glamping – Cindy Bruchman

2020s, adventure, family, Five Shots of..., five shots...., glamping, nature, photography, travel

Dear Friends,

July 25, 2021 Cindy Bruchman

Ruby on board at Sunroad Resort Marina, San Diego

Some summer breaks are uneventful for weeks at a time before an international trip happens. Weeks go by waiting for the big bang of adventure far, far away. Other summers, little trips happen–two days here, five days there–throughout the whole summer. This was my 2021 summer. You might recall a recent post at the beginning of June when Jim and I went to Cerritos Beach outside of Todos Santos, Mexico for a week. That was a great kick off to the summer.

Nothing eventful occurred until the end of June when I had rotator cup surgery which required three screws and nine sutures. Ouch.

Covid had kept our family members away from each other. A joy, then, to reunite with my daughter-in-law and grandson who stayed for a ten day visit. Whenever friends and family visit, we become tourists which is important. Seeing one’s neighborhood through the eyes of others is a perspective that keeps me grateful. Jim took his daughter on the Williams, AZ train to the Grand Canyon. We revisted Montezuma’s Castle, an ancient Anasazi monument in Camp Verde, AZ.

My son visited for a weekend. It had been a long time, so I tried something special and booked two nights at a Phoenix resort, so I could visit with my grandchildren and two sons at a fun location. We spent the days in the pool and had a blast.

Jim and I reconnected after the kids left, and we took Ruby with us to San Diego. We tried staying in a sailboat for a few nights at the harbor. What a fun glamping experience.

Atop a ridge overlooking San Diego on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other was a somber final resting place for veterans. It felt like visiting Arlington National Cemetery with manicured grounds and white marble headstones symetrically placed over many acres.

Always ready to fish, Jim and Ruby spend the mornings in the ocean.

It was pristine and quiet in the marina. Our boat was just right for two adults and a dog.

After exploring several beaches on the coast, we headed back home to our Arizona desert. The water followed us as monsoons hit the Phoenix area with great force. Up north where we live, it has rained for days now. Our drought-suffering region needs it.

Now I’m done with summer adventures. The school year starts up on August 2. I did not write much in July. I’m hoping to spend the remaining week getting a chapter out of the way. Thinking kind thoughts of you all.

Love & Friendship,

Cindy

Five Shots of..., five shots...., glamping, Mexico, nature, photography

5 Shots: Cerritos Beach, part 2

June 7, 2021 Cindy Bruchman

Get a lesson and try your hand at surfing.

Nachos, cervases, y olas del mar — excelente!

Homemade sauces and pickled veggies to add to Taco fixings. The handmade tortillas make them superior.

2020s, adventure, Arizona, camping, Five Shots of..., glamping, kayaking, nature, photography, travel

Apache County & The Rim

May 28, 2020 Cindy Bruchman

Apache County heading to Sierra Highlands Ranch

Jim and I were almost the owners of a 36-acre parcel in Apache County, Arizona located on the New Mexico border. The adventure began last week when I found land for sale at Sierra Highlands Ranch twenty miles northeast of the rural cowboy town of St. Johns. The area is close to a couple we know and love. We’ve been there before on their 40-acre property collecting rocks and gazing up at the stars at night with wine glasses in our hands.

The land sits on an aquifer. At 6000 feet, the temps are cool with mild winters. It is perfect for growing anything.

My reasons were clear. The ranch would be a springboard to the White Mountains, the Mogollon Rim, and our dear friends. We’d improve the land in increments (well, septic, solar power system, house) and by the time I retire in 2026, we’d either move out there full-time or keep it as our camping spot. 36 acres is nothing to sneeze at. I like the idea of owning land. When we kick the bucket, our six children would benefit. That was the rationale. Sigh.

Our guide was most helpful and by the end of seven hours looking at various lots in Sierra Highland Ranch (all 36 to 40-acre parcels) we found the place that spoke to us. We turned a corner and found ourselves at the top of a meadow looking down the dead-end road. The property bordered Zuni land, so the views went on forever. The pasture gently sloped to a canyon. The surrounding hills were interesting with giant boulders and junipers. We saw a solitary Elk standing proud and as big as our car. The air was clean and blue–I felt like I walked into a Zane Grey novel. I can imagine how vivid the star constellations must be overhead at night. Ache!

Heading back home to Yavapai County, we crossed the Mogollon Rim and tried out a new lake, Lake Knoll.

As we left the ranch and headed back to our friend’s property for dinner and conversation, my heart sank. I knew we wouldn’t buy it. It was sixty minutes off the main road of route 191. Then another half hour before we were at our friend’s house. It was not an hour but two hours to the White Mountains. It would be 5 hours to Clarkdale and 6 hours to Phoenix. I knew my children would rarely visit. In short, the ranch was in BFE. I have come to understand fully how large the state of Arizona is. Space and topographical variety are outstanding. But still, I just couldn’t see us all the way out there in the middle of nowhere.

This was one of those adventure trips where a lot went wrong. There was a short somewhere, and our little camper was without electricity and the SUV’s battery wouldn’t hold the juice. Luckily we have a portable solar panel. We drove home on Rim Road 300 and camped one night by Lake Knoll. That was nice, but the flies and bees feasted on me leaving welts all over my calves. Ruby got sick and soiled the SUV. I was glad to get back home. Adventures are adventures filled with great moments and disappointing ones. I look to the good–we found a new campsite for the future; kayaking on Lake Knoll filled my heart; we connected with our friends on a deep level.