on the road to 4CU Picacho NYE Rally

[kingfisher24]

I thought one headed out south and west to flee the freezing weather........we left spicewood texas 12-26 and it was 27 degrees...quickly warmed up as we headed up texas 71 and merged with texas 29 headed for menard..and on to US 190 to arrive in Iraan...beautiful drive...final destination was the Marathon Motel and RV Park, Marathon , TX....as i pulled into the lot and departed my TV. I noticed water gushing out the road side on airstream in between the wheels....water gushing out water gushing out...60 degrees...water gushing out as i pulled in to the lot.... so..... i did not hit anything...and how could the cheesy plastic drain valve freeze and break only seven hours later???????? oh well...fixed...engineered that is...working now..

the best part was the meal at the gage hotel in marathon...five star to say the least..

then we explored big bend some...did not really scratch the surface...but went to rio grand village and boquallis point at the rio grande and watched the nationals on the other side ride horse back arcoss the river and check their trinkets that were left for sale on the US side... and down into the chisos basis....we are going back after the rally venture...

then on monday 12-28 ...we headed to deming new mexico and settled at the escapees dream catcher park...for a couple of days and meet with Airstream 01 and head to the rally....pictures soon...rain and some snow tonight.....

[jimmini]

Picacho Peak State Park weather forecast.
Tue. Few Showers 63/37
Wed. PC 63/38
Thu. Sunny 65/36
Fri. Sunny 69/39
Sat. Mostly Sunny 70/41
Sun. Mostly Sunny 69/38

[Lumatic]

I should be going through Deming Wednesday am. Will youse still be around?

[kingfisher24]

Airstream 01 and I will be here at the Escapees Dream Catcher RV park, exit 85 IH 10...what time you lookin at

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

Airstream 01 and I will be here at the Escapees Dream Catcher RV park, exit 85 IH 10...what time you lookin at

I plan being in the neighborhood 3-4 Wednesday. I thought I would get out today but not quite ready and Tuesday weather is a factor. My cell phone is 505 353 0608.

[6PackCharlie]

Kingfisher,
We are on our way to Picacho Peak as well. We are planning to get to Deming today and spend the night at Dream Catcher. That is if we can get out of Alamagordo. It is currently snowing here and the state police say they may close San Augustine Pass between here and Deming. We may have to go to El Paso to get to Deming. Hope to see you this evening.
Charles & Annette

[eubank]

This is probably the one and only time I'd ever be able to say this during a winter: Northern New Mexico would make the better route towards AZ from the east. Ah! See. I said it, and it's actually true!

Lynn

[Al - K4GLU]

I'm at Rockhound SP SE of Deming and much of the snow that was on the ground this morning is already melted - and what is left is disappearing rapidly. While I haven't been out of the park it's unlikely there would be any travel problems thru this area - at least anything caused by snow.

[kingfisher24]

after arriving at the site wednesday afternoon and gettin settled in..we have enjoyed our best rally yet: the once in a blue moon festivities have been packed with good food and a great white elephant gift exchange...great campfires and alll that airstream 01; brian and his dad dave ,were great traveling companions, as was six pak charlie on our short caravan here through the tonto national forest, superior and globe arizona...us 60 is a great route...i am going to follow it further east and west....

we are headed to yuma arizona from here then to palm springs, twentynine palms and joshua tree thru about the 15th of january...then wandering back towards scottsdale and the barrett-jackson auto auction...great rally

[kingfisher24]

we left the rally site monday am headed for yuma arizona....destination yuma lakes rv resort....by a lake and in the middle of lettuce country...not too bad for not knowing where we were going.....two nights there and today headed for Indio Calif...Indian Waters RV Resort...Indio is a beautiful place...here for two nights...tomorrow motoring in tv to winchester calif to see a friend...when we leave here we are headed for a park in twentynine palms and explore joshua tree for a place to camp there.....

we really enjoyed the rally ...thanks to all...

carroll, paula, peabody and phoenix

[TBRich]

We enjoyed having you with us at Picacho, Carroll & Paula...glad you had a good time... and thanks for becoming Affiliates of the 4CU! See you soon around another campfire, we hope! Have a great trip and travel safe. Give a pat to Peabody & Phoenix...beautiful pups!

[kingfisher24]

so contnuing the trip, we are headed to twentynine palms this morning....so far by not knowing where i was going, have been pleased at where i have been the yuma stop at yuma lakes rv resort was ok....i was amazed at the vegetables growing in and around yuma....drove to quartzsite....to see what i could see...and really did not see anything i was interested again...will think about it...

stay at twentynine palms rv resort for a couple of days while looking for a spot in joshua tree to get away and camp for a few....

then on to scottsdale for the barrett-jackson on the 20th and then...

have been reading about the apache trail and apache lake..anyone know about this area....

[Airstream01]

Carol, I tried to get a few good shots from my rear view mirror while traveling hwy 60. Difficult to say the least. below is the best one I got.

[flyfshr]

have been reading about the apache trail and apache lake..anyone know about this area....

Yes, I do and I strongly suggest not towing your trailer onto Roosevelt Lake on the Trail as the trip down Fish Creek Hill is a nightmare and a white knuckle crawl if you're towing. Steep hills drop off on one side and overhanging cliffs on the other all while being a single lane gravel road. Did it once and won't do it again. It is a great drive though without towing a rig. The ride to Apache lake is a safe one though.

Nice to meet you guys and look forward to seeing you soon. Enjoy Barrett-Jackson. Its always a ton of fun.

Brad
FF

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

...<snip>...have been reading about the apache trail and apache lake..anyone know about this area....

I'm with Brad... I don't recommend Apache Trail to get to Rooselvelt Lake...it turns into a rough unpaved road before you get there... if you want to go to Roosevelt Lake, take the hwy 60 to Globe to Roosevelt route...good roads that way.

You can take Apache Trail to Canyon Lake...it's interesting but it's a parking lot set up for RVs.

We highly recommend Lost Dutchman State Park (dry camping with water available, and a dump station) about 5 miles NE of Apache Junction on Apache Trail...a good place to base yourself to take in that area. Here's a pic of our campsite facing the Superstitions...we were there for a week over Christmas holiday '09. The 67 Caravel across the road from us only added to the beauty of the view. (We have invited the owners to Dead Horse 4...we think they are coming!)

[kingfisher24]

so do i see it correctly that route 88 is just a dirt road from tortilla flat and apache lake is pas that?? and then to roosevelt lake to route 188 is not trailerable??? so one would have to come back on 88 from apache lake...i have been looking at apache lake marina and resort as a canidate to stay at/???? any thoughts...i want to explore the area east of phoenix and white mountian and show lo...is there snow and ice in this area at this time of the year???

Hey dave...that was a good picture of the caravan

snow in deming on the way to picacho

[azflycaster]

There is plenty of snow in the white mountains and on the rim (260 between Heber and Payson). The main roads should be fine, but many of the secondary roads are closed.

[TBRich]

Apache Trail is hwy 88...and you can get to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat (I believe) on pavement...we have not towed beyond Canyon Lake so I don't know how good the road to Apache Lake is...I do know that Apache Trails turns into a washboard dirt road above Tortilla Flat...and it's not receommended for towing. The better route to Roosevelt Lake is hwy 188 north from 60 between Miami and Globe.

Show Low and the Rim in general is iffy in the winter...there can be snow and it can get pretty cold. Most of the pubic NF campgrounds are closed for the winter, but Fool Hollow Lake State Park Show Low is open year, round, and has full hookups (including sewer)...it's the jewel of the AZ State Park system. If you're going that way check the weather first. You can get to Show Low either by taking Beeline Highway north east out of Phx (route 87) to Payson and picking up 260 (beautiful drive)...then east through Heber/Overgaard. Or you can go up to Show Low via Globe on hwy 60 through the Salt River Canyon...pretty drive...deep canyon, but doable...we've towed it many times with the Bambi.

Have a blast!

[kingfisher24]

i always think ..planning destinations ahead...so now down to the moment... currently in 29 palms and heading out to joshua tree tomorrow for an extended stay... i have been scoping the area...Belle looks like a nice site...i am hoping to have the place to ourselves practically..
anyone ever taken a 25 footer into the white tank campground??...looks doable if campground is nearly vacant... the joshua tree...with all of its jumbo jumbled rocks is a very beautifil place....

[kingfisher24]

i come to the desert and get....massive rain??? leaving wickenburg az in the morning...going to meet friends at barret-jackson auction...and then off saturday to paige springs...near cornville...anyone been that route ...89 alt for a short stretch north of cottonwood????