Conversation around the campfire

February 2, 2015: Petroglyph Site and Painted Rock Campground, BLM near Gila Bend, AZ.  

 Sunset from Painted Rock Campground.

We’ve been off the radar for over a month now. 

Our trek back to Arizona after a beautiful Colorado Christmas was made in between snow storms and proved to be uneventful.  Just as way we like it.  Two months in an RV resort (Dec. & Jan.) is about our max, so it feels great to back out in the wide open spaces.  After only a couple of days on the road we have met some very interesting people.  You just don’t meet these folks sitting in an RV resort.  Well, that’s a story for tomorrow as I have a little research I want to do before I go into much detail.

So, for today, I’m going to ease back into blogging with a simple conversation around the campfire last night.

Jack, the "Fire Starter".

I’m leaning back in my lounge chair watching for shoot stars and satellites while Jack tends to the fire.  Suddenly he jumps up and says, “Wow!  Did you see that?  Some animal was coming right up to our campsite.”

I jerk my chair into the upright position and stare into the semi-darkness.  “I see it.  What is it?  I think it’s a mountain lion.  Are there mountain lions out here?”

“No, it wasn’t a mountain lion.  It was a fox – maybe big enough to be a coyote.”

“It’s a good thing you’re protecting me from wild animals circling the campfire while I’m lying here star gazing.”

Silence.

 Misty morning view of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Back in my reclined position I pronounce, “Oh, I thought I saw a satellite, but it’s a jet.”

Jack responds, “Where is it?”

I point in the direction of the object moving across the sky.

“I think it is a satellite,” he says.

I respond with, “No, satellites don’t have flashing lights.  Or a visible vapor trail.  And, I can hear it passing overhead – like a jet.  Just exactly like a jet.”

“Yeah.  Guess you’re right.  It’s a jet,” he concedes.

Silence.

 Iron gate at the campground.

Jack breaks the silence, “I only see one other fire in the campground this evening.”

“Hmm.  It’s such a nice night you’d think there would be more,” I comment.

“Maybe the heat from the fire draws rattlesnakes to your campsite,” Jack says with a smirk.

“Maybe that’s why there’s no campfires,” I respond.

“Maybe you’d better pull your feet up,” he tells me.

“Maybe you’re right,” I say in agreement.

Silence. 

Petroglyphs on rocks near our camp.  More to come on this.  Wait until you hear what really cool event happens every February 2^nd at 1:45 pm right here in this little spot in the world?  Amazing!

Click.  Click.  Quiet.  Click.  Click.  Click.

Jack speaks up, “What was that clicking sound?”

“I don’t know.  Do you think it’s an animal or human making that noise?”

He snickers and says, “I think it’s an animal.  It’s a clickerdoodle.”

Laugh.  Laugh.  Laugh.

Silence.

I raise my voice and exclaim, “I’m the winner.  I see the first satellite of the night.”

Jack looks at me and says, “Winner?  You didn’t say we were competing to see the first satellite. Plus, I’ve been busy protecting you from wild animals.  Remember?”

“Oh, right.  I guess you didn’t have time to watch for satellites,” I respond. 

Silence. 

The fire burns low.  Jack spreads the coals in the fire pit.  We gather up our empty cups and miscellaneous items so the “wild things” don’t wander into camp and snatch them during the night.  Miss Kitty greets us as we enter our little abode.

Miss Kitty (a.k.a. Gilbert): “I’ve been sitting in the window all evening watching the fire and listening to these two Einsteins yak.  Of all the people in the world, how did I end up with these deep thinkers?” 

Albert Einstein said it best: "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."  

Lord knows we've got a little imagination going for us!

Sometimes life is really simple.  A simple campfire.  A simple conversation.  Sometimes simple is all you really need.  Until next time – be safe.