I don’t really have much to say, if you can believe it, but the drive into the desert was a delight and it sure is quieter in Quartzsite. Not empty but a whole lot less vendors. I was able to buy two more of the LED lights. I love their bright white light, in some places.
Had lunch at Beer Bellys, with no beer for me, which is tucked backed a bit in the Tyson Wells vendor area. They refer to themselves as the “Adult Day Care Center” and provided some decent cowboy music for entertainment.
Made a stop at Desert Gardens specifically to look for a small rock quartz crystal ball. Before the Yarnell fire I had several of them, but… I want to experiment with taking photos through it. This was just the first try.
Then drove a few miles west of Quartzsite on I10 and took the Dome Rock exit to a gorgeously desert BLM area which allows 14-day limit free camping. The gravel roads appear to get rougher the further away from the Interstate and although I can see the highway I barely heard any noise from it. Found a slight rise to park on for the night with a wonderful view and mostly had internet connection. Funny how I like to be surrounded by nature but still connected to the web.
Spent the afternoon moving my new chair—very comfortable BTW—from shade to sun while finishing a book started on the last road trip. Funny how I rarely read books when I’m home. In fact I’d already read this Nevada Barr mystery Deep South many years ago and guess I’d forgotten the ending because it sure drew me in from start to finish. Well except for that three week break in Yarnell. I love how Barr places her mysteries in National Parks. For me, it’s like Nancy Drew grew up. Anybody remember those books?
OMG, the rocks here are marvelous! I only wandered within sight of camp and stopped more to pick up one color or another. Then put them back. It’s too early in this trip to add the weight of rock. Well, maybe just one, or two.
Sun set over the mountains left a soft pastel glow as there were no clouds to the west. Yet those last rays of light sure do make the landscape glow. Especially those spiny covered cholla.
And believe it or not, I was awake before the sun this morning.
Seems when camping I go to bed earlier and see more sunrises.
Yet the best for me is seeing how the light wakes up the the colors.
I could definitely spend more time exploring here.
But the road calls my name, it’s an hour later in California, and today I’m headed to Anza-Borrego in the hopes of seeing different colors on the desert as the wildflowers begin to bloom. Guess I had more to say than I thought.
Actually I made it to the desert three days ago. First night near Quartzsite, second The Slabs and now I’m ready to explore Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. But first a day of relaxation and just being in the desert.
Trials and tribulations leaving Yarnell
Within a mile of Quartzsite’s first ramp south of the highway there’s scattered RVs boondocking in the desert. The town is only slightly busy instead of insanely busy, a few vendors set up and some of them even open. KB Supplies at Tyson Wells is open so I can pick some things up there the next day. I headed south on SR95 a few miles to BLM short-term La Posa, where you can camp up to 14-days free. Two people stopped me to say my right brake light was out. Something else to add to the list. Quiet and dark with a few RVs scattered around and a spectacular sunset complete with saguaros.
Kenny at KB very helpful and chatty. He’s from Idaho and likes the idea of forest camping at the North Rim. Bought four of those plastic lego-like levelers to use instead of heavy boards and a 7/8 wrench for propane tanks. Took the lens cover off to get bulb numbers and although I changed out a dull one didn’t help until I scrubbed off some corrosion on the ground connection. Another walk across the street to KB for the wire brush. They didn’t have the faucet part I need and recommended RV Lifestyles at the other end of town. They had a few more choices but not the one I need and sent me to Herbs Hardware. At least everybody knows what’s around town. Herbs had yet a larger selection but still not the one I need so they recommended Ace in Blyth having a large selection.
I finally left Quartzsite at 2:30p. Past Dome Rock Road which I think is another boondock site but don’t know if it’s long-term or not. A northwest wind buffets me around a little bit. Lots of truck traffic on I10. Crossing the not so mighty Colorado River and welcome to California with an Agriculture Inspection Station where I was waved right through. The Huge Ace Hardware in Blythe didn’t have the part either and they sent me down the road to Valley Palms RV but no luck. I may end up replacing the whole faucet but don’t relish the idea of crawling into the cupboard below the sink to get to it. I did gain an hour entering California’s Pacific time and good thing with all the time I wasted trying to find this part.
I’d hoped to stop at the Imperial Sand Dunes for some photos but there’s just no place to pull over and the crazy crowds of RV toyhaulers and trailers full of toys hell bent on tearing up the dunes doesn’t appeal to me. I see a sharp contrast between the north natural side of the dunes and the south side covered with ORV tracks everywhere. Glad some of it is spared.
As I continue west the haze increases and I don’t know if it’s clouds or Los Angeles pollution, or both. Feels about an hour later than it is because the sun’s so low. Damn daylight savings. The air stinks as I pass stock yards full of cattle crammed into small areas standing in their own slop. It’s enough to make me a vegetarian, almost.
Desert Slo-mo
From Salton City turned off onto S22, a lumpy, bumpy, bouncy road that thank goodness smoothed out for most of the 30 mile drive to the park’s visitor center. At first glance it’s just brown erosion, but in the canyons and mountains there are greens and oranges mixed with the shades of brown. Ocotillos rise like fountains, their marvelous twisted wood showing rows of shell-shaped leaves that appear briefly only after rain. Picked up a map and information about the many places to camp for free and at 3:30p parked off Rockhouse Road where I have a signal and big view. With 634,000 acres to explore I could be here for a while. Other RVs are in sight but not close, respecting each others privacy.
Sunday being the Winter Solstice I just hung out for the day. But I did have company and finally got to meet bloggers 
