Signing Off

Since I have become so sporadic (lazy) about writing, it is no surprise that I am winding up the Smith's On The Road Travel Blog. Another reason for coming to a close is that we aren't traveling much any more. The last 2 years have been more about real estate than touristy destinations. As usually happens with a new house, projects take more priority and funds than trips. Our sort-of-new Class B van sees most of its action in the Phoenix shopping centers than roadside attractions. It allows us to keep Wally in air-conditioned comfort while we shop and lets us pick up more/bigger items than the Saturn.

We have bought a"Santa Fe traditional" as the listing agent described it. We are on 20 acres in the Harquahala Valley between Saddle Mountain and Eagletail Mountain about 60 miles west of Phoenix. We look forward to meeting new visitors at the Rio Valley Market to bring you in the final 5 miles of the trip. We do have a few May "bookings" already and hope to have lots more old friend drop in as the weather cools in the fall and winter. Russell even put in 30 and 50 amp plugs for our RVing friends.

We are really enjoying the house. It reminds us so much of living in Carbon several years ago. The house is similar in design, "only these folks knew what they were doing when they built it," as Russell has observed several times. We are back to having property to walk and enjoy but without the chores of  fencing, cattle, mowing, etc. In addition we have access to BLM and state lands, and a vast wilderness area. We've taken a number of hikes and Russell has been able to take off with some of the neighbors to explore areas that neither of our vehicles will manage.

Yes, we have neighbors close by. There are 3 other houses in our immediate area, and others not far away. Bonus: the ladies quilt and everyone likes dominoes. I had the pleasure of going to a quilt gathering today. I know they can teach me so much!

We will still use the Las Vegas condo and hope that others will take advantage of it when in town. Please let us know when you will be in Nevada.

We will take trips as the temps soar in the Sonoran Desert. With the van right outside the back door, packing is convenient and the Saturn will remain at home. Our focus will be more about the destination than the camping.  We've learned that we can usually pull into any campground late and find some spot where we will fit; the Monaco required far more planning.

It has been a pleasure to write a blog. I like composing my thoughts for public consumption; and it's been great to have a source of info when a question arises, like "Where were we....?" The biggest pleasure has been the comments from friends who have followed along with our travels. Thank you so much for that support and encouragement.