We began the new year doing what we do most every year -- going to the Family Motor Coach Association rally in Indio, CA with about 1,700+ motor homes. You've heard of "wall to wall people"; well, here's "tire to tire motor homes" with people in them!
During the rally, our Coaches for Christ chapter members volunteer by setting up tables and chairs in preparation for various seminars and rally events. We are also responsible for the daily devotion during the rally. We divide up into teams and this year Russ had a team of all women and they did great!
After Indio we went to Blythe, CA for the annual Bluegrass Festival - our first to attend! There were 2 venues that presented bluegrass music from 9-4 every day. Instead of starting off each day with a devotion and prayer, the patriotic side of the planners took over -- a parachutest would jump out of a plane and about half-way down unfurl an American flag. It was a good time to reflect on our great country and thank the Lord for His goodness to us. So, the day DID indeed start off with prayer and thanksgiving!
As you will remember from last year's blog, we were introduced to the "art" of geocaching. We are now into it hook, line and sinker. Our granddaughter, Tiffany, her brother and father are also hooked! It seems everyone we introduce to it gets hooked! It is best described as "treasure hunting with a GPS". Nancy likes it a lot better than playing golf (which she tried to do soon after we both retired). While in California we visited with our friends Larry and Donna Bowls and sure enough, here's Larry tromping through the underbrush and trees along a very busy California highway, looking for a cache!
When we returned to Phoenix in late January, we went with our jeeping friends Joe and Frances McLeroy out for a day of sight seeing and geocaching. Little did they know what they were getting in to! We visited the Painted Rock petroglifs and the site of the Oatman Massacre and grave northwest of Gila Bend - - recently made famous by the stay of one of those English princes learning how to fly a helicopter. Sure enough, Russ found a geocache right at the massacre site!
We also got our friends Ed & Libby Smith interested in our new hobby and spent the better part of a day in the White Tanks Mountains west of Phoenix looking for caches. Came across this western diamondback rattler sunbathing on the road. Everyone (except Nancy) got out of the jeep for a closer look. All Nancy could say was..."silly people".
(left) Eureka! We found it! (right) (Duh...still searching!
After stopping for a quick lunch we continued into the desert. It's great to have younger, more limber friends who can still navigate under a barbed wire fence! What one (or two) will do to find a cache!
We have found that it is almost as much fun to hide caches as it is to find them. Russ uses the computer to locate good places to hide a cache, while Nancy prepares caches for the hide.
Family Fun Day! We always have a great time sitting around making family memories. Again, we went to the White Tanks to do some "jeepin', cachin' and grillin'" as Nancy called it.
It's really hard to maintain your beauty when you can't get your headband on your head. Bella and her antics bring much joy to our family! It's hard to believe she will be a year old next month. Watch our blog for details of the big birthday bash coming in April!
Another activity that we enjoy is ringing handbells at our church. Our director keeps telling us to "look like we're having a good time", but concentration seems to take over and we all look pretty serious!
