Bailey

Feb 19th –   Allan made us a delicious dinner!  Fries covered in ground beef and other amazing stuff. 

Hum, Allan was so upset I didn’t think to take a photo of the rest of the fry package that hit the floor. Kinda of looked like thisFeb 20th – Not all my adventures are adventurous!  This was a dud, and we drove 1/2h to get here.  Boo me!!

What day is it??  My Birthday  Feb 21st 🙂  Shrimp dinner, how can it get better??

Feb 22nd –  Post breakfast dinner at the Black Bear Diner  Where you get your birthday breakfast free!Feb 23rd = How can it be this windy?  Valley Fever is a thing that I ended up with.  So many nights of waking up coughing, coughing, coughing.  Should have gone to a walk in, if I knew how long it would last I would have.   I contracted this January 24 after visiting the sand dunes on January 22nd.   Where the heck is the sky/sun??

Our treat or is it?     

Moon and the star 🙂Feb 24th – Pedi day!

Will this be our last walk on our favourite trail??

Feb 10th  Before the very fun rodeo!    Annual AquaHot service…    Spot the legs?

Feb 11th  Los Algodones for glasses.  Allan found a pair of very light frames and he’s been flipping ever since about getting them here.  We do have partial Blue Cross coverage at home so does it make sense to get them here? 

Allan researched and found great reviews on Castle Optical.  Forms have to be filled out even here 🙂

Last time we were here we left about noon, took 1-1/2h ish to cross back.  This time we had street tacos and crossed at 1030.  10m wait

I had a shrimp taco, delicious.  Allan’s beef taco gave him heartburn.

Feb 12th  Get our steps, get our reward, see our first movie since Covid

T’was a fun movie with even a tear jerker scene!Love the castFeb 13th  To prove nowhere is perfect, rain today    Rain Rain go away

Feb 14th   💘 Day!  The “LOMY” made a delicious dinner.  Shrimp even though Allan hates them, no he didn’t have any LOL, his meal was sin camarones!

Feb 17th  Pick up glasses day!  In our let’s cross back by 1030a mode we pick up the glasses then tried another place for breakfast.  We each had a breakfast burito, OK but nothing special.  We did learn this place would service a beer, no where else we have been to would till 11, but only in styrofoam coffee cup.  We didn’t have one.   New glasses, need a better photo cause they are so nice.  They fit perfectly, the progressive is good and the transition works as it should.

I wore my leather MK runners as they could stand some tender lovin care.  They got it with Migel; $5.00 and he’s happy to accept tips

He did a wonderful job, they look new.  45 minutes he worked on them!  WOW, he did get a big tip!

My purchase, a sugar cane bowl

There are Mardi Gras celebrations on Main Street beginning at 5.  We went at 430 to see what to expect.  The food trucks were offering dishes for $17 a plate.  It’s been a chilly day, in fact, the first time we are wearing long pants (we did freeze in our shorts earlier)  We have no appetite to sit outdoors eating.

Chretin’s Restaurant for an indoor meal 🙂

We did return to Main St but the band wasn’t that good and there was not much else going t on.  A little bit of a bust!  Back home we go to hot tub.

Here’s a super cute photo of my honey with his glasses

 

It’s finally rodeo day!!  We splurged on the VIP tickets.

VIP tickets include a separate,  no line up entrance, straight view to the corral seating,  all you can eat food, all you can drink booze!

• Us crazies decide it best to Uber so,,, let’s walk one way, a mere 1-1/2h, to get our steps then Uber back 

We’re here! 

First stop, food and drink.  Lucked out the food is Chick-fil-a. So delicious

Then  we mosey around the grounds then back to get settled into our seats drink in hand.  Let the fun begin.

That grey horse just wants out!

My entire body hurts watching this  Bucking

Pole Bending…  Wide Turn = not first place

Totally blown away with Madison MacDonald  Where the heck is she! On the left side in the monitor; on the right side of her horse in person  She truly is remarkably talented!On to barrell racing   Click here  Hope he’s OK

Hum, this wasn’t for me, mutton busting …Not a fan!

Almost over, beautiful night skyFinal act!         

My camera roll shows this photo, what the heck is it??The steps, not happy when I’m so close to 20k but miss out, no badges for 19,729

Off to a well deserved hot tub.

Today is Rodeo Parade day!  Looking forward to seeing horses and clowns  Starts at 930, parades rarely start on time – this one did!

Here’s the photo tour 🐎🐴🎠🏇

Saw lots of horses but no 🤡🤡s

Lastly, the street cleaner 

It’s      time

For a mere 50 cents you can ride!All full, it’s time to go for a walk on one of our favourite trails to earn RewardsNext a quick stop at the Swap Meet, where you can pay to enter or use their couponsWe’re both wiped, lots of standing aound, lots of walking, back to Bailey we go.

Auto Glass Boss out of Mesa. AZ to the rescue!

Why does fogging happen? The rubber sealant around your RV window can deteriorate from exposure to the sun. Direct sunlight causes the glass window panes to expand while cool night air causes them to contract. The constant expanding and contracting eventually weakens the seal, allowing moisture to seep inside the window and making it foggy

The window removal begins

Out it comes

Doing his unfog magic

WBack in it goes!       4 more to go

We were out for most of the day but TADA

Before                                                               After

Another project done!!

 

For some reason I woke up at, not sure what time, couldn’t get back to sleep, finally got out of bed at 124am, per my FitBit app

Thankfully I am binging “The Royals” mindless entertainment (fictional royals)  I always do computer stuff while watching, ie Candy Crush, reseach on whatever, then Spanish (not while watching TV),  actually I always to Spanish first to get it done.

Anxiously awaiting Allan getting up so we can get on with our normal morning routine then to today’s outing.

Yahoo, Allan’s up.  He does his morning routine then on to breakfast.  Shower, and head out, destination Plank Road

The historyThat’s me on a 8 x 12′ plank

Looking up at the beginning of the Plank Rd.  The sawhorse type fence is to keep folks outAs always, the climb is steeper than it looks.  Reward time!Yonder way is Donald’s wall, we hike over.  Looks a little short from here, that too is deceiving.  Border patrol keeping watch, there are patrol units approx every 1/2m.  Up close there is not only a berm but a gulley on the Mexican side.  Hard to believe anyone could get over the fence.Out on the road, this gizmo films stuffToys playing on the side of the dune; again much steeper than it looks

Next stop “Center of the World”     

Some of the stuff here

Dinner, Allan homemade, air fryer Keto Pizza.  Shrimp, yes shrimp (shrimp in the bag so it doesn’t “contaminate” Allan’s ingredients) for me and Meat Lovers for Allan.  😋

Hot tub then another day done 😀

Today’s destination, Valley of the Names but first our free breakfast (only pay for the coffee)  A cute diner with a bear theme.  Allan loves bears!  I liked their hot saucesAllan had eggs, bacon, waffle, I had eggs, sausages & biscuits with gravy, neither of us had those before, forgot to take the photo-they were large plates.  We both enjoyed the eggs, Allan wasn’t a fan of his bacon and only ate 1/2 the waffle.  Neither of us liked the biscuits, there were 5 of them.  I was suprised the waitress didn’t ask why there was just a bite taken.

The Valley is a 35m drive for 15 miles, we knew not to expect great roads. Pavement ends here, let the bumps begin

Nice of them to let folks know where the road isThis is boondocking, can’t imagine the state of the cupboards

Very impressed google knows this road, but guess google knows everything!

Who’s that up yonder way?    Looks heavy (cause it is)!

Our bounty, guess who collected rocks in the wine bottle bag??We were going to do our names but boy it was windy cold.  Maybe we’ll be back for that.We are now a part of this!        This is “DURING WORLD WAR II, SOLDIERS training in the desert north of Yuma, Arizona, began decorating a site they called “Graffiti Mesa,” using rocks to write out their names in the clay. The tradition continued on after the war, and the graffitied area grew and grew. Today over 1,200 acres of land are decorated with signatures, messages, dates, initials, and designs.”

Walking away, will we find it again if we return?

Driving home we are surprised this is still here.  Click for the story,  bizzar, why is it still here days later?  Crime scene?  Allan’s guess

 

4th & final stop:  Bombay Beach

“Bombay Beach is home to an impressive selection of attractions and experiences”

Our question?? Does it have a restaurant as we have not eaten yet today?  A drive around reveals 2 restaurants; 1 opened 1 not.  Lowest bar in the western hemisphere because they are 223 feet or 68 meters (below) sea level.  The ski refers to water skiing not snow skiing.  They are self-described as “No-frills bar with dollars adorning the walls; ceilings, offering burgers, beer other staples.”  Other staples, WINE!     There are bills posted everywhere!

All full, off to the beach.  Bob among the stars at the entranceWhat does it mean for a place to be below sea level?  Sea level is a reference to elevation of the ocean/land interface called the shoreline. Land that is above this elevation is higher than sea level and lower is below sea level.                         Spot anything??

There is no end to unusal in this neck of the woods!  Stuff on the beach

Rocking horse! 

         A confessional!

Should have had lunch here 

We, the swingers!!

Dream catcher, always dream BIG!Hum, I thought SOS was Save our Souls or is it Save our Ships??

Who wants to be a wet swinger?   Step right up!    

Allan never lets us down, he can sniff out the “on tap brew”Where else do you see hay on the beach?  No where!

Today was one of the most amazing, education, enlightening day we’ve had in our travels.  So much, so little, just so….     So happy Allan found this adventure!!

Today’s itinerary:  Salvation Mountain / Slab City / East Jesus / Bombay Beach

Friday the 13th was always my Mum’s favourite day so I grew up looking forward to them.  Who else loves them!

I was a bit reluctant to go cause the drive is just under 2h each way but I’m a good sport so off we go!

Stop 1:  Salvation MountainClick here for the story, created by cousin Leonard. Leonard passed 02102014

Paint cans are a big thing

Not what we expected, super cool

Click on the photos to see the detail

Stop 2:  Slab City

Under the unforgiving sun of southern California’s Colorado Desert lies Slab City, a community of squatters, artists, snowbirds, migrants, survivalists, and homeless people. Called by some “the last free place” and by others “an enclave of anarchy,” Slab City is also the end of the road for many.

Allan planned this trip and didn’t do any research, very unlike him, on what we’d see, these sights were therefore, unexpected.

People do live in these RVs, as a whole they were very friendly.

No, Allan this isn’t really a hostel!  Note the solar panel on the camper, the guy that lives there is standing on the right.  The Class A has a sign “Occupied”

Next the library, note the comfy seating for your book reading enjoyment!

Sites available if anyone is looking     

Do not know how they dump.  It doesn’t smell that’s a good thing.  We did see a dude delivering waterLove that the GPS know the dirt roads   

Stop 3:  East Jesus

It’s been quite an experience so far and East Jesus does not dissapoint.

East Jesus, (click to learn more) here we come.  Approachng we encounter this is the “welcoming” sign

I’ll let the photos tell their stories, such detail.  Tires, bottles, one man’s junk = such creativity

I highly recommend visiting the East Jesus website “what a place” is the sentiment we walked away with!  If you are in the area these places are a must see!!

4th & final stop:  Bombay Beach    stay tuned!

paying better attention!  Today’s scheduled events, walk to the Circle K to buy the winning Power Ball ticket.   Walking by the original Wally World

Presenting ……

Now off to Arizon Marketplace only to determine it’s closed today.  I’d better smarten up!

One of our Yuma Bucket List things is watching the very noisy military jets take off/land.  The airport is 7 minutes down the road, let’s go.

We find ducks galore!  You are encouraged to feed them, as a result when they see humans they come a running or flapping!  Unlike most places, here they say bread is OK to feed but not fruit.

And then victory!  Spot the jets?  They always fly in pairs

Back home we go