From Lake Pleasant to the Foot of Superstition Mountain

......and meeting new blogger friends too!!!!

From Wikieup, AZ, - where we last wrote from - we drove to the Maricopa County Regional Park called, Lake Pleasant.  This park is a gem!  It overlooks Lake Pleasant.  In our books, it rates 5 stars.  Located about 30 miles north and west from Phoenix, this is a great place to park the fiver for a few days.

On Highway 93 south towards Wickenburg, AZ.

We left Wikieup on Sunday morning under cloud cover....but the weather forecasters were calling for Monday sun and higher temperatures.  That was something to look forward too. 

We did want to get set up at Lake Pleasant in time to lock in our satellite to Anick 2  and to take in the 101st CFL Grey Cup (The Canadian Football League's premier final game) - the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl.

Wickenburg is an area we wish to spend more time discovering in the future.

Just south and east from Wickenburg was a very nice rest stop.  The timing was great to prepare some lunch and get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the area.  The rest stop offers a wide range of information.

Evidence of rain is everywhere......and the water doesn't dissipate quickly.

I am reading one of the numerous signs that inform about the history of the area; including the flora and fauna.

It was only about a 30 minute drive from Wickenburg to our two night stay @ Lake Pleasant, AZ.  We were without any internet service there though.  The park service doesn't offer WiFi.  And we are without a hot spot....but not for long!!!!!

Take a careful look and you will see the wild burrow looking as Jeanette takes its photo.

While I was registering for our stay at Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Jeanette meandered around a bit and within minutes, she spotted two wild burrows in the hills above the registration hut.

There are two wild burrows; one looking directly at Jeanette and the other offering a side view while grazing.

Arriving at our RV site @ Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

We arrived at our site by 2:00 pm.  It took about one hour to completely set ourselves up for our stay; including setting up the satellite for the Grey Cup football game.  We arrived under the cover of clouds and that was the case for the balance of the day.  

Before leaving Wikieup, we received a blog message from fellow readers/writer; Kevin and Tracy of Adventures of a 50 year old! They were camped about 40 minutes east from us, at Cave Creek.  We were thrilled to get a chance to meet them.  By 4:00 pm, they drove up to our site and the exchange of thoughts, ideas and good information began.  It was cooling down outdoors so indoors we went.

Our site overlooking Lake Pleasant.

Kevin and Tracy at our site.

Their visit lasted a couple of hours and what a quick couple of hours that was.  This is a great couple with  a strong focus on their present and future plans.  It was fun to learn about their family too. These two have a lot to be proud of.

While visiting, I informed them that our Grey Cup Football game was the big event for us.....and they didn't mind that I would glance over at the TV, on occasion, to see the Hamilton Tiger Cars get seriously walked on by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It was a one sided game!

By 6:00pm, or thereabouts, Kevin and Tracy headed back to their camp spot at Cave Creek.  We exchanged our good byes - sharing some good RV hugs - but with a view to meet again in the future.  We hope that will happen on their Arizona turf or our British Columbia turf....or even points in between.  Good fun had!

Monday morning sunrise.  Not having seen the sun in so many days, Monday got me out of bed as soon as I saw a hint of the sun peeking over the eastern horizon.  I had to get a photograph.

It was not long before the coffee was brewing and I was looking forward to get outdoors, under blue skies, to tackle a few chores.  That started with cleaning up the motorcycle.  I managed to get it nice and bright, again.

Swabbing the final touches

The rains and road grit had clouded the 5th wheel windows and a cleaning was in order.  I got that done too!

Once breakfast was had, Jeanette and I left on a 1hr. 45 min. hike through the marked trails and some unmarked too.  It was a gorgeous day.  The views were stunning.

The park ranger told us we had the nicest of all spots in Lake Pleasant.  We concur!  Our views were second to none.  Really good paved and level RV spots in this park. See the blue sky?

 

The view from our deck chairs outside of our 5th wheel.

We chose to spend two nights.  Only here for one night last winter forced us to come back here again.  The place whets our appetite to return again for three or four nights, next time out.

Jeanette is a green thumb and she loves to touch anything that is plant oriented. Here she is examining a barrel cactus.

Impossible to tire of this place.

We took full advantage of our time at Lake Pleasant.  We wore down the soles of our shoes too.  But to walk and hike around here is such a treat.  I walked around at night too and relished the bright stars on a clear dark night.

Coming off I-17 south to take the on ramp east on the 101 Loop.  This 101 is like a ring road that circles around Phoenix and Scottsdale to lead us to I-60 east and our destination at the foot of Superstition Mountain - east of Mesa, AZ

Gold Canyon - in Apache Junction - was where we were headed for on Tuesday morning.  More specifically, The Canyon Vista RV Resort is to be our home for the next seven days.  This is a beautiful place.  We wrote about it in our blog last February when we spent two weeks here.  It is a nice resort with great amenities and the best thing about it is that it isn't a huge RV Park.  It is modern and clean.  The Passport America rate is enticing too.  They offer the 50% discount for a maximum seven day stay here.

Driving into Canyon Vista RV Resort, Gold Canyon, AZ.

We made quick time of backing in to a large RV site.  The motorcycle unloaded, we completed our set up then contacted our good friends who winter here. 

Gerry and Pauline - Photo taken three years back....when we last visited here

Pauline and Gerry, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, chose Canyon Vista as their winter home several years back.  They gave up their 5th wheel for a beautiful park model on a green belt. We were so thrilled to see them again....and so thrilled in fact that the camera never left its case.  We even drove over to a nice Mexican restaurant for dinner but, again, the camera did not leave the case.  Too busy chatting!!!!!  We will see them again, in the days ahead, and I'll remember to remove the camera and get some updated photos.

Gerry and I go back to our time at CBC-TV.  He was the most senior TV station manager at CBC-TV, Ottawa, Canada's Capital City, in the Province of Ontario, when we first met.

Gerry did mention golf on Friday.  I'm up for that!!!!!

It seems Jeanette got my best side with this photo......no.....not the motorcycle!!!!

We will avoid the crush of RVing through the American Thanksgiving holidays.  Being parked here during the holiday will be most enjoyable. Wednesday morning is when we will motorcycle over to a Maricopa County ranch known as DOGPOUND SOUTH.  To bloggers in the know, you will relate to John and Brenda Brown who winter there but make their Canadian home at another ranch known as Dogpound North - north and west from Calgary, Alberta.  John & Brenda's Incredible Journey

Jeanette and I look forward to the ride and to seeing John and Brenda again.  It was last year when we first met in person when we accepted their invitation for lunch at Dogpound South. We ride a mechanical horse, on two wheels, (so to speak) and they ride the real thing....with four legs.

We'll have another story to tell about our visit with John and Brenda so stay tuned for that.  There will be a connection to another blogger friend/writer, Janna of the Tin TeePee/Log Cabin blog.  You'll just have to wait!

Good to be in the sun and heat of southern Arizona.   

Thanks for dropping by.