Neon Museum-The Bone Yard

  The Neon Museum opened in late 2012 and we visited shortly after that in the spring of 2013. A lot has changed over the years. They are now part of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) which means members get free admission. The tours are self guided so visitors can spend as much time as they like exploring the bone yard. We enjoyed the tidbits of information provided by the tour guide on our last visit however there is now a cell phone tour plus employees are stationed to answer questions and monitor the visitors. The signs are roped off which interferes with photographing them. The restored signs on Freemont Street have been removed for street construction. I don’t know if they’ll be replaced.

  

                   
   Security is very strict. Everyone must pass through a metal detector. Cameras and large bags must be checked in. Still photos using a phone are permitted. Check in at the booth at the entrance to the Cashman Center parking lot to pick up or buy tickets.

   The museum is accessible. The paths are finely crushed stone and rolling is fairly easy.

   The Cashman Center parking lot is large enough for RVs. Museum  36.17718, -115.1354

Hwy 62 Boondocking

   Hwy 62 and US 95 travel through BLM land which extends to both side of the roads so boondocking opportunities are plentiful. This spot is particularly good because it has a large flat area, nice scenery and peaceful surroundings. I like the sign that spells out all of the rules for this area although we were surprised that a permit is need for campfires, barbecues, and gas stoves, and also that dumping gray water is allowed. Boondockng  34.20255, -114.41785

Shea Road Boondocking

  This is a very popular boondocking area with a lot of room to spread out however washes limit the available space to a narrow strip along the road. The strip begins about 5 miles east of Hwy 95 and continues for about 5 miles. The road is in terrible shape for the first few miles but improves farther in. We found that as the road improves driving fairly fast evens out the bumps. Do not camp closer to Hwy 95 as this is Native American and Arizona state trust land.

   The washes are used by OHV riders and are also the site of organized races during the winter months so the road may be closed at times.Boondocking  34.12392, -114.15331

Homes on Wheels Solar Panel Awards

   HOWA received a generous donation of 40 245 watt solar panels from SanTan Solar, a retail dealer of both new and used solar panels. Their prices are very good so if you’re looking for solar check them out!  HOWA was also able to purchase 40 solar kits at a reduced price from Renogy – everything for a complete solar installation except for the battery which, unfortunately, was not in HOWA’s budget. Thank you San Tan and Renogy!

  After carefully vetting the applicants 40 were chosen and a group of volunteers gathered to distribute the systems. I helped with paperwork and Tony provided muscle to load the panels and kits in the recipients' vehicles. It was a fun and rewarding experience because we were giving 40 individuals and couples a huge improvement in their lives. The electricity generated will power CAP machines, small refrigerators, fans, laptops, lights, and any number of other small appliances.

                                            Testing the panels

                          Explaining all of the components in the kit

                           Volunteers manning the sign-in area

                                            Solar kit recipients

    A big thank you to all who donated, volunteered, and came out to receive the solar kits for your part in making this event so successful! Live Solar Kit Award Video  Nov. 6 2019

Railroad Pass Casino

   Railroad Pass Casino marks the southern end of the Las Vegas and Henderson sprawl and the beginning of open road through unpopulated desert. It’s also a good place for truckers and RVers to stop for the night.  Several large sections of the lot have been set aside for truck parking. RVers get a smaller section that has a slope. We parked in the most level space and still had to use our leveling blocks.

   We did not visit the casino. Casino 35.97148, -114.9113

Crozier Ranch Boondocking

   BLM land and private ranchland form a checkerboard pattern along historic 66 near Crozier, Arizona. At this location a dirt road accesses BLM land to both the north and south of Route 66. We camped on the south side. We didn’t go very far because we wanted to be sure that we stayed on BLM land.

   Each access point has a gate which must be kept closed. Since some of the land is private there are special rules that must be followed. Stop and sign in and take a hang tag for your vehicle.

                       This is a good, quiet spot to spend the night. The area is large enough for any RV but the soil is very dry and fine so avoid driving off road to minimize damage. BLM  35.45222, -113.62387

Twin Arrows Casino

   For years the Navajo Nation voted against building casinos on their lands, mostly out of moral conviction, however in 2013 the Twin Arrows became the first Navajo casino. There are now three more all on the edges of the reservation and close to major travel routes. This one is particularly popular because it’s only about 20 miles east of Flagstaff.

   Two small sections of parking lot on the east side of the casino have long spaces for RVs. The spaces are sloped so levelers are required in most of them. They also start filling up in late afternoon. Sign in is not necessary.

   The trip to the casino is uphill. The chairs are fairly easy to move and the money and ticket slots are easy to reach.  Casino 35.16684, -111.2558

New Mexico Mining Museum

   Uranium ore was discovered in western New Mexico in 1950 which made the small town of Grants, New Mexico a boomtown of sorts. Uranium was needed by the US government for nuclear weapon development until the 1970s when its main use was in power plants. Jobs in the mines and mills were easy to get and the pay was good. The workers did not realize that breathing in the dust, working in a radon saturated atmosphere, and drinking radioactively contaminated water would injure and sicken them and their families. Many miners died of lung cancer. Miscarriages and birth defects were common in families where the husband or wife worked in the uranium industry.

   The museum has good exhibits that give the facts in a non-committal way and gloss over problems such as the health of workers or the disposal of radioactive waste. The most interesting exhibit is a recreated uranium mine which takes up the entire basement level.

   The museum is accessible. An elevator provides access down to the “mine”. The main path through mine is paved and smooth.

   Small RVs will fit in the parking lot. Larger RVs can be parked along the alley by the park to the west of the museum. Museum  35.15356, -107.85425

Sky City Casino

  The gravel lot north of the hotel is marked for oversized parking but it’s far away from the casino entrance so we parked in an unused gravel lot south of the employee parking lot. Head across the lot to the employee entrance and follow the sidewalk to the left to get to the casino entrance.

   The chairs are fairly easy to move and the card and money slots are easy to reach. Casino  35.07546, -107.55426

Ohkay Casino

  The casino has a large gravel lot for truck parking. Since the casino wasn’t busy we parked in the paved lot just lot of the gravel lot to avoid most of the dust and truck noise.

   The nearest entrance door for the casino was blocked by construction barriers so a it was a bit of a hike to the front door. The casino has easy to move chairs. The card and money slots are easy to reach. Casino  36.03438, -106.06119