'Nellie E Saloon' - aka the Desert Bar - near Parker, Ariz., worth a side trip

The ' Nellie E Saloon' (aka Desert Bar) is five miles down a windy, rocky and dusty dirt road and definitely worth the effort to get there.

This fine piece of history sits in the Buckskin Mountains, north of Parker, Arizona, on land that was an old mining camp. The bar was first opened in 1983, in a temporary three-sided structure. It lasted for five years until the current saloon was constructed. The name "Nellie E" originates from the old mining claim where prospectors mined copper and then took it to a smelter and hopefully got gold.

These days the 'gold' comes from the hundreds of people that make their way each weekend to this solar-powered oasis.

If you value your RV, do not take it down this road. Besides, there is no room to park it at the Nellie E. We did see one truck/camper.

Each Saturday and Sunday, October through March, depending on the weather there is live entertainment from 1-5 p.m. The Cell Phone Cowboys were performing the Saturday we made the five mile adventure on Cienega Springs Road.

Information:  
Nellie E Saloon / The Desert Bar
Hours: Open Labor Day weekend through Memorial Day weekend.
Saturdays and Sundays only from high noon till sunset.
The bar is closed during the hot summer months.
Refreshments: There is simple food for reasonable prices. We had a passable hamburger for $3. Both hard and soft drinks are available.
Url: www.thedesertbar.com
Directions: 5 miles north of Parker, Az. on Hwy 95. Take Cienega Springs Rd. east 5 miles, follow the traffic. The road ends at Nellie E's.
 Bring cash, no credit cards accepted.

During the President's Day weekend (Feb. 18,  2012), the Nellie E Saloon will host the annual "Desert Dash," a 5-mile walk, run or mountain bike trip out to the solar powered bar. Registration area is at Hwy 95 and Cienega Springs Rd., between 8:30-10 a.m. The "Dash" begins at 10 a.m. For more information telephone (928) 669-8954 or (928) 667-2829. For additional information on the "Dash" and other local fun happenings go to Parker Area Tourism.

Read more by Julianne Crane at RVWheelLife.com

Photos: Top: View from the terrace of The Desert Bar (solar panels line just about every roof-top space). Middle: Cell Phone Cowboys. Bottom: 1927 Oldsmobile, slightly rusted. Julianne Crane

A well-stocked day pack helps make hiking, biking safer and more enjoyable

One of the great things about traveling in an RV is that you can shop almost any place, at any time to enjoy what the territory has to offer.


A well-stocked day pack can be a lifesaver.

And if a particular mountain range or desert landscape attracts you enough, you can always lock up the RV at a rest area or park at a local campground and walk or cycle to explore your new surroundings.
Be sure, however, that you are physically capable to handle outdoor exercising like walking up and down hills and even mountains, or challenging the heat of a Death Valley or other heat challenging desert region.
 
A great way to make your walks, bike rides, and quick trips more enjoyable is to fashion a grab-and-go fanny or day pack. Fill it with the items you need or want and often forget, such as field guides (for identifying birds, wildlife and flowers), compact first aid kit, water bottle, binoculars, windbreaker-in-a-pouch, trail mix or snack bars, sun block, insect repellant, multi-tool pocket knife, small LED flashlight,  spare glasses, money, micro-fleece hand towel and mirror.

If you're in bear country, bring along a repellent and whistle to make noise in the woods. Bears shy away from humans whenever possible, but they don't like to be surprised, especially if they are traveling the woodlands with a cub or two in tow.

Keep the weight down as much as possible and you will be prepared for most anything that comes along.

A bridge that's not for you!

Some RVers are fascinated by bridges. They may take a week or so visiting covered bridges in New England. We knew one "retired" bridge engineer who made it a major point in this life to photograph as many unusual bridges he could find. While some bridges are "off limits" to pedestrian traffic--for obvious reasons, like oncoming trains--there is one bridge in Montana that's off limits to pedestrians and vehicles alike. Animals only, mate!

This "animal bridge" is over Highway 93 near Evaro, Montana on the Salish-Kootenai Indian Reservation. If you happen to know the local jargon, you'll find a lot of signs in this area written for non-English speakers. Somehow we doubt the local animals pay much attention to either the Native or English print, the bridge is their free pass across a busy highway that might otherwise spell, R-O-A-D-K-I-L-L.

photo: R&T DeMaris