Off to the Ranch

This weekend we decided we needed a change of scenery.

Sunrise over the desert

Brenda and I loaded up the dogs and the trailer and headed north to visit a bunch of our friends who have gathered up around Congress, Arizona this winter. Although we had been through that area before we were getting our rig wound up to climb the Yarnell Hill so we had never really had a decent look around. Did a little visiting this time and had a brief look at the countryside and it is easy to see why folks have ended up spending the winter around there.

Mike Clark met us at the main gate to North Ranch and guided us around so that we could put our rig on a site with as little problem as possible. It was a short drive, but boy, did we see a lot of familiar faces. As we cruised along the street two ladies in a golf cart buzzed us, good to see Pat McFall and Ellie Meacham. Then around a corner and there was that big pink motorhome with Janna Clark standing on the step waving. Just a little bit up the hill we found our spot.

Got a lot of strange looks along with welcoming waves though. Not sure that North Ranch sees many RV's like ours pulling in. Probably put some fear in our neighbours wondering what kind of critters those guys are going to unload from the back of that livestock hauler. Well we don't get to town to often but we knew Blue, Wink and Willow would probably not be welcome so we left them home with C.C. Cochran making sure they had all the feed they needed.

Friday we spent catching up with the Clarks and enjoying a great supper that Janna had whipped up.

Saturday morning we loaded up Max and Maya and drove them up to visit the Pheebs, a key member of the Bayfield Bunch. Mike and Janna and Emmi joined us on this visit. I know Max and Maya loved to opportunity to run free throughout the beautiful landscaping that Al and Kelly have done on their place.

Al and Kelly of the Bayfield Bunch

Not sure that Pheebs appreciated her space being invaded by a couple of unruly country dogs and Emmi decided sitting this one out, on Mikes lap, and letting the big dogs run was a wise move. After chewing the fat for a few hours and eating to many treats we all retreated to our own corners to rest up for Happy Hour.

Brenda and in the background Maya and Max with a couple of Pheebs toys that they had shanghaied

Hard to get a shot of Al without his camera.

We gathered the same gang together later in the day at Jim and Ellie's new house to review paint colors and eat some great pizza that Mike and Janna had brought in from Congress. The pizza was great and the company was even better.

Jim and Ellie in the house they are renovating. Good luck choosing the paint colors

We had lots of laughs and relived a lot of old stories, and maybe even started some new ones. It was a great reminder of why we love our old RV friends, but one of the lessons we learned in that RV'ing world is you are always leaving, not forever, but going on down the road, looking forward to the next time our paths cross.