Southern Historic Trail

We’re still parked in the campground at the Painted Rocks Historic Park, northwest of Gila bend, AZ. It’s a unique and pretty place, so we decided to stay over an additional day so that we could do some exploring. See my Blog entry of yesterday by clicking this link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-3pW

A portion of a sign here identifies it as the Southern Historic Trail…but it is also known by several different names such as the de Anza, Butterfield Overland Mail Route, the Mormon Battalion Trail and the California 1849 Emigrant Trail because all of these people in addition to many others used this very trail going westward. The trail leads westward to Yuma, Arizona where it was the only place to cross the then mighty Colorado River for 1,200 miles. Many etched their information upon these two piles of rocks as they passed through the area. See yesterday’s blog entry.

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

Our campsite is about a mere 250 feet from the trail. As all of these folks were heading west…which means they had to come through Painted Pocks Pass about 2.5 miles to the east. The following photo is a pre-sunrise looking right at Painted Rocks Pass…

The below Google Earth image shows the path that Mary and I took yesterday. “X” marks the petroglyphs and our camp site. We were gone 2.5 hours and I guess-timate the distance as 2.5 miles one way…

In three different areas we were sure we could detect wagon trail wheel indentations…remembering that it has been a long time singe a wagon passed this way. But we know for certain that they came over the pass and on a direct sight-line from the petroglyph rocks to the pass…the wheel indentations were right where they should be. The following three photos show these indentations…

We saw evidence of several encampments…broken glass bottles and tin cans…

To see all the other photos I took during our walk, click this link…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/SouthernHistoricTrailDay1

To read about the de Anza Trail, click this link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Bautista_de_Anza_National_Historic_Trail

To read about the Butterfield Overland Mail route, click this link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfield_Overland_Mail

To read about the Mormon Battalion Trail, click this link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Battalion

Mary and I both thoroughly enjoyed our walk over this very famous trail.

Shortly before sunset, out of the corner of her eye, Mary noticed some movement across the road from our camp site less than 50 feet away. A young fox had crawled out of its hole and was sunning itself. A little later, two more emerged and all three ran off into the bushes in search of supper. Here’s the photo…

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

My “Stagnant Mode” Has Come To An End…

“Stagnant Mode” is the best phrase that I could think of to describe the time when I’m not out seeing and doing new things.

Mary and I arrived back at her home in California on October 10, 2011 where I spent the about next seven weeks cleaning and doing preventative maintenance on the motorhome and towed Ford Bronco II. After Thanksgiving I headed out for the warmer weather. On to Palm Springs and Slab City, California and then to the Yuma, Arizona area where I hung-out for about one month while waiting for Mary to rejoin me. All places I been to numerous times before…mostly dictated by good weather.

Mary re-joined me on January 18th and after taking care of her dental needs in Los Algodones, Mexico the day before yesterday…my “Stagnant Mode” has finally come to an end! It’s time to get out on the road and returning to seeing and doing once again!

After a few miscellaneous stops in Yuma, Arizona yesterday morning…we finally got out of Dodge! We only drove about 30 miles and ended up spending the night in the small town of Wellton, Arizona. We parked at the VFW Post #6790.

As always you may click upon a photo to see and enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

About one small block away the VFW has a courtesy RV site with electric and water. That’s where we actually spent the night.

No matter it’s along the road…wasn’t that much traffic!

For everything you could ever want to know about Wellton, click this Wikipedia link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellton,_Arizona

No…it’s not quite the Grand Canyon…but at least we’re seeing and doing new stuff once again.

Today’s planned destination is the Painted Rocks Petroglyphs…about 80 miles distant. In the next few coming days we will kind of be out in the toolies and may not be able to pull in an Internet signal. So if you do not see a daily Blog from us…don’t worry. We’ll be back with a new entry soon.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

We Return To The Scene Of The Crime…

Last night we parked at American Legion Post #19 in Yuma, Arizona…the place where about one year ago Mary had her bicycle stolen If you missed my Blog about the event…here’s the link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-18L

When her bike was stolen we were parked at the end in the back packing lot of the legion along the street where there was little lighting. Last night we parked in their side parking lot bathed in night lighting and this morning our bicycles were still there!

In other news…yesterday was kind of a harried day for us. Fortunately we have very few of those kind of days. First business of the day was to arrive at Mary’s dentist office in Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico for her second appointment. She had her first appointment last Friday. If you missed the report…here’s the link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-3n0

As always you may click upon a photo to see and enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

While there I took a couple more photos of her dentist’s office. A beautiful brand-new building…right next to a junkyard! But…that’s Mexico!

Here’s the waiting area…

What got me started taking photos there was this brick travel trailer in the junkyard…

Directly across the street from the dentist office was this long line of cars. That’s the line for vehicles entering the United States about one mile away…

We had an appointment for 1:00 PM in Yuma, Arizona…about 1/2 hour drive…to have our motorhome and Bronco washed an waxed. Knowing we had at least a 1/2 hour wait standing in line to get back into the United States, at 11:45 AM I left Mary to finish her appointment and went to get into that line. By time Mary joined me and we got back to the motorhome it was 12:32 PM. Being close to being late for our appointment we decided not to take the time to hook-up the Bronco to the motorhome. I drove the motorhome and Mary followed me in the Bronco. Along the way Mary got a ticket for failing to stop for a stop sign…only her fifth ticket in all her years of driving.

We arrived at the appointed wash and wax atop at 1:20 PM…and no washers and waxers were there. They did not arrive until 2:30 PM!

Two hard-working Mexicans got the job done in two hours and did a good job.

We arrived at the American Legion Post #19 just before 5:00 PM.

After some miscellaneous stops this morning we will finally depart Yuma, Arizona to begin the Great Adventure. What is the Great Adventure? Click this link to find out…
http://wp.me/pDCku-3pp

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Not All RVing Days Are Happy Ones…

Here’s a sad story that happened a few days ago just a few miles from our current location at the Quechen Indian Casino at Winterhaven, California.

http://www.kswt.com/story/16531943/fatal-rollover-accident-in-winterhaven-slows-traffic-on-i8

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico

Yesterday Mary and I walked across the border into Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico. Why did we do that…you ask? So Mary could visit her dentist.

It’s reputed that within a four block radius there are more pharmacies, doctors, dentists and opticians here, than a similar four block area anywhere else in the world! Daily thousands of American and Canadian Snowbirds visit Los Algodones. I’ve been here a number of times…Mary first went there with me in 2009.

It can take as long as 2-3 hours later in the day to wait in line to cross back into the United States. The secret is to go early…get your business done…leave early. I abandoned Los Algodones dentists a number of years ago. My dentist is now in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico…about 20 miles south of Yuma, Arizona. I visited him about one month ago.

Here are some photos I took while Los Algodones…

As always you may click upon a photo to see and enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

Walking towards the border crossing…

If you bring guns or ammunition into Mexico…you may never be seen again…

Immediately after crossing into Los Algodones…

There are LOTS of signs like these all over Los Agodones…

Here’s photo of Mary in 2009 standing in front of her then dentist’s office…

Thanks to Mary and her oldest son Ken, her dentist now has a nice, new office…

Right next door to her dentist’s office is Maria’s Factory…

A pretty painted restaurant…

With a nice courtyard…

A typical street scene…

In a small central plaza…

Trinkets of all sorts can be found…

You can also watch artistic painters working with spray cans painting pretty scenes on satellite dishes…

We stopped at our favorite eating place. You can see Mary in the background…

You cannot beat the house policy…

After you are done eating you can step in the back to wash your hands…

Lots of places to buy booze…

Lots of pharmacies…

Another typical street scene…

And then you get in line to return to the United States. It wasn’t too bad…only about a twenty-minute wait…

Unfortunately Mary needs one more appointment…so next Monday we’ll once again return to Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico. Hopefully that will conclude Mary’s dental activity and we can head on out to the Great adventure on Tuesday. If you do not know what the Great Adventure is…you can find out by clicking this link…

http://wp.me/pDCku-3lE

To find out all about Los Algodones, click this Wikipedia link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Algodones

Here’s a good description of Los Algodones…

http://gosw.about.com/od/southwestmiscellaneous/a/Algodones.htm

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

CHANGING GEARS AGAIN.

Arriving in Yuma yesterday was exciting because it’s  the start of a new adventure. We spent a lazy kind of morning, reading and staying warm. The desert gets cold at night and nips in the early morning. The time change was only an hour but I’m disoriented in my second kitchen and it takes a day to change gears.

In the afternoon, it was shorts and T-shirt weather. Jim moved the bikes down, put air in the tires, oiled the chains and painted out the name of my “new” bike. It belonged to my son-in-law and I couldn’t wait to ride it. I did six laps of the park and remembered I shouldn’t over-do things, as is my habit. Decided to cut it short and ride a bit farther each day.

It was like an old friend. I also reminded myself it was in Yuma where  my bike was stolen in 2011.  We affixed a brand new kryptonite lock and cable on it as well.

After dinner we set out for a  walk just in time to see the sun setting behind a  bush.

As we walked the park,  the colors deepen and become more luscious.

We turned a corner. The power poles could not diminish the beauty though I wished they were not there.

I’m back to using a Cannon which I think has truer colors than the Sonys we purchased. So part of this picture scene is a curiosity to see the difference between Jim’s colors and mine. But, HE is the better photographer and takes more time with his shots.

Even with the sun setting, turning East, Pilot Knob was distinctive in the Eastern sky.

We chuckled at the campers boondocking on BLM land just across the fence from the park.  They are parking free while inside the fence it costs $40 a night. Normally we would be boondocking but we got a special deal- free! The fence seems confining in the wide open spaces of the desert.

Near the pool was a lone palm tree saying goodnight to the sun and…

…reflected in the pool.

A candy striped sky just as the sun dipped below the horizon.

THREE-TEN TO YUMA

Three-Ten To Yuma was a great movie about a train bringing prisoners to the Yuma Territorial Prison.  My 3:10 flight to Yuma had some similarities.  You are strapped to and trapped in a seat just like the prisoners. Yuma flights are special transports because  big planes don’t go there. These small puddle jumpers do. Actually better, less hassle, less people,  and comfortable enough. We won’t be visiting the Territorial Prison this trip, though. I blogged it in 2009.

Sitting by the window presents a rare opportunity to take aerial photos.  Interesting if you can recognize some of what you are seeing as in the once controversial California Aqueduct near the bottom right of the photo.

Which gave way to desert…

…and the Salton Sea.

After being met at the airport by my Sweetie, we went out for an early dinner and celebrated back in the motor home with a bottle of Cooks.

The weather in California is expected to turn stormy and cold. Winter at last.  I got out just in time. Back on the road, with temperatures in the 70′s.  We’re living the good life.

The Great Adventure Will Soon Begin…

and you are invited to join us!

For years I’ve had many people tell me…”I envy the way you live!” I have, tounge-in-cheek, replied…”Anyone can do it. It only requires three easy steps…

1) Sell everything you own.  2) Buy an RV.  3) Hit the road.”

Regardless of these three easy steps…some folks still haven’t hit the road…yet.

Within the next few days Mary and I will begin…her 2nd and my 6th…circumnavigation of the United States. It officially began in November, 2011 and is expected to be completed in November, 2013. I’ve been standing-by in the Yuma, Arizona area awaiting Mary’s joining me after enjoying the holidays with her family. She arrived yesterday at the airport in Yuma, Arizona.

In case you are interested, here’s the route we took from November, 2009 to October, 2010…

Here’s the route I’ve taken so far starting on November, 29, 2011…

Right now all I know about this upcoming trip is…we’re planning to spend the next couple of months exploring Arizona…south of Interstate Highway 8 to the Mexico border. We will then spend a good portion of the remainder of 2012 exploring the State of New Mexico. I’ve promised my oldest grand-daughter that when she graduates from high school in June of 2013 in southeastern Connecticut…that we will be there.

What routes we will take during these explorations…right now…I haven’t a clue. We’ll just have to see which way the winds blow us!

If you would like to travel along with us…all you have to do is click this link to our mutual Blog…

http://otrwjam.wordpress.com

Once you get there, click on “Subscribe To Our Blog”. Scroll down and click on “Sign Me Up”. You will then receive an email every time we post a Blog entry.

So far as I know, we are the only RVing couple that operates in this manner…which is…

As we experience the experience…we both write separate Blog entries about what we experienced! Therefore…you get two different perspectives of the same happening!

As an ex-engineer I tend to be “just the facts” kind of guy…plus I also tend to make use of lots of photos. Mary on the other hand is an ex-journalist and tends wordy verbose…hence you’ll get the real “inside scoop”,

We hope you will join us on our travels… it going to be a blast!

Don’t forget to tell your friends so they can follow along as well!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Pilot Knob, California

Waaay down in the southeast corner of the State of California, the land is flat except for a rise of land called Pilot Knob. This is what it looks like on Interstate Highway 8 heading east approaching Yuma, Arizona…

As always you may click upon a photo to see and enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

The campground I’m heading for is located at the horizon at the very far right in the above photo…about one mile from the highway. Why is it called Pilot Knob? I’m glad you asked! You can find out all about Pilot Knob by clicking this link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Knob_%28Imperial_County,_California%29

I’m headed for this 14 day limit BLM campground. It’s called a campground…but there are no amenities here. But it’s convenient and free…so the price is right!

I parked next to my friend Leo Perth from Slab City. He was in the Yuma, Arizona area to take care of some business for a couple of days. He headed back to Slab City yesterday afternoon…

This is only the second time I have ever parked at this location…the other time was when I had just started full-time RVing back in January, 1996. I remember that time vividly because a violent wind of about 60 miles an hour created an awesome dust storm…my first experience with that kind of activity. The sand blasted the side of my then travel trailer and I thought it was going to blast the decals off! I remember looking out of the window expecting Lawrence of Arabia to come riding by! Fortunately…no sand storm this time.

Here’s a panorama looking due West…

Here’s another panorama looking due East with Pilot Knob in the background…

Finally here’s a fun perspective photo…

I spent only one night here as this morning at 9:00 AM I’ll be entering a nearby RV park for a four night stay. I’ll meet Mary at the Yuma, Arizona Airport about 12 miles distant this afternoon.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Whaaack!!!

It sounded much like a very loud crack of a bullwhip. It happened a week ago today while I was on my way to Slab City. I purposely took the shortest route…California Highway 115 through the middle of the lettuce fields. Nice long straight paved roads with little to no traffic. When it happen I could see for several miles ahead, there were no other vehicles in sight except for a farm truck passing me headed in the opposite direction. That’s when it happened!

I knew immediately the windshield had taken a hit…but where? I pulled over to the side of the road to look. Glancing around…I finally saw it. On the driver’s side…eye level and about 15 inches to the left of my direct line of sight…

Here’s a little closer view…

And a really closer view…

When I arrived at Slab City I took this photo of the outside of the window…

This really nasty rock chip is about 1.25 inches long. Fortunately our insurance company paid the $65 to have it repaired. Safelite Glass did the repair. They are located in El Centro…about 35 miles south of Slab City. With poor cell phone service at Slab City, I felt it would be difficult at best for the repairman to find me. So, I decided to postpone the repair until I arrived at El Centro yesterday since I had already had plans to come here for a Costco food stop. The next Costco we will come across is more than 300 miles and we will not be there until about two weeks from now.

The glass repairman came yesterday and all appears well once again. He did a good job and the repair is barely visible to the eye. I tried to take a photo of the repair but it refuses to be seen by the camera.

I spent the night in the Moose Lodge #1033 parking lot.

Today I’ll head back towards Yuma, Arizona to meet Mary who will arrive on a flight tomorrow afternoon.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust