Laughlin, Nevada to Yuma, Arizona

This was my short travel day. I was up and out the door by 6:45 a.m. local time, arriving in Yuma at 12:30 p.m. This included a stop for a leisurely breakfast at the Crossroads Cafe in Parker, Arizona. The food was great, and the prices terrific too. 

Laughlin is a short distance from the California and Arizona borders, and at least twice I was "welcomed" by the GPS to one or the other states. Gas prices in Laughlin were stupidly high, at $4.20 a gallon. I'd checked online and found that I could get fuel at a Maverick station in Bullhead City (12 miles away) for $3.09. You can bet I took the short trip for less expensive fuel. 

A note about the Pioneer Hotel and Casino in Laughlin. At a cheap price, it gave me what I needed, a comfortable bed for the night. But, the tile floors were filthy, the telephone flashed as though it had messages constantly, and there was a constant stream of people outside my door until past midnight. It is more of a motel than hotel and I think next time I'll stay at a more conventional hotel. I ended up wearing socks in the room, unplugged the phone, and got up early and left. 

Now, I'm a little confused on exactly how I got to Yuma. My GPS kept telling me it had a shorter route and I kept taking its suggestions. I do know I went through Kingman on Highway 93, then onto I-40, and then eventually Highway 95 into Yuma. The scenery in places was amazing and I was excited to see various cacti as I got closer to Yuma. No photos as I couldn't find a decent pull-out. But I did get a shot from the car of the green desert. 

I was meeting with J about 1:30 p.m. to go through the RV (technically a fifth wheel but the generic term works for me). Since I was early, I stopped at the Walmart Supercenter to pick up a few groceries and drinking water. Another stop at a liquor store for a few beer for Happy Hour too. I had just parked my car near the clubhouse when another winter residents, H, came walking up. After a hug and a brief chat she was one her way.

Since I was early, I stopped in at S & L's new place for a visit. They purchased a park model in the park last winter and have started the move from their small trailer. It was so good to see them, and we had a great chat. I was informed that we'd be watching the Jays game that evening at the clubhouse, and would be ordering in pizza. Nice to know, as I hadn't bought a lot of groceries. 

When J arrived we walked over to the unit, and she ran through the various things I'll need to know. The power had been turned on, but I'm out of propane for the stove and hot water heater. We turned on the fridge and by this morning it was cool. The unit has an RV toilet, so I need to go out every so often to release the handle to empty it into the sewer line. She said once a week would be enough...I'm icked out enough that think I'll do it at least every other day. We also turned on the air conditioning - it was 88F in there, I set the thermostat to 74F and by bedtime it was 63F. Oops, I guess the thermostat isn't hooked up to the a/c. Great sleeping temperature.

There were eight of us at the clubhouse to watch the game. The pizza and company were great, and the game was exciting, though I didn't stay through to the end of it. After the Jays had their bat in the 11th inning, I headed home for sleep. I wasn't surprised to wake to the news that the Dodgers won this morning. It was a true pitcher's battle throughout the entire game.

Today, I'll be busy, as I need to buy groceries, have a interview with the board (a formality), I'm sorting through the cabinets and cupboards*, and we're have another watch party this evening. L is making his chili, M is making rice, I offered to buy shredded cheese and sour cream, and I expect H will show up with one of her homemade desserts. She actually has a outdoor kitchen set up in a shed, though she says her stove isn't working properly.

*When one purchases a unit here, it comes with whatever the former owner leaves behind. In my case, that includes various pots and pans, small appliances, dishes, utensils, containers, bedding, towels, a stick vacuum, an iron and board, and other decorative items. There is also a mini fridge for outdoor use, a barbeque, and the gazebo.  There's far more than I need, or want, and I need to do some reorganization so things are where I think they should be. It's going to be a busy few days. I'll share a few photos when things are tidier.

Have a great day everyone, and thanks for checking in.