there were no other stations within 50 miles. Fortunately, I had filled up in Las Vegas so I could wait for a much better deal.

Looking down from my rocky perch

By the time we got to Phoenix the prices were down to $2.09 and by the time I filled up in Tucson they were at $1.29 a gallon, which the news reported are the lowest prices in the state of Arizona.

We arrived home and Joan whipped up some leftovers in the fridge and then we headed to the concert “A Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On,” which was a tribute show to Jerry Lee Lewis and other rock stars of the 50s and 60s. The keyboard player was the same man we saw in our first show and he did an amazing job of dancing his fingers over the keys. We agreed it was one of the best shows we have seen here and as readers of this blog will attest that is saying a lot.

Thursday morning brought my next Men’s Bible study and then we headed to Walmart to fill the refrigerator with food again. Then Thursday night I went to the mixed Bible Study called “Experiencing God” and in a weak moment agreed to lead that class in two weeks when the pastor is away for a family wedding.

Poppies on the the trail

Due to Elin’s visit and then our trip to see Ed and Betty I have missed two hikes, so on Friday I set out on my own to Sabino Canyon to hike one of my favorite trails, “The Telephone Line” trail. This is a 10-mile loop hike that provides stunning views of Sabino Canyon. By leaving from the visitor center parking lot there is a long climb up to the trail, but then about a 3.5-mile almost level (but very narrow) trail that runs high above the canyon.

I purposely did not buy a shuttle tickets so that I would force myself to walk out on the canyon shuttle road which is about a 4-mile walk. On our previous trips this year to the canyon the water has been over the road in several places due to the high snowfall in the Catalina Mountains and I tested my waterproof hiking books by wading through several of those crossings on the way down.

Looking back towards Tucson

They worked just fine and my socks were bone dry when I arrived back to my car. I did manage to develop a blister on my right heel, probably because I didn’t put on my sock liners in the morning. I also drank three bottles of water and consumed a 20-ounce Gatorade when I arrived back to the car.

Back home, I showered and cleaned up for a big night in the resort. But first Joan spent some time trying to find her e-mail account which mysteriously disappeared when she tried to sync her e-mail account to her phone. I proud to say that she restored her account on her own with no help from me.

Every year in the park they sponsor a “Doo Dah Parade” which is basically a silly excuse for old people to act like kids again. People decorate their golf carts and dress in costume and vie for some very tacky trophies.

Rick, the resort manager, leads the parade on his motorcycle, and this year the attendance was down a little, but the entries were pretty good. One group decorated a series of golf carts into “train” cars, including an engine, a diner car, a coal car, a box car and a caboose.

Park Manager Rick leads the doo dah parade

Another group of residents dressed up as clowns and had their dogs on leashes in a performance of “The Hounds of Voyagerville.” They also sang, “Who Let the Clowns Out,” which was a not so subtle play on “Who Let the Dogs Out.”

The winning entry was a group of seniors who had a lawn chair drill team that was very clever and included a very funny poem, which I can’t remember anything about now.

Following the parade we all headed to the ballroom for the “Voyager Night at the Races” which is the senior citizen version of the Boy Scouts “Pinewood Derby.” People manufacture great small cars and race them for prizes. While they do that we eat dinner provided by various organizations in the resort who cook to raise money for their activities.

The Hounds of Voyagerville lead cart

Joan and I had the $5 rib dinner hosted by the Pickleball group, a $2 root beer float provided by a sewing group and a piece of cheesecake provided by I don’t know who.

It was all good and Joan especially liked it because she didn’t have to cook.

Saturday morning dawned with us attending the 8 a.m. coffee and doughnuts presentation in the ballroom. We were there to promote the “Michigan Party” which Joan and her friend Marcia are organizing.

The Michigan Party is Feb. 29 so time is short. After the coffee and doughnuts we met with the activity folks to find out where all the tables, chairs and kitchen supplies are located. The activity office has been very helpful to us.

Some of the race cars

We spent a quiet day around the resort, although Joan took a “break” to do our laundry. A large group of RVers from Quebec are in the park and they also apparently needed to do laundry so Joan had to be patient and wait for machines.

I don’t mean to stereotype folks but in our experience the folks from Quebec are not particularly friendly. It may be that they don’t speak English so they simply don’t engage, but even when you give them the international signal for “hello” like a simple wave, they rarely wave back or acknowledge you in any way.

We attended the Saturday night Reminiscence Dance and the French visitor had three large tables. They seemed to have a good time but they don’t interact with others very much. Again, it may just be that they prefer to stick with their own because of the language barrier.

Our Michigan table at coffee and doughnuts

We had a lot of fun at the dance and Sunday was another quiet day after church, although I fixed the lock on the trailer’s basement door and Joan finished up our taxes and I spent some time at the resort hot spot posting this.

Also if you scroll down to the next post you will see some more dramatic photos of The Valley of Fire.