Trail Cam Sites

My friends with RZRs were kind enough to help me look for new places to setup my trail cam. With Jimmy leading, Dave & Wylie in the middle and Gary & I at the back, we boldly went where no sane man had gone before. Unfortunately, most of the old waterholes we found were dry as a bone. However, it was still a great day to be out with friends enjoying a beautiful day in the desert. Here's some "eye candy" for the ladies...

Profiles in Corruption

I just finished Profiles in Corruption by Peter Schweizer. In my opinion, this book should be required reading in schools. It is a detailed description of how politicians use their positions of power and influence to make themselves and their families very wealthy. One of the things I like about Schweizer's books is the extensive documentation he lists in the bibliography. He does not rely upon "anonymous sources" as many so-called journalists do today.

Skydio 2 Drone

After crashing my DJI Mavic, I was not sure I would buy another drone. Then the Skydio 2 came out with the best obstacle avoidance system on the market. After looking at a number of YouTube videos, I felt comfortable enough to give it another try. 

The following is my first "motion tracking" video where the drone autonomously follows my Jeep without any direction on my part. I start out in a wide open area to first make sure it is tracking correctly. At about the 3:00 minute mark the obstacle avoidance is put to a real test and you get to see how well the drone manuvers around bushes and trees.

Sand Hollow Extreme Rock Crawling

Regular television has become so depressing that I have turned to YouTube for entertainment and information. You can find pretty much anything you are looking for there. Recently, I came across a video that features a highly customized rock crawling machine and professional driver, who explains how he tackles one of the most difficult trails in the country...

The obstacles get increasingly harder as the video progresses

Rare Sight

We finally got some much needed rain. The surprise was the sleet and snow that came with it. Here's the view of the Superstition Mountains from my porch...

Desert Cam Take 3

After leaving the trail cam at the waterhole out back of the RV park for three days, I got a lot of video but most of it was birds that were not very interesting to watch. I did capture one very thirsty coyote that I thought was worth publishing...

I always thought coyotes traveled in packs but so far, I have only videoed one at a time.

2020 Selfies

As I was sitting in a restaurant the other day, it occurred to me that all the servers I have seen in the last ten months have been wearing masks and that I would probably not recognize them without one. That got me to thinking about what selfies taken in the year 2020 should look like...

This has got to make banks and liquor stores nervous

Drive-In Movie Night

The pandemic has caused the RV park to cut back substantially on their organized events. One way they have enabled people to get together is by having an outdoor movie every couple of weeks. Tonight, they are showing "Sully" starring Tom Hanks...

COVID-19 Stimulus Package

Congress on Monday passed a $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus package that no one read before they voted on it. Senator Rand Paul, who voted against the bill, wrote: "Deficit busting bill will be 5,593 pages! If there are 250 words per page, then that's 1,398,250 words. If Congresspeople read at the American average of 300 words/min, then a Congressperson might read this in 4,660 minutes or 77.68 hours!" Congress was given only two hours before having to vote on the legislation. Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted "This isn't governance. It's hostage-taking".

The bill contains hundreds of unrelated legislative items negotiated by leadership for special interest groups. It is politics at its worst. Here are some of the expenditures contained in the bill...

• $300,000,000 for Migrant and Refugee Assistance
• $10,000 per person for student loan bailout
• $100,000,000 to NASA
• $20,000,000,000 to the U.S. Postal Service
• $300,000,000 to the Endowment for the Arts
• $15,000,000 for Veterans Employment Training 
• $30,000,000,000 for the Department of Education stabilization fund
• $200,000,000 to Safe Schools Emergency Response to Violence Program
• $300,000,000 to Public Broadcasting 
• $500,000,000 to Museums and Libraries
• $720,000,000 to Social Security Administration
• $25,000,000 for Cleaning supplies for the Capitol Building
• $7,500,000 to the Smithsonian for additional salaries
• $35,000,000 to the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
• $25,000,000 for additional salary for House of Representatives
• $3,000,000,000 upgrade to the IT department at the Veterans Administration
• $315,000,000 for State Department Diplomatic Programs
• $95,000,000 for the Agency for International Development
• $300,000,000 for International Disaster Assistance
• $90,000,000 for the Peace Corps
• $13,000,000 to Howard University
• $9,000,000 Misc. Senate expenses
• $100,000,000 to Essential air carriers 
• $40,000,000,000 goes to the Take Responsibility to Workers and Families Act
• $1,000,000,000 Airlines Recycle and Save Program 
• $25,000,000 to the Federal Aviation Administration for administrative costs 
• $492,000,000 to National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) 
• $526,000,000 Grants to Amtrak 
• $25,000,000,000 for Transit Infrastructure 
• $3,000,000 Maritime Administration
• $2,500,000 Public and Indian Housing 
• $5,000,000 Community Planning and Development 
• $2,500,000 Office of Housing

Even foreign governments are getting billions of dollars. Among the payouts: $1.4 billion for the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, $1.3 billion to Egypt, $700 million to Sudan, $135 million to Burma, $130 million to Nepal, and  $85 million to Cambodia. Israel will also haul in $500 million and Ukraine will get nearly the same. If this money were to go to American citizens, we would be getting a lot more than a $600 stimulus check. And lastly, why are we giving this money to foreign entities when our country is running a national debt of almost 28 trillion dollars?

Silverbell Sasco Loop

Terry, Gail and I joined Sunny, Jane and Leyman northwest of Tucson to explore the Silverbell Sasco Loop, a fun drive in the desert with lots of interesting sites and some very unique saguaro cactus.

Our first stop was the Titan II Missile Interpretive Site which served as a deterrent to nuclear war during the cold war. There is not much to look at as it consists of signs telling you what used to be there and some old concrete foundations. It would be interesting to know what the government left buried underground. 

Heading westward we passed one of the largest open pit mines I have ever seen. The overburden material from the mine has formed small mountains that run for miles and continues to grow as it is an active mine. We had lunch on a large, flat spot where they had dumped slag from a smelter...

Next were some very large and unusual saguaro cactus...

"Mutant" saguaro

Magnificent crested saguaro which are fairly rare

A little ways off the trail where the abandoned mining town of Silver Bell was located is an old cemetery with simple gravesites marked by wooden crosses...

Sasco, which is an acronym for the Southern Arizona Smelter Company, was a company town with a large smelter that served several mines. Here is what's left today...

Intrepid group of adventurers at what remains of the Rockland Hotel

At a time when most of the country is in lockdown, we were able to get outside and enjoy life. It's a nice feeling.

Desert Cam Take 2

I placed my trail cam back at the same spot as the last desert video and was able to capture a Gambel quail, a hawk, a coyote and a road runner...

I think I will try a different spot next time to see if I can find some different creatures. Ultimately, I would like to film some javelinas and a bobcat or puma.

Arizonian Christmas Parade

Each year residents of the Arizonian RV Resort decorate their vehicles for the annual Christmas parade...

Desert Cam Take 1

I found a watering hole in the desert back of the RV park and setup my trail cam where I could video anything that came to drink. After two days and nights, this is what I captured...

CamPark T80 Trail Cam

Last winter, I purchased a trail cam for the purpose of videoing critters out in the desert. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit before I was able to deploy it, so I packed it away in the RV. While moving into the park model, I discovered the cam cleverly concealed in one of my boxes. 

Yesterday afternoon, I placed it in a bush across from my site and left it overnight. Although capturing a rabbit and a gambel quail does not qualify as spectacular viewing, I was pleased with the cam's performance, particularly, the night vision. It should be fun seeing what else is out there.

 

Old Family Photo

One of the ways I am decorating the interior of the park model is to use photographs that I have collected over the years. In looking through my albums, I came across one taken approximately 45 years ago that seems to be a perfect fit for my home here in the southwest...

Click on photo to enlarge

Black Bear Pass Crash

This is an excerpt from a YouTube video that demonstrates what can happen if you take your eyes (and wheels) off the road on Black Bear Pass...

Park Model Interior

Most of my furniture has been delivered and the interior of the park model is beginning to come together...

Here's a quick list of some of the things I like about the model:

• It's light and airy due to all the windows and sky lights
• Lots of storage space
• No longer have to dump tanks once a week
• High speed Internet
• Great insulation makes heating and cooling more efficient
• View of the Superstition Mountains...

Park Model

After nine and a half years living full-time in a RV, I decided it might be nice to have a home to come home to, so I have purchased a used park model in the Arizonian RV Park. It is on a corner lot in the rear of the park with a great view of the Superstition Mountains (home of the Lost Dutchman Mine)...

I am keeping the RV and will continue to travel whenever I get the desire to hit the road again. I may have to change the name of my blog to "Ex-Full-time RVer".

Benjamin Franklin Quotes

Here are some Benjamin Franklin quotes that should be considered before voting in the upcoming election:

• "When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic"
• "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
• "Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins"
• "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters"
• "Ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation to the prejudice and oppression of another is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy...An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy"
• "I hope...that all mankind will at length…have reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats"

Atomic Cannon

About an hour's drive south of Quartzsite at the entrance to the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground is an Atomic Cannon, a relic of the cold war...

Click on images to enlarge

Quartzsite Boondocking

After a month in Las Vegas, I decided to spend a couple of days boondocking north of Quartzsite on my way to Gold Canyon, Arizona. Although I enjoy the amenities of full hook-ups, occasionally, it is nice to park out in the desert away from civilization. It is the quiet tranquility and the ability to gaze at the millions of stars in the night sky that make it such a great experience.

At this time of the year the area is not very crowded which makes it very easy to get around and not have to wait in lines. Although the town normally sees two million visitors during the winter months, the locals I have talked to are concerned about how the pandemic will affect business this winter, particularly, with the Canadian border closed.

Words of Wisdom

Back In Vegas

Having spent most of the summer away from big cities, I found myself needing to do some shopping, have maintenance done on the Jeep and get my next macular degeneration injection, so I have returned to Las Vegas where I know I can find everything I want.

Although masks and social distancing are still required, most stores and restaurants are open with certain limitations. You can even go to a movie theater with reserved seating (however, there are no new movies to watch as Hollywood has been shut down due to the pandemic). After leaving here, I will probably head to southern Arizona. It's hard to beat the winter weather there, plus, I have friends in the area to regale/bore with my tall tales and feats of daring-do.

Reds Canyon

Reds Canyon is one of the most scenic trails I have ever driven. At times, you would think you were looking at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. There were so many great photos from this trip, I decided to create a slideshow...

I recommend viewing a fullscreen version of the slideshow by clicking here 

Temple Mountain Campground

I met Sunny and her friends, Matt & Sherry, at the Temple Mountain Campground north of Goblin Valley State Park where we would be boondocking for the next two days. How far are we from civilization; well, there is no Internet service here (delirium tremens may be imminent). We spent the afternoon at the Temple Mountain Wash Pictograph Panel, an abandoned uranium mine, Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon.

Campsite with a view
(click on photos to enlarge)

Group photo with ancient pictographs above our heads

Old uranium mine

Goblin Valley

Beginning of Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon