The Slabs

On Dec 5, after about a 2hr drive south east, along the Salton Sea, I arrived at Niland, CA.

view of the Salton Sea from the highway

That is the town closest to Slab City, otherwise known as "The Slabs". Slab City was named after the concrete slabs that remain from the abandoned WW11 Marine barracks. Up to thousands of campers, many of them homeless or retired live here during the winter months. Fewer stay over the summer as temps may go up to 120F ( 48C). Campers include RV owners and squatters from all across North America and sometimes elsewhere.
The appeal for most people is that camping is free ( no taxes here) , a benefit for those on low incomes or on disability pensions. Others just want to live off the grid or snowbirds wanting to get away from the cold weather.
The site has no controls, no electricity, water, or sewers. There is no trash pick up. Supplies and services are available in Niland, about 4 mi from here.
The Slabs are like no other place I have experienced. When I drove in, the first scene that greeted me was " Salvation Mountain". It was created in 1984 by Leonard Knight as a monument to share his religious beliefs.

Salvation mountain has been named as a National Treasure. It was featured in the film "Into the Wild".
A short drive further, I had to turn onto a rough dirt road to get to the area the WIN group was camped. The whole area is open desert with tents, RVs, and makeshift  homes scattered around. 

" home sweet home" at one of the Slab city neighborhoods

Our camping area at Slab City

Many of the permanent residents have staked out their territory, often with some kind of fencing. Due to their limited funds, the residents have become very resourceful, making use of whatever they can find. Although firetrucks and police do respond to an emergency, people
often take care of their own problems, helping each other if needed. There is very little crime despite the possibility of some drug use or someone hiding from the police.

Someone's " back yard fence"
               

 I've felt safer here than in many places I've lived at. No one here would ignore a call for help.
People tend to respect each other.

Although most of the roads are quite
rough, there are some street signs,
like those at the major intersection in 
this photo.
There is art work throughout the 
community, some seeming rather strange but so is some of the art you see in city galleries.

I've been having some problems with my electrical system not producing enough electricity. One major drain is my furnace motor and I've been finding out about ceramic heaters which are much more efficient. Several RVers have shown me their systems. These ceramic heaters use no hydro but are directly connected to the propane tank. There are ceramic tiles that heat up resulting in a good amount of heat. In order to get one, I first had to have the lines and connectors installed, a very costly process if done at an RV service site. It happens that Wayne, who lives here, is an expert at installing these and has done it for many RVers. He is a delightfully unique character, well known in this area. I had to go get the parts and then, for a fee of $25 he installed them.I will be buying a small ceramic heater when I am in Yuma. Until then I can try another trick some RVers have told me about. You get a clay flowerpot and invert it over a burner on the stove. Within a few minutes, the flowerpot is hot and the burner can be turned off. The hot clay takes the edge off any cold air.
This method cannot be used overnight as it is dangerous to have a propane flame going for more than a few min within a confined space unless there's fresh air circulating.

Wayne installing the line for a ceramic heater

Yesterday, I had an appointment to have my batteries checked and advise from "Solar Mike" who is a retired Social worker and moved here with his wife many years ago. He set up his solar business and is well known by RVers.
My batteries were down due to having run my furnace during a few cold nights and had to be "equalized" ( a process of recharging them that takes about 8hrs.). I discussed my electrical needs and he advised more solar panels so 2 more panels got installed on my roof. During that time, I had the opportunity to explore an area of the Slabs I had not seen yet ( Slab City takes up about 1 sq mile). I discovered "East Jesus" where a community of artists live. The artwork was unusual but also interesting.

There is a hotspring about a mile from where we are camped. It is a wonderful feeling to start the day there and and chat with some of the residents. One man has been living here full-time for about 12 yrs. He loves the heat.
On the way to the hotspring, I noticed a home made of recycled materials as well as some campers and a few squatters camped along the way.

some squatters

A memorable tour was taken by our group a couple of days ago when we went to visit Bernie, living in an old abandoned sewer tank! The tenant before him had cleaned the tank, left behind by the military after the war.
There is an entry door cut into the side and he set up a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living area, including a ladder leading up to an opening in the roof. It was fascinating to see how he manages to live there year round, using a solar panel for electricity and having water delivered every 2 mos to fill a large tank he has for that. He uses propane for cooking.

The outside of many tanks in the area have been painted by various people.
This one on the side of Bernie's home
was done by an artist using only spray paint. How she got such beautiful detail is difficult to comprehend.
She also did some of the insides of old water tanks like this one:

The inside wall of a nearby tank

Last week there was a community meeting to discuss issues of living here. The problem is that the land belongs to the state of California and it is technically illegal for people to live here. Many are homeless and poor, not being able to afford to live anywhere else. The land is for sale. If a developer buys it, the people here may be evicted. If the community itself buys the land ( where would they get the money?) they may become regulated, require building permits, and pay taxes. It will be interesting to see what happens. Perhaps no one will want to buy land that sits on top of concrete slabs. The concrete has hardened over the years and would be extremely costly to remove. It is covered in sand and if you dig down about a foot you can feel it.

I've enjoyed my time here and plan to leave in 2 days to drive back to the Sleepy Hollow campground so I can get my dental work completed in Algodones.
It's a unique place like no other and worth experiencing.

A sculpture made of scrap cars, bicycles etc



"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
---T S Eliot


See you on my next adventure,

Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

 

Sand and water

Our camping area near Borrego Springs

Our desert experience was dry camping with no water or electric hook ups and no bathrooms or showers available in our camping area. We had to rely on our own water, have "navy showers" ( turn on shower to get wet, turn off shower, soap up, turn on shower to rinse, turn water off, which uses very little water), use propane for heat, and many people had solar panels for electricity which was often supplemented by generators.
The benefit of dry camping in the desert is that it is free but keeping track of propane, water, and sewage is critical when camping in the desert.


One day we drove to a point of interest that someone had seen.
In the desert were various rocks and when we arrived at a particular group of rocks, we were all astonished that rocks could look like a natural sculpture.
How they could develop to resemble an eagle so accurately is difficult to comprehend. Nature is truly marvelous!

The next day I got a ride with a friend to Agua Caliente, a desert hot springs in a county campground on the other side of the state park we were in. They charged only $3 for a day pass and it was heavenly to soak in their hot indoor pool and then go swimming in a cooler pool outside. To swim while surrounded by desert is a feeling like no other and after spending such a long time on arid land it was delightful to be immersed in water.

A large group of WINs left after that to drive about 1 1/2hrs north to Indio to park for free at a casino and stock up on supplies as well as get some city experience. Along the way, several of us stopped at Salton City to dump our tanks, refill with fresh water and get gas and propane. That gas station was doing fantastic business as it is the only one in that area and there were a large number of RV's heading home after the Thanksgiving week-end.The desert is a favourite playground for those with dirt bikes or ATVs ( all terrain vehicles).

along the road to Salton City

I wondered why they call that place Salton City as it has a pop of less than 4000!
It is at the Salton Sea, the largest lake in California at 15x35 mi. It's surface is 234 ft below sea level. It is salty and shallow and is directly on the San Andreas fault.
It was easy to find the casino on the outskirts of Indio and their parking lot was huge, enough space for all of our RV's. Our "rigs" come in all sizes with mine being one of the smaller ones at 24ft. There are many that are much longer "Class A"s and towing a car. Some also tow a small trailer for extra storage.

I parked beside Linda, a solo full-time RVer who is a retired radio announcer
and very interesting to talk to. As you can see, the large parking lot is very 
flat and sandy. The casino was happy to have us there (hoping some of us would spend a lot of money playing the machines.) 

Parked near the city meant we could get some shopping done or see a movie. Linda and I went to see "Brooklyn" which was very good. The city does have its advantages.

I met a few other WIN members from BC and Alberta, Canada. It's always a good feeling to meet other Canadians and share RV experiences. I got a ride with one of them to drive to Joshua Tree National Park which is fairly close to where we were camping. It was a real treat to see that park again after having camped there last winter and loved it. The western part of the park is the Mohave desert with elevations above 3000 ft. It is here where you can find the Joshua Trees. These are not real trees but rather a species of yucca. They can "grow over 40 feet tall~~at the leisurely rate of an inch a year" ( info from brochure).
The only wildlife we saw was what looked like a squirrel. Rattle snakes and scorpions are common but come out when the weather is hot. I have never seen either of those but I am always watching where I walk, just in case.

A gate at a museum

The eastern side of the park is below 3000ft elevation and is within the Colorado desert. It has different vegetation dominated by creosote bushes but you can also see ocotillo and cholla cactus there.
We drove across the park to the other side and were able to see the transition
from the Colorado to the Mojave deserts.
My favorite area is where all the mountains and piles of rocks are.They were formed by volcanic activity a long time ago, pushing magma up from deep in the earth. It cooled and cracked, forming large boulders. These eroded over time to form unusual shapes.

An oasis

Colorado desert area

rocks in the Mohave desert area of Joshua Tree park

A few days later,our group dispersed, some leaving to go off in various directions while many continued on to the next stop on their "Western winter circuit", to a unique place about an hour's drive south and on the east side of the Salton Sea. That place is called Slab City or " The Slabs" and I'm looking forward to seeing that area.It is not listed on the GPS but I got directions from someone.

In the meantime, I decided to follow Linda north to a campground in Desert Hot Springs to hook up for 2 days and do some swimming and that is where I am at present. The Caliente Springs resort honors Passport America which made it affordable. It is beautifully landscaped and has several pools of various temperatures, fed by hot springs in the area. 

The luxury of full hook ups

 and access to pools was a wonderful treat after dry camping in the desert. It was also necessary as I had been having some problems with my batteries not charging up well. I will need to get that sorted out soon but for now I am plugged in and my batteries have a chance to rest and charge from the sun. The nights are cold and I can plug in my small electric heater. The best part, however, is being able to swim or soak in one of the hot pools. I will be leaving tomorrow for Slab City and that will be a totally different experience.

I'll end with a desert scene.The photo was taken last year when I was camping at Joshua Tree park.

Joshua trees at sunset

                                           "The journey is the reward"
                                                           -- Chinese provhrs


             "A wilderness is an area where the earth and its community of life are
untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
                                                      -- Wilderness Act, 1964

Now, some trivia. ( these were sent to me by my friend Barry)
Did you know that:

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue

A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24hrs

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain

The cruise liner, QE 2, moves only 6 inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

Cheers,
Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com











                                     

          

Winning in California

It felt comfortable camping at the Sleepy Hollow campground just west of Yuma by the Mexican border.
Catching up with friends from last year was good and we exchanged many stories. We could hear  helicopters flying around and someone told me they were patrolling the border. It must be a headache for them to have so many people crossing over to Algodones, a town on the Mexican side, that people visit for inexpensive dental work. Many of the dentists have been trained in the US but set up practice there because the taxes and costs are much lower.These savings are passed on to their clients.
It's easy to cross into Mexico and about a 10 min walk from the campground.
Along with a steady stream of tourists, you simply walk through without having to show any ID. Once you get to the other side, you get all sorts of staff from dental clinics approaching you, offering good dental care. The town has a pop of about 5000 and is thriving because of all the tourists.

Besides numerous dentists, there are pharmacies and you can buy many prescription drugs over the counter and for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. You can get your eyes checked, get hearing aids, see a medical Dr, buy alcohol, and also various crafts. There are small cafes and bars to rest at or listen to music. It's a lively and fun place to explore and is very safe. 
Coming back into US takes longer since you have to go through a check point and show a passport. The line ups can be very long and could take up to 2hrs to get through.        

          There is a huge parking lot just before the border for tourists going over to Algodones. When I was there, the parking lot had many free spaces. I think people wait until after Thanksgiving or Christmas for traveling.

There are dental offices and pharmacies on every street and the streets are lined with crafts for sale. The Purple Pharmacy is a landmark.

I was going to make a dental appointment but discovered it would take more than one visit and I was not going to be there long enough so I'll wait until Dec when I'll be back in the Yuma area.

I continued my journey to Borrego Springs, CA. It meant stopping at a border check point and luckily the oranges I had bought were from California so I was able to keep them. I noticed a very big difference in gas prices, up to over $3/gal. 
Along the way I stopped at a store selling dates and had a delicious "date shake".
 (blended dates and ice cream).  
I soon reached Borrego Springs, a town in the desert and surrounded by the state park , finally catching up to the " WINs"(Wanderers Independent Network). They are a great group of RVers, most of whom are solo travelers and live in their RV's full-time as I am doing. A member can tour with them all year or just join them in various places and enjoy many activities such as hiking, kayaking, lectures, dancing, etc. I was surprised to see so many members present when I arrived and was greeted with hugs from everyone I met.
Every day there are options for rides to various points of interest, people with cars offering to drive. I get to see places I wouldn't be able to drive to with my RV, such as some "badlands" that had a rough, sandy road leading there.

We went there to watch the sunset and full moon rise. It was a wonderful experience. Another day we drove to Julian, a town famous for its apple pies and quaint little shops. The drive across the mountain pass would not be possible with a large RV. The higher altitude was noticeable with the drop in temp but there was no snow.
Borrego Springs is an interesting town in the northern part of the Anza-Borrego State Park which is the largest state park in California and is mostly wilderness.
We did see some orange groves and date palms.We didn't see any of the bighorn sheep that roam in the park.

Oranges




A major attraction in the area, are the
interesting metal sculptures created by Ricardo Breceba ( a self taught metal works artist)
after being commissioned by philanthropist Dennis Avery ( of Avery labels). Mr Avery bought several pieces of land and had the sculptures erected on that land. Now, tourists travel from all over to see them. The detail is incredible.

Thansgiving dinner was truly a thankful feast with
close to 80 participants. The main food was ordered from town and everyone contributed the rest. We set up tables at our camping area in the desert and had our feast under the warm sun. It felt like a family dinner
and it was fun to share our stories.

We will be here a week, then move on to Indio, CA to
park for free at their casino and do some shopping or explore the area. I'm going to leave the group for a couple of days to visit a campground that has a hot spring and also swimming pool as I long to do some swimming after all this time in the desert. It's only 10 miles further and I can catch up to them again after that.
It's  great to be able to weave in and out of a group of traveling RVers and to stay as long as I want.
I will stop this blog now as several of us are going out dancing in town tonight.Life is good!

"You may only be someone in the world, but to someone else, you may be the world."
---Enrich Fried, German poet


This was a sign seen in the desert:

Be grateful and happy


Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail. com

Delights and terror

On the way south to Tucson, I stopped for a couple of days at Picacho Peak State Park, a lovely area with good hiking trails and a place that I had experienced last winter.

Still in the Senoran desert, the saguaro cacti (pronounced sawarow) dotted the countryside. They can be very tall and sometimes with several "arms". It takes about 75 yrs before the first arm developes. The campground was very good, with showers and electric hook up which is always a treat. Because of relying on my solar panels for electricity, I am quite limited. That is something I want to look into and could probably boost my power with an extra couple of batteries. The problem is, where to install them given my limited storage space.
I'll consult with " Solar Bill" when I get to Quartzsite.

On Nov 13, I drove to Tucson and did some errands. The first stop was at a Ford dealer for an oil change. As I was a drop-in with no appointment, I had to wait for about 3 hrs. They will always make time for an RVer passing through.
Their waiting lounge was a real delight with comfortable couches, a snack bar, and free WiFi. The time went by quickly and my MOHO was good for the road again. I may need to get 2 new tires at the next service check. 
After I left there, I visited "The Bicycle Ranch" and finally got myself a good hybrid bicycle along with a rack for the back of my RV.The service was excellent and "Russell" spent some time with me making sure I got the right bicycle for what I needed. He also gave me a good deal and installed the rack for me.
I've waited a long time to get a good bicycle and driving it is a real pleasure.
After getting some groceries, I drove about 40 min to the Gilbert Ray campground in the Tucson mountain park. I was there last winter and found it to be one of my favourite places to camp.

view from my campsite

ocotillo cactus

saguaro cactus

While at that park, I met Diane who is from Texas and travelling on her own with her cat and pulling a small trailer. She invited me to go into the city the next day for some supplies and it was a fun day. While she went off to shop, she dropped me off at the Museum of Miniatures.

 

I found out that most miniatures are done to the scale of 1:12 , exactly replicating life size scenes but some, such as these houses, are 1:144.
It was a delight to see such intricate work and I marvelled at the patience of the artists.


We took a more scenic route back to the campground and shared RV stories including the challenges of driving in remote places on your own. We had both seen the movie of the man stuck in some rocks in the desert and, in order to survive, had to cut off his arm so he could get away for help. It gave me the shivers to think about that!

There was heavy rain on and off throughout the day and I was concerned about having left my awning out. It's not good to roll it up when wet.
The sun did come out and things dried up, so after dinner, I decided to rush outside to roll up the awning in case more rain was on the way.
 By this time it was dark and getting to be quite cold but it would take only a few minutes.
One side of the awning seemed stuck so I went over to give it a push with my left hand. It snapped shut, locking into place with my hand crushed between 2 pieces of metal! There was no way I could wiggle it free and I realized I was in trouble. Luckily there were campers nearby so I called for help. No one came came! Maybe they were watching TV and couldn't hear me? I decided to be brave and start screaming. You should have heard those blood curdling screams! I could get a role in a horror show! Still, no one showed up and I began to panic as  I could see my finger tips turning blue. What if I lose my fingers? It didn't help much that we had just talked about that man who got his arm caught in a rock while in the desert!
More screaming, for what seemed like an eternity. Why is no one responding?
Finally, I saw 2 men walking very slowly towards me and called for them to hurry. They asked if I was on my own and when they realized no one else was there, rushed to help release the mechanism. Being able to remove my hand was incredibly liberating and I rushed over to run cold water on it.
I was able to move my fingers and there were no cuts, My hand seemed OK except some deep grooves from the metal edges and bruising on my thumb.
By this time more people arrived. One person said she heard me call for help but didn't want to get involved. Another said she heard me scream for a long time and thought there was a woman being raped but did not take any action. One person said she finally decided to drive over with her gun, wondering if she would need it. No one called 911. It was shocking and very sad.
Someone suggested I go get an X-ray but I knew nothing was broken.
Another person gave me some ice and suggested I take some ibuprofen which I had .They all left after that and I was shaking on and off all night. 
The ice and pain meds helped but the pain in my heart was far more intense.
I felt shocked that it took so long before anyone would come for help even though many people heard me calling and screaming. What has happened to people? I realized that many in the US live in fear. Many carry guns.
It's very, very sad and I experienced some loss of my belief in people's kindness.
I felt deeply disappointed and wept for a long but I also felt intense gratitude that my hand was going to be all right. 
Reality isn't always roses. Despite my knowledge of the importance of staying focused on the present and dealing with it, I had panicked. Perhaps if no one had come at all, I would have been able to calm myself down and come up with a strategy for survival or......allow myself to let go, feel gratitude for my life, and float into the unknown.

I left there the next day and drove about 3 hrs south west to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Park which borders on Mexico. It was a lovely park and I spent 3 days cycling , hiking and relaxing.One evening, as I was walking near my site, I saw a coyote wandering by me. It just looked at me and kept walking. I've never seen one that close!
My hand still hurt a bit and my thumb remained quite bruised but mostly, I felt gratitude and also compassion for the people that live in such fear they feel the need to carry a gun.

This park is the only place in the US where you can see large stands of Organ Pipe Cactus.
While at that park, I met a very nice couple, Jim and Gina, who are also full timers. I noticed that I was not getting any power from my solar panels and Jim helped me fix a connection that had become undone, explaining many things to me. My faith in humanity was restored!

The weather remained beautiful and warm  as I left there to drive to Yuma.
Along the way I had to pass by 2 check points. They have these set up along the border of Mexico, looking for people trying to come into the US illegally as well as any illegal drugs. The guards were friendly and polite.
By this time it was getting late despite it being only a 3 hr drive and I parked at a rest stop for the night, sandwiched between 2 large semis!

It is now Nov 19 and I drove on to Yuma to get some supplies and fill up with gas which was an excellent price at $1.99/gal. After that,it was a short drive to the Sleepy Hollow campground in Winterhaven where I had stayed last winter. It is right at the Mexican border and within walking distance of Algodones, Mexico where so many people get dental work done and where I have an appointment in a few days. The campground is "rustic" and only $50/week for dry camping and with showers, water, a dump stn and a laundry room. 
I was greeted by some of the same people I saw here last year and it felt like a homecoming.



Delights and terror. If life had no darkness, we would not appreciate the light.
A painting with only light areas isn't nearly as interesting as one with some dark patches. What would happen with black and white photos if there was no black?
Life is a beautiful tapestry!

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving."
                                                               --- Lao Tzu

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing."
"Growing older is mandatory, growing up is optional."
                                                  --- found on Quora ( www.Quora.com)

Enjoy the delights that life offers

Maria

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

The Grand Staircase into Arizona

The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument covers 1.9 million acres and is next to the Bryce Canyon, flowing from southern Utah into Arizona. The name comes from several mountain ranges gradually descending in altitude.
I could see the mountains on the east side of the highway and flat desert on the other side as I drove south into Arizona. There was quite a bit of traffic and a long hold up due to construction.

On Nov 6, as I was driving southward, I passed by Lake Powell. The lake is a reservoir, created by the Glen Canyon dam along the Colorado River.

Shortly after crossing the bridge over the canyon, I arrived in Page, AZ where I discovered a Walmart to stay that night. To my delight, I also found out that I had arrived there on the week-end of the yearly hot air balloon festival and that they would have a display in the Walmart parking lot that night. I was able to help a bit and got a chance to sit in the basket while learning more about this unusual hobby. It is a very costly hobby, according to a woman pilot I spoke to. She and her husband own a small balloon costing them about $60,000 for the balloon (made of nylon) and equipment. She told me they had to take ground school and flyng lessons similar to that of airplane pilots. They also had a truck and trailer to carry the equipment and a crew of 3 others.
I noticed their balloon had a Walmart and Coca cola logo on it and think that they must get some money from those sponsors.
Getting a balloon ready for flying is a fair bit of work. First, the balloon is laid out on the ground, then using 2 powerful fans it is slowly filled with air while 2-3 crew hang on to it with ropes , and a couple of peolpe sit in the basket to keep it from flying away. Once it is filled enough, the pilot lights the propane fire on and off just enough to make it rise but not take off. It's a tricky balance. When all is ready, they can increase the flame, cast off the ropes and fly.
At  Walmart that night, they just stayed on the ground.
The next morning I got up early to watch dozens of balloons take off. The sponsors got to go for a ride. I longed to go too as have always wanted to have that experience. It will have to stay on my bucket list for now!

Blowing air into a balloon using 2 powerful fans

That night they had their light up event. I drove downtown early and was able to find a parking spot  at a shopping centre. The main street was closed off and lined with all sorts of booths selling food, clothing, or crafts. The atmosphere was very festive and I remembered that while I was doing so much driving in remote areas I had wished for more people. Here I was, the streets packed with people!
As soon as it got dark, the pilots and their crews laid out their balloons all along the main street. You could watch them filling the balloons with air then lighting the fires on and off to keep them from flying away .It was magical.

The next day, they were flying again, this time taking the crew for a ride.
I drove on , south to Flagstaff and found out they did not allow RV parking overnight. Evidently, some of the local campgrounds got upset that they were losing too much business from Walmart.
So, I ended up parking at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and being welcomed to stay there that night. 
I had heard of a concert in Flagstaff that night and decided to go. It was at the Coconino Arts Center with Brazilian musicians, singers and dancers. The center was small and the tickets only $10 but what a fabulous concert! As a finale, they invited the audience to dance with them and it was fun to dance to the sound of singing and drumming.
It was below freezing that night with some snow on the sides of the road. I was happy to have my furnace! The reason for such cold weather is that the area is at a high altitude. 
The next day, it felt good to be driving mostly downhill to Phoenix which is much warmer. From an elevation of  7000 ft to almost sea level meant  travelling from snow on the side of the road to T-shirt weather and palm trees!
Phoenix is a major city with a population of more than 1.5 million within the city. Driving was a huge challenge after the quiet roads I had been on. The expressways were congested, people cutting in and out and most driving faster than the speed limit. I kept reminding myself to stay calm,breathe ,and tell myself "I can do this!" Once again I parked at a Cracker B restaurant.
I spent a couple of days in Phoenix exploring some of their wonderful museums.
First, I spent the morning at the Musical Instrument Museum. 
What an amazing place, filled with all sorts of musical instruments, many I had never seen before. I heard music from countries and cultures I didn't even know existed. It's sad we don't learn more about these interesting cultures in our school system.

After that treat, I stopped to wander around the Desert Botanical Garden, a delight for the senses. An unexpected sight was a sculpture by Dale Chihuly who works with glass and is one of my favourite artists.

His glassworks fit in well with natural environments.

I've been continually surprised by how
desert there is in the US, all in the west.
The Sonoran desert is just one of four deserts there.

It's always interesting to see how so many different types of plants evolve according to the climate of an area.



After parking overnight in another Cracker Barrel restaurant , I visited one more centre and that was the Phoenix Art Museum. I decided not to see the whole display as that has been my tendency in art galleries which has resulted in not remembering much about it. I learned this valuable lesson many years ago when I had an afternoon to visit the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. I asked for a map and was going to do start at the top and work my way down when they advised me to take the tour which was about to begin. I will never forget that tour. During the tour, we focused on 5 paintings, each from a different period! We did see others nearby but the majority of time was spent discussing the specific paintings. I have never forgotten those paintings.
I remember that experience whenever I am tempted to want to see everything, rushing around.
And so, while at the Phoenix Art Museum, I focused on the display of miniature rooms by N. Thorns (1882-1966).

Everything in the rooms is made to exact scale and to the finest detail. The photos were taken through glass. What intricate artistry this is!

I did admire the glass sculpture in the lobby:

I Left Phoenix the next morning for the 2 hr drive south to Tuscon, and that is a whole other story!

"Stop trying to find a ladder that will reach the sky.

Stay still and the sky will touch you."

---from "Notes from the Song of Life" by Tolbert McCarroll

"There is no zest like that of exploration, no longing like that for desert places, no call like that of the unknown."

--- Clyde Kluckhohn "Beyond the Rainbow", 1933

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