Wednesday, February 15, 2012

HE DUG HIS OWN GRAVE, BUT THEY BURIED HIM IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY PUBLIC CEMETERY……….

DSC_0001-001
As much as we enjoy Borrego’s Clark Dry Lake Bed boon docking area we still prefer to look out our windows & see nothing but Mother Nature’s handy work.  And so it is hear north of Desert Center in the Chuckwalla Valley.  We both find ourselves much more relaxed when there’s nothing between us & miles & miles of desert mountains.
DSC_0016-001
Nice morning walk on ground we have never walked on before.  Mountains we have never seen & a new desert landscape to challenge our knowledge.  For me, it is RVing at it’s best.
DSC_0051
DESERT VERBENA
DSC_0048 DSC_0055
SOME OF MY PHOTOS SHOW CURIOUS MARKS IN THE SAND WHICH I THINK ARE CAUSED BY TINY CRITTERS SKITTERING ABOUT…LOTS OF GOPHERS HERE
DSC_0013-001
Until a couple days ago we knew nothing of a place called DESERT CENTER.  Yesterday it became a point on the map & today we are living here for a few days.  We have traveled some roads, we have met some of it’s people & we have eaten at the old Desert Center Café.  I had a mess of bacon & eggs & Kelly had a Breakfast Burrito which she said was the best one she ever had.
DSC_0044
DSC_0055 DSC_0045-001
DSC_0041Desert center was once a booming place & originally founded by a grizzled old character by the name of 'DESERT STEVE' RAGSDALE.  Interestingly enough he was a friend of Marshal South.
DSC_0022
DSC_0027 DSC_0026
SUPERWOMAN SLIPS INTO A PHONE BOOTH
DSC_0028
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ WHILE WAITING FOR BREAKFAST
Like so many old western towns, Desert Center is a mere ghost of it’s former self.  Not much left anymore.  With the closing of the big Kaiser Steel Mine 13 miles away in the Eagle Mountains & the building of Interstate 10 diverting all of the traffic further afield the town has tumbled into a dusty obscurity.
DSC_0042
DSC_0054 DSC_0038
DSC_0035
Like countless thousands over the years we have passed by Desert Center a couple times never giving it much thought.  Just kind of looked like a tumble down old place with a bunch of old broken Palm trees.  Well, I guess that’s what it kind of is now, but it’s heart still beats, even if it is a little slower nowadays.  It very much reminded me of the once thriving towns & gas stations one would find along old Route 66 further to the north.
DSC_0021
DSC_0059 DSC_0058-002
DSC_0061-001
But, just a mile or so north of Desert Center lies an Oasis of stately Palms, golfing greens, manicured gardens, & a small man made crystal clear lake with fish.  Paved streets winding through a few tidy little neighborhoods.  This quietly friendly 55+ Adult community of golf & ATV enthusiasts even has it’s own fire department.  It is a true gem in the rough & as one resident told us, “not many people know about it”.  This is Lake Tamarisk Desert Resort.
DSC_0019
DSC_0012 DSC_0016DSC_0011 DSC_0015
DSC_0002 DSC_0004  DSC_0001 DSC_0003 DSC_0006 DSC_0014
DSC_0009
We had heard of a few rock formations in the area so we Jeeped ourselves out onto some desert roads in search of them.  The directions we had were sketchy so the only one we found was the big Alligator just to the north of I-10.
DSC_0020
CAN YOU SEE THE DRAGON GATOR MAKING IT’S WAY THROUGH THE MESQUITE
Found the spot where Desert Steve Ragsdale dug his own grave & was supposedly buried….except he wasn’t.  You can read about that & him on the Wikipedia link above.
DSC_0070
DESERT STEVE WROTE THE WORDS ON THAT PLAQUE & AFFIXED IT TO THE ROCK HIMSELF…ALSO DUG THE GRAVE IN LEFT FOREGROUND
DSC_0062 DSC_0066 DSC_0036
DUG THE GRAVE HIMSELF ALRIGHT BUT HE NEVER DID END UP BURIED THERE AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT METAL THING IS
We were back to the rig by noon & an hour later the winds found us again.  The mornings sunny blue skies gave way to an increasingly dark cloudy sky.  Looked like we had a storm front coming in & temps dropped.  Rain started about 6 o’clock.  We are parked on a hardened stone surface much like Quartzsite so knew if it rained we wouldn’t be getting stuck or dragging any mud or wet sand into the coach.
DSC_0072
STOPPED AT McGOO’S FOR BANANAS…ANYONE REMEMBER THE CARTOON CHARACTER, MR. McGOO??  I DO:))                
Reading WHEELING IT'S Tuesday morning post I couldn’t help but notice commenter ROBIN'S thoughts as she in part said, “I’m just painfully shy.  I’m sure there are others like me out there. Maybe I should start a special blog: RV’ing Tips for Introverts.”  There are others like you out here Robin and I am one of them.  If you start that special blog……count me in:))
DSC_0008-001
THOSE ARE THE COXCOMB MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND
DSC_0010-001 DSC_0011-001
INTERESTING WEATHERED MESQUITE STUMPS HERE…I SEE A BIRD’S HEAD PROFILE FACING LEFT IN THE RIGHT PHOTO
Two new Blog Followers tonight.  BHOUNDS joins us as well as Dean from I LOVE MY MOTORHOME.  We love our Motorhome too Dean.  Thanks for dropping by folks & welcome to our travels.  Much appreciated by all here at the Bunch:))
DSC_0009-001 DSC_0004-001
DSC_0006-001LIONS FACE TOP LEFT…DONKEY LOOKING DOWN AT RIGHT & I DO SEE A WILD PIG’S PROFILE IN PHOTO AT LEFT
GROANER’S CORNER:((  One Sunday a pastor asked his congregation to consider giving a little extra in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns.
After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had contributed a $1,000 bill. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation, and said he'd like to personally thank the person who had placed the money in the plate.
A very quiet, elderly, saintly widow shyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and asked her to pick out three hymns.
Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation, pointed to the three most handsome men in the building and said, "I'll take him, him, and him."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

17 comments:

  1. We have friends that winter at Lake Tamarisk Desert Resort and we had banana splits there one night before heading back to Indio. Love the area.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That should have read we had banana splits at that little cafe there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Al for the warm welcome. It has been warming up a little here in Calgary to just above freezing, which I don't mind. However your desert photos make me wish for a trip to Borrego and Desert Center in mid-winter someday!

    ReplyDelete
  4. looks like you found a new 'favourite place' to stay for a while..great shots as always!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really nice pictures of the old cars and buildings today.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I sure like the "alligator" you saw better than the ones we are seeing down here in Florida!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That looks like one of those places that you sit around and watch things rust!! Who is that gal with you wearing a dress?

    Now you don't make her gas up do you? Naw, you'd never do that. Unless maybe you were busy getting a burger...:-)

    I hate those words you have to type at the bottom of this comment..I took mine off...didn't seem to make any difference in my spam. sure is a pain, can't hardly read the second letters..:-(
    Took me three tries...just sayin....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the new header picture....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great photos. Love seeing old cars passing time. Pheebs look regal in her pose.
    Gene S.

    ReplyDelete
  10. We drove right by desert centre earlier this year and intended to go back and check it out, but got side tracked, maybe next time. Thanks for the tour.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Maybe I'd better start attending church? :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Desert Steve sounds like a person after my own heart! Loved reading his own words that he wrote for his preferred burial site! Too bad they wouldn't honor his last wish! Sounds like a great little town, and looks like a perfect campsite! Is Desert Center in CA or AZ? Not quite sure where you are now!

    ReplyDelete
  13. ou have some great photos there. Old desert towns make a great backdrop.

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a great and quiet spot you have found there...It's always fun to find new places.This USA has too many places to visit and not enough time left...as does Canada!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great pictures! Sometimes your images remind me of when I had a pair of yellow sunglasses. Everything looked brighter and clearer than it really was.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Kewl spot..love the pics....wtg!! Love the new header pic of the pheebes...

    ReplyDelete
  17. The biggest favorable position of retirement groups is to actuate well legitimate accomplices and confidants to degree with and seek after life's objectives and joy along. It offers the warmth and sustenance most favored right now of ways of life. On the off chance that you have to comprehend more noteworthy about more than 55 system, you may go to:- 55+ adult community

    ReplyDelete