Death Valley National Park

We got to The Tire Man store just before 8:00am. Had four tires installed on the rear, plus the long valve extensions. The work was completed by 10 and we headed out to Death Valley. The drive was interesting. We passed through the Searles Valley. It’s an area of potash and borax production. All around the various processing plants small company towns have grown up. I suspect virtually everyone in the area works for Searles Minerals.
We stayed at the Furnace Creek Campground in the Death Valley NP; $9/night. We had high hopes of touring the large Visitor Center/Museum. Regrettably, it’s closed for renovation until the Summer of 2012. Tomorrow we’ll visit the Borax Museum. Another chilly, cloudy day. Never saw the sun and the temperature never got much above 50*. On the other hand, these temps sure beat 120* in the summer. Some nights during the summer, it never gets below 100*. Can you just imaging the borax laborers misery during the summer. The laborers were Chinese. They got paid $1.30/day minus a bed rent and minus food bought from the Company Store!! What do you suppose they netted from their $1.30?

Death Valley NP is the hottest, driest and lowest NP in America.

When we got up today, Carol wasn't feeling well again. Her health is so fragile it worries me. We're going to talk later about whether it's best to continue the trip or head home. Either way, from now on, I'll only camp in areas with cell phone service and a hospital in the area.

On the way out of the park, we drove to Badwater Basin to see the lowest point in North America. Look at the picture that shows the cliff with the small white sign. The sign is at sea level.
We saw a coyote standing by the edge of the road. What a pretty animal. I know you're not supposed to feed the wildlife but I couldn't resist. I threw him a few of Gophers dog biscuits out the window.
We spent the night at an Escapee RV Park in Parhump, NV.

The Lazy Daze Factory

Today we got to the Factory before 8:00am. The insurance adjuster, and Vince the head of the shop, met us there. Progressive Insurance is covering the cost to replace the damaged solar panel. Just under $1,000.!! I had a few other repairs made to the tune of $208.
We left about 2:00pm heading for Ridgecrest, CA then to Death Valley. The interstate traffic around this area is amazing and it's not even rush hour. Reminds me of the D.C. area. I could not deal with this on a daily basis.
Give me the small, two lane country roads.

On to Montclair

I got up just before sunrise this morning. A beautiful day. Gopher & I took a walk. Had to take a few more pictures before leaving The Slabs. This place is just fascinating; we'll be back.
We drove along the west side of the Salton Sea. Lots of citrus & date groves in this area as well as different types of low-to-the-ground green plants. In Washington, there were areas where the farmers, community, or whoever, were nice enough to post signs telling what the crop was. We really like that. In areas, the surface of the soil is completely white with salt. Makes me wonder how anything grows, but it does. We see signs at places selling bottled water that says "Salt free water". Apparently well water is also salty.
The interstate part of the drive to Montclair was a mess. I'm just glad it's Sunday and not a work day. A stretch of I-10 was just cluttered with windmills. Must have been at least a hundred. There was a strong crosswind blowing dust every where. It was hard to see the mountains at times.
We finally got to our campground; the East Shore RV Park about 1:30. A very long day. The good news is that we're only about 15 minutes from the Lazy Daze factory. The bad news is that this place costs $47/night!!. We're spoiled. Anything over about $15 is robbery. ;-)
We left home on December 29th. 12 days and 2,765 miles later and we're here. It was an enjoyable trip in most ways even though I really don't enjoy marathon drives, Interstates & big city driving. After tomorrow, the relaxing will begin in earnest.

The Slabs, aka Slab City

Today we drove to Niland, CA specifically to explore a true piece of Americana; The Slabs or Slab City. This place is just amazing. It was here in 1942 that General George C. Patton trained his troops in desert warfare, preparing for the North African Campaign of World War II. Called Camp Dunlap. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Marines trained in the area. In 1946, the buildings were knocked down but the slabs remained, Hence the name, The Slabs. During the winter months, there are about 700 RV's in the area. The Summer population is about 50 "Slabbers". No wonder, the temperature occasionally gets to 120* !!. There is no water supply, no electricity, etc. Just the dessert.
There is a church, a nightclub, a library, flea market, etc.
The main feature is Salvation Mountain. Begun in 1989 by Leonard Knight. It's the most amazing structure. He started painting the side of a hill as a tribute to God. Then decided it had to a more permanent tribute and started stacking bales of hay, tree trunks, scrap lumber, etc. into a truly unique structure. Adobe holds everything together.
We met Leonard. He gave us a personal tour of his creation. He lives here in a truck you will see in a photo. All materials used were scrounged from the city dump or donated. He has no money.
We're camped for the night just behind the Slabs welcome sign that used to be the guard shack for the base.

Yuma,AZ

We arrived in Yuma, AZ on Thursday, the 6th. Staying at the VFW BLM camping area. It's basically a patch of desert off Hwy 95, behind the local VFW building. A very unique place. All dry camping (boondocking). Some people have obviously been there for some time but most, like us, are just passing through.
On Friday we went in town to do laundry & grocery shopping. Had Chinese for lunch. The area is a huge farming community. We could identify cabbage, kale & different types of lettuce.

About 3:00pm we were sitting outside on the lawn chairs at the BLM campground near Yuma. Carol looked liked she was napping a little and I asked her if she wanted to go inside. She just mumbled and her head tilted this way & that. I tried to help her stand but she couldn't. I asked her my name and she didn't know.Took her blood pressure; it was 53/40. Dangerously low. I called 911 because something was clearly wrong. When the paramedics got there they started a fluid IV because they suspected dehydration. Carol had been sitting in the very warm sun dressed in sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt. She is always cold if it's below about 80*.
They took Carol to the Yuma Regional Hospital. At the hospital they did a chest x-ray, EKG & blood tests. The doctors big concern was what made Carols blood pressure get so low. Finally, about 9:00pm, they released Carol with the conclusion that it was severe dehydration. Carol drinks very little fluid; she's just not naturally thirsty.. From now on, it's a minimum of 2 quarts of fluid a day. We're both going to monitor Mom's fluid intake going forward. Neither of us need any more scares. This is her third ER visit while camping. First the heart attack, then the dislocated hip and now the dehydration. That's enough.

After getting out of the hospital, we went to the Paradise Casino and spent the night in their parking lot.

A very long day. Fortunately, everything turned out well.

Made it to Arizona

We left Columbus about 8:30 taking all the backroads that form the border between NM & Mexico. Security is great along these roads; the Border Patrol is everywhere. If you look at a map,the NM & Mexico border runs for miles. There are towns in this area that only exist on a detailed map. No structures of any type to indicate they may have existed at one time. Other towns are mostly abandoned or populated with ramshackle buildings. The "rest area" in Hachita is a good example; it's a collection of run down buildings with pickup trucks here & there.
Saw a beautiful, and most unusual, roadside memorial.
There is snow on the mountains to the south and a little scattered along the roadside. The sun never came out today. It was 24* when we got up and I don't think it ever hit 50*.
Tonight were at the Saguaro SKP Co-Op in Benton, AZ. It's an RV park owned by the Escapee Club we belong to. Most of the lots are occupied year round by people who are fulltimers. The place is very well maintained and has an off-leash dog area. Only $17.29/night for a full hookup site. Next time we're in the area, we'll be back.

New Mexico

Last night we "camped" at the NM Welcome Center along with a handful of others. This morning it was 25* when we woke up.
Bought gas at Flying J for "only" $2.75/gallon; the cheapest gas on the trip. Filled up with propane at $2.799/gallon. Took the backroads to Columbus, NM and the Pancho Villa State Park. $14/night. When Gopher & I made this trip in 2005 we stayed here. It's the site of the only ground invasion of US Territory since 1812. Pancho Villa raided the fort & town of Columbus in 1916.
In the morning, we continue the trek to California.

Still in Texas.

We spend Sunday night at the city park in Junction, TX. Free. You just find a spot you like and pull in. We're right on the bank of the South Llano River. When we came out West in 2008 to pick up our new Lazy Daze, we stayed here.
Saw the cheapest gas of the trip in El Paso, TX. $2.75/gallon. Unfortunately, we had filled up about a hundred miles earlier at $2.99.
Last night, we had planned a stop in TX but as the day wore on, we decided to simply continue until we got to NM. There was another time zone change in our favor. We got to the NM Welcome Center around 4:00. A very long driving day. The good news is that there are no more marathon drives. Tomorrow it's about an hour and a half to our next stop.

Continuing west

We awoke to a cool, gray morning. Instead of cruising along the Gulf Coast as planned, we decided to just continue the long trek west. New plan. On the way home, we're going to follow the Texas coast from El Paso until it's meets up with Louisiana then follow the back roads to New Orleans.
We entered Texas on I-10 at MM 880!!!. Depressing. Another 880 miles before we get to New Mexico. We're spending tonight at the Steven F. Austin State Park just west of Houston. $22/night. A nice campground just off I-10. When I made the trip west with only Gopher, we stayed here as well.
Gas is running in the $2.80-90/gallon range.