Arizona and Back to Texas

ARIZONA AND BACK TO TEXAS

We left Pasadena and entered the Arizona desert. Most people think of the desert as being all sand and no vegetation. There are parts of the desert with low shrubs, and beautiful cactus. The distant mountain ranges look treeless, and have unique rocky sillouttes formed by centuries of wind. They are quite beautiful and serene.

We stopped outside of Pheonix in Oro Valley to go to the gym. The mountains across from the shopping plaza were spectacular. We were going to stay at Walmart for the night, but this is an upscale area and the city has an ordinance against overnight parking. We continued on and after looking at the map, decided to take the scenic route to Theodore Roosevelt Lake.

TONTO NATIONAL PARK

Tonto National Park in Arizona is breathtakingly beautiful and the road, RT 88, is frightening for anyone only accustomed to driving in New England! Imagine traveling on a road with no guardrail, a drop of hundreds of feet, and no shoulder in a large, 5-ton RV. Up ahead is a 90 degree turn to the left and a drop straight down in front of you--no guard rail. If an oncoming vehicle takes a wide turn you have no place to go--but down or collide! But look up, and you can see the most scenic, beautiful vista you can ever hope to see. When James drives in many parts of this beautiful country he is constantly reminded of New Hampshire's State motto "Live Free or DIe," yes indeed! That is Tonto National Park! (A short video of RT. 88 is on our YouTube channel--SuperTraveler2012.)

We started on RT. 88, heading to Theodore Roosevelt Lake. As the road climbed, we went over two one-lane bridges, through a small 'frontier town' called Tortilla Flat, and past a private marina at Canyon Lake filled with boats put to bed for the winter. There is an expensive (especially for off season) campground at the marina, and a restaurant. We by-passed that and kept going--rarely seeing another vehicle. At one sharp turn, brush scraped against the VIEW. If James had moved over, we would have been across the mid-line of the road, and possibly hit an on-coming vehicle. Every once in a while we would see a sign warning of animals on the roadway. If we did meet one, it would own the road! Fortunately we did not meet any wildlife. All along the sides of the road, and the hillsides, were Saguaro Cactus. Joan loves seeing them as they seem to each have its own personality. There is a national park in Arizona named for the Saguaro Cactus, where there are pathways around the cactus. You can get up close---but not personal with the cactus.

Suddenly we came to a sign, "PAVEMENT ENDS 500 FEET AHEAD." There was a dirt road for the next 22 miles. RVs are not all terrain vehicles. We had to turn around and go back the way we came--90 degree hairpin turns, no guardrails, and narrow road. With the slow going, it was beginning to get late--and dark. James decided that it would be too dangerous to drive after dark so we found a pull-off that was fairly level and parked for the night. After eating a steak supper (we eat like we do at home) we played some cards and went to bed. We only heard two vehicles go by during the night. Night driving on Rte 88 is too exciting for us!

In the morning we continued down the mountain. After passing by the marina again, we began to meet more cars. The drivers all with two hands on the wheel--obviously concentrating on the road!

We had been having intermittent problems with our batteries. Although the three speciality batteries had been replaced in December, we woke up one morning to dead batteries. After this happened twice, we went to a dealership who did a diagnosis, but not much else. The next place, in ElPaso, was a Dodge dealership which could work on the Sprinter part of the problem, but not the Winnebago part. So the next stop was a Camper's World where the defective part was diagnosed and ordered. It had to be ordered and shipped overnight, so we packed the scooter with our overnight items, and went to a motel for the night.

The next morning we were told that 'overnight' meant it would arrive on Monday! The next two nights we stayed in the VIEW in their parking lot. On Monday night, a little skeptical of their repairs, we stayed at the Walmart in town. Our batteries were dead by 8:30 pm!! So much for their good work. On Tuesday morning we returned to Camping World and after much hassel, and much complaining to the General Manager, we finally got new batteries. Not willing to trust their workmanship, we drove to the grocery store for a few items, and back to Camping World for another night in their parking lot.

James has written many times to the news media concerning the state of American business today. The local technician you know and trust at home is not replicated all over the country. "Caveat Emptor" is required whenever repairs are necessary. For service, we say, we know, and we have experienced-"Sometimes you eat the Bear; and, some times the Bear eats you!"

End of this saga. Don't forget to check out our website, http://www.americanvagabonds.net. We added a new page 'Fitness' to evaluate gyms around the country.

The following pictures are all from Tonto National Park.

 

Tournament of Roses Parade

PASADENA>>>PLACES>>>PEOPLE>>>PARADE

Since this was our fourth trip to the Tournament of Roses Parade, we weren't going to write about it---again. But then, there are people who haven't read our previous blogs, and since we wanted to expand on what we wrote, we decided to go ahead and write.

Most people in the East watch the parade on television. It is a good way to begin the new year, relaxed in front of the TV in their 'jammies' drinking coffee. What they miss, is the before parade fun, the interaction with many local people, and the close-up look at the floats and the majesty of it all. We sit with our feet on the 'blue line' which is the closest anyone is permitted to the parade--but then I should start at the beginning.

We arrived in the Pasadena area on December 25th. After the festivities of Christmas, we rode the scooter into Pasadena, about a 30-minute ride, to scope out the area where we planned to park the VIEW (RV). There already were RVs parked on street near the end of nthe parade. The internet has a page of information on the parade, which stated no parking on the streets until noon of the 31st. We rode around, but no other RVs were in sight.

On Friday, the 28th, we had to move the VIEW for a few hours for street cleaning, so we drove into Pasadena again. We got some diesel fuel, and again looked around the streets for RVs. We saw the same ones, and were told that they would allow street parking on the 29th. Those parked earlier would receive a parking ticket! We returned to Rosemead, CA and loaded the scooter in anticipation of moving to Pasadena the next day.

We arrived and parked in 'our' spot. This is the same spot we have parked in every year. We picked it out because it is close to Colorado Blvd., has fast food restaurants and many other businesses that we frequent. It also has porta-potties, which used to be an issue, but are not an issue any more as we have the VIEW. Since where we park the road is wide, traffic is not an issue, as it is with other narrower streets.

We unloaded the scooter, and rode up and down Colorado Blvd. Now there were more and more RVs parked on the side streets. Eventually, some of the streets had up to ten RVs parked on them, making them into one-way streets!

On the morning of December 31st, we were up early and out on the sidewalk by 6:00 AM. There were one or two others out, but the dark and cold probably kept the rest in. The reason we go out that early is to reserve our space to watch the parade. After a while, the sidewalks began to fill up. People were bringing their chairs, tables, and other supplies for the day. Usually, the police drive by and make everyone stand up, but this time we were allowed to sit in our chairs against the fence. They want to keep the sidewalk open, but when everyone is standing and moving around, the sidewalk gets clogged. This way, we were sitting down, not blocking the sidewalk. There is a sort of beautifully executed and elegant anarchy to the machinations prior to the parade and we are continually amazed at how everything works out for everyone. And, the City of Pasadena, with all its experience and monetary return to the local economy, has the elements of the day down pat! We hypothesize that everyone appreciates the commitment we all share braving a certain amount of discomfort with the cold in the evening and the expected New Year's Eve hoopla that occurs on Colorado Blvd. Anyone can spend the money for a bleacher seat; but we few choose to test ourselves and our resolve to a group dynamic unique to the American Experience.

This movement usually goes on until around noon--but this year we moved up about 11:15. Moving up means you can move all of your 'stuff' up to the curb. Where we stay, it is a grassy strip between the sidewalk and the road. Once we move up and really stake our claim to about ten feet of space, we settle in for the rest of the day. This is when the classic cars, motorcycles, and bikes come out. They cruise up and down Colorado Blvd., entertaining the growing crowd. We have been trying for a few years to start a tradition of "scoring" the cars, but only having one card with a 10 and a 9 on the backside. We don't want to offend anyone, but we like some better than others. Perhaps in a few years, Southern California classic car owners will be greeted with thousands of happy spectators scoring 10, 9 and who knows what. And this all will have begun with a couple of Connecticut Yankees on Colorado Blvd. Dec. 31st, under the cover of being the American Vagabonds.

This entertainment goes on all day, and as the sun warms us we shed our heavy coats, winter hats, and gloves. We put a sign on the front of our table, "CONNECTICUT and the AMERICAN VAGABONDS salute the TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE." It gets a lot of attention, and people wave, and stop by to speak to us. This year we met folks from Winsted, Bristol, Southington, New Haven, and Manchester. One guy in a classic car remembered us from last year! He said James gave him a "10" last year too! James said he deserved it. We hope "it made his day."

We went back and forth to the VIEW to make lunch and supper, and to use the bathroom. As the crowd grew, we rode the scooter up Colorado Blvd. to see what was going on. The RVs were really pulling into the side streets. Every available parking lot had RVs parked in a line. Some were charging up to $250.00 to park for one night. The second night could cost as much as $100.00. We were parked for free!

People had filled the sidewalk with chairs, tables, cots, and piles of blankets. Rugs and tarps were put on the sidewalk to help reduce the cold from the cement. They were playing cards and boardgames, and some of the tables were loaded with food and drinks. It was a regular street party. (I took a video as James drove, and we will be putting it on our YouTube channel as soon as we can.)

When it started to get dark, and colder, the coats and hats came back on. Fire pits were lit as were propane heaters to ward off the cold. The classic cars disappeared and out came the silly string and tortillas covered with shaving cream. These were thrown at passing cars (which is why the classic cars disappeared) which became covered with 'glop', but also shot back with ammunition. We were bombarded with marshmallows at one point, but that was our only attack---only here in Pasadena!

The girls next to us were running out into the street to throw things, and the police, who patrolled constantly, told them to stop as it was dangerous in the street. One of the girls began to talk back, and the officer said, "I can issue a citation and you will be removed from the parade route." That ended that! Both thge city of Pasadena and the LA County Sheriff's Department do an impressive job of keeping people safe, but not dampening the spirits of the crowds.

There were vendors working the street, and one guy with three youngsters stop to ask where we were from. He was originally from New Haven, and frequently visited his grandmother who still lived there. Everything you might find at a parade was on sale. There was even pizza delivery. James wants to test his theory of being there with nothing save his good spirit and see if the masses will take care of him. Joan thinks NOT!

At 11:00 PM we were allowed to move up to the famous 'blue line' painted on the street. This is the closest anyone can get to the parade, and where we spend the night. We got into our sleeping bags and chairs, but the street was still alive. It was very cold, in the low 30's, and as prepared as we were, we were still cold and didn't get much sleep. Other years Joan slept like a rock, but not this year. Finally, she went to the VIEW to sleep for about an hour.

What she missed, was the 5:30 wake-up call. All of the tow trucks that pull the broken floats(?) in the parade drive down Colorado Blvd. with air horns blasting, waking everyone who is still asleep. This is a tradition! As we began to pack up our things, crowds of people began to fill in behind us. The stands behind us probably hold 5,000 people, and seats go for $45.00 - $90.00 along the route. We get a front row seat for free. The crowd is so thick, that people cannot get to the stands and their seats.

In past years, a Stealth Bomber flies over the parade route as the parade starts at 8:00 AM. We were out in the street with cameras ready, when the police told us that the bomber would not fly over until the Korean Memorial Float began the route. Every year Joan has wanted to get a picture of the Stealth, but it comes so quickly and quietly, it is nearly impossible. This year she did get a picture, but not a good one. (It is in the pictures at the end of the blog.)

The parade got to us around 9:00 AM. The beautiful floats, bands, and horses were led by Grand Marshall, Jane Goodall. A perfect and most deserving Grand Marshall.

As soon as the parade was over, the crowd began to disperse, leaving behind garbage. We carried our things to the VIEW, and since the traffic is horrendous, we had lunch and loaded the scooter. We didn't plan to leave for at least an hour.

What everyone watches on television is nothing like the real parade. Next year, anyone wishing to see the parade and all the festivities, is welcome to join us. Bring food and drink, bring warm clothing and chairs; but, most importantly bring a spirit of adventure and friendliness. You will experience a wonder of the American Spirit occurring once a year in Pasadena, USA--the Tournament of Roses Parade.

We will have front row seats saved for you when you get there!


 

Stelth Bomber and Goodyear Blimp.

Bikers before the parade started.

A car covered with silly string.

Crowd waiting for the parade.

Cool motorcycle with sidecar.