Military Memories, Date Shakes and Beautiful Weather

 

Yuma Proving Grounds Main Gate

Friday March 21st

We left Quartzsite this morning and ended up at Imperial Dam Recreational Area. This is BLM land and contains six or seven different areas where camping in self-contained vehicles is allowed. We were at Squaw Lake campground which has fresh water, flush restrooms and showers.  Squaw Lake is part of the backwater area of the Colorado River and it is very popular with fisherman, recreational boaters and canoe and kayak enthusiasts. As fate would have it the day we checked in so did the Phoenix Paddlers Club. So it was busier than normal.

Squaw Lake Campground

Squaw Lake Picnic Area

Back Waters of Squaw Lake

Squaw Lake

Back Water Area of Squaw Lake

Squaw Lake Campground

Squaw Lake

Squaw Lake

 On the drive in we passed the Yuma Proving  Grounds, this area at 1,300 acres is one of the world’s largest military installations. There is a large display of armament outside the main gates that was interesting. I was able to find the equipment that was attached to the unit I was in. My memories, fortunately, were all good ones but I would imagine that is not the case for all who visit this site.  

Saturday March 22nd

We drove around the lake to check out a very nice RV Resort as a possible next stop for us but it was a bit out of our league. We also drove to Imperial Date Gardens, and had one of their famous date milk shakes, I didn’t know what to expect but it was very good. The area is very pretty as well with all the date trees.

Date Farm

 Date Trees

 Old homestead that I thought would make a nice picture

Laguna Dam first Dam constructed on the Colorado River

The evening was spent visiting with a RV couple that was parked next to us. They were Germans and lived in the small town next to the one that I was   stationed in while in the service. They keep a very nice truck and 5^th wheeler stored in California and then they travel around the US when they visit here every year for five or six month’s Very interesting people.

Sunday March 23^rd

We left Squaw Lake and headed south toward Yuma. We decided to get a place with electric again so we can charge everything up again and find a place that has phone and Wi-Fi service; we have been without both for the last couple of days. Whatever did we do before we had cell phones and the Internet. We are at Fortuna De Oro RV Resort in the foothills area of Yuma. We checked in for the week. The weather is approaching the 90’s this week so after a week of this we may be ready to move on.

Catch Up Thursday

Tuesday March 18th

After a morning breakfast of what I call BBQ’d pancakes we packed up and left our desert home for town. We needed to fill our fresh water tank and dump the waste tanks but to do so would cost as much as a night at one of the many RV parks in town. We decided to stay for a couple of days and enjoy the comforts of the park and take a couple day trips.

Pancakes on the Barbie

Wednesday March 19^th

Our first day trip was to check out a campground that sits along the Colorado River in Blythe California. While searching for this park we also discovered a nice county park that also sits along the river. The county park appealed to us more than the private but both have their strong points. Either one or perhaps both may be on our going to next list. We returned to Quartzite in time for supper and decided to give the Yacht Club one more chance, not that impressed. If this was the best the town has to offer I can only imagine what the others are like.  

Thursday March 20^th

Today we decided to drive to Lake Havasu. The first half of the trip was not very exciting as most of it was scrub desert. Once we got about half way, Parker AZ things changed. From this point until Lake Havasu we followed the river. Many beautiful resorts and homes can be found all along until you reach Lake Havasu. It was obvious right away that this is spring break time but it was still early afternoon and activities were somewhat limited. I would imagine as the day wears on things heat up a bit. We drove around town a while and then parked the car at the London Bridge and walked along the river for a ways. 

Lake Havasu in the distance 

The gate to London Bridge Square

The fountain in London Bridge Square 

London Bridge 

 A couple nice resorts

A colorful vessel 

                                       A colorful and very very fast vessel

Another very fast vessel

 A London Phone Booth

I just loved the colors

Once we had enough of that it was time to head back. But first we stopped at Blue Water Casino in Parker AZ and after explaining to the bartender how to make them we enjoyed a sidecar cocktail. Another stop at Walmart to replenish essentials and then off to home.     

Now that's a cocktail

Searching for Our Fortunes

Looks like it will be another beautiful day

Today we thought we would join the hordes of others who prospect this area in hopes of finding their fortunes. So I retrieved Chris’ metal detector from the storage area and of course realized that we have no batteries for it so off to town we went. After loading the batteries and calibrating the unit we were off across the desert to find handfuls of gold and other precious metals. Well to make a long story short the only thing we found, of value, was the quarter that I hid to check the unit initially. We did enjoy the time but we both agree that we know absolutely nothing about prospecting.

There's gold in them there hills 

After lunch we again took off across the desert to explore one of the hills off to our south that is so much whiter than the others around it. We found that the entire side of it is nothing put white sparkling quartz. We did read where a lot of people find traces of gold in the quartz. But again knowledge is the key.

 Part of our hike took us along this ATV trail

We found some desert bloom along the way 

We called it Quartz Mountain 

This entire side of the hill was Quartz

 View from the top

More views

Yet another view from the top

This way down

By the time we returned to the RV we were ready to just sit, relax and read our books. We are both reading Inferno by Dan Brown an excellent book that we can hardly put down.  

Canyons, Palm Trees and a Yacht Club

Last nights full moon over the mountains (imagine there being mountains)

Today we headed south out of Quartzsite toward Yuma to the Palm Canyon Trail in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. The canyon trail is a popular tourist location in that it may be the only place in Arizona to find native palm trees. The small clusters of palm trees can be found in growing in the narrow side canyons where direct sunshine is limited but some moisture is available.

Palm Canyon sits back seven miles from the highway on a dirt road. From the parking lot at the end of the road it’s a ½ mile trail into the narrow canyon. 

 The road heading in

Arriving at Palm Canyon

A look back

Heading on in

                     Entering the cool shade of the canyon 

Despite the heat of the day once in the canyon it is total shade and very comfortable. Sheer cliffs on both sides hide the sun most of the day. The trail is easy to follow but is rough most of the way due to large rocks and it has some steep sections. Most of the palms can be spotted looking high up the side walls where narrow side canyons receive sunlight. Very interesting and well worth the visit.

Saguaros are everywhere

 A closer look

Looking back down the canyon

 High in the side canyons

A cluster of Arizona's native Palms

This evening we thought we would have supper in town. According to the local information we had available the “only” place in town is the Yacht Club. Now what is a Yacht Club doing in the middle of the desert with no water to be found. An obvious gimmick of course but the owners are doing quite well with it. They even sell a membership for $30 and according to them they have the largest membership of any Yacht Club in the US.  So in we go and find everyone ready for a St Patricks’ day celebration and the only menu item of the day is corn beef and cabbage. Not being fans of the cuisine of the day we stayed long enough for a beer and found another place for supper.