As I went walking that ribbon of highway, I saw above me that endless skyway; I saw below me that golden valley This land was made for you and me.
I roamed and I rambled and I followed my footsteps, To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts; While all around me a voice was sounding, Saying this land was made for you and me.
The sun came shining, and I was strolling, And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling; As the fog was lifting, a voice was chanting, This land was made for you and me.”
Original by Woody Guthrie. This version by The Travellers, 1955.
In over six years of full-time RVing, Betty & I have been excited to tour places we have never visited before. Of course, the North American continent is so vast that there will always be new spots we haven’t seen. But we have been doing our best. Lol.
Betty captured another sunrise, before we left Mission, Texas.
This portion of our overlandish odyssey took us, for our first time, down the banks of the Mississippi River. And we hope it will take us through Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming – three of the four contiguous states we haven’t yet toured on this trip.
But there’s something satisfying and calming to return to locations we have enjoyed in the past. Because we don’t yet know whether this will be our last hurrah, so to speak, Betty & I decided to forgo an adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Great Smokey Mountains. Instead, we are re-visiting some of our favourite spots from previous trips.
Since we left Winnipeg, we have made return visits to Buccaneer State Park in Mississippi, New Orleans, Galveston Island, and of course South Padre Island, which comes in at the top of our favourites. No doubt the icing on the cake was a fabulous visit there from our family in February!
A bottom bracket on our awning broke shortly after the new awning was installed in Mission. Even though we thought it was secured, the awning started to come out in heavy winds through the Rio Grande Valley. We made an emergency stop on the side of the highway, at the end of Heriberto Castillo’s driveway. He came to see what we were up to, and was so excited to meet us that he gave us his contact information and asked for a picture with him. What a wonderful encounter during an otherwise unintended stop!Betty & I spent our first night after Mission in the parking lot of the most attractive Texas Welcome Center, just north of Loredo, a location we had visited on a previous trip.For a long stretch westbound on Interstate 10 Betty took the wheel. Despite the look on her face in this pic, she drove very well.The road had its ups and downs, but the rock cuts levelled things out quite a bit.Despite being an Interstate, there were still lots of interesting sights along the way.Our next stop was Monahans Sandhill State Park, still in Texas. We stayed in the same site we occupied on our visit six years ago. It included water and electricity for $15. We didn’t have to pay an $8. entrance fee, as we have a Texas State Park pass.The campsites at Monahans are all nestled in the sand dunes, providing a nice quiet setting.Betty hiked to the top of one of the dunes for some peaceful meditation.The mountains in the El Paso area were a little steeper, but the old boy still made it!Oliver Lee State Park, just outside Alamogordo, New Mexico, is definitely one of our favourites. The sites are nestled into the side of a mountain; are well spaced apart; and all have fabulous views.Our first night was in site 11, loop A. It includes a shelter with picnic table, and a fire ring. This unserviced site was $10. plus a $4. entrance fee – a great price for a large spot with 360 degree views.Betty couldn’t resist a selfie showing her happiness in returning to such a beautiful location.Yesterday we returned to site 31 in loop B, where we stayed six years ago this week. This sunset pic isn’t quite the one posted in March, 2018. Maybe I’ll duplicate it tonight!Today we returned to the White Sands National Monument, a few miles west of Alamogordo. This national park includes 245 sq. miles, with a road through the dunes, parking areas, and hiking trails. Flying saucers can be purchased for slides down the talcum powder-like dunes. This pic is similar to the one posted in March 2018, capturing the spectacular fine-grained gypsum sand.As on the dunes at South Padre Island and Monahans Sandhill SP, Betty stopped to ponder life in the gorgeous location.She can be seen on the top of one of the White Sands dunes. Btw, that white stuff is snow on the mountain in the back left of this pic.
A new campground this week will be City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico, before hopeful visits to Gilbert Ray campground in Tucson, and BLM land in Quartzsite, other favourites.
As is always the case, our journey through life is a combination of new and exciting experiences, and ideally some satisfying and calming return favourite times, people and places. Here’s hoping you get a suitable balance of both new and familiar adventures!
“This land is your land, and this land is my land From California to the New York island From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me….” Written by Woody Guthrie, 1940.
Cheers!
If you want to return to “the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts”, this could be a favourite spot!UPDATE: Last night I tried to replicate the pic from March 2018, which I had enlarged and added to our living room wall in Winnipeg. The sky in this pic isn’t exactly the same, and the bird is facing the other way. But those were two aspects of the shot out of my control. lol. Otherwise, it is an evocative image from a favourite spot.
“Hey, did you rock ‘n’ roll? Rock on Ooh, my soul Hey, did you boogie too, did ya?
Hey, shout, summertime blues Jump up (up, down) and down in my blue suede shoes Hey, did you rock ‘n’ roll? Rock on…” David Essex
Yes, David Essex, I am boogying and jumping up and down in my blue suede shoes!
We just found a place with some other-worldly rock formations!
As mentioned in our last post, Betty & I planned to travel to City Of Rocks State Park, about 29 miles northwest of Deming, New Mexico. It wasn’t directly on our Interstate 10 route to Tucson, Arizona. But a fellow traveller had recommended it, so we thought we’d check it out. If you are at all interested in some very weird rock formations, this is the place to go. Rock on!
City Of Rocks isn’t actually near anything else on this planet, but worth a look if you’re into interstellar travel.Our site (#8 – Centaurus) cost $10. + $4. reservation fee.The site included a picnic table, bench & fire pit, but would have been a tight squeeze for our motorhome, so we parked in a large, adjacent turnaround.Here is a view of our spot from the other side. We left the Smart car attached and only put one small slide out, as it was impossible to find level ground.All the campsites are named after constellations. There could have been a sign on this one – “watch for falling rock.” lolThe large, irregular shaped campsites are all nestled next to very unusual rock formations.Betty & I hiked around many of the rocks. Here she uses her herculean strength to hold back this boulder.It turned out to be a very pleasant day for a little hike.We stopped at Canis Minor, wherever that is. Were we lost in space?We also found Taurus, but the constellation wasn’t occupied just now…We experienced some narrow escapes on our travels.But eventually Betty was able to see some wide open space through the rocks.We were glad to not be lost in space, and made it through without anything falling on us.Strange shapes all around!Not sure what Betty was pointing to here…But I think it’s time for a drink!
“And where do we go from here? Which is a way that’s clear? Still looking for that blue-jean baby-queen Prettiest girl I’ve ever seen See her shake on the movie screen Jimmy Dean (James Dean)
hey, did you rock ‘n’ roll? Rock on (Rock on) hey, did you rock ‘n’ roll? Rock on (Rock on) hey, did you rock ‘n’ roll? Rock on.”
Where do we go from here? Which is the way that’s clear?
Stay tuned for the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Rock on!
“This is the story of how we begin to remember This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein After the dream of falling and calling your name out These are the roots of rhythm And the roots of rhythm remain
In early memory Mission music Was ringing ’round my nursery door I said take this child, Lord From Tucson Arizona Give her the wings to fly through harmony And she won’t bother you no more…” from Paul Simon’s song Under African Skies.
Our memories over the years have taken Betty & me back to some magical places, including Tucson, Arizona. Blog posts from March 2018 reflect our first visit here, and we are glad for the rhythmic pictures that help us remember well.
There is a beautiful rhythm to the flora and fauna that encompass our motorhome.
We are excited to be back in Gilbert Ray campground, just up the narrow, curvy road from Old Tucson, where so many spaghetti westerns were filmed. In fact, we are currently in the same campsite – A56 – we occupied at this exact same time six years ago! (currently $35. night with 50 amp electricity and picnic table.) And we were in this same site again on Dec. 13, 2019, as reflected in the post “Return To The Big Frickin Cactus.” It obviously left us something to remember!
Speaking of remembering, last night I dutifully set the clocks forward one hour in recognition of daylight savings time. However, when I got up this morning, the time on my phone had not changed. Betty checked and found that Arizona is the only state in the contiguous U.S. that doesn’t adopt daylight savings time, except the part of Arizona that is within the Navajo Nation . So for our family back in Manitoba, we now have a two hour time difference. Who knew?
Described in more detail in our March 2018 post, there are many forms of majestic cacti surrounding us again.As we remembered, many are flowering this time of year.Betty reminded me not to touch the prickly parts.It becomes difficult not to overwhelm this post with amazing views from our site, including the ocotillo, or coach whip in the right foreground.Whether day or evening, we are thankful for the rhythmic beauty that surrounds us.Betty & I are so blessed to be able to add memories from this place, just as Betty adds new socks to her current collection. lolOf course, we couldn’t end this post without paying homage to the “Big Fricken Cactus” that starred in posts from our earlier visits. An enlarged, framed picture of this 20′ plus monster is featured just inside our front door in Winnipeg.Here’s another view of this gigantic specimen (cereus giganteus, to be exact). It’s hard to fathom unless you see it in person – Look but don’t touch! lolWe remember well this harmonic setting, and hope you can visualize it also.
Our hope is that you can also remember well people and places that have led to the powerful pulsing of love in your veins. May your memories give you wings to fly through harmony whatever life brings your way!
“This is the story of how we begin to remember This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein After the dream of falling and calling your name out These are the roots of rhythm And the roots of rhythm remain…”
When one thinks of a desert, we often visualize a barren land, devoid of development. Yes, Quartzsite, Arizona is bordering the Mojavi Desert, with no snow and little rainfall each year. It gets extremely hot in summers, with average temperatures over 100f (over 40c). But Betty & I are back here in March 2024, having made a hasty retreat from this same spot exactly four years ago today, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The forecast is for low seventies Fahrenheit (low twenties Celsius) for the next few days, then the low eighties Fahrenheit (low thirties Celsius) later this week. Nights cool off to comfortable sleeping temperatures.
We are parked again in the desert, with barren mountains in the background. The vegetation is a little more lush this year, due to recent rains.
Betty & I find this desert setting calming for a number of reasons. The fact that it is devoid of development means that we are not faced with the hustle and bustle of urban life. There are no traffic jams, and even relatively few traffic lights. It has generally a very quiet, laid-back vibe. That might not be desirable for the long term, but for a short time it is reminiscent of some of the calming retreats we experienced in our youth.
But before I go further in describing our current experience, maybe I should provide an update from our last post:
Here is one last sunset view through the cacti at our site in Tucson’s Gilbert Ray campground.From our campground, we returned to I10 via spectacular Saguaro National Park.Spring flowers in yellow and purple appeared as we drove west on the interstate.Our next stop was a one night return to a Painted Rock Petroglyph campsite (#44)Betty was able to find shade from our motorhome, as she enjoyed the views during our short stay at Petroglyph campground.Continuing westward, the spring-time desert is greening up from recent rains.Our next overnight stop involved a much different change of pace. Staying at the decidedly upscale Fontana De Oro RV Resort in Yuma., we had a full-service site adjacent to a golf course and resort with pickle ball, pools, and too many amenities to list here.The reason for our visit was to connect with Linda & Jeff, friends from our summer location in Winnipeg. They treated us to dinner and we had a great time catching up & looking forward to our summer at Town & Country RV Park.Our pull-through site (#722) in this huge park was $75./night, and well worth it to visit our friends. While in Yuma I was also able to get an oil change and new wiper blades for our motorhome.Our current campsite, in comparison, has no services, but lots of space in the desert sun.
Everyone we have encountered here has been extremely friendly. As mentioned in earlier posts about Quartzsite, RVers can park as close, or as far away from neighbours as they wish. There are hundreds of square miles of Bureau of Land Management land to choose from, so location is personal preference. And you don’t have to stay on BLM land. There are a number of full-service RV parks in town, with a variety of services and amenities, at very reasonable prices – if you don’t come in January. Ok, maybe I should add that January is when the Big Tent is set up, and hundreds of thousands of people descend on Quartzsite for RV rallies & shows – so maybe not so calming then. Lol.
Betty was able to get a stunning sunrise pic from our current site. I didn’t see it myself, but the pic looks great…
We have chosen to return to the same little loop in La Posa West Long-Term Visitor Area. While other areas are free, we have paid $40. for a two-week permit that allows us to access water, dump our tanks, and empty our garbage as needed. Previously we had paid $170. for a stay up to 7 months in the same location. Given the cost of living elsewhere, cheap or free here has a significant calming effect. Lol.
Those who read posts from 2019-2020 will recognize our site from that period. It is only about 50 yards away from our current location.Lots of sunshine and comfortable temperatures are forecast for this week.Betty is enjoying the calming environment with a glass of margarita, under the shade of a mesquite tree.
When we were here before, there were generally 5 RVs parked in this loop, with the number temporarily increasing to 8 or 9 in January. Currently there are only 2 other RVs in our loop. One is an old “schoolie”, and the other is a type A diesel-pusher.
Betty can often be found in her quilting centre, with her sewing machine again plugged into our abundant sunshine.The surrounding desert may not reflect it, but the quiet calm provides a welcome break from otherwise noisy life experiences.
Quartzsite is definitely not for everyone. But for Betty & me, at this time of our lives, and at this point in our journey, it is nice to stay for a few weeks in a location with no pressure and no responsibilities, beyond occasionally picking up a few groceries and moderating the amount we spend in the sun.
Restful, majestic sunsets are common at our current location. Here’s one from the night before last.
Hoping you can also find a calming space to escape an otherwise hectic world from time to time.
“I like the way your sparkling earrings lay Against your skin so brown And I want to sleep with you in the desert night With a billion stars all around
‘Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin’ And I know you won’t let me down ‘Cause I’m already standin’ On the ground…” Eagles (1972)
For over six years now, Betty & I have been travelling the North American continent on our overlandish odyssey. As we consider – for health reasons – whether this will be our last hurrah, we recognize how blessed we have been to have experienced so much – so many great people, places, sights, smells and sounds. We will forever cherish these memories of peaceful, easy feelings!
Betty & I shared a charcuterie board and shrimp ring, al fresco, as the setting sun cast a pink glow on the mountains to the east of our desert campsite.
As mentioned in a recent post, Betty & I have been returning to some favourite spots, possibly for the last time. We are now finishing our stay in Quartzsite, Arizona, and we can well relate to the Eagles’ peaceful, easy feeling, with skin so brown from the sun, and desert nights so bright with a billion stars all around!
For evenings we had a campfire and watched the setting sun.This pic is from the same night, catching the desert view in another direction. Yes, that’s a pizza box from Silly Al’s in Quartzsite.. Great pizza from an always busy spot!Here the sun is a little lower over the barren mountains. Always an impressive sight!
Despite Betty needing to fight a painful bout of sciatica, we have still been able to stand on this special ground and enjoy a return to desert activities experienced during earlier visits.
It is always a joy to golf in the desert – partly because it is free, and mainly because there is no pressure to keep score. Just try not to lose your ball down a rattlesnake hole…The course we played had markers to indicate yardage and suggested par.Each hole is marked by a flag on the “green” (although there is no grass) so you know where to aim. The flag is circled by a rut in the dirt, so if you get the ball inside that rut – you scored! lol Here Betty takes a break on a bench at the next tee box.Betty teed off. I told her if she hits the mountain, she went too far…Here she gets into the swing of things, with a big cactus in the background. Don’t judge the stance. She hasn’t taken lessons like I have – but she’s likely just as good. lolBetty turned the camera on me as we were reaching the end of our tournament. The Smart can just be seen in the background. BTW, there were no other cars in the parking lot. We were the only ones on the course after noon.Neither of us are great golfers. But it was a peaceful, easy feeling spending time together in the warm desert sun.Today is our last day in Quartzsite, and we moved to a full-service site (Park Place RV Park site 23- $40./night) in order to get some laundry done, and our tanks flushed. When boon docking in the desert, we tend to use very little water to wash and flush, so things can build up…. Four years ago we intended to get our tanks cleaned before leaving Quartzsite, but had to head back to Canada in a hurry when COVID 19 hit. So today we arranged for Korey from KleenTank to stop by our site and do a thorough cleaning of both black & grey tanks. Now we’re good to go!In some ways it’s hard to leave this special spot, knowing that we may never return. But we go with peaceful, easy feelings of standing on the ground with a million stars all around.
Wherever your journey through life takes you, Betty & I hope that you also will be blessed from time to time with peaceful, easy feelings that won’t let you down.
“‘Cause I get a peaceful easy feelin’ And I know you won’t let me down ‘Cause I’m already standin’ I’m already standin’ Yes, I’m already standin’ On the ground.”
