Grocery Shopping @ Bashas' in Chandler, Arizona

We need a few things &
drive to Bashas'.

While Eric shops, I walk

around the store & take

pictures.

I developed an interest in Supermarkets and Grocery Stores after I visited Piggly Wiggly in 2014.  Hy-Vee, Kroger, and Publix are my favorites.

The store has a large

assortment of wines 

& liquors.

Flowers welcome shoppers.

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

The Pharmacy & Health

Care Products 

Freshly cut Meats &
Seafood at the
Butcher Shop

This aisle has Grilling

Supplies, Cleaners...

Packaged Meats are set
out for shoppers.

Paper Towels & Lawn Chairs

are stored above the

Freezer Cases.

Fresh Eggs & Egg Substitutes
are displayed at the end of
an aisle...

... next to Frying Pans, at

the end of the Soda Aisle.

The Snack Food Aisle

Eric found the Pretzels

he's been looking for.

Spaghetti Sauce & Pastas

are in this aisle.

The Dairy Cases have
Yogurt, Cheeses &
Specialty Milk.






Soy, Almond, Oat Milk and others are in demand.

The Soup Aisle

Condiments, anyone?

Easy to prepare foods include

  Hormel & SPAM Canned Meats,

 Tuna, Dinty Moore Stews, Chef

 Boyardee Products....

This is a very nice display

area for impulse buys.

Spices & Baking Supplies

The Breakfast Food Aisle

Packaged Pastries, Honey,

 Peanut Butter & Jelly,

 Nutella...

Lunch Meats

The Bake Shop

The Deli Market slices
Lunch Meats to order &
has premade Sandwiches.

Greeting Cards

Pet Food

Stationery Supplies

Magazines & Books

Eric & I head to Checkouts where

we get a Bashas' Loyalty Card

to get some in-store savings.

Bashas' is a neighborhood store.  While Eric found the Pretzels he was looking for he didn't find other items on his list including Lundberg Rice.  For a larger selection across food choices, we need to shop at Albertsons or Fry's.

Boondocking in the Phoenix Area

Phoenix is the largest city in the Valley of the Sun.  Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler are part of "Greater Phoenix," population 4,192,887 (2010 US Census). 

Previously, we have found that larger cities restrict overnight RV parking.  Eric searched our overnight parking resources, including OvernightRVParking.com and Escapees Day's End Directory and found...






Eric found a place for us to
boondock near Gold Canyon.

Peralta Road ends & a

dirt road takes us to...

...the State Trust Land.

Eric bought a permit 
for us to stay here for
a week.





The road has washboarding and some ruts.  This sandy area is hard-packed and will support the weight of our motorhome.

I look forward to camping here,

with the Superstition

Mountains in our "backyard."

"The best-laid 'plans' of mice and men often go awry....."   With forecasted rain and threats of flooding in the Gold Canyon area, Eric and I looked for another place to boondock.

There are few welcoming options available in the Phoenix area on OvernightRVParking.com.

Wild Horse Pass Casino in
Chandler allows overnight
parking & has oversize parking
spots for trucks & RVs.






I prefer parking on pavement during heavy rain and possible flooding events.

After the rain Eric & I

see a vivid rainbow.

Believing that parking at a
Casino isn't free, we get
"Gambling Cards," lose
some money & eat at
the restaurants.





Eric and I were surprised to find a note on our windshield asking us to move to another Casino.  We spoke to staff and the parking policy limits stays to 24 hours.  Being a customer has no bearing on their policy.

On to Lone Butte Casino...

It's closeby so I follow
Eric in our car.

Visitors can win a truck.

I didn't look into the rules

for this prize.

Eric took this picture during
one of our walks around
Lone Butte Casino.






If we are in need of overnight camping again in the Phoenix area, we will go to the State Land Trust near Gold Canyon, weather permitting.   It's pretty and quieter because the dispersed camping sites pretty far apart.

South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona

South Mountain Park is

one of the largest

municipal parks in the

country (16,000 acres).

The Administration Buildings
are made of stone.

Wood is a precious commodity
in southern Arizona.





We start the five and a half-mile drive to Dobbin's Lookout.

Horse Trail Crossing

Ahead

Saguaro Cacti rise from
their Nurse Trees.

A shaded picnic area,

made of stone.

Share the road with bicyclists.

Everyone needs to be cautious
on this narrow road.

The road twists & turns

up the mountain.

                                                                                       The view from a mountainside pull-off.

I think the stone structure
was build for hikers.

There are lots of trails in
this park.

We will follow the road in

the distance to the peak.

Visitors & bicyclists

enjoy the view.

Vendors sell jewelry,

pottery in the 

parking lot.

The Civilian Conservation Corps

built the stone building at

Dobbin's Lookout.

This is the second-highest point in Phoenix. Camelback Mountain's peak is about 370 feet taller.  

                                          Looking north at the City of Phoenix.  It covers 517.7 square miles.  

Looking to my right I see

a Cairn.

Hikers pile up rocks to 

mark trails.

Eric takes photos with

his phone....

... including a selfie.

Looking down, I see a hiker

on a mountainside trail.

Our drive down the
mountain....

The car, on the right, is

following us.

We stop at a pull-off &
find a couple enjoying
the view.

The winding road is

carefully marked.

A Helicopter flying over
the park.

I hope no one's lost.

My last shot of Saguaro &

Prickly Pear Cacti.

South Mountain Park is beautiful!  Thank you Eric, for choosing today's drive.