Deserts, rocks, and ?Whales

Hello from California!
Just a brief blog as I had most of my blog written and then lost it all!
I left Quartzsite on Feb 7 and drove to the California border where i had to stop and declare any citrus fruit. I happened to have a whole bag full of freshly picked oranges that someone had given me, as well as some limes and lemons!
The border guard told me those were not allowed due to concerns about diseases carried by the peels. I asked if I could take them if I peeled them and he allowed that, so I spent a messy 1/2hr peeling fruit and then handed him the peels!
The drive to Joshua Tree National Park was few hours through more desert and little traffic.
I was unable to camp in the park as all sites were taken (week-end) and had to go to the RV resort nearby. Despite the high cost, it was  a treat to have hook ups, shower, and a heavenly swim in their heated indoor pool!
The next day, I couldn't wait to leave as it was like RV city with little space.
I managed to get a site at the park and it was wonderful being there!

Joshua trees come in all sizes and shapes!

Belle campground

My campsite at Belle Campground

View from my campsite

Camping there was fun as I met many great people and went for hikes daily.
Dry camping for 9 days with no services (except one toilet but no water) was a challenge and I was very sparing with my electric and water use. I checked my gauges daily and learned about electricity . I have 2 solar panels and now know ohm's law which is volts x amps = watts !I still don't fully understand it but am getting better at it.
The library is closing in a few minutes so I'll send a few photos of  the rocky "Whales" !

They really look like whales!!
And some more rocks:

And one last one:

More next time!

"It isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out.
It's the grain of sand in your shoe." (author unknown)

Quartzsite and beyond

Camping at BLM in Quartzsite

Quartzsite, Arizona is a mecca for many RVers.

It began as a town of about 3-4000 in the desert, north of Yuma and close to the California border. Now thousands of RVers gather here, some passing through but most staying for weeks or months. A few weeks ago at a mineral and gem show, someone told me there were more than 200,000 RV's there!

Desert near Quartzsite

When you first approach 
Quartzsite, you wonder where all those RV's are since all I could see was 
desert, sand, some bushes and mountains in the distance. Then I began to see RV's scattered in the desert and this increased as I got into town where there are numerous RV parks. Some of those were so packed in , you could just see a small space between them. The town is set up for RVers with many RV sales and services. There was also an "RV Pit Stop" where you could fill up with propane, use the dump station, get water and some RV supplies, all at a cost of course. It would have cost me around  $20 to dump and fill my water tank so I decided to get it later after leaving since I was still OK. 

One of many flea markets on the Main Street

Sign on courthouse door!!

The main Street of Quartzsite
The town had everything you could possibly want including many stores, bakery, gas stations, shower and laundry facilities and fast food places.
There were RV's in sight everywhere.

I then drove to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management ) sites of which there were several. They are owned by govt and people can dry camp there for up to 2 weeks for free or for long term for a fee (can't remember amount but is very little)
There are no services and you just drive to any place in the area that suits. A lot of travelers stay there and I loved it! ( hard to explain that!)
While at Quartzsite, I went to "Solar Bill's" to check into another solar panel.He's the solar guru and was extremely helpful giving me much useful advice and helping me choose the right panel (not the most expensive, and I got a good deal!)
Since I dry camp so much and I don't have a generator, this makes a huge difference in providing me enough electricity for all I need)
I also visited a library to catch up on e-mail and chuckled when I saw I had to walk through the courtroom to get to it!
Oops, got my blog messed up I think!
After Quartzsite, I drove on to California. It will be a while before you hear about my adventures here as I'll have no services for 2-3 weeks while dry camping.

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear , but the triumph over it." (Nelson Mandela)

An RVing family

Camping at Yuma has been a very nice experience and after 2 weeks there, I felt I was a part of a family

Sleepy Hollow RV park

The RV park is a few minutes' walk from the Mexican border. Some people (many from Washington, Oregon, and BC) stay here for the whole winter while others come for a few days to get dental work done in Los Algodones.
The RV park has many sites 
with hook-ups but there are 2 areas for those of us who prefer to do dry camping (no electric or water at the site) and that's where I stayed.
since there were shower and laundry facilities for us to use, it was much less expensive to stay in this area ($110/month).
There was also free camping in various areas of the desert but I wanted to be amongst a group of people.
The area I was in had a strong community of people who looked after each other and were always ready to help if needed. Most of the women let their husbands take care of the RV maintenance so there was quite a stir when they saw me on top of my roof applying cleaner and RV protector!
I did have some problems with one of my batteries and within minutes I had several men giving me advice, each with a different solution eg "12 volt batteries aren't as good, I use only 6's," etc.It was fun. I felt totally safe there.
Every night there was a bonfire where people gathered to share stories or play music.
Last Sunday, we got together for a potluck Super Bowl party at the community centre. It was the first football game I've watched and actually found it exciting! ( some of my friends will find that hard to believe!) 
During my time at the camp, I went over to Mexico a few times for dental work and also got my eyes checked and new glasses.
Everything is dry and dusty.

A busy street in Los Algodones

In Arizona, the average rainfall ranges from from less than 
3 in in the deserts to more than 30in in the mountains.
I have needed to sweep out my RV every day due to some sand getting blown in through the screen door at times.
A few days ago I went on a hike in the hills behind our campground.The views were impressive and the warm sun felt good. The paths were rather rocky and I was glad I wore my hiking boots and took my hiking poles for stability.

The river seen in the left photo is the Colorado river.

Tonight I'll stay at the parking lot of the casino here in Yuma (I'm at the library right now) and then continue on to Quartzsite tomorrow.


"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare , it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." (Lucius Annaeus seneca)

And here is what happened when a fisherman went to court,charged with catching a fish not in legal length.
He swore to to tell "The Trout, the whole trout and nothing but the trout so help me cod"

Deserts and Dentists

Early morning at the Sonoran desert

In my last blog, I mentioned visiting Biosphere 2 after leaving Gilbert Ray State Park in the Sonoran desert near Tuscon AZ.
The 1/2 hr drive NE of Tuscon was well worth it.




According to Time Life books, Biosphere 2 is called "one of the 50 must-see wonders of the world". It was created "to better understand how natural environments generate conditions appropriate for life".Construction began in 1986 .
In 1991, 8 people including scientists and a medical Dr, entered the Biosphere for a 2 yr research study. They were sealed in and lived completely self-sufficiently, recycling the air, water, and waste as well as growing their own food.

Biosphere 2

Electricity was supplied by solar panels.
They cooked, did research work, monitored the various pieces of equipment and were in touch with the outside world regularly. 

It is called Biosphere 2 because the earth is Biosphere 1.
Another smaller group  entered in 1994 but had to come out after  only 6 1/2mos due to lack of funding.
The biosphere encloses 3.14 acres and includes various areas for research including an energy center, an "ocean", rainforest, and farm area.
It was fascinating!
The Biosphere was gifted to the University of Arizona in 2011 is continuing to manage the facility. Daily public tours are offered.

Rainforest in Biosphere 2

I left Biosphere 2 to drive to Picacho State Park, NW of Tuscon, where I stayed for 2 days. It was a wonderful place (except for traffic noise) right on Hway 10 with some great hiking trails.

On Jan 19, I drove a few hrs on to Yuma and spent a night in the parking lot at a casino there. There were dozens of motorhomes there and no definite limit to how long you could stay there for free (although they would probably say something if they saw you there for weeks). Most people were there for the free parking, some for playing at the casino, and many on their way to get dental work done in Los Algodones, Mexico which was a few km away. I had made a dental appointment there and drove closer to the border to an RV park "Sleepy Hollow" from which I could walk.
Sleepy Hollow is very handy. It appears a but run down but has a good community spirit, particularly in the "dry camping" area (no hook ups but a dump station, showers, laundromat, and water available. At $50/week or $110/month, it was a really good bargain. The dry camp area has its own community, many of whom live there for the whole winter. They gather every night for a bonfire, music and sharing stories. They look after each other and it feels safe and comfortable.
After checking in , one of the campers gave me a ride on a motorcycle to the border as I was a bit late. That was a thrill!
Crossing the border was easy as you can just walk through with no need to show a passport (you have to show it on the way back). A worker at the dental clinic met me and took me to the Alamo clinic. It looked like a modern clinic and the people were friendly. The check up and regular X-rays were free. Because of some dental problems, I have had trouble chewing. The dentist advised that I needed to have 4 teeth out then wear a retainer for a while then get implants or a partial. An appointment was made for me to see a dental surgeon.
I left there super stressed and didn't feel good about it.
The next day i met a camper who told me of a very good dentist he has gone to for many years and trusts him so I cancelled my appointment with the surgeon and visited this other clinic for a second opinion.
The Escobedo clinic was much better. It was clean, modern and the dentist spent time explaining to me that they do everything they can to preserve teeth. He told me my teeth were quite good and that some crowns and an implant would be the best solution. I returned to have some of that work done and will almost be done next week (except to come back in a year to complete the implant) .Dr Franco was very good and kind and my fears disappeared. The costs are considerably less than in Canada and now I wish I had come here years ago. A crown is about $300.

 Thousands of tourists come through this border. There are over 400 dentists, many optometrists, lots of pharmacies and liquor stores.
You can also get hearing aids and the streets are lined with shops selling jewellery or souvenirs. You can hear music

 and the streets are filled with tourists from all over but mostly US and Canada.
Going across the border back to US takes longer. The line-ups are huge and it can take over an hour to get through. You have to show your passport and sometimes hundreds go through at any time.
You can also buy many drugs without any Prescription such as amoxicillin 500mg and 100 for $4.00.

The library is about to close. The next blog may not be for a while. all is well!

"Not all those who wander are lost" (J.R.R. Tolkien)

"Happiness is not a destination; it is the attitude with which you choose to travel." ( Amrit Desai)

The Lure of the Desert

Just before leaving Tombstone, I met a wonderful 80 something  year old lady going by the name of Miss America who works part time at the visitor's centre. She told me that so far she has never met anyone called America.

I left there and boondocked at a Cracker Barrel restaurant just north of Tuscon. From there I visited the PIMA Air and Space Museum

Hundreds of planes including the small "Starr Bumble Bee" 1984 which was the smallest  

aircraft ever flown until then. 

9'4"long by 6'6" wingspan.

Bumblebee

And this 52 bomber.

Most of the museum consisted of planes used during the war .
The "Glory"?? of war
I much preferred the bumble bee!

After leaving there it was a fun drive up the steep and curvy mountain road (getting used to that now!) to the Sonora desert.

What an awe inspiring area! 

On the way to the campground, I stopped at the Old Tuscon movie theatre.  It was fun to see the sets where so many westerns and TV series have been filmed including several episodes of Bonanza and Ponderosa.

My friend Janice told me I couldn't properly see the west unless I went horse back riding. This one's for you, Janice!

We were given a performance of various stunts at this old mission
































A re-enactment of a shoot-out.
After a fun few hours, I continued just down the road to the Gilbert Ray State Park where I would spend a few days. It was wonderful to be camping next to some Saguaro cacti (pronounced sawaro). These grow only in the Sonoran desert which extends to the Baja peninsula. They grow to about 75-80 yrs old before they begin to grow arms for balance.

A invigorating mountain hike

I met a very nice man camped next to me who was from Alaska and wanted to hike as well so I was happy not go on my own
4hrs into the mountains.

What is it about the desert that is so appealing??
It is a little bit like the arctic (except for the temperature!) in that there are vast distances where you can see no signs of human habitation. A result of that is it's deep stillness. It is so magnificent, I sometimes find I hold my breath, not wanting to disturb the silence.
Because of the lack of light pollution, the night sky is filled with more visible stars than many other places and I am often filled with awe.
There are no distractions from being completely with yourself and that feels safe and relaxing. The troubles of the world are far away. It is a place of peace.
The desert is an incredible gift.

During my time at the campground, I spent a day visiting the nearby Sonoran Desert Museum, one of the top 10 museums in the US. The 98 acre museum is mostly outside with 2 miles of walking paths through various desert habitats.

Stroking a king coral snake

Barrel cactus in bloom

Organ pipe cactus

On Jan 17 I left the campground to drive to the Biosphere 2 which was a bit out of the way but I wanted to see it as have been curious about it for years.It is considered to be "one of the 50 must see wonders of the world" (Time Life books)
Construction began in 1986 to "research and develop self-sustaining space-colonization technology". In 1991, 8 scientists entered the biosphere and were sealed in to live there for 2 years, totally self sufficient. They grew crops for food, recycled the air and waste and did research. Electricity was supplied by solar panels. Another group  entered in 1993 but could stay only a few months because the research funds ran out. A lot was learned from that experiment and research continues today.
Oh Dear, the internet is acting up (I'm at McDonald's) .
I'm actually in Yuma now but have a few more things to write about until now.

A couple of quotes:


"Someday all you'll have to light your way will be a single ray of hope- and that will be enough" (Kobi Yamada)

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways , chocolate in one hand, milkshake in the other, body thoroughly used up , totally worn out and screaming WOOHOO, what a ride!" (source unknown)

Please excuse if the layout doesn't print the right way. A computer whiz I'm not!

whyknot : One tough dude!

Well , here I am in Tombstone, Arizona!
The journey here was long but interesting as I left the mountains of New Mexico a few days ago.
It was hard to say good-bye to my friends there but I was eager to continue my journey and head to a warmer climate.
It felt good to get back into my RV although I had many concerns about the freezing weather it has been sitting in for 2 weeks. After shoveling off about 10in of snow from the roof, the engine started right away. My fridge wouldn't work and I didn't want to test the tanks or water pumps for leaks until I got to a warmer place.
The drive that usually takes about 1 1/2 hrs took me almost 
3 hrs due to having to drive extremely slowly. It was a beautiful sunny day but the narrow road was very steep and curvy with some ice patches and no guard rails..Yikes!...whyknot handled it very well and kept me safe, driving in low gear.
It was a relief to get to Silver City and my appointment for an oil change. Everything was great with the truck but I would have to visit an RV service center to check out the water lines and fridge.

Camping at Rose Valley RV Ranch was a treat, having full hook ups and wifi. I filled and drained the tanks a few times and was amazed that there were no signs of leaks! Even the pumps worked. Then I tried the fridge and yes, it worked too, sounding quieter than before. A miracle!

With "Pedro" at Rose Valley RV ranch
The managers of the campground were very helpful and it was fun  meeting "Pedro" who is a mannequin and permanent fixture at the office!! 
After a good sleep, I discovered that the freezing weather did have an impact after all. I had left my US cell phone and also my in line water filter in the RV during the freezing weather and both stopped working. Walmart to the rescue to get another phone for $10 and keep the same number and then to an Ace store to get a new filter for about $30 ,so I was grateful that was all I had to deal with.          
My RV is definitely one tough dude!!
There were a few patches of snow in Silver City but it            felt warmer and it stayed above freezing. 
                   The next day, I continued towards Tuscon. The road became very flat and all I could see was desert with some mountains on the horizon. There was little traffic and rarely any sign of civilization except the road and telephone poles.
    As I got closer to the mountains, I stopped at "The Texas Canyon" rest stop. The mountains and rocks in that area were truly amazing.   The traffic was heavier as I was now on the major I-10 highway which heads all across the southern US.     

Someone I met at the rest stop told me about Tombstone which was worth seeing so I decided to go there first. It was on #80 and about 1/2hr SE of Benson. I stopped to ask about RV parks and found a very good one just across the street from "The OK corral " where the famous gunfight took place in 1881.

Allen street close to the OK corral

According to the info I read, "Police chief Virgil Earp deputized brothers Wyatt and Morgan Earp and Doc Holliday to help him disarm the cowboys who were waiting to confront Doc. A rapid shootout occurred with about 30 shots fired in 30 seconds, resulting in the 3 cowboys being killed. Both Virgil and Morgan Earp were badly wounded (but survived) and Doc Holliday suffered a superficial hip wound.Only Wyatt walked away unscathed."

One of the gunfight re-enactments

Tombstone has become quite a tourist attraction.Allen St is closed to traffic and you can take a stagecoach ride, go shopping for souvenirs or western clothing, buy art, go on a ghost walk or visit some the old saloons and restaurants.
One famous (or is it infamous??) attraction is the old "Bird Cage Theatre"which was the most famous Honky-Tonk in America, 1881-1889. This "lusty-den of iniquity" was also one of the wildest, experiencing many gunfights. Numerous bullet holes can still be seen in the ceilings and walls.
"The Birdcage was named for the 14 bird cage crib compartments that are self suspended from the ceiling overhanging the gambling casino and dance hall. It was here that the ladies of the night plied their trade" (from brochure)
                                                          

Bird cage Theatre

Dress seen in shop window

Many people claim to have seen ghosts in this
building but I didn't see any.
The theatre offers nighttime historic ghost tours which I haven't gone on. Most shows and buildings charge a fee and I'm sure the town does very well.

original old movie poster

Tomorrow I'll leave here to continue on to Tuscon for a few days.
I've made an appointment at a Mexican dental clinic in 10 days. It's  a state of the art clinic catering to tourists and is just across the border at Yuma which I'll be heading to after Tuscon. My friend Win told me about it as she knows someone that has been there a few times. The prices are much lower than those in Canada.

I've also been very grateful for the low gas prices (I paid $1.99/gallon last fill-up!!! ). It offsets the low Canadian $  resulting in having to pay an extra 18% or more for everything.

With the main actors of a re-enactment I saw. Doc Holliday is the one with the red vest

The weather here is wonderfully warm and I was finally able to walk around in my T-shirt and sandals again today. It is still in the 40's F at night.

A couple of nights ago, I thought it was raining. I looked out and there were quite a few birds running around on my roof!

What will tomorrow bring?

Some quotes:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" (Ghandi)

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear- not absence of fear." (Mark Twain)

"We are the universe becoming aware of itself" (Thomas Berry)

And a story (from the "Coffee News", Sept 24/14)

"A car rental company in Sursee, Switzerland rents out some of its vehicles for an unusual reason- to act as a security system for homeowners. Some vehicles in the company's fleet were painted to look like police cars and vacationing homeowners can have one left in their driveway so that it appears that a cop lives there.....Renters pay for the service and the cars are delivered on a truck because it is illegal for the general public to drive a police car."

whyknot a snowbird?

New Years came with a snowstorm! 
My snowshoes would have been more useful here than my shorts!
Here in the mountains of southern New Mexico, snow is not unusual given we are at 6800ft elevation but this year there has been an unusual amount of snow and cold weather. Even southern California experienced a snowstorm.
The forecast is for warmer weather and the days are quite warm and sunny.

This area is well known for the Gila Cave dwellings, just about 4 miles drive from here then another mile on the trail up to the cliffs. 

 

I plan to leave here Jan 7 to drive the steep windy road to Silver City, about 40 mi south west of here and takes about 

1 1/2 hrs to drive. That plan will change if the road isn't clear.

In the city, I will get my RV serviced and checked then continue west to Tuscon, Arizona and warmer weather. After that, probably head to California. 

I'm loving the freedom of just going where each day leads me.

Staying here in the mountains has been a different type of experience, having so much time to myself ( except for their cat Callie who has become a good friend) in the stillness with no TV or internet (I walk over to my friends' place for that as well as being invited to have dinner with them).

Sometimes it's uncomfortable to have so much stillness yet, overall it's been fascinating. I noticed I'm becoming much more accepting of whatever the day brings and more relaxed about life in general.

 "All life is a dream not because it isn't there, but because we all project different meanings upon it"
( Deng Ming-Dao )