MURPHY IS NOT OUR FRIEND

January 3rd: We had spent two nights again in Quartzsite, and woke up to search the internet for warmer weather … it has been bitterly cold here, evenings and mornings: so much so, that last night Bleu was whining about the chill and Holland allowed him to come sleep atop the bed, with us, where his bones weren't so chilled (big concession for Holland ;-)).

As we drank our coffees and was wondering what to do with all this cold weather, morning internet information was telling us that Winterhaven-CA seemed to be 3-degrees warmer; so we packed up Independence, and aimed Betsy's nose for the LTVA land there. It wouldn't be that much warmer, but Holland was coughing and sneezing, and 3-degrees warmer temperature seemed prudent.

The Sonoran Desert is beautiful to me any time of the year, but a trip to ER is not in our Plan at all.

And having my husband around for the foreseeable future means more to me than a cold, secluded, boondocking experience.

Pulling stakes at Quartzsite-AZ to chase the sun.

Off like a herd of turtles ;-)

Pulled out of La Posa Tyson Wash LTVA … headed towards Pilot Knob LTVA.

We drove into town to fill the propane tanks to make sure the 5th Wheel would be well equipped with warmth: more rain is in the forecast - with local evening chill hovering around 35-degrees :-(

First stop - fill the propane tanks.

RV Pit Stop from LTVA Tyson Wash; 5 min (3.3 mi) via US-95 N

Our pesky nemesis, Murphy, strikes again …

The chink in the link … thank God the pin went back in, easy.

A warmer atmosphere is trying to make it's way thru the cold front.

Border watch 'eye in the sky':  (https://www.atec.army.mil/ypg/tenant_ab.html#:~:text=Hovering%2015%2C000%20feet%20in%20the,thing%3A%20low%2Dflying%20airplanes.)

Bleu's creosote bush "pit stop"; Yuma-AZ. Creosote Bush blossoms - out of season, but following an unusual rainy spell of weather.

Creosote Bush: 

(https://www.skysthelimit29.org/creosote-bush.html#:~:text=Yellow%20flowers%20generally%20appear%20during,a%20ring%20of%20single%20plants.)

The frontage back road to Pilot Knob LTVA; Winterhaven-CA

As we neared Winterhaven-CA, our phones alerted us that a 2-hour rainstorm was settling in. We looked at each other, and I said, "I don't want to set up in the rain; you can't afford to get a chest cold, Holland." Holland said, "I don't want to be sitting in the truck for 2 hours, waiting the rain out. Let's go to Phoenix like we planned to before the rain started - the temperatures seem to be consistent across the board: you've never been to Phoenix, and that was The Plan - and there's LTVA land there, too."

So, that's what we did ;-)

We did not want to set up in a rain storm … so, we turned back - and headed towards Phoenix-AZ

Phoenix-AZ from Winterhaven-CA; 2 hr. 49 min (187.2 mi) via I-8 E

Rainstorms everywhere along the border route … no sunshine warmth to be found.

A little white 'ghost cloud' gaslighting a huge gray front ;-)

A dust storm; I-8, near Gila Bend-AZ

As we got to Gila Bend-AZ, Holland said, "How about we go to Tucson (50 miles either way from Gila Bend), instead; you haven't been there, either, and that's really where you'd rather visit - there's more to see there, too."

He turned towards Tucson: (((YAY!)))

Ambrosia - 'Biggest Part of Me' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5gOehkLUTk)

Tucson-AZ from Gila Bend-AZ; 1 hr. 45 min (120.7 mi) via I-8 E and I-10 E

Around Marana-AZ, Blue looked like he was praying for a place to sleep tonight … soon. LOL

We were so tired when we passed through Marana-AZ, that we pulled over … parked, slid the bedroom slide out out: and spent the night on a shoulder of freeway on-ramp.

And the night temperature was warm enough for Bleu to sleep in his kennel, instead of in our bed ;-)

We may not be doing our adventures like most people would (big, flashy vacation spots: I prefer backroad rural sights) - but we are having fun and making memories.

Our memories :-)