RV Shipments Continue To Soar

Above, two transported Class C RVs at the Flying J in Jamestown, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2021 looks to be a record-setter for RV shipments.

February was the best-ever and there are no signs of any slowdowns. I see many RVs coming from Indiana with transporter license plates at the Flying J everyday.

RV Travel reported:

Shipments of RVs from manufacturers continue to soar, with a new all-time record set in February. The RV Industry Association’s February 2021 survey of manufacturers determined that total RV shipments ended the month with 48,286 units, an increase of 30.1% compared to the 37,113 units shipped during February 2020, making this the best February RV shipment total on comparable record.

“As people begin to think about their spring and summer vacations, RV trips continue to be the preferred way to travel for millions of Americans,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby. “As evident in this month’s record shipment report, RV manufacturers and suppliers are committed to meeting the demand from new consumers as well as those looking to upgrade their existing RVs. According to the report, the industry remains on track to build more RVs in 2021 than in any previous year.”

To read more, go here. 

Errands, Etc.

Above, charging up the Jeep's battery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today was spent during the morning hours in Gallup doing some grocery shopping and getting a package mailed to Asya in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Above, a recent photo of
Asya she sent a week ago.

A big screw-up occurred with a Christmas package I sent her in early December. Somehow, the package disappeared for a time and finally was returned to me yesterday. I went to the post office with the package in Gallup to see what caused the problem. They couldn't tell from the package. It might have originated from the Russia Post. 

Well, after doing my grocery shopping, I went to the Gallup UPS Store and had them re-send the package. It is estimated to arrive around April 2. The Gallup Post Office had no Customs forms, so I had the UPS Store take care of it. (I got a Customs form from a small post office at Lowe's Market, but it was unusable as it was not the current form.) Hopefully, it will arrive before her birthday in June.

After getting home, putting groceries away and picking up my mail, I went to the garage to fire up the Jeep. Unfortunately, the freezing temperatures got to its battery and I had to attach the battery charger to it. It had been over two weeks since I last started it up and drove it. This is the second time the temperatures got to the battery. The compartment is not well insulated. I'll have to put in some insulation in it.

The battery isn't that old, so it should be okay once it is charged up. 

So now I can kick back and relax for the rest of the day. It is currently about 39° outside and windy, too cold to be outside. And we all thought this is springtime.

UPDATE (1915 hrs.): After five hours of charging, the Jeep fired right up!

Foreign Olympics Fans Barred From Games and They Want Their Money Back

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the pandemic hit, I had contemplated taking a trip to Japan last year. But the pandemic nixed all that.

Now, it has been announced that foreign Olympics fans are barred from attending the Olympics in Tokyo this summer and wondering when (or if) they will get their money back for events tickets purchased and, in some cases, travel expenses. Ouch!

The Salt Lake Tribune posted:

The announcement last week that international spectators would be barred from this summer’s Tokyo Olympics brought some closure to thousands of fans who had been wondering for months whether they would be traveling to Japan later this year.

Almost immediately, though, many of these newly jilted ticket holders began nursing a new headache: uncertainty about if they would get back the money they had prepaid for tickets and travel — more than $10,000, in some cases — and, if so, when exactly they would get it.

“At this point they’ve held our funds for two years already, and I’m concerned it’s going to take months more to get them back again,” said Monica Treece, an Olympic fan from Denver who started the process of buying her tickets for the Tokyo Games in the summer of 2019. “Everyone is still in the dark. We’re just waiting.”

Similar worries were expressed in Olympic circles long before Saturday, when Tokyo organizers announced the ban on foreign fans. The decision confirmed an outcome that many had expected as the pandemic plowed on around the world, but organizers offered no road map for fans eager to get their money back.

To read more, go here.

 

Possible Snow Showers Tonight

Above, yesterday's snowfall before it mostly disappeared. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Looking outside this morning, I saw that we got a little dusting of snow overnight. It wasn't much, maybe a quarter inch (if even that) of it fell. It'll likely be gone by noon today.

Most of yesterday's snowfall melted away before the evening arrived.

But that may not be the end of it, the National Weather Service forecast for Jamestown, New Mexico:

 Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tonight

Scattered snow showers before midnight, then isolated snow showers after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday

A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a slight chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night

A 20 percent chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. North wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

NRA Statement on Boulder, Colorado Tragedy

 

Do It Yourself RV: Dry Camping Tips

Above, dry camping in Quartzsite, Arizona last week. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At least twice a year (provided there's no coronavirus lockdowns), I dry camp with a fraternal group in Arizona or New Mexico. I did so last week in Quartzsite, Arizona.

Dry camping is camping in an RV and solely relying upon the rig's battery, generator and propane supplies along with fresh water in the tank without any available hook-ups.

Do It Yourself RV has an article with 15 dry camping tips that will help extend one's camping without running out of the aforementioned resources. The tips are from experienced dry campers.

They begin it with:

Are you considering becoming a dry camper as full hookup RV spaces are becoming more expensive and harder to reserve? If so, try out some of these dry camping tips we’ve learned over our years of experience in boondocking off-the-grid.

“If you are not used to RVing without hookups, dry camping may seem like quite a daunting task. However, with a few considerations and some planning ahead, you can become a dry camping pro in no time.”  – Sam Leash 

 To read more, go here.

US Appeals Court Rules States May Restrict Open Carry

When I saw the headline, I had a strong feeling that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was the court who made this decision.

Naturally, I was right. It was the "Ninth Circus". This will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

From The Epoch Times:

An appeals court on Wednesday ruled that states may restrict people from openly carrying firearms in public—upholding a Hawaii gun regulation that bans residents from openly carrying guns without a license.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7-4 that restrictions on carrying guns in public except for hunting do not violate the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms.

“The government may regulate, and even prohibit, in public places—including government buildings, churches, schools, and markets—the open carrying of small arms capable of being concealed, whether they are carried concealed or openly,” Judge Jay Bybee, appointed by former President George W. Bush, wrote in his opinion (pdf) for the court’s majority.

To read more, go here. 

"Biden Bucks" Arrived

Well, well, well.

Just took a look at my checking account for something else and I noticed my "Biden bucks" stimulus dough had been deposited.

Weird how the government does things. Under Trump, the first one came as a check. The second, as a debit card. Now, a direct deposit. 

The Sun Came Out

The sun came out and the snowfall stopped. 

This allowed me to drive down to the post office at the Flying J to pick up my mail. The roads were thawed out and drivable.

Before doing so, I took a few photos with the Canon camera.

 

I Should Have Stayed In Lake Havasu

Above, the patio furniture this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like about four inches of snow has fallen since last night.

Well, the National Weather Service did say we may get around four inches from this storm. It is still falling and probably won't taper off until this afternoon.

The National Weather Service posted in their opening page:

A winter storm moving into the Four-Corners will produce gusty winds and critical fire weather threats, and widespread heavy snow in the southern Rockies.

Above, The Beast in Lake Havasu City on Monday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We are in the Four Corners region, so this is not a surprise.

Maybe I should have stayed in Lake Havasu City, Arizona a few days longer.

"Godzilla vs. Kong" In Show Low, Arizona

March 31 is fast approaching. That is the opening day for Godzilla vs. Kong.

Unfortunately, it will not be playing in New Mexico. All New Mexico theaters are currently under lockdown.

The nearest place to see the movie to the Gallup, New Mexico area (where I'm at) is in Show Low, Arizona, which is about 164 miles away. Window Rock, Arizona has a theater, but it isn't going to show Godzilla vs. Kong.

So it appears that I will be heading there to see it.

The Storm Has Arrived

Before making my oatmeal for breakfast, I stepped outside onto the porch and took a couple of photos of the yard.

The storm has arrived and we have about 2 inches of snow on the ground. It is snowing now. It appears that the National Weather Service was right.

It looks like I'll have to do some shoveling before it turns into ice.

The photos:

 

40th Anniversary of the Reagan Assassination Attempt

Above, the site of the shooting at the Washington Hilton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While doing some reading on Twitter, I came across a Tweet by Michael Reagan who said that he was invited to participate in a Fox Nation special on the 40th anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Reagan.

It is hard to believe that I has been that long (March 30, 1981) and I remember exactly how I got the news.

A year later, during a trip to Washington, D. C. to attend a White House reception for the 1980 California Delegation to the GOP National Convention, I visited the spot where the shooting took place at the Washington Hilton.

40 years. Man, does that make one feel old!

Zion National Park: Nation's 4th Most Visited National Park

Above, the Great White Throne in Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Zion National Park in Utah is not one of the largest national parks in the U.S., but it is the 4th most visited one and is an economic powerhouse.

My first visit to Zion was in August 1969 and it was there that we heard the bulletin on the radio of the Sharon Tate murders in L.A.

According to Deseret News:

SALT LAKE CITY — Zion National Park, Utah’s superstar of tourism, draws millions of visitors each year and stands to deliver even more economic success under a scenario with planned improvements to its east entrance.

A new report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah details the financial impact of Zion National Park, which out of 62 national parks in the country ranked No. 4 in visitation.

Findings underscore the popularity of Zion and other national parks’ impact on tourism, including:

• One-third of all Utah national park spending was by visitors to Zion, and over 40% of all visitors to the parks in Utah made a trip to Zion. 

• In 2019, Zion National Park visitors spent a record $253.6 million in Kane and Washington counties, supporting 4,438 jobs, $140.5 million in earnings, $235.3 million in gross domestic product and $42.2 million in state and local tax revenue. 

• Park visitors are one of Utah’s top visitor spending groups, with an estimated $1,133 spent per travel party per stay in 2019, and an estimated annual statewide spending of more than $434 million outside of the park and its surrounding communities.

To read more, go here. 

Strong Winter Storm Tonight

Above, the view outside this evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We had off & on snowfalls today, but the ground was too warm for it to collect and it melted as soon as it hit. Still, the ground is pretty wet.

But tonight, we're to have a big storm move in which may dump plenty of snow to accumulate.

According to KRQE:

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A strong winter storm will move into New Mexico overnight, bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the state.

Valley rain and high elevation snow are already moving into parts of New Mexico late Tuesday afternoon. The core of this storm moves into western New Mexico overnight, increasing the coverage and intensity of snowfall across central New Mexico. A backdoor cold front will sweep across eastern New Mexico tonight, increasing the upslope flow along the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo, Sandia, and Manzano Mountains tonight generating heavy snowfall. The highest travel problem will be Wednesday morning. A strong canyon wind may keep most of the snowfall away from the Albuquerque metro, but rain is still likely starting tonight.

Later in the week, the temperatures will be rising again for more springlike weather.

To read more, go here. 

Biden's Response To Islamic Terrorism: More Gun Control

It didn't take long for His Fraudulency Joe Biden to call for more gun control after the shooting in Colorado. Biden is so predictable.

Each time there is a shooting, the Democrats exploit it.

From the Daily Caller on Twitter:

BIDEN: "I don't to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common sense steps that will save lives... We can ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines... We can close the loopholes in our background check system."

According to WABC:

DENVER, COLORADO (77WABC) – Authorities have released the identity of the alleged Colorado shooter.  His name is Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa.  He’s a 21 year old Muslim man who now faces 10 counts of murder in the first degree after a shooting rampage at a Colorado supermarket Monday afternoon.

The suspect’s Facebook page, which has since been scrubbed, includes several pro Islam posts, one anti-Trump post, and a pro-immigration post.

Gun control is not going to stop (we may as well say it) Islamic terrorists in our midst. We need more armed people. If only someone at the scene had a gun to fire back at Alissa, lives could have been saved.

Hi Jolly Photos

Since the clampout last weekend near the Hi Jolly Cemetery in Quartzsite, Arizona, I was curious if there were any photos of him.

Well, I found a couple of them:

Quartzsite Clampout Photos

My photos of the Lost Dutchman Chapter's Spring Clampout in Quartzsite, Arizona from my Canon camera have been uploaded.

They are of the clampout, plaque dedication and in Quartzsite.

Above, the camel adorns the tomb of Hi Jolly. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above and below, the tomb of Hi Jolly. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the plaque dedicated to the Hi Jolly Cemetery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Clampers gathered at the Hi Jolly Cemetery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of the Clampsite (background) from High Jolly Cemetery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the clampsite and Hi Jolly's tomb. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the history of Hi Jolly is given to the gathering. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the plaque dedicated to George Washington "Buck" Connor. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the graves of Buck Conner and his son George Jr. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of many Quartzsite flea markets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a military vehicle for sale ($18,000) at a Quartzsite shop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Idiot Bill Kristol: "No Border Crisis"

The lunacy of the "never Trumpers" of so-called conservatives has been maddening, but Bill Kristol really takes the cake for being the biggest loon of all of them.

The late great Rush Limbaugh had him pegged perfectly.

From last May:

RUSH: Like Bill Kristol today has come out and endorsed Joe Biden.

Now, how many of you people…? How many of you people gave Bill Kristol thousands of dollars to go on so-called conservative cruises with the guy? You know, after every Republican election when we would lose, Kristol or these guys would do their cruises to the fjords of Norway or wherever exotic places they went. You know, they’d take you to subfreezing temperatures in December.

They’d do their lectures and all of their appearances with their Never Trumper buddies, at the time you thought that they were conservative thought leaders, and they’re sitting there and they’re telling you, “Don’t worry, we got it. We might have lost this election but we’re still succeeding in implementing what we believe.” Then Trump comes along and they throw it all away. Their magazines go defunct, go out of business because their subscribers say, “Hey, these guys aren’t even conservatives, they’re ripping it!”

They start new magazines, new organizations. Now they’re endorsing Democrats. How many of you people gave these people all that money to go on these postelection cruises? I know some of you in this audience did. How many of you…? They have these… Some of them don’t go on cruises. They just book hotels for the weekend, and they call it, you know, The Vote for Us Weekend or the Conservatism Is Still Alive Weekend or whatever.

What prompted this was the above Tweet from Rush's former producer Bo Snerdley.

Yep, Kristol hasn't changed. He's nothing but a phony jerk. Maybe he wants liberals and leftists to cruise with him in subfreezing temperatures.

The Beast Is Ready For The Storm

Above, The Beast in its garage two weeks ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Beast is now tucked away in its garage (the GOCO Beast Barn) before the storm rolls in this afternoon.

I was going to put it in later, but figured I'd better do it now in case there is some early precipitation to make the ground around the Beast Barn a muddy mess. 

It is around 32° outside and a little breezy out.  

We are under a Winter Storm Warning until 6:00 tomorrow evening:

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
336 AM MDT Tue Mar 23 2021

NMZ206-207-210-211-213>215-227-228-231800-
/O.UPG.KABQ.WS.A.0007.210323T2100Z-210325T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KABQ.WS.W.0008.210323T2100Z-210325T0000Z/
West Central Mountains-West Central Highlands-
Tusas Mountains Including Chama-Jemez Mountains-
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains-
Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains-
East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains-
Johnson and Bartlett Mesas Including Raton Pass-
Far Northeast Highlands-
336 AM MDT Tue Mar 23 2021

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 8
  inches below 7500 feet and 6 to 12 inches above 7500 feet.
  Locally higher amounts up to 18 inches are possible on east
  facing peaks and ridges in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
  Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

* WHERE...Northern Mountains, West Central Mountains, West
  Central Highlands, Johnson and Bartlett Mesas Including Raton
  Pass, and Far Northeast Highlands.

* WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 6 PM MDT Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible,
  especially through mountain passes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency.

The latest road conditions for New Mexico can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1, 1-800-432-4269, or visiting nmroads.com.

Back To Snow?

Above, enjoying the warm temperatures in Quartzsite over the weekend.

It was nice to get away to Quartzsite, Arizona for the weekend for the Lost Dutchman Chapter's Spring Clampout. The daytime temperatures were in the 80s.

Now that I am back home, I have to face the prospect of some snow today and tonight. I have to get The Beast back into the GOCO Beast Barn before it starts.

According to the National Weather Service:

Today

A chance of snow showers between noon and 3pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight

Rain and snow likely before 9pm, then snow. Low around 26. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Wednesday

Snow before noon, then a chance of snow showers after noon. High near 37. East wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest after midnight. 

Three Bears Cafe In Heber, Arizona

Above, the front of the Three Bears Cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While en route to the Payson Campground & RV Resort last Wednesday morning, I stopped for some breakfast at the Three Bears Cafe in Heber, Arizona.

The terrain of Heber was of rolling hills and pine-covered mountains, something that one who is not familiar with Arizona would not associate with the state. Most think of Arizona as all desert.

Above, inside the cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As I was entering Heber, I saw signs for the restaurant and thought that might be a good place to stop at.

Above, breakfast served in a take-out box. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sure enough, it was. It has a nice homey atmosphere and good food. It was packed inside, but I was lucky to get a table immediately. It was odd that the food was served in take-out boxes with plastic utensils, but that is what one comes to expect in these coronavirus days.

I had an omelet, which was quite good. 

I give the Three Bears Cafe a definite thunb's up rating.

Payson Campground & RV Resort

Above, The Beast at the Payson Campground & RV Resort. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While things were fresh in mind, I submitted my review of the Payson (Arizona) Campground & RV Resort at Campground Reviews.

The review hasn't been posted at this writing but the gist of it is:

I stayed one night as I was en route to Quartzsite, Arizona. The campground looks like it was a KOA Kampground at one time. I booked a site online with no difficulty, except that getting the Good Sam discount "wouldn't take" on the website, so I arranged for it when I checked in. They were a little busy at the time of my check-in and I waited close to ten minutes for the escort that never showed up. I called the office and left a message that I was heading in. My site wasn't far from the office. I found it to be nice and level and shaded. It was a little tight but there was foliage between the sites. I liked the campground and would stay there again. We camped at Payson Campground & RV Resort in a Motorhome.

To see all reviews of the campground, go here. 

JOHN WAYNE KENTUCKY BOURBON WHISKEY DECANTER

Above, the John Wayne Kentucky Bourbon decanter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On Wednesday, after setting up camp at the Payson Campground and RV Resort in Payson, Arizona, I took a walk to a nearby antique shop. It was the Explore the Attic antique store.

While exploring the shop, came upon a John Wayne whiskey decanter. It was produced roughly around 1980, according to different websites. The prices I've seen are over $40. The antique shop's price was $29.

Above, the John Wayne decanter found its home. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After checking prices online while at the store, I bought it.

It now proudly sits atop my cigar humidor.  

Back From the Clampout

 

Above, from left, Glenn Thornhill, yours truly and Gary Julian at the clampout.

After a 400+ drive today, I made it home to New Mexico from the Lost Dutchman Chapter's Spring Clampout at Quartzsite, Arizona.

The clampout ended yesterday, but I spent the night at Mitch and Holly Geriminsky's in Lake Havasu. While there, I had the first In-N-Out cheeseburger in three years. Delicious!

The drive to the clampout was a less direct route with stops in Heber and Payson, with the Payson stop being an overnighter. I was able to fill The Beast's freshwater tank while staying at the Payson Campground and RV Resort (will post a review on it at a later date). It looked like it was once a KOA Kampground.

I got to the clampsite around 10:00 Thursday morning. There were about 50 early-arrival Clampers there. We eventually grew to over 300 Clampers during the weekend.

Since California has restrictions on group gatherings, we had a lot of Californians present, with the majority from the Billy Holcomb Chapter of San Bernardino County.

It was nice to have 80° temperatures to enjoy. Things got a bit gusty Saturday afternoon, causing several canopies and tents to be blown down.

A few photos:

Above, our campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, our campsite, different view. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, The Beast at the Payson Campground and RV Resort. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Three Bears Beary Best Cafe in Heber, Arizona was a great breakfast stop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a saguaro cactus along the way from Payson. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the sunrise revealed hills covered with saguaro cacti. Photo by Armand Vaquer.