Life Is a Beach

The drive north from Pismo Beach was an extraordinary adventure. We enjoyed our stay at Pismo Beach, but the drive north along the 101 was an equal delight. The road took us through some of the most beautiful vineyards, ranches, and fruit/vegetable farms we have ever seen. The rolling hills appeared to be manicured by master gardeners, while the regimented vines filled vast acreages within the valleys. As we entered the Pajaro Valley, the vineyards gave way to vast fields of strawberries (more about those later), greens, and some wild bushes that I later learned were artichokes. Despite a rough and winding road at the end, we found our way to our home for the next 7 nights, Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Watsonville, CA. 

The Santa Cruz/Monterey KOA was adjacent to a Natural Reserve, so we chose to stay there. Unfortunately, there was no way to access the Reserve. A few of the Reserve's residents would visit, but mostly we had a green wall of trees and shrubs at the back of our site. A lovely area for walking within the park still had a few lingering blooms. The park marketed itself as a place for young families to stay for a weekend or longer, and they were everywhere. Our space at the back of the park kept us insulated from herds of children and their bikes, trikes, and scooters. However, the sound of laughter and watching families enjoying their time together offered their own rewards.

 

We went through the Scripps Aquarium in La Jolla, CA, several years ago. One of the visitors at that time mentioned that the Monterey Bay Aquarium was even better. At that time, I was impressed with Scripps and decided to see Monterey Bay. We made the drive and discovered that the museum is part of the Old Cannery Row District, made famous by the writings of John Steinbeck. (More on that in a bit.) In fact, the Aquarium is in one of the old Sardine Canneries. Different areas of the Aquarium highlight various parts of flora and fauna of the coastal waters. The Open Sea exhibit gave you a feel for the ocean depths.

 

The picture is from a feeding of the sardines that live in the exhibit with their natural predators, Mahi-Mahi and Blue-fin Tuna. This is commonplace in our world, but for me, it was an exotic world where my everyday assumptions and expectations were drowned in a whole new perspective. These creatures shared a single space but were cared for in ways that they did not have to be enemies, competing for food or space. The staff fed the predators first. And when they had their fill, they fed the sardines, allowing them time at the top of the water to feed. This aquatic dance of predator and prey is beyond human control in the open Ocean. But it works. At one time, I would have called this a wilderness of competing interests where the winner takes all. But now, I see it as the natural world, where there are no real enemies. Nature is not about winners and losers but about balanced living, where cooperation is the true survival skill for all concerned. If each species gets what it needs, not necessarily all it wants, it can live in peace. This story was told repeatedly in the Aquarium.

 

After observing this role of cooperation, I gained a greater understanding of John Steinbeck's writings, especially about the human condition on Cannery Row. Cannery Row had a reputation as a classic human landscape where competition and greed drove the community or lack thereof. But Steinbeck saw that the ugliness of unvarnished capitalism obscured but did not diminish the great nobility of spirit in the residents of Cannery Row. This picture is the Cannery Row memorial and pictures Steinbeck sitting on top and observing the people of the Row as they lived their lives. The figures around him are the workers on the lines of the fish processing plants, a scientist who understood the necessity of the tidal waters of Monterey Bay, a Chinese fisherman, the men who redeveloped the Row for tourism, and the young women who worked in the bars and brothels. I have started rereading Cannery Row to appreciate all he saw in his time and place along Monterey Bay. He offers a window through which I can see our ordinary, everyday world in 2023 with a new perspective.

 

As I mentioned, the Pajaro Valley is one of the USA's biggest fruit and vegetable producers. The valley is formed along the Pajaro River and the slough it created thousands of years ago. The river carried sediment from the hills above the valley and enriched the soil. It provides water to nurture agriculture. The old mouth of the river now forms the Elkhorn Slough, which has been set aside as an Estuarine Research Reserve. We walked the primary loop and saw all five types of land represented by the Reserve. The picture gives you an overview of the estuary part of the Reserve. We saw many birds living abundant lives amid the vast human development surrounding them. Many of the birds are old friends from the Texas Gulf Coast, but they were beginning to show their Summer Breeding colors and seemed like whole new species. If the farmers stay out of the Reserve and the Reserve does not inhibit them from growing crops, they will all find a way to survive and thrive in this beautiful place.

 

It was a different story back in the 19th Century for the Hills above the valleys of the Central California coast. The Henry Cowell Redwood State Park Grove shelters a small grove of Old-Growth Redwoods. The rest were clear-cut to build the San Francisco that was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1906 and, more recently, the decks and deck chairs for California beach houses that line the Pacific Coast. As the picture demonstrates, these magnificent trees have evolved to lean on one another and intertwine their roots in circles. These circles stabilize their shallow root systems in the loose mountain soils. When fires or high winds threaten to topple them, they literally lean and hold on to one another to survive. A tree circle is evidence of nature’s need for cooperation, not competition. As we found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, here on the hills above Santa Cruz, cooperation is the key to life in a world of change. I wish more people would sit quietly amid these gentle giants and let nature help them grow up! Unfortunately, they are no match for human greed. Nature understands life.

 

We went to the Watsonville Farmer's Market along the Pajaro River. The weekly market on the central plaza is a marvel. On one side, vendors sell crafts, produce, and services. At the same time, across the street, we found all kinds of food stands selling tacos and hundreds of other delicacies. This is a State Certified Farmer's Market, meaning every vendor had to bring their product from their farm. The produce was amazing, and they reintroduced me to an old friend, the strawberry. (I told you we would get to those strawberries.) I love strawberries, but often by the time we would get them in Texas, they were rather tasteless. They do not transport very well. But these strawberries were fresh from the fields, and they tasted like it. The flavor exploded in my mouth, and I hesitated to swallow, to savor that rich “strawberriness” for a bit longer. It was as if I had never really known a strawberry before. 

 

We then rode to Moss Landing State Beach, where the Elkhorn Slough empties into the Pacific. This is a new landscape for us, and we found four new species of birds, along with a group of harbor seals lounging on the sand. We saw White-winged Scoters, Surf Scoters, Heermann’s Gulls, and Red-throated Loons (picture above). In addition, we encountered some old friends in their breeding plumage, including Common Loons, Red-throated Mergansers, Barrow's Golden Eyes, Dunlins, Western Grebes, and Pelagic Cormorants. Along an old slough, we made new friends and got to know some old friends in new ways. 

 

I mentioned that we saw some Harbor Seals lounging on a sand bar in the slough. Is this a picture of indolence or self-care? In Cannery Row, Steinbeck tells the story of Mack and the boys who lived in the Palace Flophouse and Grill, where they stayed without paying rent and worked in the canneries only when they needed the money. Were they indolent, or were they taking care of themselves the best way they could? I agree with Steinbeck that the only reasonable answer to both questions is an emphatic "Yes!” This would be indolence in a competitive human realm where industry is supposed to be rewarded and laziness punished to avoid the sin of sloth. But these seals and Mack’s Boys are living life on their terms. They have chosen their kingdoms and do not need anyone else's approval to live their choices. They are not some esoteric free spirits. They are just creatures of their world, making the best of the life that they have been dealt. The seals have been dealt their niche by nature. Mack and Boy's world was handed to them by society. And instead of being victims, they have chosen to be the kings and princes of their realm, Cannery Row, and the small patch of sand. I have nothing but respect and a little envy for the seals on their sand bar and Mack and the Boys in their Palace.

 

 

We did enjoy one day of wanderings when we headed down into the valley beyond the coastal hills and found our way to Gilroy, CA, the Garlic Capital of the World. We have visited Cranberry World Headquarters near Cape Cod and Pistachio World in Alamogordo, NM. Those experiences led us to make a stop when Garlic World appeared on Google Maps. We were expecting a place that celebrated all things garlicky. In short, it was a garlic store with this picture opportunity out front. I had never considered buying garlic ice cream, garlic honey, or different varieties of garlic salsas. Unfortunately, unlike Pistachio World, they did not let the customers sample their products so that they could let go of a sawbuck for a bag of garlic chips. So, we nodded and worked our way along the aisles, unconvinced of the worth of the various products. There was a BBQ joint at the back of the store, and it was lunchtime, so we decided to try our first California BBQ. It was good. Marlene had a Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mike's Secret Sauce. We both enjoyed the cole slaw and garlic bread. I had a tri-tip sandwich and tried all three of the sauces they offered. The Secret Sauce was good. The Sweet and Spicy was both. But the Hickory Sauce was excellent. As many of you know, I am a bit of a BBQ snob. I do not usually go for sauces. But the tri-tip was a bit tasteless and needed the sauce. The sauce was the real star. Despite our disappointment with Garlic World, the BBQ was a pleasant surprise. This is one of the joys of wandering without expectations. Pleasant surprises can make up for the occasional disappointment. 

 

Our trip back to Koko took us through Hecker Pass, where we stopped for a tasting at Hecker Pass Winery. We met Jenny, a third-generation winemaker on the vineyard, who introduced us to five different wines. Marlene had a selection of sweet whites and dessert wines. I enjoyed a variety of dry reds, including a Sirah, Merlot, Cabernet, Burgundy, and Chianti. All were excellent, but I came home with a Cab (the wine, not the mode of transportation). Jenny was fun to talk to. She was interested in our travels as well as sharing her family's travels in their own RV. It was a delightful hour in a comfortable setting with good folks. Again, a pleasant surprise offset the disappointment of not seeing a Native American site at a County park due to hundreds of bicycles in the parking lot for a bike rally. We wandered over Hecker Pass, and I was ready for a nap. Indolence or self-care? Yep, it was both, and I enjoyed the whole thing!

 

Our last full day in Watsonville was a chill and chore day. It was time to clean out Koko and prepare for our move to the San Francisco Area for a week. Living in a small area means everything must have a place, and the space needs to be kept clean. Stuff tends to move around after a few weeks and needs to be repacked. Grit and dust accumulate and needs sweeping and wiping. Wandering is not a vacation in a hotel room where we can leave the cleaning to others. Plus, two vehicles need to be maintained. Our last day is all about the chores that are part of our wanderlust. But then, we always make room for some chillin' since I have a couple of books waiting for my return. Plus, we rewarded ourselves with a nice dinner at a small Mom-and-Pop Mexican food restaurant. A good meal, and Mama made sure to show us her wedding picture as well as tell us all about her family. I love these places. Then we returned to Koko or a quiet last evening in Watsonville. How is that for the exciting life of full-time RVers?

 

 

On the West Coast, life is a beach! Our time in Southern California and Monterey has helped me understand Californian’s infatuation with the beach and beach culture. From the Beach Boys to sun-tanned bodies playing volleyball, California has created a sense of what the good life represents. But, like most things, the reality is never quite clear-cut. For example, I never realized how cold it can get on the beach. The Pacific is a cold ocean, and the winds that blow across it are not the warm temperate winds of the Texas Gulf Coast. I never noticed that California Beach wear often includes a light sweater or windbreaker (often hanging around the neck when the sun comes out). I also never appreciated the sea fog's role in California Beach life. It blows in and can coat everything with enough water to sustain a Redwood Forest through a drought. The California Beach scene is not all sunshine and sunbathing in barely any clothing.

 

The Californian idea that life is a beach is still valid. Why? Because in California, things are not always what they appear. It is a land of imagination. California works if we do not expect it to be more than it is, a place where paradise is sometimes possible. What is required is for people to learn from the majestic Redwoods and lean on one another when the winds blow. Life is a beach only as long as we can wrap our roots around our neighbors, knowing that the mud will slide down the hills and the fires will burn. 

 

California Dreamin’ is a good hymn for life on the beaches of California, where paradise is more aspirational than actual! And that is perfectly okay.

 

All the leaves are brown 

And the sky is gray 

I've been for a walk 

On a winter's day 

I'd be safe and warm 

If I was in LA.

 

California dreamin' 

On such a winter's day

(by John Edmund Andrew Phillips / Michelle Gilliam Phillips)

 

Looking forward to the journey north to San Francisco/Petaluma KOA in Petaluma, CA. 

 

Come along and see what else California has to teach me.

 

Bob

A Time for Touristing

The old pop song (based on the scriptures) reminds us that there is a time for everything under heaven. And, even for us wanderers, there is a time for touristing. Circumstances beyond our control have made significant changes to our original plans. We diverted to the Pacific Coast because of washed-out roads and record snow levels in the Sierras. Our first stop was Malibu, just outside of Los Angeles. This change of plan led us to change our strategy from wandering to touring, complete with destinations. That has made the week even more memorable.

The Foggy, Foggy Dew welcomed us in Malibu Beach RV Park, Malibu, CA. For the last few weeks, we have been in a pattern where 2-4 days of a stay involved less than optimal weather. In Texas and Arizona, it was cold, wet weather. In the California desert, it was clouded. But along the Pacific Coast, it has been fog. I have never encountered such penetrating, wet fog as we had along that hillside in Malibu. It was thick and heavy. The fog was not very deep, but it was definitely “pea soup-ish.” It tended to burn off or retreat to the ocean by midday. But some of our wet morning walks were a bit wet.

Since Los Angeles was the second choice stop for this trip, we considered wandering in the city. But LA is not suitable for wandering. The city's sheer size means you need a destination and a plan for getting there. When in LA, you do LA things. Otherwise, all you see are crowded streets and freeways. Therefore, we decided to tourist for the week. Which, I soon discovered, meant waiting in traffic to get anywhere.

Our second day of being “turistas” took us to the Warner Studio Tour. This was great fun. After a lifetime of watching movies, I paid little attention to the opening credits. Roaring lions, the earth spinning in space, and a Water Tower were all the same to me. But the Warner Tour helped me see that there really are differences. Warner is not only one of the oldest but their backlot is used for many of my favorite old movies. They also produced working-class family movies. This picture is of the back lot square where the Music Man led the band, The Gilmore Girls went to Stars Hollow festivals, and Dr. Zoe Hart discovered the people of Bluebell, AL. The place where these were filmed is just down the street from the Friends Fountain and where Batman was trapped hanging between buildings in Gotham. Our tour guide was engaging and had a great approach to this. He understood that all this was pretend. Reality was very different, but he also enjoyed it and helped us to enjoy it. We can enjoy both if we can keep our pretend world and the real world separate. But, when we confuse the two, we can trust neither. The entertainment business in Hollywood (or Burbank) clearly understands how hard it is to pretend. They work very hard so that we celebrate their magic. Thank you, Warner Bros. You have something to teach the rest of us. We can enjoy pretending

The next day the problem with touristing (and the destinations they involve) returned to haunt us. We spent most of the day staring at the back bumper of the car in front of us. It was a day of disappointment. I had specific destinations on the map. And those destinations proved to be less than satisfying. We drove two hours to see the graves of the stars and were turned away at the gate because there was a private funeral taking place. The second stop was a vast cemetery, and finding the graves I was interested in was challenging. We paid homage to Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and others. But we gave up on seeing the third cemetery I had planned and diverted to Griffith Park to see the Hollywood sign. After arriving at the park, we discovered that the City of Los Angeles charged $10 an hour to park on the side of the road if you wanted to walk up to the park.

After that, we gave up and spent the next two hours returning to Malibu. I am seldom disappointed by wandering. It involves lower expectations about specific destinations. But I struggle to banish my expectations when touristing. Further, this also makes selecting touring destinations that much harder. We avoid places that may lead to disappointment or regrets. This picture was from a couple of days earlier when we got lost on a hilltop and saw the sign from the overlook. We took the shot through the windshield since there was no way to stop, much less pullover. We did not see the sign on this day.

Our favorite part of touring around Los Angeles involved driving to Ventura and whale-watching with Island Packers Tours. Initially, the boat ride was rough, but the swells calmed down when we entered the Channel Islands. We were between 9-10 miles offshore. We have watched whales in the Bay Fundy, off Cape Cod, and near San Diego. But these Humpbacks were the most cooperative we have ever seen. They were feeding in the rich waters of the channel as they prepared for their long fast while in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The spouts would appear as puffs of steam, and a mountain of flesh would gently rise. These whales are around 50 feet long and are usually accompanied by flocks of sea birds. Gulls, pelicans, and cormorants would follow them around and pick up the scraps. When the whale deeply arched their back, they were getting ready to “sound” or make a deep dive. Their “flukes” or tail would rise out of the water and wave “bye-bye.” The captain took us to a floating tank near an oil rig covered by sea lions and surrounded by sea lions who wanted on the tank. These critters are noisy, determined, and very graceful.

Our tour ended with seeing the spout of a Minke whale (according to the captain), which was relatively uncommon. We also encountered a couple packs of sea lions hunting in the open ocean. Those 3 ½ hours on the boat were the best of our time in the area. To top it off, we ate at a Greek Restaurant in the Harbour, where I had my favorite California food, Seafood Stew or Cioppino. For dessert, we had a design-your-own chocolate bar. Marlene picked coconut, pecans, pistachios, and dried cherries from Top This Chocolate. All in all, it was a great day of touristing.

It was time to leave Malibu, and we drove the beautiful 101 through the iconic California countryside. We saw the Wine Country of Santa Barbara, where, as Marlene noted, we could see the Pacific Ocean on the left and deep, scenic valleys on the right. This is one of the most beautiful drives we have made in our decades of traveling. 

We arrived at Pismo Coast Beach RV Resort, Pismo Beach, CA, for a brief three-night stay. This is a fabulous park. It is on the Pismo River, where it flows into the ocean. A short 10-minute walk had us in downtown Pismo Beach and on the Boardwalk. This area has been inhabited for 11,000 years and is named for the Chumash people’s word for tar, pismo, found in a nearby canyon. The tar was used to caulk their seagoing canoes and was a vital part of their life along the coast. Today, Pismo Beach is a tourist town that caters to all the whims of the tourist. Many hotels line the beachfront, as do dozens of restaurants, surf shops, and a long, beautiful beach with a walkable pier. Even though the pier and beachfront have been destroyed several times by tsunamis, these folks keep rebuilding. They know they have a real treasure and are determined to keep it. This is one destination that did not disappoint.

While I am not usually keen on sunset walks by the ocean, I am glad I made an exception today. This is a fantastic setting. The western sky was perfect. We strolled along the river and then crossed to the Boardwalk. The sun set off the point to the Northwest and lit the dunes behind us. They also created a deep silhouette for anything between us. The waves gently rolled in. Whimbrels and Gulls walked along the Shoreline while young people sat atop the dunes, soaking up the last rays of the setting sun. The sun settled toward the horizon, and the yellow and orange hues grew deeper and deeper. They provided a moment of tranquility from a relatively busy day of walking. The sunset was the glory of the day, just as our life on the road serves as glory for our previous lives. All that came before slips away as we celebrate the beauty of these “golden years.” That sunset walk reminded me that these days on the road are times for gratitude and celebration, even when the traffic and unfulfilled plans crowd into our days.

 

Our week of touristing along the Southern California Coast has been worthwhile. But I am looking forward to getting back to wandering, strolling the beaches of the day, and allowing the challenges to melt away in the glory at the end of the day. Come along and see what Monterey Bay offers as we make our way up the 101 to Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday in Watsonville, CA.

 

See you on the road,

Bob

 

"Nature Always Wins!"

I love routines. Even in our wandering, we have a routine. Some are formalized into checklists, while others evolve over the days and weeks on the road. However, something is to be said for breaking out of our routines occasionally. These moments create new challenges and creative ways of dealing with them. When we started this wandering life, we asked lots of questions. But there always needs to be more questions. New things always come along that we have yet to anticipate or expect. Traveling through the deserts this last month has shaken our routines and offered us new adventures and a new perspective on our wandering. I have relearned something I had forgotten after years of theological indoctrination to the contrary, “Nature wins!”

We spent most of our time in Desert Hot Springs at the Palm Springs/Joshua Tree KOA Holiday. The picture will give you an idea of the setting. This is Mount Gorgonio, and it stands over 11K ft. It and its companion across the valley, Mount St. Jacinto, dominate the area. The Coachella Valley sits between them and includes Palm Springs, Indian Wells, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs. This is the so-called Playground of the Stars, but we didn't tour the Hollywood Stars' homes. Found the desert far more interesting. The rich and famous came to the valley because of the warmer, drier air that offered a break from the routines of a cold, damp winter elsewhere. In fact, the Ancient Pinto People came here for the same reason. They were followed by health seekers, immigrants, and ranchers. Humans like to believe that they control their destiny and try to control their world. But ultimately, if we want a paradise, we have no choice but to yield and move to where nature has created a place that matches our expectations of paradise. Welcome to the Coachella Valley. But, as that snow-capped mountain suggests, there is much more to this area than 70 temps and 5 inches of rain each year. This place boldly declares, “Nature wins!”

In the desert, it is all about the altitude (not just attitude). A short 15-mile drive can mean a 10-degree change in temperature. It also means a change in humidity, the plants and animals surrounding you, the shape of the rock formations, and a thousand other details. Joshua Tree National Park sits on two separate desert systems. To the East is the Colorado Desert (a portion of the Sonoran). It is 2,000 to 3,000 feet. The western end sits in the Mojave, a higher, cooler, and wetter desert system due to being higher than 3,500 feet. The change in rainfall and temperatures means that flora and fauna adapted to different conditions than their neighbors. The Mojave is the home of Joshua Trees. The Sonoran is covered with a more tolerant Yucca and Ocotillo. As the earth warms, there are even more changes to the environment that will cause further adaptation. What we see today is different from 1,000 years ago. In the future, new creatures will emigrate to this area, and others may leave to survive. Some plants will die out, while others will adapt and thrive. The only known and sure thing is that nature will win, and life must adapt! 

Joshua Tree is filled with huge piles of rocks and boulders. Geologists believe that the mounds were formed when the hills and mountains were washed away over eons of erosion by wind and water. In effect, the rocks are the bones of the hills that have been stripped of their "flesh.” Some of the stones have narrow veins of softer rock from volcanic ash. The elements have worn this layer away on exposed boulders and split them in two. All of these are different types of granite, a volcanic rock, and they all migrated here from deep within the earth's crust. This area sits on or near the San Andreas Fault, which is still active. Nature wins! As permanent as these rocks may appear, nature will also have its way with them.

I grew up seeing nature as not some static monolith. But it is a growing, evolving process. And when it is at its most dynamic, we call it life, and life abounds in the desert. Life has found a way to thrive even in these piles of boulders. Plants have taken the opportunity to put down roots in the meager collections of soil in the many nooks and crannies. Lizards and beetles have exploited the shade and water offered in these micro-oases. Snakes and birds prowl these pockets of life to follow their livelihood as predators. Even the soil, enriched by those who live on the surface, has become a haven for microbes of all sorts. The desert is alive. If the delicate balance is disturbed, life will be changed. If one species dies out, another will evolve to exploit the open niche. The desert demonstrates that this is true even for human beings. When we leave a space, nature moves in to use the resources we left behind or are no longer consuming. An example of this is in the story of Barker's Dam.

Barker Dam, or Big Horn Dam, was built in 1900 by cattlemen who needed a steady water supply for their livestock. However, as the nearby petroglyphs testify, this area has been inhabited by people for many years. But before the people, the Desert Big Horn sheep and all the other lifeforms in the desert would be drawn to this place when the water was flowing. The dam could not hold enough water to withstand the drought years, and the people moved on. In leaving, they left a place that holds water longer than before the dam was built. And, as the picture shows, it is alive even after the people left. Nature does not waste anything, and even the futile attempts to shape the desert to the human will has and will become new opportunities for life to find a way. To quote my nephew, "Nature wins. Always!"

Nature is not always conservative in reclaiming or adapting to changes. It can be pretty extravagant! Joshua Tree and the surrounding area demonstrate that beauty, along with life, also abounds. We went on a walk in Big Morongo Canyon Preserve and found a lot of beauty. The birds and flowers offered color and texture to the sights and sounds. On the drive up to Joshua Tree, we saw vast acres of desert scrub filled with a carpet of yellows and purples from the Poppies and Lupines. The Joshua Trees were topped with large blooms of white flowers. Many of the smaller cacti had blooms of reds and oranges. The lizards that skittered between the shade of the bushes were bejeweled. Even the rocks would sparkle when the light hit the crystalline surface. Life abounds and can be quite extravagant. Nature can celebrate right along with human beings. 

It is worth acknowledging that celebrating nature's power can be pretty tiring. After three full days in the National Park, it was time for a Chill and Chore Day. We needed to do laundry and enjoyed the RV park for a day. We pulled out a steak and fired up the grill. It was a needed break. But this is as essential to wandering as it is in nature. Even the most active faults do not always move. The sunshine takes a break as the clouds offer respite to the ground. Rest and recreation are part of the cycle of nature, especially in the desert.

When the time came to leave the desert behind, we faced the daunting task of driving across Los Angeles to Malibu Beach RV Park in Malibu, CA. The drive lived up to my expectations. Even on a Sunday, the traffic was bumper to bumper in several places of the drive. The drivers reminded me of driving through Houston. It takes patience to drive defensively. After moving across northern LA, we crossed through the canyons to Malibu. This was the most harrowing part of the trip. Unfortunately, none of the apps came up with the best route we discovered later. But Koko handled the twists and turns very well. At the end of the drive, we settled into a beautiful park that overlooked the Pacific above the Pacific Coast Highway. 

Our first full day in Malibu was a beautiful, sunny Holiday Saturday. There were people everywhere, heading for the beach. So, we headed into the city to see a few things for fun. We visited the grounds and museum at the La Brea Tar Pits. This has been on my bucket list since before I knew what a bucket list was. And it fulfilled my 60-year-old wish. Then we went to Hollywood and walked the length and breadth of the Walk of Fame, up and down both sides of Hollywood Blvd. And Vine. We even posed for a selfie in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. As one friend put it, that is “hard-core touristy." We then drove into the Hollywood Hills to take this picture. There was nowhere to stop with all the people crowding the narrow roads. Marlene snapped this before we headed back down into the city. Simple fun! Part of the respite of life that nature celebrates with the times "in between." In such moments we honor nature's victory and celebrate the life it offers.

The Easter dawn found us in a thick fog that covered the ocean and the campground. We had not planned on going far since the crowds would be everywhere. Therefore, after a leisurely morning, we went in and did some grocery shopping. When we got back, the fog was finally lifting, and the temps were starting to rise. You can see the mist in the distance. But it lingered and returned in the evening. We began our journey in a fog. It cleared for a while, but sooner or later, it will return.

 

It was Easter. It was a day to remember that life is a genuine gift. The thought of resurrection has always been set against nature's inability to claim us in death. But this is a gross misreading. Easter is about the triumph of life (and nature) over our pretensions to knowing all things, especially eternal things. Resurrection is a process of nature. Though our world may groan under the weight of change, life will abide. Though we may see an ending in the utter darkness of mystery, a new and even more abundant life will emerge. I must admit, my time in the desert has been a time of renewal; my Lenten experience awaiting the rebirth of life and faith. Despite all our human pretensions, nature will win. If nature can do these wonders in a desert paradise, then life will rebound. The question is whether nature’s victory will include us or not. May we not perish as a failed experiment of history but emerge as part of a wondrous journey called life!

 

Wander on, my friends! There is nothing routine about the great adventure that awaits!

 

Bob

A Tale of Two Deserts

It was the best of desert vistas. It was the worst of desert vistas. It was a time of cold, blowing winds and a time for bone-warming sunshine. The sunsets were brilliant. The sky was a vast canopy of blue from horizon to horizon. This was how we began our week in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by Saguaro and wide-open BLM land. We ended the week in a high desert enclave, Desert Hot Springs, a short drive from our main objective, Joshua Tree National Park. This is the Mojave desert, drier and cooler but still filled with broad vistas, blowing winds, and bone-warming sunshine. This is a tale of two deserts.

After setting up our site at Arizona Sun RV Park in Quartzsite, AZ, we paid homage to the saint of Quartzsite, Hi Jolly. He was born Philip Tedro but changed his name to Hadji Ali after making the pilgrimage to Mecca. He was a Turkish Camel Driver hired by the US Army to train the troops using camels in the Desert Southwest. He landed with the camels at Indianola, TX, in the 1850s and accompanied them to Quartzsite. He became a character around the mining town, and his name was anglicized to Hi Jolly. When the Army experiment ended, he stayed on. He tried his hand at prospecting, being a scout for the US Army, and driving Mule trains. He changed his name back to Phillip Tedro, married a woman in Arizona, and lived out his life as a local legend from the Camel Driving days. This is his tomb, where his spirit matches the untamed spirit of Quartzsite. Rugged individualism is far too pale a picture of the temper of this place in the Sonoran Desert. 

A couple of hours north of Quartzsite is the old mining town of Oatman, AZ. It sits on the historic Route 66, which is no longer used by the US Highway system. It has preserved its wild west character for the hordes of tourists coming through town yearly. Oatman gets its name from Olive Oatman, a young woman who was captured and lived with the Native People of Arizona until she was released in Fort Yuma in 1856 after being traded to the Mojave People. After gold was discovered in the hills above Oatman, it became a boom town. But the village began to die away when the gold played out, except for the burros the miners left behind in the hills surrounding Oatman. Today, the town is most famous for these burros that roam the streets during the dry Summer months. There was only one in town during our visit. Her name was April. Marlene was able to pet her, but she was very popular. But, after leaving Oatman on the old Route 66, we met up with the rest of the burros looking for handouts in the hills. These two Burros were part of a small herd that stopped traffic in both directions. They were holding the cars hostage for a toll of whatever they had to eat. These are genuinely noble creatures who have adapted to their new home and achieved celebrity status.

After we left the Burros, we saw some stunning wildflower blooms. They mainly were California Poppies. But there were also good stands of purple lupine (relatives of the Texas Bluebonnet), Yellow flowered Jerusalem Artichoke and abundant tiny pink and white flowers that added variety and vitality to the blooms. This year it is being called a Super bloom, and we could not argue. Check my Flickr account for more shots by clicking here.

As I mentioned before, Quartzsite has a renegade personality. It attracts free spirits with a wild west flair. It also draws many military and corporate retirees who spend the winter in the desert warmth. One of the ways these two groups have learned to get along is with an abundance of signs printed off their computer. The earworm “Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign” ran through my head. Many of the retirees work camp in the RV Parks. So laundry rooms, bathrooms, showers, registration offices, recreation halls, and every other vertical space is plastered with these signs telling people what they should and should not do. This is a picture of the laundry room, and it is not the most egregious example. But with so many signs, they lose their impact. Honestly, I didn’t read most of them. They all became a blur. Of course, I do tend to the free spirit side of that spectrum, but really…. Do you need three signs on the bathroom door telling the last person to turn out the lights and close the door? Oh well, it is all part of the "charm" of Quartzsite, and when we travel, we take places as they are, appreciate them for what they are, and then move on. I was a bit too happy to move on from Quartzsite.

As our time in Quartzsite ended, we headed out into the desert of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. This was created in the 1930s when schoolchildren pushed the US Government to provide a sanctuary for Big Horn Sheep. It was carved out of the Yuma Proving Grounds, where General George Patton tested and practiced desert battle gear and tactics. Today, it is a glorious land of rocks and flowers and a few unexploded rounds of cannon and tank shells. During this Super bloom, the mountains were filled with a chorus of brilliant flowers. Unfortunately, we will miss the Ocotillo and other cacti blooming in the coming weeks. But again, this desert has two faces that paint a portrait of how to survive the extremes of conditions. Rocks and flowers have something to say to those who visit their realm and are willing to be silent and humble enough to learn from them.

As if the signs in the laundry (and everywhere else) were not enough, the US Military put a sign in the desert just outside Quartzsite. This picture is an arrow pointing north for aircraft flying overhead. It was beside a huge sign that read QUARTZSITE and had a large arrow pointing the pilot toward the town and their landing strip. They were built to help lost trainees during WWII find their way back to the landing strip. But these desert signs are not a modern phenomenon. The Bouse Intaglio, or geoglyph, is just up the road, made from the same desert rocks. It could be 500 years old or thousands of years old. There are hundreds of these images all along the Colorado River. This one is called the Fisherman and may tell the story of the god, Kumastamo, who drove his spear into the ground and caused the waters of the Colorado River to begin to flow in the desert. Both signs in the desert speak to the cleverness of the human spirit as it struggles to negotiate life in the open deserts of life. Once again, those with the ear to listen and the eyes to see can gain much more than information. They can acquire wisdom that helps us to survive in the most inhospitable places.

After three weeks of life in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, it was time to head West, across the Colorado River, where we entered the Mojave Desert. A new earworm began to play, “California, Here We Come!” We drove through some of the most desolate areas I have ever seen. Parts of it make West Texas look like a lush paradise. The threat of high winds meant we did not tarry long and found our way to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree KOA and Desert Hot Spring, CA. When we arrived, we found ourselves on the edge of the Playground of the Stars from the middle of the last century. We came to explore Joshua Tree National Park, but it is hard to ignore the feel of this place. The Mojave is drier and hotter, but it also has that dual nature of "rocks" and "flowers ."

 

We look forward to seeing what it offers two wanderers in our retirement years.

 

As I close this week's ponderings, I am reminded of a word I recently learned, Coddiwomple, which means intentionally traveling toward a vague destination. I am certainly not opposed to a bit of coddiwompling from time to time; what we are doing is more like wandering. We have a general direction and destination in mind, but the path is a very flexible thing. We embarked on this journey to see as many National Parks as possible as we traveled to Seattle and back to Texas in the winter. As we got closer to California, it became clear that we could not see Sequoia, King's Canyon, Yosemite, or Mount Lassen Volcano National Parks. The record-breaking snows in the upper elevations have left 10-15 feet of snow that must be cleared from the roads. The record rains and snowmelt have damaged bridges and roads at lower elevations. In short, many of these Parks will not be open until after we have left California in May. There would have been a time when I would be very frustrated and angry at this turn of events. 

 

But we are not here to see the national parks. That was the general direction when we planned this trip nine months ago. We are wandering, exploring, seeing, and experiencing what we can in this part of the world. We will enjoy the Mojave and then move on to the Pacific Coast and travel up one of the most iconic highways in the Country, the 101, from Malibu to Klamath. We joyfully continue our journey because so much the West Coast is inviting us to come and enjoy. Who knows what the coming week and month will offer to all of us who dare to wander. Come on along as we see wander our way through our next adventure.

 

Bob