Hot Springs LTVA for a one-night stopover

Last night we had a little lighted VW parade through our campground.  This was the second parade, there was also one a couple of nights ago.  Both times I was already buttoned up for the night.  The first time, I heard all this honking outside and when it didn't stop, I thought there might be an emergency, so finally raised my shades and took off the window coverings I put up when it's really cold overnight.  And here they came - it was super fun to watch them drive through. I got my camera out, but not in time.

Then last night when I heard honking again, I grabbed my camera and raised the shades fast, and got a "kind of good" photo.  They looked great!  I should have run outside and asked them to stop for pictures.  :)

Katie and I left Imperial Dam LTVA this morning, took care of water and tanks and then drove to Yuma to the Walmart.  We drove the back way; I hadn't been on these roads before, and it was really scenic.  Next time I'll take the freeway, much better roads, but this wasn't too bad.  Lots of farming and beautiful fields being watered in the warm sunshine, with large stands of palms along the way.

I've seen nurseries in San Diego County with huge palms for sale.  I wondered if these were for sale:

And then I saw this business:

So I guess all the mini-forests of palms are here for the dates.  If it was later in the day or warmer outside I would have stopped for a date milkshake - they are delicious and were sold at some of the businesses I passed. 

As we neared the freeway, I saw all these birds just hanging out on this structure over a canal and all the wires:

And the Cormorants (thanks heyduke50 and Karen, I originally wrote "vultures") - I was a good distance away, so this is as close as I could get, but there were probably 30 total hanging out on these wires:

I love birds-on-a-wire shots.  :)

And so on to Walmart.  I was out of so many things and doubled up on some items that I have trouble finding when I'm not near a Walmart.  $250 later, OUCH!, we were on our way to Hot Springs, which is right off Highway 8 West on the way to San Diego.  We are only here for one night, and will drive on tomorrow to my son and DIL's new house.  I can't wait to see everyone and the house, too!

Along the way we passed Imperial Dunes, which must be a wonderland for people with dune buggies and ATVs.  Here's the best shot I took along the way, look at all the tracks.  Some of the large dunes had tracks going straight up to the top of very tall, steep dunes, and, I assume, over the other side and down.

Some of the dunes off in the distance with the canal along the freeway:

And an hour later we were on the bridge - which has been repaired - going into the Hot Springs LTVA.

Last time I was here was after leaving Santee Lakes RV Park where I stayed for a month. I was recovering from major surgery, and was just getting back on the road.  I drove here to find the bridge out and a difficult washboard road along the canal to get in and out of the campground. There is only trash pick-up here, no dump or water, so you have to drive into Holtville, a town close by, to dump grey and black tanks and get fresh water.  I wasn't very excited about driving those canal roads in and out, so when it was time to get more water, I just drove out and continued on to Quartzsite.

This time the bridge has been repaired and that makes such a big difference, plus the fact that I'm healthy again.

Katie and I walked down to the Hot Springs after we got a campsite, and walked all over the place.  I wasn't able to to that last time. I did walk to the springs once, but it was too far in my condition. Today it was a breeze, and we continued on walking.

Katie made some new friends, or enemies, I don't know which.  Three tiny Chihuahuas, one was 2, one 6 like Katie, and one was 16.

The older dog got too close to Katie and Katie went after her.

Poor old dog, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but there was too much going on and she was just a little too close.  Katie would never bite, but she snaps, growls, barks and jumps at the dog, all at once it seems, and then it's over.  The few times she's done this, the other dog has always backed off.   You can see the poor little dog running away and Katie  kicking up some dust.
 

Nice way to make friends.  Here I am talking about how nice it is that the dogs all get along, snapping away at them taking lots of pictures, and suddenly there's an "issue."  

We continued on our walk - and I saw something weird on the side of the road between the RVs.  I walked up to it and a woman came by and told me it is a large bee's nest that was under a tree near her rig where they had put a box that they use as a step from last season. People put things under the tree when they leave because it's large and overhangs to the ground, with a nice hiding place inside where it's pretty sheltered from the weather. When she took out the box after they arrived this season, she was attacked by bees and dropped the box.  It flipped over and that's when she saw the hive inside. She was stung about 25 times, as was her husband.  Both were stung on the face and head.

The camp hosts roped off the area and put up a sign attached to the rope to keep people away.

An exterminator came out and killed the bees and dumped the hive on the side of the road where they can keep an eye on it. There were still bees flying around it, but most of the thousands of bees were dead, and the poison on the hive will kill the ones that were still around.  It must have been really awful for the woman and her husband.   And, of course, the bees.

I'll bet there was some good honey in these hives. They were lined up row after row in the box, each row covered with bees, and the inside rows filled with honey.

Quite an exciting day after a very quiet week at Imperial Dam.  Tomorrow we drive the hour or so to San Diego, actually Carlsbad is where Tom and Trish's new house is.  I'm sure looking forward to seeing everyone and having a week's visit with my kids and grand kids.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  From me and Katie, have a great Sunday evening, everyone!  :)