Cave Creek Regional Park—Return Visit

We return to Phoenix with heavy hearts with the loss of Marcia’s long time friend, lifelong friend, Joyce.  While in the Smoky Mountains we found out that things looked real bad.  Joyce had walked into the hospital on Thursday, by Friday she was bed ridden.  On Sunday we decided to alter our trip to try and make it out to Phoenix as quick as we could with still getting promised visits in with Marcia’s relatives in Indiana, and my doctor appointment, which I moved up, in Arkansas.  Well, we did not even get out of Indiana before Joyce passed away on Wednesday from Leukemia.  We are here now to see her daughter Laurie, and attend the Celebration of Life on Sunday where all of Joyce’s adult children will be there…many of whom Marcia has not seen for many years.

This is our second or third time at Cave Creek.  The first picture shows us in the pull-through, the last available for a week, while this picture above is what our door opens up to.  No grass for the kids, but this sandy gravel is something they don’t seem to mind…no stickers to deal with.

    

This time of year there are few people in the park, although I expect the weekend will bring in a few more.  We did not make reservations because that cost extra…and I could tell from the website that there were many sites to choose from for a full week, over half of the spots…so I don’t expect it to get too busy at all.

Our drive down from Camp Verde was not long, about 70 miles, but the wind did not make it easy.  About half way there is a rest area, and we stopped just to give my hands a rest because we were being blown back and forth a lot at times.  On the outskirts of Phoenix there is a Walmart and a Denny’s…we did Denny’s first so that we would not buy all the junk food that we can’t have.  Denny’s are Denny’s, but we had an exceptional server named Candice, and that made Denny’s feel more like a real restaurant this time.  Then nearly an hour in Walmart, and getting out of there for under $100, we put our stuff away, I re-hooked up the car, and off we went to Cave Creek.

After a bit of a rest, Skruffy and I stepped outside to see what we could see.  Most of the following pictures were taken sitting around this table…

I just love Quail…and I don’t mean the “taste” to Quail, I mean I love seeing them, and hearing them.  This one skirted along the road behind the motorhome…when they start a running, you don’t have much time to take the picture.

    

It looks like the bunny and Skruffy were having a stare down.  In the picture to the right, just follow her nose and you will see the bunny.  Unfortunately, Skruffy did not see the Bunny at all, even though it was that close.  Her poor Diabetic eyes are just not what they use to be.  Her hearing and her smell seem to be more enhanced, but she is more startled by loud noises, and if Marcia and I are laughing at a TV show, she will even go hide in the bedroom.

This little guy was just as happy as can be on top of this saguaro cactus.  The cactus was far away, and many of the shots did not come out very clear.  Not sure what type of bird this is, I know there are many birds that love saguaros…but I think this is a Gila Woodpecker.

This guy walked right in front of us.  Skruffy did see it, but she ignores most birds.

This pair were out under the ‘tent’ looking area just outside our campsite.  For awhile I thought I was going to have an “Adult Blog” today…but one of them finally just chased the other one away.

It looks like we are a few weeks too late for most of the desert blooms…

But regardless, it is nice to be back in the desert at Cave Creek.

Cave Creek Regional Park

Maricopa County Parks & Recreation has five county parks which have RV camping spots with water and electric and a wonderful desert view. Cave Creek has 38 such camping sites, and although the website says all can accommodate a 45’ RV, I would say that most do, a few would be tight.  But if you reserve a site, they will tell you just how large the site is, and offer three pictures of the site so you can get an idea of if your RV will fit or not.

   

We selected a “drive through”, which is more like a large pul-out along the road.  You can see it is wide enough to park the HHR next to the motorhome so it shortens the walk for Marcia.  On the other side is the large camping site….they do allow for a tent or two to be set up along with an RV, but there is a surcharge for having more than two people.  There is water and electric, and they don’t care if you park the way we did, or the other way so that your door opens up to the camping site.  For us, we would rather have an easier in and out since we rarely use the camping site anyways. 

Last time we stayed at McDowell Mountain Regional Park during the month of December and into the new year…the link above is to the first of many postings we did from McDowell.  But now it is spring….and the desert is full of vibrant colors right now. 

There are many Palo Verde in the park, and they are yellow with a very green trunk.  The Palo Verde is the state tree of Arizona, and the official name is Parkinsonia florida.  Its name means "green pole or stick" in Spanish, referring to the green trunk and branches, that perform photosynthesis.

The Teddy Bear Cholla are in bloom.

They are very pretty up close…but not too close because those stickers will hurt like the dickens.   Marcia says that if you walk close they seem to jump on you, and you will know it when it happens.

But you have to get close to see the pretty little flower...just not too close.

The Buckhorn Cholla are also in bloom, although some are coming out of bloom.

They too have a small flower…

...I think they are small to lure one in closer for an easier attack on the unsuspecting photographer.

    

This Purple Prickly Pear was on the access road to the park…we saw very few Prickly Pears.

And this one above is one of the few regular Prickly Pear bushes that we saw, and it was behind a fence.

    

There are many blooming plants….it is nice to be here this time of the year.

And of course, there is the every looming Saguaro is all over the place.  I am always amazed that as you drive down from Flagstaff toward Phoenix, that the Saguaro magically appear at the 3,000 foot elevation mark.  And once they show up, they are everywhere…and you never get tired of looking at them. As Marcia said, it looks like the Saguaro have their arms raised praising God….couldn’t agree with her more.

 

We had a nice visit with Joyce for most of the day, eating lunch at the Greektown Restaurant named the best Greek food in Phoenix 15 times now.  We liked this place so much we are eating there again Tuesday night!  For dinner Laurie joined us and we back to Chompie’s, which we reviewed previously, and you can read that here.

Dinner with Friends, Phoenix Arizona

Went to dinner with Marcia's long time friend Joyce, and her daughter Laurie at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Scottsdale.  Since we are back on our aircard, no pictures tonight...but will put something together tomorrow and find a McD's to post from.

Maggiano's was very good.  I had Lasagna, Marcia had Balsamic-Glazed Salmon with Grilled Asparagus.  My dish included an automatic "take home" dish too, so I added a Mushroom Ravioli al Forno.  Joyce and Laurie both had Baked Eggplant Parmesan if I am not mistaken, and their selection came with a take home dish also.  Joyce suggested having Crème Brulée for dessert, which we ordered to share and they ordered to share....until Marcia saw this huge chocolate cake looking thing being delivered to another table.  Laurie talked our waiter into getting a sample for us, and instead he delivered two Crème Brulées, and one Chocolate Zuccotto Cake layered with Sambuca Mousse on the house.  WOW, what a score.  As Laurie said, "You don't get nothing unless you ask....."

We will be seeing Joyce (and Laurie we hope) Monday and Tuesday before we pull out of Cave Creek on Wednesday morning to head to Yuma.