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RV Life in Lockdown

Plan B and COVID-19

By Time2Geaux Unplugged

July 18^th, 2020

“Adversity is the Catalyst of Change”

We were waiting in Arizona to head north, planning to cross into Canada at the beginning of April on our way to Alaska for the summer. We knew we were in for a change of plans when we were starting to see the virus spread from mainland China to Europe and then to the States. We were outside of Tucson enjoying the cacti and desert walks in Saguaro National Park, but all good things must come to and end.

We headed from Pima County Fairgrounds to Apache Junction and quickly realized the magnitude of this new world threat. We decided to head back to Mesa (outside of Phoenix, AZ) so we would be in positioned for available medical care if needed. Having a close friend in the area was an advantage but, in the end, we couldn’t see Val because of the isolation.

We made the best while in the area. We took some hikes and exploring the area from the safety of our truck. We only hiked the trails during the week when there was less people trying to enjoy the outdoors.

After a record-breaking 49 days in Mesa we picked up and moved to Prescott AZ. It was getting too hot in the Phoenix area with daily highs into the triple digits! Campers are not designed for this type of weather!

Prescott was a wonderful change! We parked at the Elks Lodge where life gradually returned to normal. We enjoyed happy hour at Lenard’s, the camp host. We made friends with other campers and had an unscheduled visit for family back home.

49 Days in Phoenix

We were in Apache Junction with friends when the full effects of the pandemic became apparent. We said good bye to our friends, we stayed for another four days while exploring Canyon Lake are and Superstition Mountain. As the pandemic unfolded, we decided we needed to get to a place we could ride out the storm. We knew a park we had stayed at before in Mesa was comfrontable and priced reasonable, so we headed there. Mesa is on the outskirts of Phoenix which we felt would be good if we needed medical attention. It was also in the dry desert with plenty of sun. If this virus was anything like the flu, this would be a good place to beat the odds and we went into self-lockdown. We aired on the side of caution, having a shopping service deliver our groceries, letting staples sit in the sun before bring them in. It was also a great time to work on all the projects we had been on the ‘round to-it’ list. JoAnn worked on clothes and made some mask while I worked on changing a flat spring, trailer PM and other small improvements.

We did get out a make a few day hikes but tried to avoid people as much as practical. I also made it through my backlog of books, watched a few new series, learned to play dominos again and tried to occupy our time well.

We ended staying in Phoenix for 49 days, the longest we have stayed anywhere since we started this adventure.

Superstition Mountain

We have heard the stories of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine and Superstition Mountain. I don’t know about any lost but we enjoyed exploring the mountain. The spring flowers were in full bloom and the weather was mild. We enjoyed trying to capture the spring flowers!

We had watched some of the programs on people searching for the lost gold and enjoyed getting to walk some of the trails in the area. I can see why so many people have come up empty handed; this is rugged country. Much of it is influenced by volcanic activity. Superstition Mountain is part of a magma dyke intrusion which time exposed. I enjoyed learning about the geology of the area, doing some Earth Caches which are a special Geocache. An EarthCache focuses on visiting a geological significant place, understanding the geology and answering some questions.

Tonto National Forest

We discovered Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats, which is a lake created by damning up the Tortilla Creek. It is a beautiful lake with a marina and boating. It is also enjoyed by kayakers who can explore the finger lakes deep inside the canyon walls.

The town was a stage coach stop along the Apache Trail and now a watering hole for tourist along Hwy 88. We made a day trip out here with Doug and Monica and enjoyed ice-cream at the end of the day. The store, bar and restaurant are all covered with dollar bills that patrons have signed, doodled or otherwise personalized before tacking up on the walls, rafters and ceiling. I have seen this before but never this thorough. Every square inch covered! The road is closed past Tortilla Flats due to a washout.

I also got a chance to visit the oldest geocache in Arizona. It ID number is GC57 and is a large ammo box hiding about a mile and a half off the highway in Bulldog Canyon area. I was fun finding an early geocache which was part of the early tradition of geocaching. This hike really got you out in the untamed desert.

Doug and Monica outside at Tortilla Flats

Salt River Wild Horses

We remembered the horses from our last visit when our friend Val took us to see the Salt River wild horses. While in the area doing some hiking, we found another place they frequent and spent a day watching them in the river. JoAnn found a rattle snake while taking a short cut I suggested. Needless to say, I didn’t make any points for that one! Luckily, she saw it before she got too close. We had such a nice day that we invited Doug & Monica to join us and a month later Cindy and Glynn. What we didn’t realize until our last visit was the quarantine had enhanced our visit. No river floaters and trash in the salt river! The horses were the river bosses until they opened up floating again.

These horses are famous in the area and many people come out to photograph and view them. They are protected by the government and someone posted a video of a kayaker chasing some horses in the river. The public outcry was overwhelming and the authorities were trying to identify the offender.

It was interesting to watch these wild horses move in herds and the dynamics between the different herds. We saw photos of stallions sparing but didn’t witness any. We did see that when one herd moved down to the river and the lead stallion made some calls to another smaller group the smaller group moved away.

JoAnn had a blast protographing these beauties and hopes to go back again.

Prescott Elks Lodge

Running from the 108+ temperatures of Phoenix we headed to higher elevation and cooler temps. We remembered hearing good thing about the Prescott Elks Lodge and called. We were able to get in for a week which turned into 29 days before we finally said goodbye.

The Elks park was more like what we were use to. Neighbors were also RV’s and in the same situation as us. We made some new friends and enjoyed exploring the area. Since the Elks lounge was closed, the camp host, Leonard would have happy hour under his awning every evening. On Thursday most weeks we would have finger foods during happy hour, everyone would bring a dish. We got to try out our Caprese salad on toothpicks appetizers. It was easy and went over well, Simple to make, cut a cherry tomato in half, add a basil leaf and small mozzarella ball with balsamic and olive oil drizzled over the top. Very popular both time we brought them.

We discovered a geological wonderland in the area, the Granite Dells was a few miles away. There was also a Rails to Trails where we able to ride our bikes to from the campground. Two trail lines meet in the middle of the Granite Dells, where the Peavine and Iron King railroads once met. More than 20 miles of trails to ride! We also explored the Granite Dells via kayak. When Lake Watson was created, it flooded part of the Dells which make a one of a kind kayaking venue.

Watson Lake from the Peavine trail in the Granite Dells

What we Learned:

· The world can change so fast!

· Life on the road is about adapting.

Next Stop:

Once we get the final decision on the wedding arrangements for our son, Andrew and his finance, Kayleen, we will decide what’s next. If they can have a ceremony that family and friends can attend, we will head for Oregon. If not them we will either travel in for a scaled down service or watch via video conference. This pandemic is turning everyone’s world upside down. We have been isolated as most people are, through most of it because we are retired and self-contained, which is what felt the safest to us.