FAMILY VISIT TO ROCKY POINT MX APRIL 2012

On Friday April 20 nine of us took the 5 hour drive from Mesa to Puerto Penasco, MX to spend several days at the Mayan Place Resort on the Gulf of California. The attendees were Mike and Barbara Williams, Barbara’s daughter Laura, granddaughter Katie and her friend Daisy (who stayed in one suite), Jo, son Jeff and me (who stayed in the other suite). Jo and Barbara are sisters. We planned also to take my son Monty, but at the last minute schedule conflicts came up for him. We took two vehicles to get there, and the first contingent consisting of the non-senior citizens returned on Mon. April 23.

 

This is the bedroom of our one bedroom suite. Jo is enjoying the view of the Gulf of California from our sixth story balcony.

  

Our suite is in the second building of five to be built, and site work is still underway in front of our building. The sea is calm this day. The Gulf is relatively shallow and the tides are high, sometimes leaving hundreds of yards of beach exposed at low tide.

Views of our sitting – dining- and kitchen areas. The two couches each can sleep two for a total of 6 in the suite.

Towel art left by our room attendant one day.

 

View from the beach of the first phase of the resort. An indoor pool is at the far left, the reception area is in the circular building and more is at the right off the picture.

 

  

The rectangular buildings are in phase two. Two more will be to the right of the unfinished building, mirroring the two finished buildings. Our suite had the first two windows of the taller finished building to the right of the row of windows on the top floor of the lower finished building. We used the swimming pool and other amenities of phase 1.

Daisy, Katie and Jeff are painting pottery to be fired, with the long pool in the background. The resort was not crowded during our stay.

  

Katie and Daisy at the downtown restaurant where we ate late one afternoon. The resort is about 20 miles from downtown, so forays into town were limited.

Downtown is next to this hill. The lighthouse is authentic as there is a nice bay nearby for the fishing and pleasure boats.

 

 

Statue in the downtown plaza celebrating the shrimp fishermen working out of the port. The local shrimp run quite large, but not like the one shown!

Left to right – Jeff, Daisy, Katie and Laura in the foreground getting on their life jackets before a ride on a banana boat. It is an inflatable with two tubes for seating passengers side by side pulled by a motorized panga (long open boat).

 

 

  

Here is our intrepid crew preparing to begin their ride. From left, Katie, Daisy,Laura on right and Jeff at far right.

The panga purports to go no more than 15 mph, but the towed boat runs into bumps crossing the wake of the panga.

The girls got henna ankle tattoos. The one on the left is a panda.

 

The younger set headed back to Mesa on Monday after breakfast at Mannys near downtown, leaving the four senior citizens to enjoy a few more days at the resort. We planned to leave on Friday, but Thursday was so windy that lounging around the pool and reading, as we did most days, was not enjoyable, so we returned a day early. From left – Barbara (mostly out of the picture, Laura, Mike, Daisy, Jo, Katie and Jeff.

 

Son Monty in his naval reserve camouflage uniform on our front porch.

EASTER 2012 WITH THE STRONGS

Fourteen relatives and friends joined us for Easter dinner at our home. We have hosted Easter dinner in past years, so by now we know where to borrow the additional table and chairs needed. Fortunately the day was pleasant with a breeze to cool us in the 90 deg. afternoon heat. Low humidity and ceiling fans on our patio helped to keep us comfortable. Son Monty was great helping Jo in the kitchen. Guests brought some of the food for a great selection.

 

Orlando and Joanne Klassen are frequent guests at holiday gatherings. We have visited them on their farmstead in southern Minnesota. In the background that is a cactus in bloom.

 

Barbara and Mike Williams, with granddaughter Katie between. The rose bushes along the wall were trimmed back just about 2 months ago.

 

Jo’s son Jeff, Laura’s guest Teri, Elsie Holz and Nancy Grout.

 

  

Mike Williams, Barbara, Elsie Holz and husband Tom at dinner.

 

 

The ‘youth table’, with Katie McNurlin, my son Monty and Jeff.

 

From left, Jerry Grout, Laura McNurlin, Edna Julien, Terri, with Nancy Grout’s  back to the camera.

 

Same group, different angle! Monty made the great Sangria punch.

JEEPERS CREEPERS TRIP TO MONTANA MOUNTAIN APRIL 2012

     Twelve folks in four 4 wd vehicles traveled the Montana Mountain loop on Friday April 7. The drivers of the vehicles were Grouts ( with daughter Holly and friends  Dave and Matt), Hulchers, group leader Bill Strong with the Fretwells, and new member Paul Beighle with Dan Dewally. The loop is at the east side of the Superstition mountain range and the northerly part skirts a wilderness area.

YOU need to volunteer as a trail group leader! We have had 4 so far this season. Jerry and I each have led two.

Many of the pictures are courtesy of Marv Fretwell as my camera batteries went dry.

 

The Grout group at the coffee break

 

The goodie table at coffee break on the Queen Valley road.

 

 

Yes, most of that is our road, except for the one winding upper right.

We wind higher and higher. The highest elevation on the Montana Mountain road is about 5000 ft.

 

 

Even the Grouts need to consult the book once in a while. Here are Holly, Dave and Jerry.

 

    

What are you looking at, Jerry?

 

Great scene along the way

 

A welcome stop along the trail. New member Paul Beighle is fourth from the left.

 

Rogers Trough trailhead.

 

 

Arizona Trail sign at Rogers Trough.

 

 

Most of our group at the end of the run on Highway 60.

ROADRUNNER CAMPOUT AT WHITE TANKS PARK MARCH 2012

Our 45 year old camping group is still enjoying outings. Beginning March 30 four families joined in their RVs at the Maricopa County White Tanks Mountain Park on the far west side of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The weather was sunny, with comfortable temperatures on Friday, warming to 90 on Saturday with typically cool nights. During the warmer parts of the day we found shade and the breezes kept us comfortable. Barbara and Mike Williams were the wagonmasters, for their first time.

 

 

Friday evening around the campfire: Barbara, Jeff, Herb and Mary Fust

 

Nancy Audet, me, Jo, Mike and Barbara Williams, the Wagonmasters

 

We had a good sized fire pit. Thanks to Tom Lull for the wood and Mike for hauling it

  

Jeff and I walked up the Waterfall Trail to the falls with lots of others, including a boy scout troop.

 

Lots of petroglyphs are beside the trail. We can only speculate about their meaning.

  

More petroglyphs.

 

  

The falls – the dark vertical areas show where the water is tricking down the falls and the white rocks in the shadow probably have been colored by the water.

 

 

Jeff at the pool (white tank) at the bottom of the falls.

Here is the proof that I made it to the falls, with my walking sticks.

  

The trail passes the old water tank at the center and becomes steeper as hikers approach the falls. Hikers are seen near the metal tank.

 

 

Nancy Audet, Herb and Mary Fust are awaiting the potluck dinner on Saturday.

 

Left to right, Nancy and Bob Audet, Fusts, and Chrissy Audet enjoying the potluck.