While still in Oregon, we were so excited to get an invite to re-join old friends in an old tradition of spending Thanksgiving out dry camping in the Mojave desert. We were even more excited when it worked into our plans from being with Grandkids in October to heading South to Arizona in December. Desert Thanksgivings seem to be a tradition for us. So we made plans.
It got even better when we found out my kids would both be in the desert the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was all falling into place nicely and we were very excited to spend a few weeks in familiar territory with friends and family.
We didn’t even miss not having an off road vehicle with us, because that meant we got to stay in camp and watch the grandsons. (I couldn’t resist adding this video of the “Barton Brothers Band”):
The weather cooperated and we enjoyed sunny days watching the boys play around camp while their parents were off riding RZRs. Unfortunately their ride was damaged in a scary mishap, but luckily no one was hurt and it made for some entertaining campfire stories.
It was also fun to be with my daughter on her birthday and I got to make cupcakes! We had a fun – and funny -celebration!
We were staying outside California City in a large “circle of wagons” with friends from long ago, and friends we hadn’t met yet – and of course my son and daughter and their rigs. (How awful I feel that I never remember to get family photos.)
The circle of rigs emptied out gradually until we were almost the last ones left. It’s always hard to see the kids go back to their lives, but I’m always so grateful for the time we get to spend with them.
Then it was time to move our rig out to Dove Springs, to camp with another large circle of RVs and the friends that invited us for Thanksgiving.
Unfortunatley, soon after we arrived at camp, we found out our refrigerator had stopped refrigerating. I headed to the nearest Walmart (45 minutes away) to stock up on ice chests and ice. What is RV life without some type of problem to solve?
As more and more people rolled into camp, we were so thankful to re-unite with our “desert friends”, and to be able to share a special holiday like Thanksgiving with them. The weather was predicted to be terrible on Thursday, so we just moved our holiday meal to Friday. It worked out perfectly.
Again, the RV’s slowly dispersed until we were the last ones in the campground. It was kinda sad to be alone again!
Now we had to get back to the reality of full time RV life – and the fact we were in the desert with no refrigerator. We had a lead on an RV refrigerator repair shop in nearby Ridgecrest, so we headed there instead of on to Arizona as planned. After a couple of lost days working with people who had no idea how to help us, we decided to move on to Yuma. Surely there would be plenty of repair shops there. So that’s what’s next.
Happy Travels,
Peace & Love, Joy
Rightlaners 