Holiday Survival guide…join the birds;)
We left Tucson, planned an overnight stop in Yuma, well, Winterhaven West of Yuma exactly, land of the aged, if you don’t have a walker or a cane at the RV park we stopped at your are regarded with great suspicion…”Just WHAT are we doing here?”…people walked by without even acknowledging you were there…geez, maybe we weren’t? maybe we were in a parallel universe and just thought we were there;) Maybe it WAS 1935…and this car was new;)
No wonder no one wanted to look at us, people from the future…we certainly would be dressed oddly;) As we dieseled up at the very busy Corner gas, Circle K, possibly the slowest diesel pump we have ever encountered, 20 minutes to fill the tank…some patient and not so patient people were coming and going in a very chaotic way. The diesel pump had a TV on it blaring out various commercials. I had a flash of “Blade Runner” and the talking billboards….as we sat there for 20 minutes…”Where have we brought ourselves to?” I asked Mike…1935 to 2019….OMG, that is the year Blade Runner was set in! Ha! Knew it! We hightailed it first thing in the morning before the people from Cocoon showed up;)
I had to include a smattering of billboards from the I 8 as we headed into Yuma;) Wait for the California ones;)
Sunday traffic, coming back…never again on a Thanksgiving weekend will we do this. This could be my movie quote blog maybe but it looked like a cleaned up version of “Mad Max” as at every on and off ramp muddy toy haulers and trailers, A classes and cabovers, from shabby to multimillion dollar rigs, it felt like a dystopian world was getting onto the Interstate 8 at every turn, all headed West, some unaware of how to merge;)…After getting to the 4th summit and into San Diego county having passed dozens of these vehicles, I was feeling perplexed by the number of trailers and trucks, driven by one man, no family, no friends, just one guy, and his toys…crawling along at 35mph on the grades up into Devils Canyon, ascending 3000′ in 11 miles of almost bumper to bumper Mad Max traffic!
It was with a sigh of relief we hit the last summit and started our downwards descent into El Cajon. I wish everyone towing a trailer, or a bike would stop and take a moment to check their tire speed rating, obviously many are not aware they are rated at 55 mph…and try to pass you at 85 with the entire rig fishtailing around the road…Darwin awards are in order…
California Billboards…hahahahaha!
We settled into a familiar spot at Santee Lakes Campground and were a bit perplexed by how empty it was, not something we are used to seeing here in December. All the nicer:) Was hoping for some beach weather but the rain clouds came and gave us a soaking, one morning I went clothed in shorts and a T-Shirt with an old yellow wet weather gear top and proceeded to scrub Myrtle, the trailer from top-to bottom:) If the weather Gods give you rain..well…Use It! We now have clean windows, Yeah, and a rather respectable looking rig I must say…some other wives may have been muttering to their husbands “No way sweet cheeks, not doing that” as several husbands could be seen the following day cleaning theirs;) One afternoon the sun came out I got out and around the lakes to look at my bird friends:)
The regulars were about. Hordes of Northern Shoveler pairs are swimming in tiny little circles around each other in a strange mating ritual it seems. The Ring Necked and Rudy ducks have arrived, but no Wood Ducks or Widgeons yet. A great deal of Mallards as usual and the resident Egrets and Herons. I even caught the Greenie in the reeds after a Snowy chased him away from a favourite fishing spot no doubt!
This is my refuge, these beautiful feathered creatures. Made the mistake of shopping late in the day and forgot what this time of year is about, cranky, humourless people in a hurry…I even put my big ole Grinch boots on for a bit until I saw this quote by Edward Abbey-” I am not an atheist but an earthiest. Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. To die alone, on rock under sun at the brink of the unknown, like a wolf, like a great bird, seems to me very good fortune indeed.”
You did notice he said “good bread”…hard to find here;) As an Earthiest. I really don’t celebrate Christmas, it would be hypocritical of me, maybe a solstice drink instead;) All this rush, and fuss, and glaring lights, people stressing about money and gifts, really bad elevator Christmas music and a life size Santa at a family members house broke my mood and made me howl with laughter, that would scare the shit out of you if you got up to pee in the middle of the night…I wonder how many have been shot at! You could pick up a pair, Mr. and Mrs. they are on sale for $749.99, reduced from $999.00…Welcome to America, the land that takes everything, and commercializes it until has no meaning anymore…
It was way too much fun googling life size Santas…I couldn’t find any Indian or Muslim Santas, nor Chinese or even Star trek ones;) A few drinking wine with rosy cheeks and a wicked looking pot smoking one! ha! To each their own this year for me. If it brings you joy do it, it just does nothing for me. In the spirit would be stopping for a pedestrian, instead of nearly running them over, holding a door, saying please and thank you. Instead of buying and wrapping a gift, plant a tree for someone, or a few hundred;) we are going to need them Greta says!
Now some more about those birds….they keep me coming back!
The joy of coming to this West coast city is not really the city itself or it’s millions of people but a just few special ones that are our clan:) I’m the favorite niece, usually said with a grin as I always remind my uncle I am his only niece;), my fabulous rabbit loving cousin, check out Bronle’s amazing work, Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit and her jaw dropping art at: https://bronlecrosby.com/ and my wonderful brother and family. When he is not booked solid for months working on some multi million dollar yacht…http://offshoreoutfitters.com/ he always makes time and comes to the rescue for all my silly electrical and otherwise questions! These people are my heroes!
But time to go, a rest has been had, now it is time to head South, home, to Baja. It always feels that way. You should visit, turn off your Fox news and talk radio and just go, smile and that smile will be returned…it is a wonderful feeling having a simple communication that states “I honour your presence as another human being!”
Saludos amigos!
Excellent monologue. I love those little tvs at the gas pumps. Jay Leno used to do very funny bits, comedy pieces talking to unsuspecting people on them and encouraging them to sing etc. We don’t have them up here. Great that you’re making your way into our beloved Baja. They had lots of crappy weather hopefully that turns around. You should be there for the king tides as well. Be safe (sano y salvo),
Gerald