A couple of days out

 We have moved on to Camp Verde and have gone out for a couple day trips.

First one was just out beyond town to do some geocaching and we found another rattler, I guess this is our payback for such a wonderful warm winter.

 Clear Creek

 The blossoms are starting to come as spring gets nearer.

 Second day we went closer to Sedona and took a Jeep trail on Schnebley road, it was closed about four miles up due to winter conditions but the scenery was worth the bumpy ride.

 A tree for my brother Cliff, sorry they will not let me bring it home.

 We also went up to the Holy Chapel built in the rocks it is spectacular.

 Just below the chapel is this fellows summer home, otherwise the lives in Scottsdale.

 It was a wonderful day.

The Opal Hill Mine

Todays adventure was to find the Opal Hill Mine, to get there we travelled along the Bradshaw Trail west of Blythe.

 We crossed over a mountain range and came across a Long Term Camping area called Mule Mountains.

 A very faded sign on the Wiley Wells road looked like it said Opal so we decided to give it a try.

The road was definitely four wheel drive and looked like it was going to go back over the same mountain range so we stopped for lunch and turned around.  Later we spoke with some people who said we were so close to the mine less than a quarter of a mile but just tucked around a corner.  Dratttts.

 We looked around our lunch area and picked up a few rocks, this one was very big but can you see the big piece of crystal(or whatever it is) in the middle, someone had been trying to chisel it out.

 Isobel and Marmaduke having lunch.

 As well as Ron and Doug

 It is so hard to understand how such delicate beautiful little flowers can grow out of these rocks.

 On our way out Doug spotted a Gila way up on the mountain and I managed to bring him in with the telephoto, look how he has changed color to match the rock he was sunning himself on.

 The cactus take on such wonderful colors in the sun.

 Down below we went to look around the BLM long term camping and it was very impressive.

 More flowers blooming in the desert.

 And a canyon that the water has created.

Wonderful day with friends seeing new areas, next time we will make it to the mine.

Ferguson Lake

 Todays excursion was to Ferguson Lake, northwest of Yuma.  With the heat sitting today at 93F, we managed to gather a few geocaches while seeing a whole new area.

We found the Grand Canyon of the area.

 Top picture Clyde and Dick looking over the view, below Jane and Barb but they were not getting quite as close.

 Ron, Lucille and Allan took the hike to find the geocache.

•  Oh my goodness what a view when we finally got to overlook the lake and look at the cactus, finally blooming, just beautiful.

 Here we are, up on top, what a great day with great friends.

Doing the SWAG

 We set off early yesterday as we were after a large series of geocaches called the SWAG geoart.  It is found in the desert about 10 miles southeast of Welton.  It was very warm(hot) and after 5 hours of walking in the desert we finally gave up with about 20 caches left undone but we got over 100.

After that we drove to Baker Tanks below, hard to believe only about two miles from where we were walking such a lovely little area.

Barb and Elaine in the Stovepipe just above the tanks.

Outing with the Yuma Jeep Club

 Today we decided to go with the Yuma Jeep Club on a ride through Woodcutters Pass. It was a wonderful day out, perhaps a little to tough for us and our Jeep but we made it.

Just after we got off the highway onto the Barry Goldwater Ranger we stopped so that everyone could reduce their air pressure in the Jeep tires to 13 pounds.

 Up hills and over ridges, the desert looked lovely

I took the picture below so you could see how lush the octillo are this year, it is probably the warmest winter we have had, I am so hoping it means the cactus will bloom early as well.

Starting to climb over some rocks

 Wonderful scenery through the pass

 And then the path turned into washes and the rocks grew larger.

 Here is a picture of the type of Jeep that should be out on this road, he made short work of things while we toiled.

 Finally made the summit, looking back

 And here is where we are headed next.

 And the rocks grew larger yet, pictures hardly do the job.

But it was a beautiful warm day

 Oh finally after five hours of climbing over boulders we are out on the ridges again.

We did okay, our friends Clyde and Jane with the identical Jeep as ours have now got

loose running boards and fenders so off to the shop they go.

Next time a little easier ride will make Jane and I much happier.