Thursday, December 29, 2016

WE SAID GOOD-BYE TO BORREGO SPRINGS TODAY

DSC_0001
YEP IT WAS A PRETTY RELAXING MORNING AT OUR HOUSE TODAY
(This is Wednesday’s Post)
When I stepped out with Pheebs Tuesday night I sensed it was a touch warmer and there was a pleasant wood smoke in the air.  More RV Boon-Dockers have arrived and I saw a couple campfires twinkling in the desert darkness.  Sounds of laughter drifted along on the night air.  Overhead a myriad of diamond like stars twinkled from mountain top to mountain top.  The constellation Orion took center stage high in the eastern sky.  I always think of my Aunt Jean when I gaze up at Orion.  I remember many years ago one starry night pointing out Orion to Jean and it has remained her favorite constellation ever since.  She always looks for and often sees Orion on her daily early morning winter months walks in Sarasota Florida.
DSC_0007-001
I HEARD SOUNDS OF MUSIC COMING FROM THE DESERT THIS MORNING AND UPON LOOKING AROUND I SPOTTED THIS FELLOW NEARBY SERENADING HIS CLASS C MOTORHOME
DSC_0006-001
DSC_0010-001
Seeings how it was a travel day for us and we had been camped out for a week the first order of business this morning was a big clean-up.  Anyone living in an RV out here in the dusty gravel and wind blown sand of the desert know how quickly things can turn into a mess.  Throw in a few rainy days with muddy paws and that mess can really get messy.  Kelly concentrated on the interior while I directed my efforts outside.  Winds of a few days ago had blown our big mat upside and down and everything on the mat downside up.  Took the satellite dish down, repaired a vacuum cleaner hose with duct tape, packed away some stuff and re-arranged some bins.  With a few splashes of Badlands mud caked on the Jeep that wil be a clean-up for another day.  I think there is about as much mud inside the Jeep as outside.  Yep, big clean-up down the road somewhere, but no rush.  Jeeps look more at home with a smattering of mud on them anyway.
DSC_0009
THIS CLASS A/JEEP WRANGLER CLUB MEETS EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME AND LOCATION HERE AT THE CLARK DRY LAKE BED
DSC_0008-001
WHEN I FELT THE GROUND RUMBLING AND SHAKING A FEW DAYS AGO I KNEW IT WASN’T AN EARTHQUAKE, IT WAS THE ANNUAL POST CHRISTMAS STAMPEDE OF RV’S HEADING FOR THE SUNNY SOUTHWEST
Kelly slipped into town for a last bash at a few of her favorite stores like the Frugal Coyote and the Bargain Barn.  She had some books to return to the laundromat book exchange and wanted to pick us up some lunch from the Red Ocotillo.  It's a very popular spot in Borrego Springs and Kelly was curious to try their food before we left.  Pheebs and i stayed back at the rig where us guys really enjoyed ourselves simply stretched out in our favorite spots with the warm sun lazily toasting both of us up nicely.   And of course all this fine relaxing was done to the soothing strains of our ever present ambient music:))DSC_0004
PHEEBS IS GIVING HERSELF A FURRLY LITTLE FACE WASH HERE
DSC_0003
DSC_0011-001
‘AHHHHHH THAT FEELS SO MUCH BETTER’
Kelly was back shortly after noon with a couple of the biggest hamburglers I had ever seen.  The Red Ocotillo is known for their burgs.  I managed to claw my way though half my burg and had to save the rest for later. 
DSC_0005
‘OMG’ I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING FROM OUTER SPACE!!
Shortly after lunch we walked a short distance to our friends and fellow RV'ers Howard and Lynda.  http://stillhowlyntravels.blogspot.com/  We first met Lynda and Howard about 3 years ago right here at the Clark Dry Lake Bed.  These folks have been on the road probably longer than anybody we know.  If you look at their blogs sidebar you can see they have been just about anywhere and everywhere there is to be.  Pretty hard to find nicer folks than these people. 
DSC_0001-001
SPOTTED THIS TRUCK FROM ‘CALIFORNIA OVERLAND DESERT EXCURSIONS’ BOUNCING ALONG THROUGH THE DESERT THIS AFTERNOON
DSC_0002-001
With everything already packed up earlier we decided it was finally time to get the big wheels rolling again and head East. It was around 3 when we turned onto S22 heading for the Arco Station at the junction of S22 and highway 86  Pheebs and I led the way in the rig with Kelly following in the Jeep.  A beautifully clear sunny day with warm temperatures.  Can I say 'hot' even.  Well yes I can because I think for the first time since leaving Florida I was actually able to put a short sleeve shirt on and feel comfortable doing so.DSC_0016
HEADING FOR THE ARCO STATION WEST OF SALTON CITY
DSC_0010
LOTS OF ‘OFF-ROADERS’ SCATTERED ABOUT IN THE DESERT LIKE MOONSCAPE
DSC_0011
HEADING EAST ABOUT A MILE WEST OF THE ARCO STATION
DSC_0012
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS WEEK IS BIG WTH THE YOUNGER CROWD
Figured we would hitch the Jeep up at the Arco station which we did.  We had tanks to dump and fresh water to load along with a propane refill but OMG we couldn’t believe the number RV’s ahead of us when we got there.  So many in fact we never left Arco until after 5 o’clock with the sun going down.  All the dump stations were busy and there was a line up for people replenishing their water tanks.  The propane station and gas pumps were going full tilt too.  We were probably the only 2 real RV’ers there with 99.9% of the other rigs being younger ‘Week-end Warrior’ types with all their quads, dirt bikes, ATV’s, dune buggies, Razors, Jeeps, and just about anything else that made a big noise and tore up the desert.  Saw some of the longest 5th wheel ‘toy haulers’ I had ever seen,   Luckily for me I was in one of my rare patient modes so the wait didn’t really grind my gears too bad.
DSC_0017
WE SURE HAD TO DO OUR SHARE OF WAITING THIS AFTERNOON
DSC_0019
KELLY STANDS GUARD TO MAKE SURE NOBODY BUTTS IN AHEAD OF US IN THE FRESH WATER LINE WHILE PHEEBS KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON THINGS IN CASE SHE NEEDS BACK UP
Sun was pretty much down by the time we left Arco and within a short time we were driving in darkness which is Okay because I actually like driving at night so it was nice to do that.  We headed south towards Brawley California then picked up the Brawley bypass (78) heading east as we swung ourselves under the southern edge of the Salton Sea.  A left turn onto highway 111 headed us back north and less than half an hour later we were in Niland.  Fortunately for us we know this area reasonably well so knew where to pick up the rough and tumble road out to Slab City.  It was somewhere around 7 when we pulled into the large parking area in front of the Slab City Christian Club just a hundred yards or so from Solar Mike’s place.  We’ll be out front of Solar Mikes first thing in the morning.  We are disappointed though that our Verizon internet connection is still very, very, poor which is unusual because Verizon as a rule has worked very well for us over the years regardless of where we were. 
DSC_0015
With our week in Borrego Springs wrapped up we look back on our time spent there with a positive feeling.  We wanted to hang out by ourselves and get back to doing the kinds of things we did in our earlier RV travel days.  We needed to again get in touch with that adventuress spirit which has brought us so many great traveling memories these past 10 years.  Almost 5 years in our Congress house as great as it was kind of slowed us down a bit at a time when probably more than ever we really needed to keep ourselves moving. Well better late than never and we for sure are definitely on the move once again:))
DSC_0018
CHECK OUT THE LITTLE JUNIOR JELLYBEAN IN THE CENTER
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A couple who'd been married for over 50 years was sitting on the sofa, when the wife said, "Dear, do you remember how you used to sit close to me?"  He moved over and sat close to her.  "Dear," she continued, "do you remember how you used to hold me tight?"  He reached over and held her tight.  "And," she went on, "do you remember how you used to hug me and kiss me and nibble on my ear?"  With that, her husband got up and started to walk out of the room.  "Where are you going?" she asked.  "Well," answered the husband, "I have to go get my teeth."


















15 comments:

  1. That Arco can be very busy at times, guess we have been lucky in the past with no lineups. It is so wonderful to get out, about and away just enjoying each other's company. Good Luck at Solar Mikes and enjoy your travels.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, that is way too busy. When we were there last year the number of toys on the desert was a bit daunting. Hard to find quiet spaces in the desert, especially in pretty parts of the desert with good boondocking sites. Ah well, we knew it before and we will continue to accept and love it in the future, right Al?

    ReplyDelete
  3. on one hand, I like having a home base here at Jojoba to come back to after a week with family. On the other hand, I am not sure we will be content staying put for several months as planned. I think we need to look for an adventure soon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It was great visiting with you. Hope your battery shopping goes well and you have fun and safe travels

    ReplyDelete
  5. You always sound happiest when you are on the move!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have been catching up reading blogs and all I kept thinking as I read yours was...what beautiful pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  7. On the right edge of your picture of the Class A/Jeep Wrangler Club, there is a pretty tall antenna tower. Is this a permanent fixture, or part of the club set-up? Maybe you could hitch a ride for your Verizon signal.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think that tower has been there for a long time, it was there when we first came to this area back in 2008. It's not functional and has a wire fence around it if I remember correctly. The military used this location many years ago. The Clark Dry Lake Bed was used by the U.S. Air Force for training pilots in air to ground strafing. Targets were farther down the canyon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. How great to be wandering again..though Dennis is no longer a night driver. Footloose and fancy free,that's what it's all about.I am afraid after being away from RV travel for a full year as of April 1, we would need a refresher course!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Orion: As a girl in an alcoholic Navy Chief's family in a trailer with four and then six others, Orion at night from the window next to my cot/bed was my centering/sanity touchbase... I still look for it when I am out at night.

    ReplyDelete
  11. could you tell me the date and time and were ? the meet and greet blogger's at quartzite ? thanks, big fan for years ! you and kelly are the best , enjoy your travels , be safe and all the best in the new year !

    ReplyDelete
  12. Followed that route pretty easily. Feel like I'm getting to know the southwest just from your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  13. If you sing to your RV, does it run better? If so, I'd better take singing lessons! :cD

    ReplyDelete
  14. We do love the Red Ocotillo! Pheebs is such a cutie on her rug :-)))

    ReplyDelete
  15. Although I just got home, I miss being on the road.

    ReplyDelete