The Trek West – to Yuma

Well, we survived camping in a parking lot.  Not much different from a regular campsite – just the view out the window was a little different.  Must admit it was a little unsettling to be sat on the loo . . .  and hear people chatting as they walked by on the other side of a thin wall!!

Passed the other plane ‘graveyard’ at Pinal Air Park at Marana Arizona . .  . this one for commercial planes.  Although it claims NOT to be a boneyard – merely a storage facility for commercial airlines . . .  many of the planes do end up being scrapped.

There are cotton fields!  Well, there were before harvesting.  Now the fields are scattered with remnants of white puffy cotton balls – like polka dots.  Who knew!

Back through Gila Bend . . .  another chance to see monsters . .  . but no . .  . and we didn’t pick up any more ‘fragrant’ chorizo either. Another stream of freight trucks.  There’s a strange phenomenon which affects us as these monsters pass by – it’s almost as though our truck is suddenly pulled towards the rig next to us.  Obviously to do with the volume of air being pushed ahead of the transport truck . . . but why suck our truck in.  Then it dawned – the wall of air hits the trailer first, pushing it away, which in turn swings our truck in towards the rig’s cab, just as it comes level. Cause and effect!  Bit disconcerting in the beginning . . . and even now, one comes past with more  oomph.  Have to be on your toes!

Roadside verges are looking quite pretty now . . .  taller rabbit bushes covered in brilliant buttercup yellow blossoms, then lines of orange and blond grasses, descending in height . . . and finally, right along the road edge, a streak of purply-blue – teeny, tiny wild lupins.

Hmmm . . . what’s that smell?  It got stronger . . . and STRONGER.  Like a hundred over-flowing outhouses in full sun.  There’s the answer . . . a ginormous cattle feedlot . . .  probably with upwards of 100,000 cattle.  Even with windows tightly shut, the stench was overpowering.  What is dismaying though, is that surrounding these staggeringly huge cattle fattening establishments are miles and miles and miles of vegetable farms . . . all connected with irrigation canals, which in turn are connected to the main canal which has just collected the ‘effluvia’  from the cattle . .  . ready to irrigate the stuff you find in your ready-to-eat bagged salads.  Yum!

Solana Solar farm – at one time one of the largest concentrator type solar power producers.  Can power 70,000 houses and reduce atmospheric CO2 by 475,000 tons per year.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solana_Generating_Station  Hope that’s true.

With no response from the Harvest Host people in Yuma (it’s been two days), we decided to do another BLM camp overnight.  Land belonging to the Bureau of Land Management can be freely used by RVs and campers in Arizona and California (probably other states too).  No services, but handy – and widely used.  Usually off the main roads, so quite quiet . .  . you can see clumps of vehicles tucked away in all sorts of places.

Big sign at the Junction “Now entering US Army Proving Grounds.  Howard Cantonment Training Grounds”  and a large black tank to prove it. (Explains the rocket launchers we saw earlier!) The surrounding area looked well used . . . steep hillside gradients . . .  signs to “mud testing area” . . .  endless dunes and hummocks for troops and artillery to hide behind.  Didn’t see any activity . .  . but could hear the occasional “crump” of explosions in the distance.  I could see Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson having great fun here.

The place at Imperial Dam, however, was really rather nice . .  .. and the views spectacular.  Several camping areas available – we picked the first – Quail’s Hill.  A few RVs already there – looking like they were settled in for a good while.  A promontory overlooking the dam and valley seemed a likely spot.  We did wonder a bit when sitting with mugs of tea and bikkies poised, and the wind began gusting strongly once more.  Whoops . . . there go the mug caps.  Made a grab for one . . . the other will be halfway into Yuma by now!  Good job we have spares . . . and it did calm down later.

Dinner was a packaged Thai-style Coconut curry I’d picked up before leaving BC (“Tasty Bites”)  Made in India . . . with a list of easily recognizable ingredients and low sodium.  We threw in some leftover cooked chicken, red peppers and snow peas  . . . over Jasmine rice – it was DELICIOUS!  Spicily Hot – tastes homemade.  Will buy this brand again.  At Gila Bend (with Microwave available) I’d mixed up a Dr. Oetker ‘lemon drizzle’ cake.  Instructions were for oven baking only, but I added extra moisture — juice and peel from half a lemon, a touch more milk and microwaved a couple of minutes at a time till done.  The remaining lemon/peel went into the icing.  Again, amazingly good results – lots of lemony flavour.

The next day more back routes, courtesy of Miss Google . .  . all roads around here connect via a series of right-angles  . . .  to accommodate vast square fields, of course.  Every shade of green . . . from the dark blue/green cabbages and kale, to deep green onions . . .  lighter knobbly broccoli, to pale butter lettuce.  A wave to workers picking broccoli brought cheerful waves and shouts in response (I think they were waves!)  Looked backbreaking work.  Large, terracotta roofed haciendas with walled gardens and shade trees – obviously belonging to the owners.  Some ranches had nicely appointed houses for the workers – others offered communities of unappealing large  tents.  A pleasant-looking Education Centre for children with playground . . . right next door though was a cassino.

A stop at Imperial Date Gardens for a date shake . . . actually quite tasty . . . and daily ration of roughage too.

Gassed up in Yuma . . . probably the last time we’ll see gas below $4.00/gal — $3.89.

Erm .  . did we cross over into Egypt?  Those are sand dunes, and big ones too!  Bikes and dune buggies zooming up the slopes.  Apparently, a $50.00 permit is required to camp, drive over or even set foot on the Imperial Sand Dunes . . . so we’ll enjoy views from the rest stop, and carry on.

Even though the landscape appears dead flat . . . you can sure feel the strong head wind plus slight incline.  Signs cautioning Blowing Sand.  Three licence plates in quick succession . .  . Maine … Alaska … Oregon . .  . and us.

Tonight . . .  Desert Olive Farm.  Hope to learn all about olive oil.