Heading Home

June 8, we paid to stay two more nights at the AVI Casino/RV Park, then drove Jeep to Searchlight to check out a small RV/Mobile home park that we had spotted while driving by earlier. The park is just west of Searchlight on Nipton Rd and even though it’s mainly a mobile home park, there’s a huge gravel area in front of the mobile home section strictly set up for overnighters, or for those who wish to stay monthly. We couldn’t believe that it was only $20 a night. We quickly said we would be up on the 10th and spend four nights. Plus it was much cooler up there (whew). After visiting with the manager, we headed back to Laughlin via an area that we have wanted to travel for a long time. The route is called “Christmas Tree Pass” and was a fun drive. Even though the road was gravel, it was in great shape and the views were incredible once we hit the summit and made our way down the other side.

The last day we were at AVI (June 9), we did laundry and prepared coach for moving. During the whole six days we were at the AVI, the daytime temperature never got below 106. The highest we had was 112. Both of our air conditioners were going the whole time because the nights never went below 79.

On June 10, we moved coach one hour north to Cree’s Mobile Home Park in Searchlight, NV. They didn’t have a problem with us coming in early, so we were set up and ready to go caching by 9:30 AM. The best part was the temperatures were 10 degrees cooler than Laughlin and Bull Head City. We spent the next four days geocaching around the hills of Searchlight, and further west in the Primm/Jean area.

Monday, June 14, we pulled out of Searchlight and headed for Hawthorne, Nevada. While on the road, we received an email telling us that Jo Hennrich, a close friend and neighbor in Queen Valley, had passed away in her sleep. What an absolute shock!! We had spoken with her the night before we left Queen Valley and she seemed in perfect health. Jo was a beautiful lady and all who knew her will miss her….I know we sure will. Our hearts and prayers are with her husband, John, and her entire family!

Once in Hawthorne, we secured a site at the Whiskey Flats RV Park for two nights. Since we got set up early enough, we took a short drive along the highway around Walker Lake and found some caches, then headed back to the coach for dinner and early to bed.

The next morning, Tuesday the 15th, we headed out for some geocaching on the east side of Walker Lake, then drove west and worked our up the Lucky Boy Pass to Bridgeport Reservoir, Mono Lake, and then south back down to Hawthorne and our coach.  It was a very windy day, but thankfully the sun was out and it was wonderfully cool.  It was so nice to finally be cool after the last couple weeks of high temps.  We were gone all day and we didn’t get back till late and saw the most incredible sunset ever.  High winds were blowing a lot of clouds over us and the setting sun was creating some weird and unusual effects.  The pictures below are only a couple of what Ken took.

The 16th was still extremely windy, so we stuck around the park until close to checkout hoping it would die down.  It never did calm down and we had strong wind with even stronger gusts all the way to Reno/Sparks.  We are about 65 feet long when towing the Jeep, and our coach is 12 feet tall, so we are like a huge sail in the wind.  With the side wind, Ken had to fight it all the way to Reno/Sparks.  We finally got to the Sparks Marina RV Resort about 4 PM, and Ken was pretty tired.   We called Ken’s aunt & uncle and told them we were in town and would see them the next day.

Thursday, Ken worked on the outside of the coach cleaning and I cleaned the inside.  Ken’s aunt & uncle showed up about 1:30 and we had a nice visit before heading over to the Western Village Casino for dinner.

Friday morning, we took a nice walk around Sparks Marina Lake and spent the afternoon with Ken’s aunt Velma & uncle Francis.  At 5:30 we went to dinner at Ken’s Cousins home.  Barry and Gordy have a beautiful home up in the heights above Reno, and we had a great visit while enjoying the view.  Ken also had fun showing off the jewelry he’s made.

Saturday, we had a chance to take a very early morning drive to Pyramid Lake (a few miles north of Sparks).  Since we had to be back for a late breakfast with Ken's aunt & uncle, we didn't stay long at the lake (just up and back).  Yes, we even grabbed a couple very quick caches while up there.

Later, back in Reno, we had a huge breakfast, then spent the rest of the day with Velma & Francis and later had a light dinner at their favorite restaurant.  It was so nice to spend time with them because they are getting on in years and we don't know how much longer we will have them around.

While in Reno/Sparks, the temperatures stayed in the wonderful very high 70s with marvelously cool evenings.  However, the news was reporting a warming trend was coming and the temps were heading for the 90s....thankfully, after we were due to leave.

We are heading for Oregon with plans of staying in the parking area of the Kal-Mo-Ya Casino in Chiloquin, Oregon (north of Klamath Falls). We will end up in Prineville, Oregon on June 23 and stay in the Crook County RV Park until we move the coach down to the Crooked River for 12 wonderful days of "dry" camping with friends and family. We are scheduled to be back in Salem on July 11.