Year 2 Day 12 Kartchner Caverns State Park

We finally left La Mesa RV around 11:30 after discovering that they did not know how to fix the toilet in our powder room. Apparently, the electronic toilet is a new model which they have never worked on before. After waiting a couple of hours for the Tiffin technician to return their call for help, our technician came and told us that he would have to pull the toilet and pressure test it before he could determine what was wrong. Since we had to be 150 miles southeast of Mesa this afternoon, we decided not to proceed with fixing the toilet until we arrive at the Tiffin facility in Red Bay, Alabama this coming March. We can survive just fine with the main bathroom toilet… as long as that one does not fail!

The drive to Kartchner State Park was uneventful and once we arrived, we immediately pulled into their dump station to empty our black and grey water tanks before going to our campsite. As we were finishing, Christina, Michael and their kids pulled up with their extended cab pickup truck, pulling their rented trailer. What great timing! They had come from Tucson, about an hour away.

We both then proceeded to our respective campsites and set up. We are within about 100 feet of each other and will be spending a lot of time together. Once we were set up, Mary Margaret and I, armed with a handful of beers to share, went over to Christina and Michael’s site to get a tour of their accommodations. It pretty clever how it is designed, allowing a family of 5 to travel in style. The kids were being entertained by watching cartoons, while Christina and Michael were putting the finishing touches on their temporary abode.

After our tour, we returned to LeuC to start preparations for dinner. Michael had made a great spaghetti sauce which needed to be heated up and the noodles and salad had to be prepared. While Mary Margaret did that, Michael and I, along with their youngest, Wyatt, met our neighbors. They had a 1 year old dog that got very excited around Wyatt and nipped his hand. Fortunately, no blood was spilled but big tears ensued. Already, the big camping adventure had started!

Dinner was delicious and once the dishes were cleared away, Isaac and Stella helped me start the campfire. They were very anxious to roast marshmallows, which were to be the hit of the night! As the adults sat around enjoying the fire, the kids worked on getting their sugar high and one, and then another, and another and another and another marshmallow was crisped brown and then popped into the mouth of each kid. They loved them, even when some fell to the ground. Yum!

The last half hour of the evening was spent trying to coral the kids as they were now filled with new found energy. It was a hoot to watch as Isaac lead Stella and Wyatt in a program of calisthenics by doing leg stretches, jumping jacks, and other creative forms that I had not seen before. Both Isaac and Stella are in kiddie gymnastic classes each Saturday, so I am guessing this is where they learning their routines.
Tomorrow, the clan will regroup in LeuC with Christina and Michael making breakfast for all and then we will go out and explore the visitor center and caverns. Since Wyatt is still too young to go, he and Mary Margaret will “entertain” each other while we are away.