Hi everyone,
Yes, I’m still alive. I’ve taken some crap from friends for not posting. Sorry, but I haven’t been traveling much, and although I originally started this as a blog for the transition from being a full-time couple to a full-time solo, I chickened out with putting personal stuff online.
So read between the lines and you’ll figure it out, its all good.
First, getting a lease lot at Saguaro SKP Co-Op was the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. As I’ve mentioned, it’s been a great way to make new friends and have lots of fun. I’ve been taking private dance lessons with a partner, and doing lots of dancing. Dances at the Co-op have slowed, but the RV park next door has dances as well as some bars in town and in Tucson.
On April 30, I left Benson on my way to CORA and stopped in to visit one of my climbing partners, Victoria, in Albuquerque, NM. We got caught up, had a great time visiting, met her brother and heard all about her friend, and then I headed to CORA.
I spent the month of May at CORA, with a short one week visit, by plane, to visit family in Beaver Falls, PA. It was a great visit. I got some quality time with my sister, niece, her husband, and most important, my grand niece Nadia, and grand nephew Nichols.
After returning to CORA on 5/25/22, I packed Enzo and headed back to Benson, again visiting Victoria in Albuquerque. I used this trip to haul stuff from CORA to Benson. Victoria had a spare bedroom, so I had Enzo packed to the roof, which I couldn’t have done if I was camping.
I spent the month of June in Benson, and then drove Enzo back to CORA, stopping in El Morro National Monument for an over night of free camping.
El Morro campsite
My good friend and AGS co-worker, Bill Soss came to visit me at CORA and we had a great time. Afterwards, I did quite a bit of fishing, hiking with Harvey and Gif while at CORA, then mid July I flew from Colorado Springs to Tucson and then spent three weeks back at the Co-Op. It was cheaper than driving, specially since I still had some SW Airline credits.
Me, Gif and Harvey hiking near Buena Vista, CO
August 8, I flew back to Colorado Springs, jumped in Enzo and drove to CORA. While at CORA I did some more fishing, hiking, and after winterizing the Park model, I headed south to Navajo Dam on August 17th, to fish the San Juan River. The state of NM built a new campground next to the Crusher Hole day use area, Crusher Hole Campground, go figure. $10 a night, pit toilet, trash, and covered picnic tables.
Crusher Campsite, Navajo Dam, NM
I had planned to stay 5 nights and fish 4 days. It was much hotter than I anticipated, plus the mosquitos were incredibly active. They were so bad that unless you were standing in the river, you had a cloud of the little bastards all over you. I arrived on Wednesday, around 5pm, scouted some fishing areas, but didn’t fish.
Thursday, I put in a herculean effort fishing the BOR area twice, as well as the pump house area. Absolutely zero. Saw lots of fish, most in the 20 inch range, but evidently I sucked. Walking out around 4pm, I ran into a guide and three of his clients, I chatted up the clients and they asked if I would take a photo of all of them, which I did. I also took the opportunity to chat up the guide and get some fishing beta. Later, after saying farewell to his clients and as I was about to drive away, he walked over and handed me the “hot” fly for the pump house area. An emerger nymph jig with a metallic pink bead head.
That night, after being eaten alive and forced inside Enzo, while it was still early, even though it was over 80 degrees, I decided that I would fish in the morning and then head south working my way back to Benson. I packed up Enzo and arrived at the pump house day use area about 9:15 am. I did exactly what the guide suggested and caught 31 fish in 2 1/2 hours, two of which I think were Golden Trout, the rest were Rainbows up to 14 inches. I thought about staying another night, until I left the river and walked onto shore. Although I had applied a heavy layer of Deep Woods Off, I was immediately engulfed in mosquitos. Needless to say, I headed south.
It was a pretty drive thru the various terrains of Northern NM, the Navajo Nation, and El Marpais National Monument before I finally arrived in the rain at the Cosmos Campground, 333 miles later. This is a free campground and the first Designated Dark Sky location in the US. The rain stopped long enough for me to get setup and then it poured. Evidently this was a large rain maker over the SW. The campground is located high on a mesa, but driving here thru a couple of canyons, I saw evidence of recent flooding.
Cosmic Campground, NM
Saturday, I drove three hours to Benson unpack most of my stuff, settled in and went dancing that night. The park model at CORA has been winterized and put to bed for the winter. I have some projects to do in Benson. Enzo appears to have a small leak in the roof, the moho is due for a wash and wax, and I’m going to get a few of Nancy’s paintings matted, framed and then hung in my casita.
Labor Day weekend at Saguaro Co-op will be highlighted with a gala birthday party for a friend at Founders Park on Sunday and a cook out on Monday at Founders Park.
Life has been very good to me, more than I could ever imagine. I’m happy, healthy and looking forward to continuing my new journey.
Tight lines and safe travels.
