TONIGHT WE SLEEP IN THE DESERT SOMEWHERE WEST OF CALIFORNIA’S CARGO MUCHACHO MOUNTAINS

SOLAR MIKE LOOKS ON AS OUR TRUSTY BAYFIELD BUNCH BANKER WRITES OUT A CHECK FOR TODAY’S NEW BATTERIES AND CONTROL MONITOR

Our spotty Verizon internet signal seemed to re-vive itself by morning and I was actually able to publish Wednesday’s post in about 20 minutes.  That finally catches me up with actually publishing my posts on the day I write them again.  Fingers crossed that we have no more Verizon connection problems.

YEP, GONNA BE A GOOD DAY

It was not a quiet night in the Slabs but it’s the Slabs and we were too tired to let anything bother us.  Well until somebody went flying by on a noisy dirt bike waking me up at 4 a.m.  And that was the start to my day.  Of all the off-road vehicles it is the sound of dirt bikes I detest the most.

SLAB CITY HAS BUS SERVICE AND BELOW A FEW FOLKS AWAIT IT’S ARRIVAL

I HEARD SOMEONE PICKING ON A BANJO AND SPOTTED THIS FELLOW

MANY HUMAN INTEREST STORIES HERE IN THE SLABS AND I ALWAYS WONDER AS I WALK AROUND WHAT STORIES THESE PEOPLE COULD TELL BUT NOT LIKELY EVER WILL

THESE TREASURED PETS HAVE FOUND A QUIET RESTING PLACE AND I WONDER ABOUT WHERE THEIR LONG GONE OWNER RESTS NOW

SUNRISE AT SLAB CITY

Drove the rig a few hundred yards over to Solar Mikes at 8 and our battery exchange was soon underway.  Jordan, one of Mike’s workers did the installation and brought us up to speed on some battery info and maintenance. 

IT’S NEARLY 8 A.M. AND SOON WE’LL SEE SOLAR MIKE WONDER OUT WITH COFFEE IN HAND

BY GOLLY THERE HE IS NOW:))

OUR NEW GREEN DEEP CELL INTERSTATE BATTERIES ARE LINED UP AND READY TO BE INSTALLED

KELLY’S RIGHT IN THERE SUPERVISING THE INSTALL

“GREEN SIDE OUT JORDAN GREEN SIDE OUT”

KELLY’S STILL DOWN THERE SHOWING JORDAN HOW TO HOOK THOSE NEW BATTERIES UP

When Mike’s other worker Billie checked out our Go Power controller a further problem was found and upon further sleuthing a burn mark was spotted on some disconnected wiring.  The Go Power controller was old so we decided to update our system with a newer technology Go Pro.  Billy did that installation and we were soon good to go.  Again, two thumbs up for Solar Mike and his ‘Sun Works’.  

BILLIE CHECKS THE NEW BATTERY NUMBERS AND THEY WERE NOT THE NUMBERS HE WANTED TO SEE

MIKE AND BILLIE TRACK DOWN THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM

KELLY CHECKS TO MAKE SURE MIKE’S GOT IT FIGURED OUT

THE NEW MONITOR IS WIRED AND READY TO BE MOUNTED

ALL EYES INCLUDING PHEEBS ARE ON THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW MONITOR

Always a genuinely friendly welcome here and Mike gave us great break coming in with a final bill less than he had originally quoted us.   Thanks to Mike, Billie, and Jordan for work well done:))

KELLY SAYS GOOD-BYE TO PHEEBS AGING SLAB CITY PAL ‘GRANNY’

BILLIE AND JORDAN WERE SOON BUSY WORKING ON ANOTHER RIG’S SOLAR INSTALLATION

WE SAID GOOD BYE TO 3 OF MIKE’S FORMER EMPLOYEES AS WELL

BYE GUYS AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING……THAT’S MIKE IN THE BIN

It was 11 a.m. when we rolled out of Slab City back along an old rickety asphalt road to Niland.  Turned south and headed down highway 111 to number 78 and swung our nose into the East and headed us on through Glammis and the Imperial Sand Dunes. 

WE ROLL BY SALVATION MOUNTAIN ON OUR WAY OUT OF SLAB CITY

WE ALWAYS SEE A LOT OF VISITORS HERE AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS ARE ORIENTAL

HEADING DOWN 111 THROUGH FIELDS OF GREEN AGRICULTURE

Lots of off road vehicles flying around in the many Lawrence Of Arabia like sand dunes.  Over the years I’ve managed a few nice mobile photos driving through these sand dunes.  Did I mention it was a beautiful warm sunny California day as we drove another favorite road section of mine with enough gentle ‘whoop-de-doos’ in the road to make a land lubber seasick. 

HEADING EAST ON 78 THROUGH THE IMPERIAL SAND DUNES AT GLAMMIS

LOOKS LIKE A GROUP OF OFF ROADERS UP THERE ON THE RIGHT

PLEASE EXCUSE THE WINDSHIELD REFLECTIONS

NOTICE THE MANY TIRE TRACKS UP AND DOWN THE SAND DUNES

Continued east until we reached Ogilby Road northwest of Yuma then headed south for about 20 miles until we reached our day’s destination, pulled off the highway into the desert and cozied ourselves up close to a dry sandy gravel wash and a few Palo Verde trees.  More peaceful free time coming up for us over the next little while.  We will be re-visiting some old haunts, finding new ones and if ‘The Holy Cheepers Batman big Wall’ isn’t up yet at the border we might even find ourselves in Mexico.  Wouldn’t be the first time………………

TONIGHT WE SLEEP SOMEWHERE WEST OF CALIFORNIA’S CARGO MUCHACHO MOUNTAINS

THIS HERE WILL BE HOME FOR A FEW DAYS

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Here’s A Few Simple Home Remedies::

1. Avoid Cutting Yourself When Slicing Vegetables By Getting Someone Else To Hold The Vegetables While You Chop.
2. Avoid Arguments With The Females About Lifting The Toilet Seat By Using The Sink.
3. For High Blood Pressure Sufferers: Simply Cut Yourself And Bleed For A Few Minutes, Thus Reducing The Pressure On Your Veins. Remember To Use A Timer.
4. A Mouse Trap Placed On Top Of Your Alarm Clock Will Prevent You From Rolling Over And Going Back To Sleep After You Hit The Snooze Button.
5. If You Have A Bad Cough, Take A Large Dose Of Laxatives. Then You'll Be Afraid To Cough.
6. You Only Need Two Tools In Life: Wd-40 And Duct Tape. If It Doesn't Move And Should, Use The Wd-40. If It Shouldn't Move And Does, Use The Duct Tape.
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You might be a Red Neck if::
- You've ever given a set of Tupperware ice tea glasses as a wedding present.
- Your dungarees expose more than half of your butt in the back because the weight of your pocket knife.
- Your idea of heaven involves two shotguns and a keg of beer.
- You picket your horses on your lawn so you won't have to mow it.
- You're wearing a camouflage jacket and clipping on your driver's license pic.
- You stop to flirt with the person running the drive through at McDonalds.
- You save old kitchen appliances for target practice.
- You save old kitchen appliances for children's Christmas presents.
- Your gun cabinet takes up half your living room.