Swap...

We'll be heading back to the Phoenix area tomorrow - not taking any chances with Highway Patrol that "thinks" we are not towing legally, so I swapped out the tow bar for the Honda on the back of the coach for a receiver ball.  I will tow the cargo trailer behind the coach, Joan will drive separately with the Honda.

We have enjoyed our time at Laughlin, but are looking forward to settling in for a while.  Today is the first day in Laughlin that the wind wasn't blowing above 20 mph, so the scoots stayed in the trailer.  Too much work to pull them out for a short ride, then have to go through the work of strapping them down again.  Yes, there were times we did that (when towing just the trailer/scoots), but the only ride we were considering here was out to the town of Oatman... and we've been there a couple times in the past.

Once we get settled at the next RV park, we'll take the scoots out, rearrange the trailer for it to be our "portable garage," and be able to easily take the scoots out any ol' time we want... and no having to strap them down again until we're ready to head for home.

I am looking forward to some two-wheel time!

The lights...

Vegas is known for the lights on the Strip.  And other stuff, of course.  Laughlin is smaller, much smaller, and more laid back.  The average age of visitors here this time of year puts us on the younger side.

The RV park we are in sits on the hill, across Casino Drive from the Riverside and most of the others.  Still a nice view from the park...

We like the vibe here.

Don't lose the nest egg...

If you said, "It's from the movie Lost In America, 1985, with Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty," you have the same appreciation for obscure for movies that I have, and you get 2,000 bonus points.

The gist of the movie is: the couple decides to get away from the rat race, buys a motorhome, and goes off to "discover America."  One of their first stops is at a casino... and she loses their nest egg. 

No, Joan hasn't lost our nest egg... that I know of.  I was down $20 the first day, but have managed to quit when I am even each day since.  I don't think that is the case with Joan, but I am smart enough to not ask.  We had another breakfast buffet this morning; you pay for that before you are seated.  The lady at the cash register asked, "Do you have your Riverside King of Clubs card with you?"

"Yes, but there are hardly any rewards on it..."

"Let me have it," she said; "Every bit helps."

Yeah, she deducted all 41¢ I had built up on my card.  And, she did it without snickering.  In gambling parlance, I am not "a whale"... not even a minnow... probably barely an amoeba.  But, We have fun with it, and just enjoy being out and about.  And, Laughlin is a nostalgic place for us, going back to when we first started motorhoming.

The wind is no longer blowing 25...

Now, it is gusting to 35+.  Yeah, we would have been fine leaving the cargo trailer in Phoenix.  Sometimes it works, sometimes Mother Nature quashes your plans.  No big deal - at most we would be taking the scoots to Oatman, just for something to do.  We haven't had a problem finding something to do, however.

Why, just this morning, I got up on the casinos.  Oh, for the day, I am down a grand total of $1 with the gambling.  But, I ate $300 worth of bacon on the breakfast buffet.  It is important to make your "bets" where you can't lose.  ;-)

We did see another movie today: The Greenbook.  Another "based on a true story" film; and another fine movie experience.  The story is about opposites, racism in the South in the 60s, and a developing friendship.  Again, some people have panned the movie (including members of Don Shirley's (the pianist) family, but we both found it well-written, nice production, and exceptional acting.  Another two thumbs up from us.

---------

Update: we went down to the Riverside this evening for a bite to eat.  I don't wanna brag, but I did win my $1 back.  Yeah, that's how I roll.

Everyone knows it's windy...

If you said, "The Association, 1967," you get 50 bonus points.

If you are in the Laughlin, Nevada, area you have probably seen the forecast for this week: windy; most days, it will be out of the north at 20+ mph and gusting higher.  That means the scoots won't get much use while we are here.  Not a big deal, as there are other things to keep us busy.  Walking the riverfront along the casinos is easy with the wind, more of a workout against it.  We have to stop and gamble a bit.  And eat.  Plenty of options for both here.

:-)

------

We took some time off from eating and gambling to take in a movie: The Upside, with Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart.  Outstanding.  Interesting pairing with these actors.  The critics have mostly panned it, and (as usual) I guess we look for something different than the critics.  We enjoyed the movie a bunch.  Based on a true story, there is good character development, humor and drama.  Two thumbs up from us.

Here we go again...

We have a week before our actual reservation in the Phoenix area... so, we're off to Laughlin, NV, for a week.  We have a soft spot in our hearts for Laughlin: it was one of the first RV areas back in the early 90s where we felt welcome.  We got turned away from several RV resorts in the Phoenix area back then because we weren't old enough.  ;-)  No issue with that now.

But Laughlin was very RV friendly, with all the casinos allowing RVers to overnight in their parking lots.  Of course, over the years, many people took advantage of that, and now most of the casinos either don't allow overnight RV parking, or they charge for it.  For us, we have always enjoyed staying at the RV park that is part of the Riverside Casino (the one owned by Don Laughlin).  It has grown and expanded.  When I first called to get reservations there, I was told they only had side-by-side sites, and we would not fit in those with our over-all length.  I checked back a couple times to see if there had been any cancellations... and we were able to get a site.

We left the RV park in Goodyear, driving separate to Sam's Club, where we stopped to gas up.  Then, hooked up the "circus train" to head for Laughlin.

Highway 60 runs at kind of a diagonal between Phoenix and Wickenburg.  Decent 4 lane highway(ish), out of Wickenburg, it is 2 lane.  I kept us at the 65 mph speed limit so we weren't holding up traffic.  Fortunately, for those who don't believe in speed limits, there are plenty of passing zones where an extra lane is added.

We passed through areas of Joshua trees and Saguaro cactus...

Desert driving...

And then 4-lane again...

They weren't kidding with these signs...

Three miles before getting on I-40, we got the red and blue rollers flashing behind us.  Yep, getting pulled over again...

This officer was absolutely sure that our towing rig wasn't legal.  I explained to him what I had told the previous officer, even gave him that officer's name... "I don't recognize that name."  He told me he wasn't going to give me a ticket, but was pretty sure that we'd have to unhook and drive separate.

"No problem for us, officer."  He didn't want to be the one deciding that, so he took photos of our whole rig and the connections to send to his sergeant.  That may have answered the situation, but he couldn't get a decent internet connection (being out in the middle of the desert may play some part in that)... he and I stood by the side of the road while he moved his phone around to try to get a good signal.  Finally, after nearly a half hour of that, he just called the sergeant... and was told, "No, that isn't legal."  Without seeing the photos of our tow rig.  All told, we lost about an hour with that stop.  The guy wasn't unpleasant, he had just never seen anything like our rig, and even though he and I both looked at the applicable rules, and we met them, he was just sure it couldn't be right.  I got a written warning, we disconnected, and were finally on our way again.

We drove separate the rest of the way.  Leaving Kingman, it is a climb to get over the mountains, and some interesting mountain "figures"...

Rufus was my navigator on this stretch...

(sitting in Joan's chair)

Downshifting for the long grade into the Laughin/Bullhead City area; it is almost 3,000' descent from the pass, down to the Colorado River.  We stopped for fuel at the Sam's in Bullhead City before going to the RV park in Laughlin... gas is a dollar per gallon cheaper in Bullhead compared to Laughlin.

We checked in at the RV park and got set up in our site.  The lady that checked us in said, "This is a nice site - you won't have neighbors right next to you."  Come to find out that we are right next to a pull-through site, and the back of their pull-through is our patio.  (?!?)  There is someone coming into that site tomorrow, and may be someone pulling into it tonight... we decided to park our cargo trailer in the additional car parking that is just behind and to the side of us so we wouldn't block the "pull through" part of that site.  We'll put the cargo trailer back next to us when the neighbors get here tomorrow... just trying to be good neighbors, since the check-in lady told me that "the space next to you will be your parking - that other site is 109' long and they won't need all of that."  She didn't count on the neighbor needing to "pull through" I guess.  No matter - we are settled in, got a bite to eat, and will just chill around the coach this evening.

Rufus needs his rest...

Smiling faces...

Steph came to the RV park when she got off work - it was nice to visit with our sweet girl face-to-face again.  Then to their house for some grand-kitty time.  Her two "fancy cats" are bigger than Rufus, but all three are pretty close in size and weight.  And then there is little 6 pound Torrie... she is the "Grande Dame" of the feline bunch.  We'd like to see how Rufus does with their cats, but it will have to wait until we get back and can make the introductions more gradual.

Supper out with Steph and Dan last night, and Joan will be making them supper tonight.  Then, we'll be rolling again tomorrow and be back in a week to settle in for a while.

-----------

We had the opportunity to do a bit of running around today... life in the big city: every stop we made was packed.  That always takes some time to re-acclimate to the crowds.

It isn't "getting pulled over" if...

... you are already stopped.

A short travel day today.  We stopped at a rest area between Casa Grande and Phoenix - it gives me a chance to do a walk around and check all the tires and connections.

A knock at our door: an Arizona Highway Patrolman was part of a team checking weights on semi trucks in the rest area.  He told me we were driving illegally with our set-up.  I explained to him that, in checking with the AZ DOT, the regulations state that you can legally tow with a 5th wheel or "a farm implement" as the middle conveyance; and keeping total length under 65 feet.  I was told that they do not allow "a trailer behind a trailer" - in other words: something connected with a ball hitch behind something connected with a ball hitch.

He said he was going to have to go back to his truck to check this out.  He pulled it up on his computer and said, "It doesn't say you can have a car in the middle."

I said, "Would you agree that this Honda CR-V is more stable than a farm implement?"

"Well, yeah, but in 24 years of doing this, I have never seen a set up like this."  We discussed the "2 ball hitch" situation.  He asked me about brakes and weights, and I was able to answer all his questions to his satisfaction.  I think part of the issue may be that a larger motorhome with a tow car behind it would not be able to stay under the 65 foot length regulation.  Our Aspect has plenty of towing capacity for our load, and still be under 65 feet total length.

I also told him that we would be happy to unhook and drive separate - and better to do that in a rest area than get stopped alongside the Interstate.  I think he was satisfied that we weren't doing anything outside the regulations and had all the proper equipment and towing experience.  He said, "Nah, go ahead and complete your drive through Arizona... but be careful."

"Yes, sir."  I did get his name, just in case there is any other question with our travels in this state.

Other than a bit of extra time (in a rest area) for this discussion, the day was uneventful.  We planned our timing to go through Phoenix around noon - no heavy traffic and we zipped right on through.

We are here for a couple nights - looking forward to seeing Steph and Dan, and then we'll be gone for a week before we come back and settle in for a couple months.

The RV park where we are staying had a site for us for this short stay, and Joan confirmed our reservation for when we come back.  Easy.

Out for lunch and now just waiting for our sweet daughter to get off work so we can see her smiling face.

:-)

Some like it hot...

If you said, "A romantic comedy from 1959, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe," you get 200 bonus points.

Today was a "down day."  No, we aren't depressed.  After two long days of driving, and yesterday's ugly wind, we needed a slack day to recharge.  Us, not our batteries.  ;-)  We got to sleep in.  I went to the hot tub here in the resort, trying to soak out the aches.  Nice long showers.  The Honda was seriously grubby, so we found a car wash.  Then Joan suggested Oregano's for a late lunch; pizza, salad, and a pizza-cookie... happy bellies.

Rufus got a bit of outdoor time, but he is not a fan of his new harness.  He did hop up on the vanity top in the bathroom.  Check out the difference between now and right after we got him:

Today...

A month after we first got him...

The boy has certainly furred up and bulked up.  And to think the shelter and the vet both thought he was full grown when we got him.  Surprise!

We'll be heading out again tomorrow - looking forward to seeing Steph, Dan, and their furry babies!

White Out...

Not the stuff you used to use back in the days of typewriters.  (Anyone remember those?)

Sometimes when traveling, you have to make decisions based on Mother Nature; somedays, it is about getting where you want to go.  Rolling across West Texas, New Mexico, and eastern Arizona, it is also a matter of gas stations, range, and decent overnight stops.

We were in Van Horn last night.  It turned out to be a good place to watch the lunar eclipse: not much in the way of light pollution there.  As they say in the song, "the stars at night were big and bright..."  Leaving Van Horn this morning, we had planned to overnight in Deming, New Mexico.  Mother Nature had other plans: wind advisories for that entire route.  If we could leave early, we could make some miles and get as far as possible before the wind would get too ugly.

It was quite pretty as we left Van Horn, heading west, as the sun was just coming up...

That is the full moon setting in the west.  And, the effects of the rising sun on the desert scenery...

Our plan was working - be getting out early, we made it beyond our intended destination before the wind kicked up.  We stopped just west of El Paso, for the best gas price in a long time: $1.74.  From there, it was into New Mexico...

The wind began to build as we crossed New Mexico.  Not much of a delay at the Border Patrol checkpoint...

Then, the wind really kicked up!  Another decision: get off the road somewhere or punch our way through the gusts well above 30 mph, and get down where we can spend a couple nights... in an RV resort we like.  Yep, we're moving on.

We see these signs every time we pass through this area...

It seems to be windy and dusty every time we go through this area.  Today, however...

We could see the clouds of dust in the distance, but didn't expect an absolute white out!

From the time I took that photo above, the visibility went to zero!  I slowed enough to be able to see the white line beside me, hoping that no one in front of us was stopped on the road.  It was about a minute of terror.  Think a minute doesn't sound very long?  Try holding your breath.

And then, it thinned out enough that we could see the road.  And the semi that had been right behind us.  Thankfully, he slowed, too.

The gusts were fugly - the Aspect did an admirable job.  The wind varied from right on the nose to a quartering crosswind.  And then, the blowing tumbleweeds!

Some were small, some were the size of a Volkswagen!  See the one that rolled onto the shoulder above.  They were coming so fast and thick - we smashed dozens of them... there were too many to swerve and avoid, and they were moving fast.  I stopped at a rest area to dig some of their remains out of the grill and the radiator.

To be on the safe side, we stopped once more for fuel and a snack...

And then, into Arizona...

A three-state day.  For some perspective, it took us 3 days to get out of Texas.  Oh, and this will get your attention when you look up from your iPad...

No, that is not a truck coming at us in the wrong lane - it is being towed by a very large tow truck.

An Arizona scene from the windshield...

We rolled into the RV park around 3:30... tired, but happy to be off the road.  We'll spend two nights here, and have zero schedule tomorrow.  Rufus got to go outside this afternoon...

He is wearing the new harness Joan got for him... he outgrew the other one.  He did great again today - it was another long day for him, too, and he didn't make a fuss.  Yeah, he is such a good boy.

The Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse...

Whew!  Tonight is the full moon for January.  Often known as the Wolf Moon.  Named after howling wolves.  Or, since it is in January, it is so cold it feels like a wolf eating your face.  Yeah, I just made that part up.

Since the moon is passing closer than usual, it is also a Super Moon.  No, that doesn't mean it wears a cape and fights bad guys... it appears larger and brighter because of the proximity.

It is a Blood Moon, because it will appear to turn red as the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth.  Shadow of the Earth?  Yes, a full lunar eclipse tonight.

Here is the first of the shots, taken around 8:30 Central Time of the full moon...

10:00 local time: partial eclipse...

Mostly...

After that, I had to up the ISO to 25600 to capture the image and the quality suffered...

Time to cash it in.  Happy Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse Night!

A long day...

You may have heard me talk about the "2/2/2 Rule" - drive around 200 miles, get off the road by 2:00pm, and stay for two days.  No, we don't always follow that "rule."  Today, we drove until 5:00pm, covered about 440 miles, and plan to head out of here in the morning.

We are traveling across West Texas.  After going 440 miles, we only have another 140 miles to go to get out of Texas.  Yeah, it is a long ol' haul across West Texas.

Leaving this morning, the traffic was very light going through San Antonio...

Not an accident that we planned to roll through there on Sunday morning.

As usual, Rufus likes his morning snuggle time...

A friend asked (on Facebook) about our "infotainment center" in the motorhome.  There is a learning curve to getting the most out of it, but it is a full-featured RV GPS, a trip planner, trip computer, rear and side cameras monitor, entertainment (satellite radio, AM/FM, blue tooth for music on a device), DVD player, outside air temp, compass, and more.  A few of the screens...

We also use a Garmin GPS for backup.  And Joan's iPhone and iPad.  Pretty rare that we get lost.  ;-)

A look down the road in West Texas...

A lot of nuthin' out there.  OK, not entirely true: there is scrub brush, gas and oil wells, and an occasional town.  Rest areas are about 90 miles apart, on average.  Gas prices ran 60¢ to 95¢ more per gallon than what we paid in San Antonio... you are a captive audience.  The range on the motorhome is about 400 miles, depending on wind and terrain... we know we are going to have to stop for fuel somewhere along the way.  Gas Buddy is our friend, and allows us to plan for stops where the prices are the best.  With our length, we can't just pull into any ol' gas station.  (More on our length in a bit)

First time I've seen an Amazon truck on the road...

I know the stuff has to get moved around.

When we are home, I am the meanest hombre east of the Pecos...

Now, I am the meanest hombre west of the Pecos.  If you said, "That is a Yosemite Sam reference!" you get 50 bonus points.  If you think I am the meanest hombre anywhere, you don't know me.  ;-)

West Texas isn't flat.  While a lot of it is kinda featureless, there are some hills and mountains...

The biggest issue is it is just SO FAR across..,. and we keep it around 62 to 63 mph with the motorhome when double towing.  The speed limit across much of West Texas is 80 mph.  We get passed a lot.

One vehicle that didn't pass us today was a Texas Highway Patrol SUV.  He was parked on the other side of the road as we drove by.  It didn't take him long to swing across the median and come up behind us.  I told Joan, "We are about to get pulled over."

"We haven't done anything wrong."

"Yep."

He sat behind us for about 5 minutes.  Then he pulled up to where he could see the license plates for the Honda and the coach; and check all our towing connections.  Then, he pulled back behind us and turned on his red and blue roller lights.

"There it is," I said as I put on my blinker and moved to the shoulder to stop.  We sat in the coach and waited for him to come to the window (passenger side).  Joan rolled down her window - he could see that it was two harmless old people... and a very handsome cat (Rufus stay on his tower between us during all of this).

He said, "Do you know how long you are with this rig?"

I said, "Yes sir, we are just under 64 feet."

"Do you know that for a fact?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

He said, "If you will get out and help me measure it, as long as you are under 65 feet, you can be on your way."

"Absolutely.  I'm just going to let this upcoming traffic go by and I'll be right there."

He had his tape measure in hand, I held the end of it at the front of the coach, and he walked it to the back.  He looked at the tape and said, "Yes, sir, you are good to go."

"We have been towing for a lot of years; I have a book with all the rules in the different states, and we play by the rules."

He shook my hand and said, "You seem to do a good job handling this, especially with the wind today."

"It handles pretty decent," I told him, then asked, "Are you going to pull out at the same time we do?  It would be nice to have you behind us, since it is uphill getting started."

He smiled and said, "I've got your back, sir - have a good day!"

All the double towing we have been doing for years, that is the first time we have been pulled over and measured.

No problem, no issues.  I am aware that this part of the state gets a lot of stuff moved through that the police want to know about.  They often find it when they pull someone over for a tail-light out or an expired tag.  No issue with us.  Again: two harmless old folks and a handsome cat.

We are down for the night, still in West Texas.  When we pulled in, it was mostly cloudy.  I am hoping that clears later - tonight is the January full moon, and more than that, it is a "blood" moon, meaning it will appear to turn red during tonight's full lunar eclipse.  And, the moon is closer than usual, so it is a "super moon."  So, when you tell your friends about it tomorrow, it is "Super Blood Wolf Moon, during a full lunar eclipse."

It should be in full eclipse around 10:40pm here tonight (your timing and time zone may differ).