A couple of days in Yuma

 Today is Friday and we will leave tomorrow morning for Mesa and a visit with Frank and Sandi.  It's a short drive so we won't have to leave really early.

When we arrived on Wednesday afternoon we were beat. Instead of going out for dinner I went downstairs and picked up Mango Chicken and Jalepeno Naan from the in house Curries restaurant. 

Yesterday was Thursday and in the  morning we drove over to WalMart so Eric could get an oil change on the truck.  Too busy and he made an appointment for today at 10:30  Since I wasn't doing my grocery shop we had time to take me to the Sketchers Outlet store which I like to stop at every time we come through.  I live mostly in flipflops as my right big toe was broken when I was 12 and over the years the bunion has expanded and the foot is wider so finding shoes of any kind is a challenge.  The toe is not painful so I've hesitated to have surgery in case I ended up with long term pain.  Yesterday I was lucky and found 2 pairs of flops and one pair of sandals.  Three pairs for $83.  Even in US dollars thats a bargain as most Sketchers flip flops are at least $50.  

The afternoon was spent with me doing the laundry downstairs which is an interesting set up.The machines are run by an app called Wash Connect.  I put money on my account and the app turns on the machines.  Once you get the hang of it it's easy.  We may be old but we still have to figure things out and keep up or we'll be left behind.  I organized the truck a bit and then it was time for dinner.  I like the Saigon Pho Vietnamese restaurant across the street and we've been there quite a few times.  However, the street is busy, the cars are moving fast and it's getting dark.  Eric said " no way" and since I've fallen badly twice over the last 5 years I can understand his point of view.  So ....I downloaded the Door Dash App so I could order from the restaurant across the street and Door Dash delivered.  Not as good as eating in the restaurant but...what can you do.  

This morning we were off to Walmart for the oil change and my shopping.  I had a number of things to buy including 8 pounds of butter and 6 pounds of cheese.  I can get decent cheese at Sam's club in Mazatlan but it's sporadic and I dislike the taste of Mexican butter.  I use it in baking but not to eat.  They sell Danish butter but it's four times the cost of butter at home.  

So we're mostly set to hit the road again tomorrow.  It's been quieter here than usual which is nice for us.  We've enjoyed the complimentary breakfast and had an omelette, waffles, yogurt and coffee.  Tomorrow I'll leave the breakfast lady a good sized tip.  Today it was really busy at breakfast and there were some really large people having breakfast and they were mostly quite young.  The older people were mostly a normal weight.  Health is more of a worry than what you look like.  Just my opinion. 

Tonight we'll have curry again....hopefully in the restaurant!

 

This morning our last breakfast here. Omelette, waffles, yogurt, coffee and a granola bar.  Good stop

 

Looks like a gymnasium!  A large room that must be used for banquets.  10 or so tables set up for breakfast.

Short day today (Saturday) so we leave at 9 for Frank and Sandi's in Mesa.  Last year we missed an exit off the 10 onto the 202 in Mesa...different route this time...wish us luck!

Ridgecrest CA to Yuma AZ

We were up early on Wednesday  as  we were losing an hour with the time change.  Another 400 plus miles to go.  As we headed out of town we saw two fuel stops with diesel at $7.50....how can two stations be that far apart.  The one by the motel is right off the one coming into town so people fuel up without knowing at $9.19!  I should have looked on line.  Are you tired of me complaining about diesel prices yet...too bad I'm not done yet🤣

More crummy California road.  So if we pay huge taxes on fuel to drive on the roads how come they're such a mess!

Not pretty or interesting until we got to the turnoff to Vidal Junction on 95.

We started out on 395 which connects to highway 58 which connects to I40.  When we come down through Las Vegas we only spend a short time on the interstate. 

 

We stopped in Needles, CA as we didn't have enough to make it Parker AZ.  Eric had put some of his extra diesel in the day before because we'd had a ferocious head wind for about 70 miles.  

He pumped for awhile and then it was confusing...nothing much had pumped so we ended up with 1/2 a gallon😁

We're on 95 south to Vidal Junction.  The first part was bumpy and then we ran into construction.  They seem to be putting in fibre optic ducting everywhere.

Vidal Junction and we stopped for lunch.  We head east to Parker AZ where we fuel up at $6.59. A nice station and when Eric checks the trucks computer we get the amount that the pump says.  Many stations we are a gallon or more short.

Heading to Parker and I call this the ribbon candy highway as it dips up and down.

Turn right for Parker.

How many places do you want to go?

Railway bridge over the Colorado.  I wonder how many times I've taken this picture over the years😁

Now that's more like it.

Main street Parker heading east.

Quartzite 21 miles 103 to Yuma.

Prettier here with the big mountains. 

Getting close to Yuma and more construction up ahead.  It looks like they may be four laning it farther north. 

Dry desert and bright green.  Yuma has beautiful soil but I'd guess they use lots of fertilizer too.  Grass crop here. 

Bales of cotton.  Part of this area grows cotton in the summer. 

If you look closely you can see the loose cotton coming out into piles. 

Then into bales....maybe some of the clothes you wear come from this cotton. 

All along here we see brasiccas...cabbage, broccoli and maybe brussels sprouts too.  Lettuce here too. 

The fields and rows would be laid out by laser on the farm machinery.  My rows at home sure don't look like that!

We turned off on Araby road and up to East 32nd and the Ramada Inn where we are staying for 3 nights while we rest and regroup.  We were both exhausted but no big problems so all is well. 

Susanville California to Ridgecrest California

 Up early on Tuesday and breakfast at the Super 8 motel.  Biscuits and gravy...no thanks.  A muffin and a granola bar.  Nice chat with a lady from Oregon city who winters in Quartzite and has family in Prince George BC...small world.  On the road at 7am ...8am at home and Arizona.  Wednesday we'll change and move ahead an hour.  Arizona doesn't change time.

Heading out of town.

You can barely see them but there are cows out there.

17 miles to Reno and then Carson City which we bypassed.  Back in 1991 I did a trip to Reno with my Dad and when I lost at the slot machines..surprise, surprise....I took a bus trip and Carson City was a stop along with Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe. 

It was a cloudy day which is much easier for driving rather than having the sun in your eyes. 

Coming into Reno and the construction starts.  Every year just like Las Vegas.

We just follow the signs and carry on.

Always lots of construction through Reno and the traffic was backed up a couple of times. 

One of the many casinos.

And we're out and heading south.

Stay left for Minden and Gardenerville.  We are briefly in Nevada and we get a fuel break.  California fuel has huge taxes. Hence the 9 dollar plus diesel.

We go left. 

First Minden....

We stopped and fueled up at a reasonable price because we are briefly in Nevada. 

My driver!

...which runs into Gardnerville.  All well kept old towns. 

Topaz Lake and it's just so pretty here. 

Maybe these are ash trees or...maybe Cottonwood...pretty fall colour.

Only 393 miles to Los Angeles...not going there!

More beautiful rock.

A little farm.

Looks like the last rock.

We travel along by little creeks.

$9.69 for diesel...we're in California again.  

.

This is Walker and we wondered why it was here.  Obviously a tourist town and it turns out it has great trout fishing.

Wide open and pretty.

Here we're heading up.  It was high when left this morning but it gets higher. 

Now we're seeing snow by the edge of the road. 

We stop for lunch at the Mammoth Lakes rest stop.  It's warm but snow here too. 

A really pretty day. 

The snow leaves and then we start to head down....six mile hill and 8 mile hill.

We're down but it's still around 5000 ft. 

Now it's not very pretty anymore....just wide open desert . 

I think this is Big Pine or ....

....maybe Little Pine. 

Death Valley is off to the left.  Remember the old series " Death Valley Days."

Crummy road here.  At this point there was nothing pretty or interesting.  As we got closer to Ridgecrest where we spent the night I had Google Maps up so I wouldn't miss our turn.  We stayed at a Days Inn which has changed hands a few times.  Room was okay and they had a decent breakfast.  When we stopped Eric fueled up at the station by the motel at $9.19!!