CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME

IT WAS A WARM DAY WHEN WE LEFT YUMA. NO WIND AT ALL, SO GOING THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DESERT WAS A SIGHT . THE DUNES WERE LIKE LARGE SWIRLS OF WHIPPED CREAM UNDISTURBED BY THE USUAL DESERT WINDS.  IT WAS A SHORT FIVE HOUR DRIVE TO OASIS PALMS RV PARK IN THERMAL CA. WE HAD STAYED THERE BEFORE, IT WAS PLEASENT SO WE DECIDED TO STAY AGAIN.  WE PASSED THE BOARDER PATROL CHECKPOINT.  WE HAVE NEVER BEEN STOPPED AND QUESTIONED. THEY TAKE ONE LOOK AT US AND WAVE US ON. WE DO NOT POSE A THREAT TO THE ILLEGALS OF THIS COUNTRY.  WE PASSED THE SALTON SEA, THE ORANGE GROVES AND THE DATE FARMS TO ARRIVE AT OUR DESTINATION.
     THE OASIS PALMS RV PARK IS CLEAN AND WELL KEPT, EACH RV SLOT HAS A CITRUS TREE OR TWO IN IT. EITHER AN ORANG TREE,GRAPEFRUIT TREE OR LEMON TREE. WE ARE TOLD FROM THE BEGINNING TO HELP OURSELVES.THE PROVIDE TEM FOOT POLES TO HELP WITH THE PICKING.
     WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED WE PICKED A SPOT THAT SEEMED QUIET AND REMOTE.  THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A BIG ERROR.  THERE WAS A SMALL POND AND BETWEEN THE POND AND THE RV WAS A FIRE RING.  WELL MANY OF THE PATRONS LIKED TO GATHER AROUND THE FIRE,THAT ONE OLD MAN CONSIDERED HIS DUTY TO MAKE AS LARGE AS HE COULD, TO TALK,AND DRINK AND YELP.  THE FIRST TWO NIGHTS WERE OK THEN IT GOT COOL AND A BON FIRE WAS MADE.  THE SMOKE WAS SO BAD WE HAD TO CLOSE THE WINDOWS AND TAKE OFF.  WHEN WE TRIED TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT WE COULD NOT BREATH. I GOT UP AT 1 AM AND STRIPPED THE BED AND MOST OF OUR CLOTHES AND WASHED THEM. I WASHED THE RV WITH LYSOL AND FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WE CHANGED OUR SLOT.
THE AREA WAS OPEN WITH PALM TREE FARMS, OREANA AND I HAD A GREAT TIME WALKING AROUND THE AREA. SHE HAD A MEMORABLE TIME CHASING RABBITS.  WHILE IN THE AREA WE TOOK DAY TRIPS TO JOSHUA TREE PARK AGAIN AND 29 PALMS, AS WELL AS FINDING ALL THE VINEYARDS,DATE FARMS AND PRODUCE FARMS IN THE AREA. SOME OF THE PRODUCE GROWN ARE ARTICHOKES,SPINACH,BASIL,CILANTRO AND SCALLIONS.

ON THE ROAD TO YUMA

WHEN WE LEFT KINGMAN,AFTER THE COLD MONTH WE STAYED, WE TOOK THE SOUTHERN ROUTE TO THE WARMER YUMA. WE STOPPED AT LAKE HAVASU CITY FOR A SHORT STAY AND VISITED LONDON BRIDGE.  THE CITY OF LONDON SOLD THE BRIDGE BECAUSE IT WAS SINKING. THE BRIDGE WAS MADE FOR HORSE AND CARRIAGE,AND NOT FOR AUTOMOBILES. THE 200 YEAR OLD BRIDGE WAS RECONSTRUCTED IN LAKE HAVASU CITY. WE WERE ABLE TO WALK ON THE BRIDGE AND UNDER IT. THE LIGHTS ON THE BRIDGE WERE FROM MELTED CANON FROM BONOPARTE'S ARMY. IT WAS A THRILL TO WALK WHERE VICTORIA,DESRALI,AND SO MANY OTHERS WALKED.

FROM THERE WE DROVE TO YUMA.