We rushed back to California to await the birth of Bev’s baby, and Enrico Joseph was born on February 2nd.  We spent the month enjoying his company and helping out parents whenever we could.  Paul even managed a quick visit to meet his new nephew.  But with the advent of March we hit the highways again– stopped in Manteca to visit relatives  and square danced a couple of weekends before visiting Ray’s family again in Arizona. 
 

The Grand Canyon

Warm April Arizona temperatures fooled us into thinking we could head north to enjoy some sights.  We visited cliff dwellings and Sedona, then got snowed on in Flagstaff (8 inches overnight).  Assurring ourselves that this was short-lived we forged on to the Grand Canyon which was its own breathtaking self but was really cold!  The temperatures made it possible for us to get a campsite within the park, and the crowds were quite manageable.  We hiked with gloves and scarves bundling us against the temperatures and had a great time.  After several days of these magnificent vistas, we decided to seek a warmer clime.

Lake Havasu and later Las Vegas warmed us up, and soon it was time to return to Phoenix to join Ray’s brother and wife in a trip to Rocky Point, Mexico on the Sea of Cortez.  This was the first time we ventured onto Mexican roads with our precious motorhome, so we were happy to be in a caravan of others enroute–you know, safety in numbers.  We camped on the beach with lots of other “beach bums” from America for a week.  Walks on the beach and excursions into the tiny Mexican town made for an eventful time.  Once back in Arizona the climbing temperatures of the desert told us it was time to head north for the National Parks we wanted to visit.