After a restful visit, Helen and I pulled out of Tucson, AZ. We toured Saguaro National Park and slipped into Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for a much-needed couple of hours in the laundromat. We drove to our next stop at Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, AZ, east of Phoenix, with fresh minds, fresh coffee, and fresh laundry.
We camped at Lost Dutchman once before and loved the experience. The elegant beauty of the Superstition Mountains hovers over the campground and provides a fantastic backdrop to almost every campsite. I booked the reservation several months ago and obtained the last site available at the time…I soon discovered why. Our campsite had no electric or water hookups. We don’t roll that way. I have sleep apnea and MUST have electricity. I carry a portable power bank for emergencies, but it only has enough stored power for about five hours. It was a long night.
The following day, we called Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, AZ, to see if a campsite was available at Saguaro Skies RV Park on the base. We were living right. One site was open for the next two nights, and we arrived before noon. The staff at Saguaro Skies were so helpful and welcoming, Helen and I couldn’t feel more at home. The RV Park was clean, well-landscaped (we had a desert garden at our front door), and the pads were large. Luck was with us on this one!
During the planning stage of this trip, I reached out to a blogging friend, Ingrid (Live, Laugh, RV), to see if she and her husband, Al, would be around when we got to the Phoenix area. I knew they were in the process of moving out of their full-time RV life and into a new home, so the timing might not be good. She replied that they would be around and contact her when we reached Phoenix.
Ingrid was one of the first blogging “pen pals” I made when Easin’ Along got up and running. Whenever I researched lifestyle blogs, Live, Laugh, RV always appeared on the list. It also seemed that every blog I read included Live, Laugh, RV on their blog roll, so I began to follow her website around the time she and Al were wintering over in Texas. I became a fan of her blog and her incredible photography. We corresponded through the comments section of her blog and eventually met when Helen and I camped at Lost Dutchman in 2019. Ingrid and I had similar cameras, and she came to help me learn the ins and outs. Al joined us, and we enjoyed a delightful afternoon hiking and taking pictures.
On this trip, Ingrid and Al invited us for lunch. Although they have only lived in their home for a few months, they have done a lovely job with what Ingrid described as a mess. Her choice of colors and her decorations are beautiful. It seemed that they had lived there for much, much longer. After lunch, Helen and Ingrid went into the citrus grove in the rear of the house, where Helen filled a bag with Naval oranges, tangelos, and ripe grapefruit. The time passed quickly, and I can’t thank them enough for sharing their day with us. I hope I can repay the favor at some point in the future.
The next evening, we visited a local casino…Helen cashed in for $450, which doesn’t happen very often. She was kind enough to share.
Next up on the itinerary was the El Centro (CA) Naval Airfield, the winter home of the Blue Angels, the Navy’s precision flying team. We camped at El Centro in March 2019, but the Blue Angels had moved out by then, and we missed their training flights…not so on this trip. The roar of jets overhead became part of our daily life at El Centro, and I loved it. I captured a picture of two aircraft flying near the campground one morning. I put the camera in burst mode and barely got them. These jets are FAST!
On our second day, the winds reached gale force and remained that way for the entire day. El Centro is in the heart of the Imperial Valley. Enormous agricultural fields are in the tilling and planting stage now, and it is scorched there. A dust storm kicked up in the windy conditions, and we could barely see beyond our trailer. I have a picture of the dust in front of us and a picture of the following day. It is an excellent example of what was around us. I also captured sunset in El Centro. The image is the real thing; I only made one adjustment to the contrast
From El Centro, we drove about two hours to Fiddler’s Cove RV Campground on the Navy Base in Coronado, CA. Fiddler’s Cove is an exceptional campground in the military inventory. Our campsite is within fifty feet of the waters of Coronado Bay. Sailboats are moored in front of us, and San Diego’s skyscrapers form the backdrop. We couldn’t ask for a more beautiful setting.
Yesterday, I took a picture of the view from our trailer (above). After dark, I captured the same view with the skyline lights in the background. This shot stretched the limits of my camera, but I’m proud of the results (f/8, 1/3.2 sec, ISO 800).
We’ll be in Coronado Bay for two weeks of relaxation and exploration and we’ll post an update next week. Thanks for Easin’ Along with us…it’s gonna be fun! Helen and Joe
Joe, it is nice that you got to visit with Ingrid and Al. I know her blog well, and always admire her beautiful photographs. Glad to see that their transition from RV life is going well. It’s nice to have friends who have fruit trees!
The sunset photo is amazing, but the harbor in the daytime is my favorite – that photo reflects a peaceful state of mind. Wishing you both many more days like these.
Good morning, Suzanne,
I thought you would be in Jekyll by now–so glad you stopped by. We had a lot of fun with Ingrid and Al. They have done a lot to their home in a short time with more plans in the works. The good news from Ingrid is that she is enrolling in a photography class so, we should see more of her skills with a camera soon. We’re loving the weather and the sights in Coronado with a week and a half to go. Joe
Hi Joe,
I read Ingrid’s blog as well…so nice that you all were able to get together.
The Coronado campground is stunning…as are your pictures. Wish we could take advantage.
Hi, Nancy,
We’re blessed and very fortunate to have this facility available to us. It’s stunning in the daytime, but when the lights of San Diego come on, the view is jaw-dropping! Are you and Dan on the road? Please stay in touch and let us know what’s happening. Joe
Good stuff here, Joe!! I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to resist spending our life savings on a travel trailer of some sort…. ‘course, that means getting a new truck, and there may not be much “life savings’ left for a nice trailer… 😱.
You know, I recall sitting in Mrs. Harrison’s fifth grade class at West Hills Elementary School and learning about Manifest Destiny: I couldn’t understand why I was sitting there in E. TN, if my destiny, and that of all who preceded me, was to ‘advance’ all the way to the Pacific.
Since then I’ve always longed for the great American West, including CA…. I was blessed in my military days to serve duty in CA and in TX, and to travel extensively between the two. I remember vividly lifting off the runway at the Knoxville Airport in 1968, imagining this looming adventure as the start of the “rest of my journey”….Mary and I have burned up the roads through the Southwest and CA numerous times since, but the daydreams of my 5th grade youth still rage.
Your travel journal provides the fuel to keep those dreams burning in my mind. Good pics and even better narrative, Joe! I visited Ingrid’s blog and yes, she has exhibited some great photographs; thanks for making me aware of her journal(s)…. I’ll visit there often, I think.
More later, old buddy!
Guy
Hello, Guy,
Keep those dreams alive, and trust me, you don’t need much in the way of a truck and trailer to enjoy the RV lifestyle. A 26 ft towable and an F-150 will do fine. We’ve been to the west coast three years in a row, so we plan to go northeast in the fall. Since we have grandchildren in California we’ll probably come out here yearly (as long as we can), but not do as many side trips for a while.
Glad you visited Ingrid’s blog. As a photographer yourself, you can appreciate her talent. She’s on a blogging break right now. We’re hoping she comes back soon. Thanks for stopping by! Stay in touch! Joe
How fun to hang with Ingrid and Al at their new place, Joe! Their backyard with all those trees looks amazing. I miss them. So many factors are delaying any type of road trip this spring…the trailer needs some work, but we don’t want to drive it anywhere while ice and snow are still making for slippery roads. Please wave at my family for me as they reside in Lemon Grove (near hwy 94) and out toward Ramona. My other brother lives close to Scottsdale, so you can see why we want to head south. Having dogs means we would rather pull the trailer and camp in family driveways or RV parks if we do this in May or July. Anyway, so heartwarming to read that you are enjoying Coronado (great dog beach over there). Have a great week!
Good afternoon, Terri,
Your family is enjoying fabulous weather right now and we’re loving it! Coronado is a wonderful place to chill out for a couple of weeks and we needed it. Do you have any favorite food places to recommend? We’re about seven miles north of Imperial Beach and the Del Coronado hotel is in our view. I will hop over to your website later today. My truck is in bad need of a bath! Talk soon. Joe
Hi, Joe and Helen – It’s wonderful that you caught up with Ingrid and Al. It never fails to amaze me what awesome friends we can meet through our blogs. Your photos are always incredible but are especially stunning this week. See you in Coronado Bay! 😀
Donna,
Making online friends was the one aspect of blogging that came as a total surprise and the one that I treasure most. We had much fun with Ingrid and Al. You and Richard are next (just kidding of course, but someday I hope)! Have a great week! Joe
Joe, I’m happy (and a bit envious) that you and Helen were able to visit with Ingrid and Al. (Ingrid, you should be teaching a photography course, not taking one!) I agree with Suzanne – that daytime shot of Coronado Bay is gorgeous! It would be difficult for me to leave the campsite and walk away from that view. Have fun, kids!
Hi, Mary,
We had a large amount of fun with Ingrid and Al. She told us that you guys just missed seeing each other by a few days last summer. I hope you get another opportunity. We love our time in Coronado and are grateful that we have two weeks to take it in. I’m looking out our rear window at that view right now. Have a great week! Joe
It was such fun having you visit us at our humble abode. Good times! What an amazing place to stay on Coronado Island. Those views are the best. I know you’ll enjoy the month. And now I’m off to work on the master bath 😏
Good morning, Ingrid,
I’m certain that the master bath will become another masterpiece. We loved seeing you both and getting a tour of your new home. You have accomplished a lot since moving in–your kitchen turned out great! I’m looking out at Coronado Bay and enjoying a grapefruit as I write this. The views here are amazing. Thanks again for hosting us after a hectic week for you. I would love to repay the favor sometime. Have a great week! Joe
Oh, that must have been a shock to discover that your site at Lost Dutchman didn’t have water and electric! Other than that, it sounds as though your trip is going splendidly. How fun that you were able to meet up with Ingrid and Al at their new place—lucky them to have their own citrus grove!
Spending two weeks on Coronado Bay sounds delightful. Your photos of the bay both during the day and at night are beautiful. Enjoy that gorgeous weather!
Good morning, Laurel,
We’ve been blessed with a splendid trip so far (Lost Dutchman screw-up notwithstanding), and the weather in San Diego is cooperating nicely. We’re taking a side trip to La Jolla today. So, all’s well with us, and hope it’s the same for you, Eric, and Magnolia. Stay in touch! Joe