The ‘ Nellie E Saloon’ (aka Desert Bar) is five miles down a windy, rocky and dusty dirt road and definitely worth the bumpy effort to get there.
This fine piece of history sits in the Buckskin Mountains, north of Parker, Arizona, on land that was
an old mining camp.
The bar was first opened in 1983, in a temporary three-sided structure. It lasted for five years until the current saloon was constructed. The name “Nellie E” originates from the old mining claim where prospectors mined copper and then took it to a smelter and hopefully got gold.
These days the ‘gold’ comes from the hundreds of people that make their way each weekend to this solar-powered oasis.
If you value your RV, do not take it down this road. Besides, there is no room to park it at the Nellie E. When we were there we saw one truck/camper. We drove our 4-wheel drive pickup.
Each Saturday and Sunday, October through April, depending on the weather there is live entertainment from 1-5 p.m. The Cell Phone Cowboys were performing the Saturday we made the five mile adventure on Cienega Springs Road.
Information updated 2016:
Nellie E Saloon / The Desert Bar
Hours: Open October through April, Saturdays and Sundays only from high noon – 6 p.m., Arizona time, and holidays during these months.
The bar is closed during the hot summer months.
Refreshments: There is simple food for reasonable prices. We had a passable hamburger for $3. Both hard and soft drinks are available. Full bar. Families welcome. Bring cash, no credit cards accepted.
Url: www.thedesertbar.com
Directions: 5 miles north of Parker, Az. on Hwy 95. Take Cienega Springs Rd. east 5 miles, follow the traffic. The road ends at Nellie E’s.
Buckskin Mountain Desert Dash — Each year during the President’s Day weekend, the Nellie E Saloon hosts the annual
“Desert Dash,” a 5-mile walk, run or mountain bike trip out to the solar powered bar.
Registration area — On Feb. 13, 2016 at Hwy 95 and Cienega Springs Rd., between 8-9:45 a.m.
$25 day of race.
The “Dash” begins at 10 a.m.
For more information telephone (928) 669-2174 or (928) 667-2829. For additional information on the “Dash” and other local fun happenings go to Parker Area Tourism.
–– Julianne G. Crane
Read about the RV lifestyle at RVWheelLife.com
Photos: Top: View from the terrace of The Desert Bar (solar panels line just about every roof-top space). Middle: ‘Cell Phone Cowboys’. Bottom: 1927 Oldsmobile, slightly rusted. (Julianne G. Crane)
When you’re finished boondocking and shopping at Quartzsite and are looking for the next stop on your Snowbird circuit, check out Lake Havasu City on the Colorado River, 75 miles north on Arizona Hwy. 95.
Long a popular year-round tourist destination for folks from Southern California, this thriving community offers many activities for winter visitors. Here are a few for the RVing snowbird:
2nd Annual Lake Havasu Vintage Trailer Campout
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| See campers like a 1950s Shasta trailer (Julianne G. Crane) |
– Feb. 4-7, 2016, beginning at 11 a.m.
The Campout will be showcasing dozens of vintage trailers for everyone to check out.
“We love to have the public stop by and see us.” says event host Cherri Aiken. “When the open signs are out,” people are invited to look inside these vintage rigs.
Details:
– Lake Havasu State Park (Windsor Beach)
– Costs: No event fee, however visitors must pay Park Entry Fees: Per Vehicle (1-4 Adults): $15 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and State Holidays; $10 other days. Individual/Bicycle: $3. Over-Size Parking: $10
– Hosts: Cherri and Mike Aiken; email: jra@cnw.com
London Bridge Model Boat Club’s Annual Remote Control Boat Race
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| Remote control boat racing (Jennifer Denevan) |
– Feb. 5-7, 2016
Come on out to the Bridgewater Channel next to the famous London Bridge for the 12th Annual Remote Control Boat Racing event.
“2014’s event was the largest gas RC boat race in the country, and with speeds from 60 – 90 miles per hour, proving this is an event not to be missed. Various classes will be racing an oval course in the Channel.” Drivers from California, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona are expected to participate.
“This event is free, so bring your lawn chairs and be ready for two days of a flat-out great time,” say event planners. “Best viewing locations will be the island side of the Channel along the walkway and from the London Bridge.
Details:
– Schedule: Friday: Practice from noon-5 p.m. Saturday & Sunday: Racing 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
– Admission: Free
– Website: www.namba19.com
– Contact: Darryl Hamilton email: dwhamilton14@gmail.com; (916) 616-4996; (928) 566-1761
27th Annual Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Show
– Feb. 11-14 President’s Weekend
“The shimmer and sparkle of the annual winter holiday fireworks show is taking place above scenic SARA Park,” boasts the folks at the Lake Havasu City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “New memories with family and friends will be created as the clear desert sky morphs into a spectacular kaleidoscope of colors in honor of the 27th anniversary of Winter Blast.”
Details
– SARA Park, 1799 Sara Parkway, Lake Havasu City
– Price: $5/person/day (12 and under free) + $5/vehicle/day
– Schedule: Fireworks start each evening at 5 p.m. and go until 10:30 p.m. nightly, except Sunday (ending at 10 p.m.). The organized show segments are approximately one hour and begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, with the largest single show being Saturday night. Gates for the show will open at 3 p.m. each day.
– Website: www.westernpyro.org
– Contact: 928-453-3444
31st Annual Lake Havasu Winterfest Street Festival
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| Winterfest Street Festival (LakeHavasuBlog) |
– Feb. 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Feb. 21, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Thousands of visitors and locals will be making their way downtown to the 31st Annual Winterfest on McCulloch Blvd. between Acoma and Smoketree. Look for easy access to free parking along Swanson and Mesquite Avenues.
Winterfest offers more than 200 vendors from across the United States features products and services. Browse, watch demonstrations and be ready for “two spectacular days of arts, crafts, clothing, jewelry, home decor, tasty street-food, beer garden, and eclectic entertainment.”
Details:
– Contact Information:
– The Havasu Chamber of Commerce
– Jeni Coke or Lacey Blount at (928) 855-4115; email: laceyb@havasuchamber.com
—Julianne G. Crane
–To read more about the RV Lifestyle by Julianne G. Crane and Jimmy Smith, go to RVWheelLife.com
Tire expert Roger Marble of https://RVtireSafety.com explains why a tire’s valves are so important. Bad valves can
In this segment of “The RV DIY® Project Video Series” Mark Polk, with RV Education 101, demonstrates how-to install a
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| Goliad Mission Espiritu Santo (Julianne G. Crane) |
Mission Espiritu Santo in Goliad State Park, sits on prime grasslands along the San Antonio River in the South Texas Plains.
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| RVer Jimmy Smith inside chapel. (Julianne G. Crane) |
It is a peaceful place to rejoice in the holiday spirit this season by celebrating History in Lights, from 6 to 8 p.m. the month of December.
“Lights and shadows will tell the story of this remarkable site as visitors walk the same path taken by Native Americans and Spanish Franciscans Priests so long ago,” according to park officials.
“More than 250 years ago, Spanish missionaries and soldiers established” this beautiful Franciscan mission. It became the home of the largest ranching operation in Texas in the18th century. The Spanish colonial church and grounds were reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and includes some original artifacts.
There is much to see during this season with the mission compound grounds, the chapel and workshop being open to the public.
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| Goliad County (click on to enlarge) |
Goliad State Park
Mission Espiritu Santo
Approximately ½ mile south of Goliad on Highway 183.
108 Park Rd. 6
Goliad, TX 77963
(361) 645-3405
Latitude: 28.644411 Longitude: -97.438718
Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., daily except for Christmas Day
Admission: $4; Children 12 years and under: Free
The nearby historically interesting Fannin Memorial and the restored Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de La Bahía are featured in another post.
For information on the Goliad State Park campground, click here.
– Julianne G. Crane.
To read more RV lifestyle articles by Julianne go to RVWheelLife.com
By Julianne G. Crane
While I have seen “bigger” trees, this Coastal Live Oak is pretty darn impressive. It is estimated to be more than 1,000 years old, with a circumference of 35 feet and a crown spread of 90 feet. It stands about 44 feet tall.
Known locally as “The Big Tree,” it is part of Goose Island State Park in Lamar, Texas, a few miles northeast of Fulton / Rockport on the Texas Gulf Coast.This tree was named the State Champion Coastal Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in 1969, and is one of the largest in the nation.Each winter we spend time on the Gulf Coast, we visit the tree as part of bicycling around Goose Island State Park.
On thee different bicycle excursions over the years, Jimmy and I have seen the endangered whooping cranes feeding on berries and blue crabs found in the coastal wetlands around Goose Island State Park.
It is said other local wildlife include white-tailed deer, raccoons, armadillos, foxes, squirrels, cottontail rabbits and more than 300 varieties of birds.
Direction:
About 10 miles northeast of Fulton/Rockport on Highway 35. Just north of the Copano Bay bridge, turn east to Goose Bay State Park. The first right will be Park Road 13. This connects with Lamar Beach Road that takes you to the tree. Depending on the time of day or the season, you may encounter deer on the narrow, densely shaded and flowered road.
Free.
— Julianne G. Crane
For more RV lifestyle articles by Julianne G. Crane, go to RVWheelLife.com.
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| Near the Fish Ladder (left) Mary Jane Huber & John Winnicki from Virginia & Jimmy Smith. |
If you find yourself heading north or south this autumn along I-5 near Exit 129 in Oregon, pull off for a few minutes to stretch your legs at the Winchester Fish Ladder … and maybe, just maybe, be amazed by watching migrating steelhead and salmon swim upstream to spawn in their home streams along the North Umpqua River watershed.
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| Dam and fish ladder (Julianne G. Crane) |
According to Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: “Biologists use the fish counts to monitor populations, make management decisions, and recommend angling regulations. A video camera records fish passage, and a technician views the tapes to record species and size, fin clips, and any predator marks. The primary species of anadromous fish counted at Winchester Dam are summer and winter steelhead, spring chinook salmon, and coho salmon.”
This is a great family stop … especially for kids of all ages, including RVer Jimmy Smith and my cousins Mary Jane Huber and John Winnicki from Floyd, Va.
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| Children viewing Chinook going up the fish ladder. (Julianne G. Crane) |
On the day we visited, there were young families with children who were delighting in the sightings of salmon swimming against the river’s flow.
“Depending on where they enter the ladder,” states one of the signs also the stairway, “the fish will have nine to 11 additional pools to negotiate….each pool also has a slow water eddy in at least one corner where the fish can rest. With moving and resting, it takes most fish about one hour to make the journey through the ladder.”
Be aware that there is a series of very steep stairs to and from the fish viewing area that could be a challenge for some. While there is NO handicap access to the viewing room, the dam can be observed from the top of the stairs where there is extensive signage explaining the North Umpqua River drainage area.
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| Winchester Bridge from viewing area (Julianne G. Crane) |
Directions:
The Winchester Fish Ladder underwater viewing area is located just east of I-5 on Hwy. 99, about three miles north of Roseburg, Ore.
Take exit 129 and head east. Turn right (south) on Hwy. 99. The viewing area parking lot is located on the left, just before the Winchester Bridge.
It can be easy to miss coming from the north on Hwy. 99, as there is only a “fish viewing” sign on the left with a small parking lot, however there is room for RVs.
BTW: Just south across the Winchester Bridge is a small community with a decent restaurant, Mom and Pop grocery store and post office.
To read more posts on the RV Lifestyle by Julianne Crane, go to RVWheelLife.com
Click on photos to enlarge.
This Simplex X-Ray Shoe Fitter made it possible to see the bones of the foot inside a shoe. It would show any deformation or misplacement of the bones for correctly fitted shoes.
It is believed that Dr. Jacob J. Lowe, a Boston physician, invented the device during World War II to accommodate the large number of soldiers needing correctly fitted shoes for their foot injuries.
It was used in stores into the 1950s before being banned due to the harmful radiation it produced.
The top photo simulates what it was like to stand on the platform in front of the machine and see your own foot’s skeletal structure. The other ports are for the salesperson and another person to look through. The platform you stood on was only protected from the X-ray tube by an aluminum filter. We found this machine in the Fort Missoula museum in Missoula, Montana.
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| Coos Bay Boardwalk, Oregon. (Julianne G Crane) |
Coos Bay is the largest city on the Oregon Coast and celebrates its history in shipbuilding, lumber products, tradition as the regional hub and hometown to running legend Steve Prefontaine. This scenic community is surrounded by “a beautiful bay, lush emerald forests and the mighty Pacific Ocean” and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities.
Jimmy Smith and I were in the area for a Crab Rally organized by the Escapee RV Club’s Oregon Trails Chapter 9 out of Sutherlin, Ore. The Coos Bay offers outstanding crabbing, clamming and fishing.
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| Coos Bay Visitor Information Center (Julianne G Crane) |
Start your tour of Coos Bay at the
Visitor Information Center, 50 Central Ave. (Hwy.101); (541) 269-0215.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Winter: no hours on Sunday. Parking lot. Public restrooms.
The Visitor Center is directly across the street from the Coos Bay Boardwalk and City Docks. The Boardwalk features “historical displays of the area’s maritime and wood products history.”
Historic Walking Tour: There is a great little pamphlet that lists a number of attractions and buildings that are within about a five-block square area of the Visitor Center. Where I spent an hour or so is the Coos Art Museum.
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| Coos Art Museum. (Julianne G Crane) |
Oregon’s 3rd oldest Art Museum is housed in the historic art deco former-U.S. Post Office “built in 1934-35 as a WPA project … On 1/1/85 it reopened as the museum.” The CAM features a regular schedule of exhibits, art classes, lectures and community events. The Collection of Contemporary Art rotates on display throughout the year.
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| Steve Prefontaine (NikeRunning.com) |
Steve Prefontaine Gallery
On the second floor of the Coos Art Museum is a room “dedicated to the short life and brilliant running career of Coos Bay native” and international track star Steve Prefontaine.
This small gallery includes the shoes “Pre” wore while running the race in which he set his first American record. The 5,000-meter race took place on July 3, 1971. Pre’s time was 13:30.4. “Pre held eight long-distance running records. Runners from all over the
world know about Pre’s accomplishments,” states CoosArt.org.
“During his brief 24-year lifespan, Steve Prefontaine grew from hometown hero, to record-setting college phenomenon, to internationally acclaimed track star,” according to PrefontaineRun.com. He ran in the Olympic Games held in Munich, 1972, however, he died in an automobile crash in 1975, before he could race in the 1976 Olympics. “Pre has become the stuff of enduring legend.”
Major Coos Bay events:
September: 10K Prefontaine Memorial Run.
Oct. 9-Dec. 5, 2015 — Coos Art Museum
“JUXTAPOSED: Installation Art”
Renee Couture, Dani Dodge, Allison Hyde & Karin Richardson. The exhibit focuses on contemporary women artists, all with strong ties to Oregon. These artists have a history of producing challenging and thought-provoking works through installation and experimental media.
November: Santa arrives by tugboat. Friday after Thanksgiving.
December: Annual holiday lights display at nearby Shore Acres State Park.
– For up-to-date information on Coos Bay and the surround region, click on: Oregon’s Adventure Coast
– For information on RV parking at The Mills Casino and RV Park, click here for an item posted on RVWheelLife.com
Read more about the RV Lifestyle on RVWheelLife.com
Coos Bay photos by Julianne G. Crane. Steve Prefontaine (NikeRunning.com)
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| Ohio Memorial Shrine (Julianne G Crane) |
Nestled in a peaceful corner of Ohio’s 4,525-acre Mohican-Memorial State Forest is the Ohio Memorial Forest Shrine — the state’s official monument to nearly 20,000 sons and daughters who died in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq operations.
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| Lee and Sherian Shriver looking up relatives who served in WWII (Julianne G Crane) |
During an early autumn RV trip through the Midwest, Jimmy and I visited this quiet retreat with longtime friends Lee and Sherian Shriver of nearby Ashland, Ohio.
While we were reflecting in the 32-foot by 24-foot sandstone structure, Sherian and Lee researched several relatives who served in the military during WW II. A number of large ledgers list the name of all Ohioians who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service for their country during war conflicts.
Dedicated in April 27, 1947, this Shrine continues to be a joint project of Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of
Forestry and the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs.
In an agreement ODNR has with the nearby Mohican Juvenile Correctional Facility, youth now provide daily maintenance of the facility. In addition to opening and closing the Shrine , youth from the facility ensure the proper display of the American and Ohio flags.
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| Sherian Shriver (Julianne G Crane) |
It is said that since 1947, state foresters have planted more than 310,000 trees in the immediate area–living memorials to the thousands of war dead honored and remembered here.
In addition to the Memorial Shrine, according to the ODNR, the surrounding Mohican-Memorial State Forest includes 32 miles of hiking trails; 22 miles of bridle trails; 8 miles of snowmobile trails; 24-mile mountain biking trail; 10 “Park and Pack” campsites; a fire tower; 1.5-mile Discovery Forest interpretive trail.
On the last Sunday in September each year the Ohio Gold Star Mothers sponsor a pilgrimage to the Shrine and hold a special program.
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| Display cases. (Julianne G Crane) |
If you go:
Ohio Memorial Forest Shrine
Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
East of I-71, exit 165 on State Route 97, near Loudonville, Ohio.
Click here to read about nearby RV camping:
It is only about 4 miles east
Mohican State Park
3116 State Route 3
Loudonville, OH 44842
Camping reservations: (866) 644-6727
To read more articles about the RV lifestyle by Julianne G Crane, go to RVWheelLife.com
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| RVers coming out of Rumiano Cheese Co. in Crescent City. (Julianne G. Crane) |
Sitting in a small coastal town near Pacific Coast Highway 101 is Rumiano Cheese Company, the oldest family-owned cheese company in California. It has been “hand rolling” artisan cheese for four generations.
“The success Rumiano Cheese Company has acquired over nearly 90 years
can be credited to two important factors,” according to third generation owners Baird and John Rumiano–“a talented and
hard-working staff” and “a high-quality supply of milk.”
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| Production area behind glass wall. (Julianne G. Crane) |
Rumiano’s cheese production takes place in Crescent City, located roughly 10 miles from the Oregon border in northern California.
The production facility also houses a small retail shop, showroom and a view of the production area through a glass wall.
In 2011, they launched their Rumiano Family Organic line, which is the first cheese in
the U.S. market to receive Non-GMO Project Verification.
This is the “most wholesome cheese in the world,” says John Rumiano. The organic cheese can be found in select Whole Food Markets and natural food stores nationwide.
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| Rumiano Cheese Co. retail shop and showroom. (Julianne G. Crane) |
The company receives its milk supply from independent third, fourth and fifth generation dairy
farms all from within a 90-mile radius. The area’s mild climate and abundant rainfall stimulates feed
growth and allows for year-round grazing. All of the milk used by Rumiano’s is free of
artificial hormones (rBST) and the cows are grass-fed, according to the website.
“At Rumiano Cheese we focus on what is good for the earth, and its inhabitants. Sustainability not only saves on costs but benefits our community and world.”
“We have some of the finest milk in the nation here,”
Baird Rumiano says. “It all comes down to good people, good ingredients and good products.”
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| Rumiano cheeses. (Julianne G. Crane) |
If you go
Rumiano Cheese Company
511 9th St.
Crescent City, CA 95531
URL: RumianoCheese.com
To learn more about the Florence Keller County Campground in Crescent City, where we dry-camped in our truck/camper for four days, click here.
To read more articles about the RV lifestyle by Julianne G Crane, go to RVWheelLife.com.
Photos: Taken at Rumiano Cheese Company in Crescent City, Calif. (Top) RVers Jimmy Smith of Oregon and Jane and Kevin Justis of Susanville, Calif., visited the Rumiano Cheese Shop. (Julianne G. Crane)
