Quartzsite, Arizona - Desert Center, California
Last year while in the Parker, Arizona, area we met Paul and Kim - a couple I'd gotten to know on the RV Dreams forum - and when we find out we'll be back at the same time we make arrangements to meet again!
They winter in Lake Havasu so Thursday morning we make the drive up the Colorado River. Such a beautiful drive!
We enjoy getting caught up on our travels of the last 13 months. Two hours fly by, and we agree that if not before, we'll see each other next winter :-) Of course I don't get a photo, at this point it's a shock when I do remember.
Just over the Bill Williams River bridge a view point sign points to a dirt road. Let's go see!
I'm expecting a short climb to a parking lot, but instead we find a 3.5 mile road through the gorgeous canyons and wetlands of a wildlife refuge.
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| Back to the river. |
Lake Tamarisk at Desert Center was our first stop when we bought the motor home. It is also just down the road from where Bill lived and we went to high school. Lots of wonderful memories, and several good friends here.
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| Sweet spot |
Saturday morning Coy's brother Jimmy, and our friends Mike and Rita from Blythe, join us. We drive out to the Desert Lily Sanctuary to hunt for arrowheads and agates. It's a warm day and we all enjoy the peace and quiet of being in the desert of our youth. How wonderful that we can all still get together here!
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| Looking for treasures |
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| Wide open spaces |
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| Perfect conditions |
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| Blending in |
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| Rita, Mike and Jimmy |
We each find a few pieces to bring home, but the hunt is really the best part.
Mike and Rita return home Saturday night and Jimmy takes off after breakfast on Sunday morning. We hang out on the patio with Coy then take a drive in the high winds to see some of the places we knew as teenagers.
Eagle Mountain was a community of the Kaiser Steel Mine which closed in 1983. It's behind a locked fence now, most of the buildings removed or falling down. Our high school is now a K-8 school for the few children who still live in the area. The gate to the school is also locked.
Still, we find lots to see from the many dirt roads in the area.
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| Purple lined road to the mine. |
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| A sunburst of Brittlebush |
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| Sometimes you can't go home. |
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| Our baseball field in front of the high school. |
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| The remains of the horse corrals with the mine's tailing piles in the distance. When going to school here, I rarely ever noticed the piles. |
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| Head gates of the Metropolitan Water District's pumping station nearby. |
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| Railroad tracks washed out - the power of water in the desert! |
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| Exploring the back roads. |
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| This massive rock |
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| has wonderful detail. |
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| 40 years ago a lot of young people partied here - Caution Hill |
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| I'm sure we didn't appreciate the views. |
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| Time was spent looking for the Coors Monster. |
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| Pencil Cholla glows in the late afternoon sun. |
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| The flaming tips of a tall Ocotillo |
Tessa does blend right in to all that sand!
ReplyDeleteSometimes she'd turn her head away and I literally couldn't see her :-))
DeleteWe sure enjoy that area. The Colorado River is a great one to put those kayaks on. We know that personally to be true. :)
ReplyDeleteThe water was really calm and there were lots of kayaks on the water!
DeleteWe have driven thru Desert Center many times - without stopping. Thanks for showing us your 'home' and the reasons we should have stopped.
ReplyDeleteYou can drive up the Eagle Mountain Road, just west of DC and turn around when you get to the end - the view back over the valley is really beautiful!
DeleteHow fun to be home again. Looks like you had some good weather for the arrowhead hunting. Do you ever worry about Tessa hurting her feet on the rocks? Years ago our Rottie, Apollo, tore a nail getting out of the river and we had to rush him to the vet because he was bleeding pretty bad. What an ordeal that was. At least Tessa doesn't weigh 140 pounds like Apollo did.
ReplyDeleteI have booties for her that she wore once when there was a lot of broken glass around the spot we were hanging out. Otherwise she's had no issues with sharp shale or brush. She gets the occasional sticker and stands and waits until one of us pulls it out. Her vet made us a "repair kit" when we hit the road in case she gets a cut, but so far no problems.
DeleteI am amazed with all you do hiw you have time to keep up with so many people. Forums even. You must never sleep. Beautiful pictures of the canyons, wetlands and desert.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem pretty hectic when I go back and read a few posts, but really it seems much less so when we're living it :-))) I'm looking forward to a month in one spot while we get caught up with 5 of our 6 sons, and our 2 grandbabies - and several naps!!
DeleteI've been so happy traveling with you and Bill over the last year or so. I've been a lot of places, but it was in Europe. It's so nices to see so many beautiful sights in our own fantastic country. Thank you Jodee and Bill for inviting us along!
ReplyDeleteWe love having you along Mike! This country has such incredible beauty. We have no plans to stop seeing all we can see :-)
DeleteI want to join the arrowhead/agate hunt!!! Hope you found some real cool pieces:) Enjoy revisiting all your old stomping grounds:)
ReplyDeleteFound one arrowhead and some pottery shards, and lots of agate flakes. You'd have a ball there!
DeleteThe wildflowers are blooming! So beautiful to see the bursts of color in the desert. I'm convinced, you have more friends than anyone I know. :-))
ReplyDeleteSo funny that we had no social life in our stationary life - we just had to get on the road and track down our tribe!! The flowers are already beautiful, and will be even more so in the next few weeks - and the grass is unbelievable :-))))
DeleteI love rock hounding!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to back in your old stomping grounds...enjoy !
Next time you're in Q - maybe on your way to Borrego Springs - make the stop at Desert Center, some of the best rock hounding ever! It does feel good to be in familiar territory for a bit :-)
DeleteYou are drawn to your past, Jodee. I can understand your love of the desert, I have a bit of that, too. So glad you are back enjoying long-time friends.
ReplyDeleteSo very true. What a blessing to have the opportunity to spend time among the memories :-)
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