March 6, 2005

March 6, 2005

Casa Grande to Phoenix, Arizona

DAY 261

 

Today was sunny and warm.

I just took Bo out for an evening bathroom walk. What a beautiful vista here. We are dry camped in Usery Mountain Regional Park, in Tonto National Forest, in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. We are high up on the mountain, overlooking the lights of Phoenix below. Within 50 feet of the door of the trailer, there are Saguaro Cacti, Teddy Bear Cholla Cacti, Prickly Pear Cacti, Barrel Cacti, Ocotilla Cacti, and Palo Verde trees. The desert has erupted in bloom. All around are little orange, yellow, and purple wildflowers and blossoms and blooms, thanks to the recent rains. Apparently the desert only blooms like this once every few years, when the spring rains are just right. The right amount of rain at the right time. We're fortunate to be here at this time to see it.

We left RoVers Roost RV Park this morning. South on Montgomery Road to I-8, east on I-8 for a few miles to I-10, northwest on I-10 to exit 160, and east off the Interstate into the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. I wanted to drop into Kokopelli Winery in Chandler. They were advertising a special event this weekend. Wine tastings, blues and jazz music, Creole and Cajun foods. What could be better than some crawfish, washed down with some excellent Arizona wine, while listening to some Mississippi Delta Blues ? On the way through Chandler, we saw a Petco in a strip mall. We needed some pet supplies that are not available at Wal-Mart, so I wrangled the rig into this strip mall parking lot, and we went shopping ... with Bo. We needed to fit him with a muzzle, so he came along into the store with us. WOO-HOO ... Bo goes shopping. He liked it. We found the winery in “historic downtown” Chandler. We were expecting a winery adjacent to a vineyard, like the wineries / vineyards in the Niagara-On-The-Lake region. This was a retail winery outlet and restaurant. Their vineyard was 20 miles away. Their wines were very good. Their tasting portions were very generous. The tastings / admission fee of $7.00 allowed 6 tastings. The man pouring the samples was pouring a glassful for each sample. It’s a tad difficult to drive Dee-Dee and Harvey after six glasses of different wines ! The music group entertaining while we were there was a jazz group. I’m not much of a jazz fan. However, after six glasses of wine, even the jazz started to sound okay. For lunch, I had crawfish tails in a creamy white sauce, on bow tie pasta. Very, very nice ! After lunch, we had to go walk around “historic downtown” Chandler for awhile, to wear off the effects of all that wine tasting.

Through Chandler, through Gilbert, and through Mesa, all suburbs of Phoenix, to Usery Mountain on the northeast side of the city. The campground is full, so we are in the overflow area. Actually, the overflow area is full, so we are in the overflow overflow area.. I’m not sure if we’ll stay tomorrow, or leave and return in a few days. This is where the Escapees Alberta Roamers Chapter 44 Winter Rally is, starting in a few days. We’re here a couple of days early.

DSK