In January I moved into Apartment 2, my sanctuary. February– I took a class called watercolor journal for artists, and added a new palette of tube colors to my kit.
March 6, camping somewhere in Sonoma County Regional parks, $15. in the VW, Gualala Point of Stillwater Cove. After having it tuned and smogged, the clutch broke in the Mazda
April, rebuilding Lisa’s rear terraces and steps, cold rain and hail, 4/24, Bison Brewery showcase, sick from too much work.
Year of Rabbit- I turn 48. May 8, Forestiere’s Underground Gardens
1. May 10- we had stopped at Dave and Bev’s for my birthday, then headed out into the desert, via Porterville. At Fairview campground ($12) . . . the mountains are Cold! and the passes are closed. Bats! the beautiful night sky, Mars and Venus brilliant in their colors, we decided suddenly to go to Arizona. This spot reminds me of Globe, Hale-Bopp, and pan fried steak with garlic and butter. I was reminiscing on the San Pedro River and the lush green and giant Saguaro cactus there, when Steve said Hey! Let’s go! Note Rincon Campground just past Brush Creek heliport on the Kern River–looks cool for another trip. We headed east to 395, Steve wanted to pick up bread at Bishop–way north of here. Yuccas in bloom! Red Mountain antique shop, granite-ware coffeepot and Santa Anita ware mug. Eat in Needles! It’s neat and nice!
2. Camped at Vidal Junction, dinner of steak, giant tiger shrimp, and corn. Tuesday morning between Earp, CA and Vidal Junction near Rt 62, Whipple Mountains, cross the Colorado at Parker, buy gas at Quartzite. Truck is hot, cutting out, we tie up the plug wires with dental floss–seems to help! The Saguaros are in bloom, Palo Verde, and Ocotillo. I 10, Picacho Peak, turn east at Red Rock. Just past spring, wonderful surprise, a cactus forest of mythical proportions, a beautiful golden desert road that goes on for miles and miles. Glorious yellow and green against the Red Rock, magical. Pink Cholla, purple, rust fluoresces to rose.
Desert Peak, 2,608 ft. Mammoth? at 5 PM. Water in the San Pedro River, heading north.
3. Jones Water north of Globe, 5/12/99 Purple hedgehog cactus with purple flower. 1 PM Fort Thomas , Rt 70 south and west through the Res. 2 PM Rt 191, Red chollas! 3 PM Wilcox, south to Cochise”s Stronghold. A weird parking lot campground, beautiful canyon, but creepy echos, and a haunted feeling. Courtland, Gleeson, Tombstone, ghost towns.
4. Cross dry river at 82, north on 90 to Whetstone Mountains, French Joe Campground. I sit up by the fire after Steve goes to sleep, the scary bugs walking by my feet send me quickly off to bed. Black velvet wasp, giant bumblebees, metallic green beetle. Ocotillo bloom casts a red haze over the landscape of vivid yellow green. Benson, $11 gas, Watermill, 7 gallons at $1.75. Scorpion bead kit, $4. North on the San Pedro to Redington, to Tanque Verde Road and the Tucson Botanical Garden. My old neighborhood. Crossroads Mexican Restaurant off 4th Avenue
Tucson Mountain Park via Ajo and Kinney Road–camping, $6. a bird Fiesta! Pyrrhuloxia, and a female cardinal- the beak is different. Curved-bill thrush, ravenous, with a fat juvenile yelling, feed a baby! Gila woodpecker at the top of a flowering Saguaro. Gambel’s quail, quite tame. and then, twilight, and BATS! Dinner of leftover Mexican fried chicken and cheese tostada.
Morning, 6 AM tap, tap, tap on the camper shell, Pyrrhuloxia happily yelling into the truck–make breakfast! Potato chip! Beautiful Tucson Mountain Park Saguaro forest, Palo Verde a cloud of soft bloom. This is my bliss.
Gila Bend to Agua Caliente–mysterious traffic stop, suspicious vehicle, we are free to go. ? Continue to Dome Valley North on 95. Needles, for more giant shimp, but now they are !$15.99 a pound? we buy 5. Nevada at last, in the DARK we drive down an endless gravel wash, 20 miles at 15 mph, too scary! Then, suddenly, a Tamarisk grove, and water, and a little beach, just big enough to park and camp, quick! light lanterns and get a fire going. Animal tracks at water’s edge. I eat one potato and half a shrimp, then pass out from exhaustion.
Saturday, wake at 7:30, western king bird. breakfast of eggs, bacon, peppers, feta cheese. I walk out into clear cool water, chest deep. Steve heats gallons of water on the fire and we take two baths each, before and after swimming. Leave for California and Palmdale at 11:30 AM.
travelling through the desert near a military base, we are spotted and pulled over by an MP? in a white jeep who says we match the description of a vehicle . . . but are free to go. On arrival in Palmdale everyone is Abuzz– Sara is featured on America’s Most Wanted . . .
Travels With Stevie 