Stuck in Needles. Still laying low and completely relaxing in Needles. Yes, that’s Needles. We’ve been making some plans and reserving some spots online while slipping out to the pool for the occasional swim. We have an appointment out at Slab City on Tuesday to get a few solar panels installed so we are kind of hovering out in the desert until then.

After lunch today, we rode our bikes over to the nearby KOA, the closest place with a small market to buy supplies. We got a few gallons of drinking water and a large can of chicken breast pieces to supplement the dogs’ dinner. We brought it back and dropped it off then took off for a pedal around the quiet desert road we are located on. We ran into our new bro’ Sandy from Alberta who was out for a hike through the scrub to clear his head. We paused to chat for a few minutes then resumed our trek.

At the KOA store

We rode over to the busier street by the highway ramp then went off road to an old airstrip that we found in the boonies and rode the length of it. Then back and forth on our street one more time down to the Colorado River and back up to camp.

This one’s for you Pop, Happy Veteran’s Day!

After the ride, we jumped in the pool for a cooling dip and splashed around in the refreshing blue water. I find stretching easier in the water so when no one’s looking, I do a nice set of stretches and exercise in the pool. The nice part of it is, there’s hardly ever anyone else in for a swim.

We walked the pooches around the compound, making a stop in the scruffy little fenced in dog run to let the girls run free and hopefully do their business. PJ tried to cleanse her karma by scooping up a few offerings left behind by unscrupulous dog owners. I sat in the shade of an acacia tree until we continued our tour of the grounds. I’ve been playing with the two solar lights I have leftover from Lexi. One is functional but the other I’m finally going to have to concede is a goner and toss it.

I got out the Goo-Gone from the basement and did a major scrub to get the tape residue up from where the dealer had duck taped down plastic to protect the vinyl flooring. A bit of a chore but it looks a whole lot better. Arlington was supposedly going to do it as part of the PDI, but Doug seemed a little too put off by us asking and only rubbed a small section with a volatile, smelly solvent. Tuned up the collapsible patio chairs, tightening all the loose screws on the budget units. Relaxing evenings reading, talking and watching some news on the 36” flat screen. It’s like having a little apartment in the neighborhood. We want to wish a happy veteran’s day to all those who have served. Hat’s off.