Friday, April 20, 2012

Scorching Quartzsite

You know that old saying, "If you have something to do, give it to a busy person?"  It's so true.  When I have days with nothing to do, I REALLY want to do nothing, including not posting.  I'm sorry if some of you were worried, but Katie and I are fine, just Hot, Hot, Hot, and we're just being lazy and enjoying our days in the desert.

We left Quail Hill on the 15th, the final day our season LTVA permit was good, and I wanted to spend some time at a camping area I've read about, but I just couldn't find it.  Drove down dirt/rock roads here and there along canals and saw some interesting things.  This boat was in a dry wash on one of the dirt roads - bummer for the owner.  It looked like a good boat:


I kept going, and ended up at a dead end - with this truck parked right at the end of the road.  I looked at it, and my chest and shoulders got very tight - instant stress reaction.  It looked like a nice truck, but was covered with mud and dried rain drippings (the dirt doesn't show in this photo).  It looked like it had been there for a while, had a camo backpack thrown on the hood, both the passenger side doors were open, and there was a bunch of stuff in the truck bed.  Fishing gear, etc.  No one was around and I don't think anyone would leave the doors open like that and walk off very far.


I thought either a weirdo was in the area, or someone had done something to the driver and left the area.  It wasn't a wide road, but I got The Palms turned around, watching the area carefully for movement as I got it turned, and as I drove away I saw jeans and boots in the bed of the truck with bare foam cushions under and over the person.  He didn't move as I was driving off, I don't know if he was dead or alive, but I wasn't checking.

I drove into that area at ten mph because of the condition of the road, but I drove out at 20 and was glad to hit the main road!  I decided to drive up to Quartzsite and spend some time at the 14-day BLM land areas.

These are the final photos of birds from the Quail Hill campground area:

Beautiful bird with lots of bright yellow on it's chest and body.

I love shots of birds on a wire.

There were three of these big birds who perched on this wire,
then flew in the winds that came up in the afternoon.
They were beautiful soaring in the winds.

I kept trying for a close-up, clear photo. This is the best one I have.
They swooped down right overhead - just beautiful.

The last few days at Quail Hill were REALLY windy.   The hummingbirds that came by the feeder were buffeted all over, sometimes they couldn't make it to the feeder and flew away. One of the birds was looking like he was sick, his feathers were all weird looking, I couldn't tell if he was sick, or if it was just the wind.




Late Sunday morning I drove into the Quartzsite Hi Jolly BLM area, and parked.  I took Katie outside for a walk and the woman parked nearest to us came over to warn me about the 10-foot snake they have seen twice right next to her rig.  I was hoping to see it and get a photo, but I've kept my eyes open for six days and no picture yet.

I saw a woman walking toward us, and it was Debbie - one of the Dingbats.  She was the last Dingbat to leave the LTVA area and is here until the end of the week.  She came late to Quartzsite this year and I left for my surgery shortly after she got here.  We haven't had a chance to get to know each other very well, but we've been sitting out in the shade every afternoon talking and trying to stay cool.  She's been great company and it's been nice getting to know her.  She plans to leave Sunday, heading north.

 Our Hi Jolly Campground site - they are all starting to look alike, aren't they ?  :)

It has been blazing hot here.  In the 90's, which means high 90's in The Palms.  The forecast is for 101 Saturday and 105 on Sunday and 101 Monday, which is  the hottest weather I've ever been in.  The rest of the month and beginning of May should be a few days in the 80s and the rest in the 90s until I plan to leave.

I've been covering the windows with windshield sun covers and lowering the window covers every afternoon, but it was still a pretty constant 98 degrees inside yesterday afternoon, until the sun went down, then I opened everything up again.  You pretty much have to leave some windows uncovered and open so the breezes can come through, which cools things a little.  Today I'm covering the windows early - I set my alarm to remind me.  I get busy and forget, and all of a sudden I look at the thermometer and it's 94 degrees.  At that point, it's too late.  Hopefully I'll do better today.  I'm learning....

I could leave and drive east or north, but I have a follow-up blood test in a month and need to drive back to California for that, so I'd like to stay in the area until then, if I can stand it.  Then I might head over to New Mexico - that's my new plan - where they have an annual State Park pass non-residents can purchase for $225.  It's good for a year from the date of purchase, and allows camping at sites with electric and/or sewage hookups for $4 each, water is free when available, and primitive no-hookup sites are free.  If I get to New Mexico and buy buy my pass in May, I'll be able to go back next year when Arizona gets too hot, and finish up the pass before driving north again.  Gas prices are definitely going to determine where I go and how long I stay, but that's fine with me.  I have no problem driving less and staying longer as long as I'm enjoying the area.

The sunsets have been especially beautiful this week.

I haven't been to New Mexico yet, and might spend the whole summer there where they have many State Parks and the weather is cooler.  Then when I'm ready, I can come back to Arizona and purchase the LTVA permit again for the winter.  I really enjoyed staying in the desert and can see doing that from year to year as long as I'm full-timing.   $180 for seven months which includes dump site and water is such a good bargain.

I have some photos that didn't fit anywhere in the last few weeks, and I'm going to post them tomorrow just to get them out of my "Blog Photo File."  So tomorrow's post will be a mishmash of unrelated photos then I can start again with new stuff.  :)

From Me and Katie, have a great Friday, everyone!  :)

PS - My condo isn't closing today. :(  We have too many non-owner occupied units, so the borrower's lender wouldn't complete his loan.  My Realtor has a couple of lenders who, hopefully, will take his loan, so we're hoping that will work out.  I'm guessing there are a lot of condos with this problem right now. So  many are being bought up at reduced prices to use as rentals, and that upsets the balance that you want in this kind of housing.  My buyer is also purchasing as an investment unit; the longer this goes on, the more rentals we will have.  When I purchased seven years ago, we were almost all owner-occupied, things have really changed.  UPDATE  Good news - my Realtor just called and my HOA had the numbers wrong, and the rentals to occupied owner units is within guidelines, so my buyer's loan is going through.  It will put us back a few days, and we should close next Wednesday or Thursday. (I have the WORST HOA in the world of condos - the very worst.) 

24 comments:

  1. Boy that is really hot!!! And we r excited for 70!! Glad all is well with u & Katie.

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  2. Maybe you should tell someone about the man in the truck , in case he is dead?? Where do you go in Ca. for your bloodwork?? Why not go to ca. for awhile to escape the heat. Course I live in North. ca. so I guess southern ca. may not be escaping the heat unless you are on the coast. I believe there are some nice mountains around as well, such as Big Bear area. I dont care for the heat much myself. When it gets past 80 I am not happy unless next to a bed of water that I can jump into !

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  3. Eek! I wouldn't want to stay in those temperatures without AC.

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  4. You never know what you're going to find in the desert with all the illegals coming across. I would have been leery, as well. Maybe you can call the police and just give them the location - person may just be overcome with heat and needs help.

    If you're going to NM, go up toward Angel Fire near Taos. You'll be cool up there, and it's beautiful country. You could drive the enchanted loop--see the DAV Memorial. There are some beautiful lakes to stay by--see Nina's blog for in-depth descriptions of the places they stayed. Further up is Chama--country I love.

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  5. Sorry, I just assume everyone knows Nina! http://wheelingit.wordpress.com/

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  6. I would definitely call the police and report that truck and 'person'...dont' think I could handle that type of heat...wow..thats pretty hot....stay cool

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  8. Heat is one thing I really don't like. Northern California is beautiful at this time of the year. Hee in the Santa Cruz Mountains it really cools off at night.

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  9. Can you head for a higher elevation that isn't too far from your appointment? It would be cooler and staying in the kind of heat you're talking about without AC of any kind could be dangerous.

    Did you call anyone about the truck? Whoever was in the back could have been sleeping or dead, but could also have been injured or sick & needed help.

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  10. Like some others, guess I'm wondering if you contacted someone about the person in the truck and what their story might have been. You sure are tough; I wouldn't be boondocking in that hot weather! Hang in there! Will there be other folks around after Debbie leaves? Might be a thought to be around other folks . . .

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  11. I agree with most everyone else...way too hot. That truck story does not seem right. I would have beat feet out of there too - something strange going on. Stay safe and try to stay cool.

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  12. I am glad you followed your instincts and left the area where you saw the truck, and I understand your first reaction to stay out of it, and report nothing. It is hard to say what the sitation might has been. I like heat myself, but it might be worthwhile to take the suggestions of others above and move where it is a bit cooler while stil staying in range of the location for your appointment. Heat can sneak up on you before you realize you are not feeling tip top. Wishing you and Katie the very best, hugs are sent your way. I am glad you posted, I was thinking about you and wondering. PS Congrats on the sale, almost there!

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  13. We are doing the New Mexico thing, currently at Rockhound State Park near Deming. Planning to move north in the next couple weeks. Maybe our paths will cross if you end up coming to NM. It is a beautiful state.

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  14. I don't think the person was dead because the buzzards would have found him, or something would have. You did the right thing by turning around and getting out of there, but chances are it wasn't a dangerous situation, but then it could have been. Trust your gut reaction is the best advice.

    Do you have to go back for the closing? If you don't, why don't you try to get your doctor to order the blood tests for you at a local (AZ) hospital. They can draw blood and fax results and save you a lot of miles, especially if you are driving back to NM.

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  15. I agree with your instinct to get out of the area as quickly as possible but please do call the police and let them know about it. The person could need help or, if he was dead, someone will be worried sick about him.

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  16. Wow- Could you send just a little of that heat our way. It is all of 38ºF (high temp) today. With the windchill it is in the 20's.

    That is pretty scary ending up on that road like you did. You are braver than I am to go down an unknown road like that. Of course you DO have a big, rough, tough, mean watchdog!;>)

    Blessings to you-enjoy your stay no matter where you are! xo Diana

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  17. Well my heart rate sure rose reading the beginning of your post !! I was trying to imagine getting 'DA HULK turned around which would be a lot more difficult than The Palms.

    I simply wouldn't be able to function in that kind of heat. I'd have to go to an RV Park for hook-ups so I could run the A/C.

    I do know what you mean about wanting to do absolutely NOTHING. I get out of the Blogging mood lots of times.

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  18. Good to hear that you're doing well, Barbara, and the condo is finally getting to closing. That will be a great day for you. What an interesting post...so many things happening...but you're heat there is way too much. You need a nice trip to Costco to stock up on ice cream bars! Give Katie our love. Thanks for sharing the neat pictures.

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  19. Please call the police regarding the man and truck as it is the humane thing to do.He may be ill and need help.

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  20. OK, I'm worried about you & Katie. Heat that hot is not healthy. You could pass out & that could be the end. Please move to where it's a bit cooler or else run your genny with the a/c on during the hot part of the day.
    I too am concerned about the truck (although you've probably called someone by now). But I'm wondering if the guy wasn't just taking a nap, thus leaving his door open. Or perhaps he was overcome by the heat too & created shade for himself. And didn't want to get back into the truck without leaving a door open to keep an airflow going?

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  21. It's too hot there. Head to the beach. It's much cooler there than "Q". Glad you didn't stay or check on the fella in the truck. You just never know. Hopefully, he was just resting!! Be careful.

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  22. I hate to tell anyone what to do but you need to get out of that heat. I live in Tucson and the heat there is bad enough. But where you are its a lot worse. The Palms will heat up like and oven and you will get sick and I don't know if Katie could survive that kind of heat. Being outside in the shade isn't much better.

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  23. Wow!...that heat is almost unbearable...you and Katie be careful. At least run the genny some a night to get some cold air in your rig.
    Maybe you should call the police and tell them about the man in the truck...he could be dead or need help.

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