A Crazy Week Of Adventure Begins: Kermit Comes Home

   This past week has been just a little bit insane. We have encountered rain, high winds, city traffic, lonely roads, a wonderful lady who drove race cars when she was young, a tiny car named Kermit, a morning surprise, a lone roadrunner, a dog who loves four-wheeling, and ten thousand people we will never meet.

 

We began this week of craziness by finally finding a car on the C-List that would be perfect for a "toad" to tow behind Flipper (our motorhome, for those of you who have not yet met her). It was a
Geo Metro and it was located near Las Vegas, NV. Sadly, we were not located near Las Vegas, NV.
So, on Tuesday we set out on our way north. All went fairly smoothly at first, with clear skies and clear sailing as we left Yuma and headed up AZ 95 toward Parker, AZ where we would cross the Colorado to catch US 95 the rest of the way to LV. As we went farther north, we began to see clouds ahead. They were puffy and white at first. They didn't stay that way. The closer we got to
Nevada, the angrier looking the clouds became. There was some wind as well but nothing unmanageable, even in a tall vehicle like we were driving. Still, we figured we would beat 

the storm to our destination. Then the orange construction cones appeared and our chance of beating the rain disappeared. We just caught the edge of the real rain, so we received just enough to turn Flipper into one fully mud-spotted and slightly disreputable looking Dolphin. After wallowing through Las Vegas traffic for 40 minutes, we finally arrived at our destination...just a few minutes after the banks closed for the day! We looked at the car and met the owner, a lovely lady who had named it Kermit (because it was a teal green color, of course). We had planned to stay the night in the Thousand Trails park in Vegas until our hostess invited us to park overnight in front of her house; we took her up on her kind offer. She invited us to come in and visit after dinner, and we spent a wonderful couple of hours getting to know each other. It was much more fun than spending the evening squeezed in between other rigs with all our shades down, and being outside of Vegas proper, it was also fairly quiet at night.

   In the morning we bought the car, picked up some tag lights and safety cables and headed back towards Yuma. We left feeling that we had gained two new friends, one an elegant lady with an interesting history and the other a small green frog with a wide open future. We were trying to beat the 40-60 MPH winds predicted for the afternoon; we made it as far as Cal-Nev-Ari (pronounced Cal-Nev-Air) before the wind gusts made it far too dangerous to be driving a target as big as ours. We pulled off at the Cal-Nev-Ari Casino and they were kind enough to let us stay until the winds died down a bit.

   The town of Cal-Nev-Ari is a tiny little community of about 350 residents nestled on both sides of US 95 in the Nevada desert. It was conceived in 1965 by Slim and Nancy Kidwell as a town for pilots like themselves, with an air strip, backyard hangars and a fly-in casino. The town consists of a landing strip, casino/bar/restaurant, convenience store, small motel, mobile home park, RV park, and a post office with a zip code. It was founded on what was an abandoned military airstrip. By taking advantage of The Pittman Act, the Kidwells were able to realize their dream of establishing a town here merely by proving that they could be self-sufficient. The couple planted a field of barley and began hauling water 30 miles by truck from the Colorado River. They dug a well, the barley grew, and the BLM granted them a land patent; a town was born. One of the big draws is the fly-in casino. The day we were there all the patrons had arrived by car, but on a busy weekend as many as four or five small planes may be parked at the edge of the runway out back of the small, smoke filled casino. The entire town was for sale as recently as 2016, for the bargain price of $6,000,000; it is currently off the market.

   We stayed until just about dusk, when the wind intensity dropped a bit and we were able to make a run for it. Joe was hoping to make it all the way "home" to the Yuma area, but it was just too far after having had to wrestle the wheel all day to keep Flipper between the lines. We made the decision to stop for the night when we reached Quartzsite, AZ ("the Q"). We missed the turn in the dark and ended up heading southeast on the 72. While this incredibly bumpy road would eventually take us to I-10, I remembered that it also connected to the eastern end of Plomosa Rd. at Bouse, AZ. We had previously camped along the western end near Quartzsite and really enjoyed it. After all, how hard could it be for two exhausted people and three sleepy cats to get there on a completely unfamiliar road in total darkness at 11:00 at night? And so we boldly turned off into the darkness on a fairly decent, if somewhat narrow and winding road that soon began climbing upward. We couldn't see anything beyond the range of our headlights, but it felt as if there was a void off to our left as we continued our gentle climb. We spotted a couple of BLM boondocking area markers just as we passed them by, but we no longer have the ability to back up with Kermit on a tow bar behind us (this also adds a new element of fun to entering gas stations; just ask all the folks stuck behind us in Vegas after someone blocked us as we were pulling up to the pump!). Finally we saw one in time and grabbed the first big spot we saw on
the right side of the road. Joe went out with a flashlight and announced that he could see a saguaro cactus, but nothing beyond that. We were still fairly certain that there was a major drop off on the left side of Plomosa Rd, and we weren't at all anxious to find out whether or not we were correct!

 
   On Thursday morning I was awakened far too early by the sound of raindrops on the roof. Imagine my delight to discover that we were camped in the middle of a beautiful forest of majestic saguaro cacti! I like all types of cactus, but saguaros feel like home to me. I didn't grow up around them, but I have loved them since I was little; they are a symbol of the freedom of the desert to me. I grabbed my camera and went out into the spring shower to discover that we were indeed up above the distant valley floor, but there wasn't a cliff anywhere in sight. In truth, there was more camping area to the left of the road than the side we were on. It's funny how different things feel at night, especially in unfamiliar territory. We were in the foothills on the eastern side of the Plomosa Mountains, surrounded by saguaros and palo verde trees.

   We looked up the weather for the coming day and discovered that it was going to be windy again to the south of us, so we decided to just stay where we were for another night and enjoy our sonoran desert surroundings. Our new plan was to hit I-10 Friday morning and head in to Blythe, CA to smog and register our new family member and then head back east and catch AZ 95s at "The Q" for the final part of our journey back to Yuma. On the way west, we saw the eastbound lanes were closed by a big rig that had burned to the ground. Traffic was backed up for miles, and it wasn't going to improve any time soon. In Blythe, the registration process went surprisingly smoothly, but we were forced to take CA 78 south because of the accident on I-10. We don't really like 78; it is narrow, rough, and gravelly. The scenery is beautiful, but people drive way too fast for safety and there are very few pullouts or passing lanes. It was on this road that we had our windshield cracked by a flying rock thrown up by an oncoming RV when we first arrived in the Yuma area, so we may be a bit prejudiced. Be that as it may, we didn't have much choice so off we went. The highlight of this portion of the journey was finally seeing a roadrunner just a few miles from our campsite. He was, well...running across the road! I have to admit, the artists really did get the motion of the true roadrunner correct when they created their cartoon roadrunner; the color and sound, not so much!
 

   It was really a relief to finally arrive back at our boondocking site. It sometimes surprises me how much it feels like coming home, complete with familiar sights and sounds and really awesome neighbors to greet us and welcome us back. It may not be a stick-and-bricks, but what more could you really ask for?

 
   Stay tuned for part 2 of the wild and crazy week! Until then, take care My Friends!     
                                                              -Lynn


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Valley Of Names: The Crazy Week Of Adventure Continues

   Although the first part of last week was really crazy and hectic, the weekend was just amazing and full of adventure. Saturday was mellow and we just hung out and rested, spent a little time futzing around with Kermit and went in to Yuma for groceries. Sunday, however, was a different story. We were invited to join our friends Bob and Tina, Jim and Barbara (and their dog Abby), and Phil and Karen for an off-road trip to the Valley Of Names. This valley, located near Winterhaven, CA is an amazing place full of history and mystery. The aforementioned area is a large valley of rolling dune-like hills and washes covered in large and small rocks of mostly dark coloring. No one knows who first began the tradition of using these rocks to spell out their name across the sand colored hills, but we know it started some time before the Second World War. General Patton had a secret training camp near Bouse, AZ and apparently used the area near what is now Winterhaven as well. He referred to the

valley we visited as Graffiti Mesa back in the 1940's.
 
   By the 1960's the tradition had become a rite of passage for local off-roaders, and by the '70's it had been embraced by the Snowbirds and winter visitors as well. The local high school kids
discovered it in the '80's and there was no turning back. The area of valley floor covered in names and other mysterious messages swelled from the original four acres to roughly 1200 acres. It is visible from sattelites in space and you can find it on Google Earth. Tours are available by both jeep and airplane, and while I'm sure the view from above is spectacular I really don't think you can top the excitement of getting there by the off-road trails provided by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). Some trails in the region are easier and could be done by a reasonably good driver in a high clearance vehicle, while others are more challenging and require a dune buggy or four wheel drive rig. Maps are available from the BLM office in Yuma, or you can go as part of an organized group or on a paid tour. Remember, it is always a good idea to travel the back country with at least one other vehicle; not all areas have cell service and you could be stuck for a long time before someone else comes along if you miscalculate or break down! Pay attention to the trail markers so you have an idea where you are should you need to call for help, and be aware that weather conditions can temporarily or permanently close trails. Maps may not be up to date and completely accurate, as Mother Nature has a mind of her own and a somewhat wicked sense of humor!
 
   We enjoyed touring the Valley of Names, stopping often to read and photograph the messages and memorials dedicated to friends and loved ones. Whatever the compulsion is to leave a lasting mark here on the valley floor, it is apparently quite widespread. It is astonishing how much planning and desert sweat equity has gone into some of these mysterious glyphs. Most of the easily attainable rocks have long since been used up by the more than 10,000 works of art already in place. For any who wish to add their own message, it is necessary now to bring your own rocks (please do not raid someone else's creation to make your own; Karma will get you!). Some artists use alternate materials, like colored golf balls or painted rocks; others add special touches like a vase of plastic flowers to their memorials. Some have dates included, but many do not and the year of their creation will remain forever a mystery. The sheer number of names in this valley is somewhat overwhelming; they stretch out almost as far as the eye can see. Some of the more intrepid artists trek long distances away from the road to make their mark on history. Some have a stick planted vertically so their creator can find it again; others have solar lights to illuminate the surrounding darkness, perhaps to bring a touch of civilization to this lonely place in the desert

.
   With Bob and Tina's help, we were able to find the Xscapers logo built here by  the group a couple of months ago (hint: look for the nearby Led Zeppelin name). Every few years, according to one tour guide, some of the locals who appreciate the magic of this place come together to clean up the plastic bags and debris that inevitably make their way to this place. They also carefully replace any rocks that have been kicked or otherwise removed from the artwork left upon this gravelly canvas. Although it is located in a secluded place at the base of Imperial Valley's rugged Cargo Muchacho Mountains, I'm not sure anyone could ever truly feel alone here. There is just too much company amongst the sand and rocks where thousands of strangers have left a little piece of themselves behind to create a silent community in the desert.

   Having enjoyed a brief overview of the Valley Of Names, where curiosity could easily keep you wandering for hours (or possibly days), we headed out to find a different route back home through the mountains. As I mentioned

previously, maps can be deceiving; the road shown on ours as going through to our destination was in fact a dead end. It probably was as indicated previously, but mining debris and rock slides are a commom hazard amid these jagged peaks. Roads and trails commonly dwindle down to nothing and trail markers are often on the ground or missing altogether where trails meet.  While there is currently no mining activity here, the remains of a large number of mines can be seen along the rocky slopes. Some have ruins of sluices and other mysterious wooden structures; others are merely openings in the hillside. We came across one while exploring trails leading out that still had some structures standing, but after walking partway up the road snaking up to it we decided against trying it with our vehicles, as the track quickly turned into something that looked more like a rock slide than a road. Even with Jim and Barbara leading the way in their dune buggy this trail was just not going to be possible for our vehicles. The fact that it ended in a blind ridge was an additional hazard as it would require walking a long way uphill to scout it out before even attempting it. Getting a vehicle to the top of a ridge and finding a sheer drop on the other side means you have to back down a track that was a challenge to get up going forward and was definately in our plans! So, once again we turned our little three vehicle entourage around and tried another trail.

   Having spent several hours happily exploring alternate routes, we were finally forced to admit the best choice was to partially retrace our original course until it intersected with Power Line Rd, a less interesting but more reliable way out. It was really amazing how well the three very different vehicles (a vw dune buggy, a Suzuki Samurai and a trail rated Jeep Cherokee) all handled the terrain equally well in different ways. Joe and I rode in air conditioned luxury with Bob and Tina in their Jeep, while Jim and Barbara led the way in their cool Barris dune buggy and Phil and Karen followed in their Samurai, a legendary on and off-road workhorse. While the Jeep's longer wheelbase and wider profile might be an issue on some trails it handled these without a problem, and much of the time it wasn't even in 4WD! Whenever the trail looked a bit dicey, the dune buggy was our go-to vehicle because of it's light weight and versatility. The Suzuki we knew could go almost anywhere, and it did.

   It has been a very long time since the summer I spent off-roading around southeastern Utah with my Uncle Fran (who wrote and illustrated dozens of off-road guides to the Colorado Plateau country from his home base in Moab) and this was a welcome change of pace from travelling in a motorhome. While Joe and I were initially looking for a dune buggy or baja bug to tow behind Flipper, we finally chose the Geo Metro because of it's spectacular gas mileage (and because the buggies and bajas we looked at never seemed to have a title; come on people, put the title somewhere you can find it again!). While we are enjoying having the option of zipping around in "Kermie" instead of driving the motorhome everywhere we go, we will still keep our eyes open for something that can function as well off-road as on. Our dream combo would be an MCI bus with an interior

designed specifically for us towing something like a Myers Manx dune buggy. With a rooftop deck and 3000+ watts of solar... and a scooter on front and back...and a full sized bathroom...and a king bed...oh, and a gourmet kitchen...and a gourmet chef to run it... Yeah, O.K., so I'll just keep dreaming, but all my dreams from now on are going to include some kind of a vehicle that can take us on off-road adventures like this one. There is so much of this incredible country of ours that just can't be seen from paved roads, and I don't want to miss any of it. I love being able to view new horizons with a childlike sense of wonder and adventure, always eagerly anticipating
 what is just beyond the next turn, around the corner,
 or over the next ridge. Until we meet again, keep on
 searching out your own adventures, My Friends!   
                                                                   -Lynn

   A big "Thank you" to Bob, Tina, Jim, Barbara, Phil, Karen and Abby (woof woof!) for inviting us to share this adventure with you. Good friends and good times are everything you need in life!


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