Some Things to Smile About - Week of March 13, 2011

There’s no question that some of the latest events in the world are down right depressing! We are all saddened by the horrible disasters in Japan and are praying for relief for the victims. Add to that the current overdose of political bickering, protests and turmoil all around. There are sure reasons to frown…big time. But, what else is there to do but find “some things to smile about?”   Look around.  They’re probably close by.  Here’s my contribution to a few smiles for this week:

Walking around the park here in Florida, I found a few happy spots:

The peacefulness of the natural bird sanctuary behind our park brings that contented grin:

 

Here’s some humor found along an Internet path. --  Keep laughing as you fill up:

 

 

Hope you found “Some Things to Smile About” here and along your route this week.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all:

 

Glad to have you visiting at Hurley Travels. 

Click On Our New Page of RV Lifestyle Aides

Everybody has their own way of doing what they do.  Right? I bet you just had two or three thoughts flash through your mind.  You have your own particular way of working on the car or making a favorite recipe or packing for a trip.  Whatever it is, you have certain resources you count on to help you decide how to get it done.  Well, that applies to RVing as well.  Over the years Jerry and I have come to count on some key resources for planning our travels, including the experiences that were passed forward by friends. So, what would be a better use for a page on Hurley Travels than to share a listing of our resources? Ta Da!  You will notice at the top left a link to our “RV Lifestyle Aides” page.  Hopefully, you’ll find a few pointers to add to your enjoyment of RVing.

We also invite suggestions for making this list more “resourceful.” Feel free to comment about your favorite sources.  There’s room for expansion on our list.

Thanks for stopping by at Hurley Travels. Talk to you later.

Flashback Friday - Our First Winter in the Desert, 2004-05

Blooming white primrose spread over the deserts in Arizona and California where we spent a good deal of time in the winter months of 2004-05. Oranges, yellows and blues of all types of wild desert flowers paved the way along the road from Yuma to Quartzsite. The rains had showered just the right amount for a wild population explosion.  We had a colorful winter welcome to the southwest. Nice of Mother Nature to arrange for the beautiful array.

Besides the desert bouquets, we had several lifestyle discoveries. First, we learned a great deal about boon docking, using our solar panels to the utmost and our storage tanks efficiently.  It was fun practicing around Ogilby and Sidewinder Roads west of Yuma – wide, open space of quiet, sage and brush, surrounded by distant sand dunes and chocolate mountains -  land where RVers migrate each winter to settle intermittently on a piece of the desert.  When we got hitch itch in one spot we would move 20 to 50 miles or so to more Bureau of Land Management areas near Imperial Dam, Quartzsite or Blythe, California.  Learning where to get water and dump tanks wasn’t difficult at all. That’s another revelation we had out in the desert.  RVers are friendly and helpful folk. Most everyone we came across was ready to share; recommendations on parking, dumping, water, trash, restaurants, roads or whatever experiences they had. We found these fellow nomads offering to show us around, do some hiking or geocaching, take a trail to an abandoned mine in the hills or lend a hand with a repair.

After this introduction to desert living, we decided there was one aspect we wanted to take to another level. We were drawn to those trails we’d experienced on a limited basis in our Ford F550 truck.  Yes, we didn’t get too far off road in that monster.  It was super for traveling the highways with the 5th wheel or venturing a limited distance on the desert roads. But that’s all. And we were bitten by the off-roading bug.

The solution: Ole Yeller, our Jeep Wrangler, became a part of our entourage at that point. Of course, it was completely stock. And we also had a lot to learn about our new hobby.  But, some very patient and hospitable RVing friends took us out “4wheeling” anyway.  We snaked through slot canyons, paused for some fantastic mountainous views and enjoyed the camaraderie. That was all it took. We were off to the customizing shop in Phoenix.  And the story goes on from there in many directions and over many obstacles.

The winter of  2004-05 completed one year of the RV lifestyle for us. The season was eye-opening in many ways.

Thanks for stopping in at Hurley Travels. Talk to you later.

Girls’ Getaway – Safety Harbor, Florida

Jerry gave me a hall pass last weekend.  I used it for a “girls’ getaway” in Safety Harbor, Florida with my good friend, Karen. We had a blast.

The Safety Harbor Resort and Spa provided a generous bit of luxury, lots of good food and the perfect atmosphere for two old friends to catch up on life.  Karen used her contacts to arrange for us an upgraded room.  Our balcony overlooked the pool and Tampa Bay. We enjoyed the twinkling lights on the causeway in the evening and here’s our view on Sunday morning while we had coffee.

Safety Harbor is one of those quaint villages with cozy restaurants, interesting shops and a dose of museums to browse through when you’re not relaxing at the pool or spa or enjoying happy hour.

We talked. We walked. We watched. We shopped. We sunned. We drank. We ate.  We laughed. We cried. We remembered. 

Friendship…..such an important ingredient in our lives.  Thanks, Karen.

 

Glad you stopped in at Hurley Travels. Take care.