The Dunes Again…At Last!

It has been a while since we have been to the dunes. We never made it at all last season/year so we are a little out of practice. We decided to go down to the dunes on our Anniversary this year. We drove a trailer with toys on it for R.B., so he wouldn't have to pull it tandem on his fifth wheel. Our kids that were going ended up camping in two different spots this year, so we spent time with R.B. and Stacie's family all day Monday, made our sandwiches on the griddle (yes, it went to the dunes with us) for dinner that night and after some camp fire time we headed to find Tawna and Nathan's camp up the road a little. We settled in at their camp down Ogleby road for the night. We watched Harry Potter, Chamber of Secrets with Faith and Chance and then headed to bed. Lots of riding with both families for Grumpy. He loves to ride with whoever is going. R.B.'s kids are all pretty good riders by now. Megan and Austin are both on 250's and handling them well. Rylan is riding an 80 and doing great on it. Carson was sharing Rylan's 80 (governed way down) as they forgot to put in his normal 50 that he rides. They ride the bowls and love to go to Comp Hill and go up the big hill. Faith was on a 250 this year and learning how that is, Chance was on her old 80 that works great for him. They didn't bring his dirt bike, but he rode the quad just fine and loves it. It was a really fun trip and we were glad to spend time with both families and enjoy the dunes.

I love the sand.





The Harmon Camp at Buttercup. Lots of stuff going on all the time. R.B.'s neighbor, Sterling came down for his first visit to the dunes and brought his son. They had fun riding and getting to know the sand. He made a great peach and an apple cobbler in his dutch ovens for dessert Monday night.





The Mower Camp off from Ogleby road. It is a ways west of Ogleby road on the desert. Not as many people out there. Good riding, but you have to go a ways to get to sand dunes. It works out well for them as they have dirt bikes too. Lots of fun there. Sugar (the dog) loves being out with the family. She runs and plays and likes the moving toys.



Getting ready to head back to town. We ended up bring Grumpy's quad home in the truck and leaving the trailer for R.B. to pull tandem. He decided to stay and extra day and we had to head back. (drat) We ate at Outback with the Mower's in Yuma before we left.

Fun and Family. Nothing better.

Couple's Getaway via the Dunes

Ahhhh, the trip we wait for all year. Couple's trip at the Imperial Sand Dunes. Of course it is fun to go with the kids, but without them we ride a lot more, talk a lot more, cook a lot less, and even sleep in. It's the most fun you can have in helmets and goggles. We were short by a day this year, but it was still fun. I took lots of pics, but am not the best photographer, so am posting the ones I like best.



I for sure like Grumpy the best. I wish I looked that good on a quad. Handsome devil. He always does his best to make sure I am comfortable and having fun. He loves being there and spending time with our kids. Me too. The next few shots are snaps of us getting ready to go out on rides.

Tawna in her pink helmet.


R.B. getting ready to get on his dirt bike. Chad, (Kamala's hubby) in the background.


Stacie kick-starting her quad.


Stacie and her sister Kamala.


Nathan is always ready.


Jade deciding which helmet to wear.


Jade and Jeff looking good.


Jamie helping Summer into her helmet.


Rolling. I love this part. I was in R.B.'s rhino (driving it for the first time and it was waaaaay fun)! Some shots at comp hill are next.


Grumpy watching the riders on comp.


Summer and I were quad-less, so we sat in the rhino and watched the action. Jamie came by to say hello. (We wouldn't have gone up even if we had quads, lol, we are big chickens!


Nathan and Tawna going over the whups, headed up to the top of comp.


R.B. in his fun little Toy Junkies car. Various members of the group managed to get it stuck once or twice. Not fun to dig out, but it was fun to ride in as long as it was on top of the sand.


Tawna catching me snapping pics.


Grumpy, Jade, Jeff and Brett (without Lisa, what's up with that anyway?) We enjoyed his company as always, but really missed Lisa. Next year.


Jade and Grumpy racing up comp.


Quite a party. We are now at The Wall.


We always try to go to the Wall for some fun. It's not as tall as it used to be, but is still fun.


R.B. and Stacie getting ready to go up the Wall.


Stacie's sister, Kamala didn't quite make it to the top. When she tried to turn around, the quad started to roll. Of course you don't want to be on it if that happens. She was amazing and got off the quad and did the fastest army crawl I've ever seen to get clear of it. It rolled a few times and landed right side up. She was fine, but concerned she had killed the quad. We were glad she was okay, quads are easy to fix - people, not so easy sometimes. R.B. and Grumpy went up to make sure she was okay and to get the quad and Kam back down.



We had a wonderful time with family and friends. Stacie's cousin Spencer came, some friends from Safford and of course Brett.
After riding like crazy pretty much all day Saturday, we cleaned up a little and went into Yuma for dinner at Texas Roadhouse. We drove the waiter crazy, had too much fun and Grumpy and Jade had a peanut throwing war on and off through the evening that ended in a bun throwing war (outside by the car where Jade ambushed him) and then more buns on the way home to camp. You know what I mean, right Jeff?

We really missed Taya and Kevin, and Robert and Jennifer. Thanks to everyone for the time, effort, help with kids, and all that went into such a great memory for all of us. Maybe next year the schedules will be more conducive to a bigger group. Anyone else that want's to come, just come on. I hope this is one tradition we can keep going for a while. It is one of the highlights of the year for me. We love the dunes.

We Got More Sand…

I am really getting behind on the posting thing. I will just have to do the birthday posts later when I can get some decent pictures of the birthday victims. For now, I will post some pictures from our dune trip of last weekend. So much fun. Summer and Jamie and kids were with us for the first time and it was so much fun to have them there with us. Everyone is always so good to share quads, rhinos, helmet, gloves and goggles. It gives everyone who wants to ride the opportunity to do so. Stacie and R.B. are great hosts and share their toy hauler space, so Summer and Jamie's family stayed at the Harmon Hilton Hauler. We had the Mower/Harmon Hotel and made space for Jade and Jeff's family with us. This was one of the most enjoyable trips, probably because the kids played well, the adults enjoyed each other's company and we all worked together to make this a great memory. I am still so thankful for the work all the dads put in to keep the kids quads running, keep the kids from running over each other, (Carsen took out a lawn chair once this trip) and taking the kids out on little rides to give them experience. The mom's all work at food, snacking, keeping the peace, riding when they can and making everyone comfortable. 

R.B. hooked up his satellite so everyone could watch the game. It was fun to watch in the toy hauler as the Cardinals won their place in the superbowl. I didn't watch it, but I heard the cheers coming from the open doors. 

I am so thankful for children who like to play together. Big and small. It does my mother's heart good to see my grown-up kids enjoy their time together. They still tease each other, joke at each other's expense and serve and help one another. So when you are mad at your kids, and you wonder why you had them in the first place, (of course I wouldn't know anything about that feeling…) I promise it does pay off. I love all mine so very much. 

The Armstrongs with us for the first time. We have had Taylor, Jordyn and Rylee with us before, and Summer was down once, but it was a first for the Armstrongs as a family to come have fun in the sand. We were missing their oldest, J.T., and hope he will be able to come with us sometime.



Tawna, Jade, Stacie and Crystal who was visiting with her brother Jake for the trip.



Summer, Jake and Jordyn enjoying the sand, the breeze and sitting down.



Austin and Grumpy on Comp hill after Austin rolled his quad trying to go up Comp. He got up and Grumpy went to help him get the quad back up on all fours and make sure Austin was okay to go. All was well, Austin was just ticked that he couldn't quite make it to the top.



Jeff and some of the boys hangin' out by the Rhino. Or the Rhiner as Carsen says.



Tawna and Faith



Carsen having so much fun with the trucks and the unlimited supply of sand to pile in and on everything. He, Chance and Aden could play in the sand forever I think.



Megan and Rylee hanging out in the little sand car.



Jordyn being teased by none other than R.B. He is the king of tease and has so much fun with the kids.



Chance on his quad with Ryker and Jaxon in the background.



The boys playing catch.



I had to put this picture in to say how much I appreciate Jamie and his patience. He had just loaded up the Yukon and Taylor comes over and lifts up the back hatch to put something else in. Of course everything came tumbling out and piled on the sand. Jamie never said a cross word, never gave any indication he was frustrated by this. He just closed the hatch, opened just the window part and he and Taylor put everything back in. He is such a good man and treats Summer and all the kids so wonderfully. What a good example of how not to be mad and get dramatic about the mistakes kids make. All of us really. This was after a crazy trip towing our jeep that needs work on the steering. Tawna and Nathan ended up driving it, and that was no fun either. Thanks kids for not pushing it off a cliff - although that may not be such a bad idea sometimes. It did help to get us all back to the Wall, which is why I wanted to take it in the first place. We'll have to get it fixed so it won't be such a nightmare next time.



This picture of the sunset on Saturday night doesn't do it justice. If my camera battery had held out just a few more minutes, it was truly so very beautiful. Grumpy is in the corner, sitting as he so often is with a grandchild on his lap (in this case Megan). He is so loved by them and is good to play, sit, ride, and even let himself be covered in sand by our grandkids. I sure picked a good one when I let him catch me. Stacie made great soups for Sunday night, Summer and Jamie made good Chili for lunch and awesome Spaghetti for dinner Saturday, we had cheese spread on crackers and for sandwiches, Grumpy's famous Yucka burros and some good pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Thanks to all who came, saw and had fun. I am really looking forward to the couples trip coming up. I hope we can work out all our schedules so we can make the trip happen.

Ahhhhhh…The Dunes

The first trip of the season, and we all lived to tell about it. Only a few things were forgotten, only a few casualties, a few minor frustrations, maybe a couple of major frustrations and the weather was pretty decent. All in all, we all had fun, Taylor still thinks the dunes are paradise, and he really rode well all weekend. We had all the littlest boys on 50's this year, so there is an ongoing learning curve going on with them. The Dads are so good with their kids. They are out there watching and teaching and even though the Moms are watching and helping those kids are really listening to their Dads. They watch them do all the troubleshooting on the equipment, ride with them, and are learning just as much by example as they are by listening and doing. These kids will have such good memories of these trips. I know kidless trips are in some ways more fun, but these family trips are the ones that really matter over the long haul. The work of preparing, going, doing for the kids and all that goes into a family trip are all things that come through as they grow up and start to do for their own families.

I got pics of most of the little guys. Carsen being the youngest. They all rode so well and would go around and around their track a million times a day. I wish I had gotten video of Carsen trying to get his helmet off the first day. We were all laughing hysterically at his antics. He actually threw himself to the ground trying to squeeze his head out. Hilarious. The bigger kids had a track around the outside of camp that they were enjoying. Faith, Jaxon, Austin, Taylor, sometimes Rylan and Ryker would really get going on that one. Taylor and Austin could even go up the first little hills outside camp on their own as long as we could see them. They did great.


Round and Round they go.



Austin going on the bigger kid track.

Taylor rode his dirt bike, but it needs a little TLC, so wasn't able to ride it like he really enjoys. He also had the big green Kawa available to him, so he rode that alot. I think he and Austin even went out with the big boys on a few of their rides. He could keep up and did so great. I love seeing him have such a good time. He was playing ball with some of the little guys on Sat. night and caught his foot on the trailer ramp and twisted his ankle. One of the many little setbacks that were part of this trip. After a little ice and some sleep he was better the next day, but I'm sure is limping a little still.


Next we have Grumpy folding to camp pressure and getting on R.B.'s dirt bike to try it out. I'm sure he didn't need much convincing. Totally different than quad riding, it's a lot to get used to. He got on it for the first time and as he was trying to kick start it, the bike was heavier than he was ready for and it rolled over on top of him and he landed in the fire pit. Glad the fire was out and cold. He is good sport and laughed with us. He eventually got it figured out, (sort of ) and went on a couple of short little rides. I'm trying not to worry so much, but worrying is what I do best, so I'll probably worry enough for everyone. He had so much fun on the dirt bike, the Rhino and his quad. Great little stress breakers. He went into town for Dilly Bars with Jade and Tawna on Saturday night and Jade made the comment that she was starting to wonder if he had been abducted by aliens because he was so relaxed and fun.



You can see him a little way from camp getting the feel of the bike. Hey, I'm just glad he got back to camp in one piece.


Here is everyone getting ready to go back to “the wall”. It's a nice little ride from camp and once we all get back there the dads all go what looks like almost straight up to me up to the top and then turn and come back down. Not as tall as Comp Hill, but steeper. The Mom's even go up sometimes. Not this Mom. I just watch and cringe the whole time. If I were younger and a better rider I would try it, but we all have our limits, right? I didn't get to go with them, and at first I was a little sad. Then I heard Grumpy got stuck in the gray truck 3 times and had to be dug out. I okay with missing out on that experience. Thanks guys for rescuing him and the truck. We appreciate your muscle and your patience.



Our two Richards with Carsen looking like he had a treat or two. Fun times in the Rhino.

The first of hopefully many trips this season. I love going to the dunes with my family. The only thing that makes me even happier is when more of them can come. Its a little hard to plan too far ahead with all the work schedules and vacation time, etc., but we will do our best to plan far enough ahead so more people can come. Now it's time for all the notes to self. I need to remember more food in general, marshmallows for sure, chips and salsa, more soft drinks and juice, homemade cookies would be nice and so on. It's worth all the effort.