First Day Of Winter-Desert Style

Drove about 20 miles from the RV park for a little rural camping a few miles down a bumpy road to an isolated beach on Saguaro Lake.  Just an over-nighter, but a nice escape from humanity.

Superstition Mountains in the background.

Some steep, but reasonable terrain.

Weavers Needle in the distance.

A view you really can not get in a 35' fifth wheel, unless you want to share it with 200 other people.

I think this was his first campfire that he was old enough to enjoy.

We almost never consume alcohol, but it seemed appropriate tonight.

The glamorous life in 100 square feet.

Budget priced camper doesn't mind scratches.

Weavers Needle and Saguaro Lake

Butcher Jones Trail

Browns Peak from Butcher Jones trail.

Reluctant To Leave

Evening ride behind camp to a viewpoint that we'd just assume prolong.  Too bad the fifth wheel can't make it up here.

Back in the confines of the RV park.

Got The Tree Up

Last Christmas I was in Arizona working while Alex and Niki were in Utah, so last year wasn't really our first Christmas in the trailer, this year is.  We have a little Charlie Brown tree in our Charlie Brown fifth wheel (compared to the half million dollar rigs surrounding us).

Karni Day 5

A drive north through the amazing, remote golf community of Rio Verde, then north to the Camp Creek-Verde River confluence.  This area has great beaches along the crystal clear Verde River with unique contrast between wetlands and the desert.  Pretty surreal, and one of my favorite places in the Sonoran desert.

Karni Day 4

An afternoon at Mcormick-Stillman train park, which is a huge park in Scottsdale with train rides, tours of old trains that transported presidents across the country, and a huge building completely inundated with model trains of unbelievable detail.  Crappy iPhone pics.

Four presidents rode in this train car.

The hallway of the presidential car.

Train hobbyist dream job, with tons of space to build model trains.

Karni Day 3

Great day on a Razor RZR rental.  It would be fun to buy one of these, until we realized they are $22,000 new.  That's not gonna happen.  But what a great way to explore the desert with family.