CONGRESS AZ TO THE SHORES OF THE SALTON SEA WHERE WE ENDED OUR DAY WITH A FINE SUNSET:))

A LITTLE WINDY OUT HERE ALONG THE EASTERN SHORES OF THE SALTON SEA

It’s nice waking up knowing one has enjoyable things to do & pleasant places to go for the day.  And we weren’t long in getting some of those things done.  It was 9:35 a.m. Arizona time when we rolled the big rig through our south gate & off down Ghost Town Road heading for our destination of Niland/Slab City California this morning.

HEADING WEST

Always one of my my favorite leisurely traffic free drives between Congress & Interstate 10 just east of Quartzsite.  We left Congress in moderate sunshine but could see storm clouds ahead to the west.  Wasn’t long & our sunshine was behind us & we were under a heavy cloud cover.  No matter it was just nice to be out motoring along & luckily we had the wind behind us for a change. 

KELLY SNUCK THIS PICTURE OF ME WEARING MY NEW 22-10 TON ALIEN BUG EYED COCOON SUNGLASSES…OH & THAT’S ONE OF MY NEW VESTS AS WELL:))

About an hour & a half to Quartzsite & we made our traditional stop at McDonalds for a coffee.  Had ourselves a couple tasty crispy chicken wraps.  No burgs & fries for us guys anymore. Picked up some fuel at the Pilot station beside McDonald’s & we were on our way again.

THIS TRUCK AHEAD OF US AT THE GAS PUMPS IN QUARTZSITE HAD HAWAIIAN PLATES ON IT…DO YOU SUPPOSE THEY PADDLED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC WITH ALL THAT STUFF IN THE BACK?

Debated whether to take I-10 west to Mecca then south to Niland or take the slower scenic route southwest down through the Imperial Sand Dunes past Glamis to Brawley.  With a heavy wind blowing from the south I thought there could be some visibility problems in the sand dunes around Glamis so we opted for the I-10 route.  Traffic is never heavy & it’s always been an Okay trouble free drive for us.

CROSSING THE COLORADO RIVER FROM ARIZONA INTO CALIFORNIA

PHEEBS ISN’T INTO THE SCENERY QUITE AS MUCH AS I AM

About 20 minutes west of Quartzite & exactly 192 miles east of Los Angeles (saw it on a road sign) it was at the stroke of high noon we drove into the first of about half a dozen light rain showers.  Mainly intermittent wiper stuff but enough rain that I’ll have to wash the rig when we get home.

WE ARE HEADING INTO CALIFORNIA’S STORMY SKIES

At the Joshua Tree National Park exit off I-10 we picked up our frequently used short cut road through scenic Box Canyon on our way to Mecca.  Have used this shortcut on sunny days, at night, & today we rolled through under a cloud cover & I thought the canyon looked as nice as I have ever seen it.  Could be my much clearer new glasses I’m thinking.

ROLLING THROUGH PICTURESQUE BOX CANYON EAST OF MECCA CALIFORNIA

 

 

OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE SALTON SEA’S NORTH SHORE

ALL KINDS OF GREEN AGRICULTURE IN THIS AREA…WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA

Hung a left turn in Mecca onto highway 111 & pointed our nose south for the trip down the east side of the Salton Sea.  This is another nice drive & I much prefer it to the west side of the Salton Sea where 4 lane traffic is fast & furious.  We remembered the Salt Creek Campground from a Jeep day trip last time we were at the Slabs a few weeks ago.  It’s a nice quiet big rig friendly area right beside the Salton Sea & we decided to spend the night here.  We’re only 25 miles north of Niland & it won’t take us long to reach Solar Mikes in the morning by 8:30.

OUR SPOT FOR THE NIGHT BESIDE THE SALTON SEA

 

LOOKING ACROSS THE SALTON SEA

So nice to sit by the lake at the picnic table above watching a beautiful sunset slowly slide it’s way over the distant Santa Rosa Mountains tonight.  We are pretty much directly across the water from Salton City & through my binoculars I could see the communication tower at Truck Haven Road west of Salton City which is on the way to Borrego Springs.  I knew JEAN & SKIP along with NAN & JOHN TALLEY were just about another 15 minutes drive west of Truck Haven Road down at the Clark Dry Lake Bed.  Hi Guys, gave you a big wave…..did you see me:))

  

 

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF BORREGO SPRINGS

So peaceful tonight relaxing in our rig.  The lights of Salton City are shimmering all the way across the quiet waters of the Salton Sea.  Soft lighting in the coach & even softer music on our Sirius Satellite Radio.  Kelly’s in her leather chair with her laptop on her knee, Pheebs is stretched out sound asleep on the couch & I’m over here sitting at the dining room table just tapping myself out another daily post.  Just a mighty fine end to a mighty fine day………….:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A hot-headed golfer with a penchant for breaking clubs was playing one day when he came to the 16th hole, where he faced an approach shot across a ravine.  He said to his caddie, "What kind of distance do we have, son?"  The caddie replied, "About 135, sir."  "My 6 iron, please," said the hothead.  His caddie replied, "It's going to have to be either a 3 iron or 3 wood, sir. That's all that's left in the bag!"

JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT WE HAD THINGS FIGURED OUT….STUFF CHANGED ON US AGAIN

LOADING UP THE RIG LATE THIS AFTERNOON

I was outside early again this morning digging in an extension to one end of the cactus bed I had finished Wednesday.  Good exercise for me & I’ve always liked playing in the dirt anyway.  Figure it’s a great way to start any day.

I DUG IN THIS ROUNDED SECTION CURVING IT PART WAY AROUND AN OUTSIDE WATER TAP

We were off to Wickenburg about 9 with our first stop being at the Optometrist to pick up my new glasses.  Oh-Oh….Problem!!  The right lens was tack sharp & crystal clear but the left lens was slightly blurry.  Either the prescription for my left lens was incorrect or the lens itself was made incorrectly.  I am currently wearing the new glasses because even with the left one slightly blurry they are a whole lot better than my old scratched up pair.  I was amazed at how much brighter & clearer my vision is now & I think I’m going to like these transition lenses.  However because of that blurry lens I have to go back to the optician next Thursday morning at 11:30 to have my left eye re-examined & that has now all of a sudden altered our travel plans for next week.

CACTUS MAN WILL BE IN CHARGE OF OUTSIDE SECURITY WHILE WE ARE AWAY

 

Hadn’t planned on going to Solar Mike’s until next Tuesday because of the possible storm headed this way but the weather forecast has changed somewhat so we figured we had better get this inverter in now rather than later.   We are leaving in the morning for Niland/Slab City California rain or no rain.  Weather is currently flip flopping but right now the forecast is saying Saturday will be a nice sunny day at the Slabs.  We might have to drive through some rain Friday going there though.  Forecast was also predicting the possibility of rain next Tuesday & Wednesday in that area so it’s probably just as well we’re getting this inverter thing done sooner.  With Christmas holidays coming up for people we didn’t want to put things off until the new year.  So here’s our latest plan……Off to the Slabs Friday to have our inverter re-installed Saturday morning.  From there we plan to spend the next 3 days either in Borrego Springs west of the Salton Sea or the Kofa Mountains south of Quartzsite.  Again this will all depend on weather.  We want to make sure our inverter system is working properly before heading back to Congress next Wednesday.  Plan to watch the ‘Corner Gas’ movie on CTV Wednesday night at home & Thursday morning we’ll be off to Wickenburg for my eye appointment.  Needless to say we have been doing a bit of unexpected scrambling this afternoon loading the rig & getting everything squared away for our departure probably sometime mid to late morning.  Although we won’t be away long I’ll still be a happy camper just to get into that driver’s seat & get those big wheels a rollin again.  Love driving that Triple E Motorhome:)) 

SPENCER & FROGGY WILL BE IN CHARGE OF INSIDE SECURITY WHILE WE ARE AWAY

Finished my Kindle book entitled, ‘Unbroken’.  Four words come to mind….’man’s inhumanity to man’.  This is a well written book & it is the story of Louis Zamperini, a man imprisoned in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in the Second World War.  It is a story of courage, determination, resolve, & forgiveness.  This book by Laura Hillenbrand was 7 years in the making.  Unbroken……the movie is set to open Christmas Day.

THE SOUTH END OF OUR PROPERTY SURE LOOKS EMPTY WITHOUT THE BIG EEE SITTING IN IT’S SPOT

For my next read I am once again back into the mysteries of outer space, secretive governments, cover-ups, myths, magic, & the true realities of Unidentified Flying Objects.  This book by Robert Salas is entitled, Unidentified: The UFO Phenomenon.

AT THE LINE & READY TO RUMBLE

GROANER’S CORNER:((  As the manager of our hospital's softball team, I was responsible for returning equipment to the proper owners at the end of the season. When I walked into the surgery department carrying a bat that belonged to one of the surgeons, I passed several patients and their families in a waiting area.  "Look, honey," one man said to his wife. "Here comes your anesthesiologist."

---

I went into Dairy Queen the other day and asked for a hot fudge sundae with extra hot fudge.  The clerk behind the counter replied, "Sorry. The hot fudge only comes in one temperature."

AN APPROACHING CALIFORNIA STORM DELAYS OUR TRIP BACK TO SLAB CITY

SUCH A TWEETY PIE SHE IS:))

Had a shovel in the ground before the hands on my wrist worn time piece had reached the number 8 this morning.  Air was cool & it was a good time to dig.  Steve had this question for me this morning, “Is it safe to assume that the ground is soft enough there is not a lot of problems digging up that much dirt”.  Yes Steve that was one of the reasons I was out early.  Ground here is still quite pliable since last week’s heavy rains so I have to get these cactus beds dug while the earth is still workably soft.  It will soon be dried out & back to it’s old un-diggable self.

I LIKE THESE TYPES OF CACTUS & WISHED WE HAD ABOUT HALF A DOZEN IN OUR YARD

Kelly was up for a walk in the desert this morning so we all piled into the Jeep & off we went.  Probably been 3 weeks since I have been out for a morning walk.  Kelly still goes out most mornings with Pheebs & does a few blocks in the neighborhood.  I’m just not into walking around the neighborhood so unless we head off for a walk in the desert I usually find things to do around the yard while Kelly & Pheebs are out walking.

CAN YOU TELL KELLY IS HAVING BETTER DAYS:))

THIS HAT FROM FRANCE WAS GIVEN TO KELLY BY` ACCLAIMED SHAKESPEAREAN ACTRESS PAT GALLOWAY BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN KELLY & I LOOKED AFTER PAT & HER HUSBAND BERNHARD’S ESTATE NEAR ST. MARY’S ONTARIO  >>>

I have picked up Cactus Man 3 different times in the last couple days because he keeps falling over.  Decided this morning to move him from the muddy soft ground he has been standing on for the past couple years & try a different location.  I’m hoping he will like his new spot.

CACTUS MAN NOW STANDS UP THERE AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR CACTUS GARDEN

 

Lady called early this afternoon saying my new glasses were in.  Had she called this morning we would have been off to Wickenburg to pick them up.  Both Kelly & I are morning people much preferring to get things done or going places in the a.m.  Today I tuckered myself out by noon so didn’t feel much like going anywhere & that’s how we both generally feel most days by mid afternoon.  Pretty hard to drag us anywhere after 3 & by 4:30 we’re eating supper already.  Compared to years ago we sure have changed some of our ways & days.

 

RETIRED ROD  thought maybe our inverter troubles could have been caused by lightning.  He also said FET means Field Effect Transistor.  The board controls the amount of power coming out of the inverter……The folks at Magnum suggested that lightning could have been what fried both boards as well.  Only one problem with that theory.  We never encountered any thunderstorms on our journey.  Everything was working well & we only noticed the inverter problem 2 days after leaving Winkler Manitoba.  We were into lots of wind, cold temperatures & few errant snow flakes but no lightning driven thunderstorms at any time.   

I KNOW THIS IS TECHNICALLY NOT A GOOD PHOTO BUT THOUGHT IT CUTE HOW THIS PYRRHULOXIA  IS GIVING THE DICKENS TO THOSE 2 POOR LITTLE SPARROW GUYS

Been over a year since Ellie & Jim have had a post up but with their excitement over a recently purchased sticks & bricks at North Ranch they rustled themselves up a Blogger post yesterday.  In Ellie’s words, “it’s a new chapter in their lives”. You can find these nice folks & their new digs here at Justravelin.  I have them on my sidebar again as well.  They hadn’t blogged for so long I had completely lost track of them.  We met Ellie & Jim one time about 4 years ago I think it was.

MY LITTLE LIZARD PAL IS STILL HANGING OUT IN MY BEDROOM…Hmmmm WONDER IF THAT’S WHAT I FELT SCRAMBLE ACROSS MY FOREHEAD LAST NIGHT:))

I liked the ghostly apparitions Ivan recently encountered in an Arizona mineshaft near Lake Havasu.  With a flashlight, a camera, & a little creative thinking Ivan was able to coax a few old 49er miners to come forth out of the inky blackness & walk towards him.

<<< NOTICE THE 2 GUYS PEEKING OVER THE FLOWERPOT IN TOP LEFT CORNER

Gaelyn from GEOGYPSY owns a large 5th wheel but wanted something smaller she could also use to travel around in during the winter months.  She recently purchased a used camper which fits into the bed of her Dodge truck.  Known as a truck camper she has been busy getting things ready to head off shortly in search of new desert adventures.

OUR BACKYARD NEIGHBOR’S PLACE WHERE I DID THE BIG CLEAN UP LAST WINTER

Can you imagine an oil change requiring 28 quarts of oil.  I can’t but I’m sure you diesel driver’s out there know all about that.  Steve & Karen change the oil in their Safari Serengeti diesel pusher Motorhome once a year & they do it themselves.  I can’t imagine that either.  I have trouble just changing socks sometimes.

Temecula Valley RV phoned this morning saying our inverter was shipped to Solar Mike today.  Email from Mike said he could install our repaired inverter Saturday morning so we considered leaving here Friday.  That is until we heard the 5 o’clock news tonight about a storm crashing into the California/Oregon coast & heading our way.  Could be rolling through Slab City in a few days so figured we’d rather ride out a storm here at home rather than in a Motorhome parked somewhere in the desert landscape of Slab City.  Waiting for a return email from Solar Mike to see if he can do the installation possibly next Tuesday morning which would mean we’d leave here Monday.  Maybe even Sunday & spend a night in the Kofa Mountains south of Quartzsite.  We’ll see what happens with the weather in a few days.

A CANDID FILE PHOTO OF KELLY JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO THIS MONTH >>

GROANER’S CORNER:((   It was a really hot day at the office due to a malfunction with the air conditioning system. There were about twenty people in close quarters and everyone was sweating, even with a fan on.
All of a sudden, people started to wrinkle their noses at an odor passing through the air. It was the most hideous smell anyone had ever smelled.  One man, popping his head out of his cubicle, said, "Oh, man! Someone's deodorant isn't working."  A man in the corner replied, "It can't be me. I'm not wearing any."