We filled the morning with walking and biking and blogging and then after lunch, we headed to CVS for our COVID boosters. We are so grateful to be able to get our vaccines!
This evening, I made shredded chicken with grilled onions and peppers and corn and black beans and fire roasted tomatoes in a chipotle lime sauce with corn tortillas. We packed some wine and went to the athletic complex for a picnic and an evening walk.
The law enforcement memorial at the park is very sobering. Most of the lives lost were Border Patrol agents.
Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 20, 21, and 22
When we returned from the rodeo on Saturday, we realized that our coach was not receiving shore power. It was late and we did as much as we could to problem solve and finally went to bed with no power. The next morning, we talked to our neighbors about the need to run our generator for electric. Dale was kind enough to come over to help us figure out what might be wrong. Soon, we were joined by Ron, a manager here at the park. The pedestal was apparently working, meaning that the RV was the issue. We made a call and because it was Sunday, we had to leave a message. Fortunately, the men were able to find a way to plug the fridge in directly so that at least the food was cold. We spent Sunday running the generator and sitting with our phones hoping for a return call. On Monday morning we got a call…Vic wasn’t able to come out until Tuesday. We made several other calls and found Richard from Best RV Tech. He was able to come out at around lunchtime on Monday. He was amazing! He knew exactly how to check everything and he was able to locate the problem breakers and replace and repair them. YAY!!! Just a temporary inconvenience.
Our initial intention was to go tent camping in the desert. With the power restored, we packed our gear and left! We went to the Barry Goldwater Range. We had obtained the necessary permit and as we entered the range, we completed the online check-in.
We got a late start but the gravel road through the Wellton Hills was well maintained and we made good time. We took Cipriano Pass and we found a great site near the Gila Mountains. We set up and for the first time in a couple of days, we relaxed!
Enjoy Tim’s video!
We enjoyed our dinner by the fire.
The moon was about ¾ full and it was bright and beautiful.
Tuesday morning, the sun rose in the cloud-streaked sky.
We meandered through the desert, stopping to have our breakfast.
These exploded ordinances are a reminder that we are in a military range. No maneuvers or jets flying overhead today.
We took the A9 spur all the way to the end and we stopped to explore and to admire the view.
As we drove back to the main road, I caught sight of a man running in the road ahead. As we got closer, we saw 4 men sprinting into the vegetation. All were wearing black from head to toe and each carried a huge black identical backpack. These men were not there to hike. Tim said: “They aren’t good guys!” They ran from us and quickly, wanting nothing to do with us and knowing that we could report them to the authorities.
We did call the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma and informed them of our encounter. We also saw a group of Jeeps and a several OTV’s traveling in that direction and we stopped and spoke with them as well. There are warnings about smuggling and we know there are lots of issues surrounding the border, but today, we witnessed the reality of the problem…this is a real thing.
The remainder of the day was spent cleaning gear and resting. A shower always feels especially wonderful when we get back!
Morning exercise, walking, and biking complete; we drove about 75 miles to Brawley, California. We were there to see the 65th Brawley Cattle Call, a professional rodeo.
The bullpen.
Bucking Broncos.
Barrel Racing.
Mutton Bustin…for children 5-8 and weighing less than 60 pounds. The kids actually rode on the sheep, trying to stay on as long as possible. The winner was a seven-year-old. He clung to that sheep for a long time!
The clowns were irreverent and hilarious.
Bull riding.
The patriotism, the pageantry, the danger, the thrill, the power of the animals, the athletic competitors, the skills and animal handling…this was a real western experience and we both enjoyed the day.
We got back to Yuma after dark and decided to have dinner at Prison Hill. It was a nice evening to be outside and the food was terrific. We ended our day with a downtown walk.
Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 16, 17 and 18
We have spent the past three days having more normal and restful time. Days filled with exercise and walking and biking. We have been to lunch and out to dinner and done some shopping and chores. Nothing too picture worthy!
We did go to the BLM office in Yuma to procure some maps of the surrounding wilderness areas. We are planning another overnight adventure.
I spent some time outside watching our neighbors’ feeders. I love watching birds, though taking pictures of them is a challenge!
We are so spoiled because “normal” feels boring. We are accustomed to having adventures but it is important to balance all that excitement with some quiet and relaxation. We are sure that NOONE feels sorry for us and NOONE should…we are still having fun!
On Monday morning we completed our morning exercise and walking. After that, we took an 8-mile bike ride along the canal.
Our real adventure began when we drove the loaded Jeep across the desert on Picacho Road.
24 miles – only the first six of which are paved.
We arrived at Picacho State Recreation Area and we took the Railroad Canyon 4WD trail to the River Overlook.
We continued along the Colorado River through the park.
We found our campsite at 4S Beach Camp. We have visited this park twice before; each time as a day trip. To stay the night is to be immersed and offers an altogether unique experience.
These are the reasons for tent camping at Picacho:
Premium riverfront camping on the mighty Colorado
Scooting coots calling and scuttling across the water
Migrating birds in precise vee formation
Snowy white egrets patiently stalking prey
Elegant osprey gliding above the path of the river
Ravens cawing from their roosts in the rocks
Current and flow of the rippling water
Images cast in the crystalline surface
Silver fish jumping
Cool and silty sand beneath my feet
Corn tortillas and savory omelets stuffed with spicy chorizo and cheddar and peppers and onions
Sunset
Absolute stillness punctuated by the comical hee-hawing of wild burros
Howling coyotes at dusk and dawn
Twinkling night sky and the glowing of the crescent moon
Stunning blood orange sunrise
Camping here on the river is such a stark contrast to desert camping. The flora is emerald green and the trees offer shade from the blazing sun…the difference is life-giving water.
We lingered this morning in part to let our dew dampened tent and bedding dry…it was also hard to leave.
This mama and her foal watched us warily.
We took Indian Pass Road several miles through a sandy wash and then climbed a rough rocky road out of the bottom.
Oliver was able to get his first COVID shot this morning. Go Ollie-o!! You are a brave boy! We are so thankful that he was able to get vaccinated so quickly!
Tim took a long bike ride and then later this morning, I went out and cycled for 8 miles. I spent the rest of the day blogging and making calls and running a couple of errands. Tim watched the Ravens and then the NASCAR championship.
This evening, we packed our dinner and sat on the benches at Pivot Point. We were sitting there only a short time when we heard on odd hissing noise…suddenly the sprinklers were on. They sent us from bench to bench trying to stay out of the water spray!
I got up and did my walk quickly because I had a hair appointment this morning!
Tim took a good bike ride while I was out.
This evening, we headed to the Cocopah Speedway. The smell of racing fuel, the flying dust, the noisy colorful cars, the bright lights, the thrum of the engines that travels through your feet and settles in your chest…this is the ambiance of a dirt track raceway. Tim loves this stuff and honestly, if he’s happy…then so am I. Actually, it was fun to be doing something different and we were together and outside on a lovely night!
I got my hair done and Tim got to go to the races…a good day for everyone!
After morning exercise and walking, we took our bikes and pedaled through West Wetlands and into East Wetlands all the way to the river.
We had seen this red bird the other day and I was hoping to spot it again. I believe that it is a vermillion flycatcher. As it flew, it was a brilliant scarlet flash among the trees. He was kind enough to pose for pictures.
We cycled to the athletic complex and had breakfast by the pond.
Tim has a special breakfast concoction that he prepares each day. It contains muesli, almond milk, vanilla protein powder, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, chia seeds, and raw sunflower seeds with a drizzle of agave syrup. Lots of healthy stuff!
He loves it!
The lettuce, red and green is just beginning to grow.
This afternoon, we drove to Wellton to Naked Dates for a late lunch. Tim chose the Carnitas Street Tacos with slow smoked, shredded pork, cilantro, onions, date salsa verde, and chipotle cream. I had the Sweet and Savory Flatbread with date spread, bacon, and melted cheeses…both so yummy!! For dessert, we split a date shake. It is date season here and the harvest continues through December.
Old trucks on the property.
The owner at the restaurant told us about a nearby 4WD trail called Woodcutters Pass. The route is more than 20 miles long and traverses up and through the Gila Mountains into the Fortuna Foothills in Yuma. We scoped it out, driving through the desert and toward the mountains. This would be a full day adventure or an overnight adventure for another day!
I started my day with a 3.5-mile walk. Later in the morning, we packed our bike bags with ice water and set out to cycle the East Canal Trail. When we left the RV Park, there was no wind. As we pedaled, the wind began to blow. I could feel the push from behind and we easily made it to the southern end.
When we headed back, we had the slightest headwind and it didn’t hinder us at all. We did 14.25 miles. We felt strong and good when we got back! Unfortunately, when you are riding a bike, it is really hard to take pictures. I did get one.
This evening, we went to downtown Yuma to the Pint House. I tried a really nice mango cider and Tim had a peanut butter stout. The beverages were great and dinner was okay.
After eating we went for a joy ride across the farm fields and down by the border wall. There is still a large section left unfinished. The wall makes me feel sad. I understand the need to do something…Tim calls it a necessary evil. We realize how fortunate we are to be living on this side.
We loaded our gear into the Jeep for another overnight tent camping trip. We drove through farm country and past the Cloud Museum. It boasts the largest collection of Model T’s in the world!
We stopped at Imperial Date Gardens. We got fresh dates, fresh date nut bread and a date milkshake to share. We were fighting over the shake…we both wished we had more when it was done. It was sooooo good!!
We took the rough road about 10 miles to our campsite.
We were perched on the edge of a canyon about 200 feet above Ferguson Lake. We camped here once last year. I love it when the memory of a place is just as beautiful when you go back a second time.
Tim’s video!
We passed the evening with a campfire, for ambiance, we didn’t need it to stay warm! We cooked omelets and ate them with the delicious date nut bread.
We watched the blue sky turn orange and then black. The stars erupted all at once in the great whitewash of the Milky Way. I saw 4 shooting stars. During the night we could hear the hooting of owls, the braying of feral burros, and the howling of coyotes. Other than that, it was silent and dark. We don’t realize how noisy and bright our world is until we are in true solitude.
This morning we were awake to watch the sunrise…yet again. On these camping trips, we allow ourselves the pleasure of two cups of coffee…such a treat because we have whittled ourselves down to one cup on an ordinary day. I never get tired of it…all those things, sunrises, sunsets, shooting stars…they all happen whether we look or not. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to stop and notice.
Military jets flying overhead.
We drove down the hill and to the lake. We could hear the coots calling.
We are not all alone here…
We hiked into the canyon.
Just as we were driving out of the wilderness area, we saw pair of burros.
Per usual, the day after a night out, we were pretty low key.
