A few days of boondocking.

After leaving Algodones we were heading north ( and home ) on 95. Didn't make it far, Quartzsite, Ponderosa rd. looked so inviting, we just pulled over and parked for the day. Had a very nice day and a quiet night, reading a good book. It's a long term visitor area and at the entrance people leave books behind, it's a sort of library desert style. We talked to a few nice people from BC, they recommended another BLM operated campsite west of Parker. You have to cross the Colorado in Parker into California, take the first road right and along the river. After about 4-5 miles there is a resort like fancy RV park on the right (35-40 bucks a night, full hook up), the next driveway is the BLM campground, right on the river, ( 5 bucks/night, no hook up). We loved it so much we stayed for 2 nights. Years ago we have been to Bullhead City and Laughlin and wanted to go back to the very nice capmping on the Arizona side called Davis Camp. For 15 $ a night it's not really a boondocking Paradise but a wonderful place on the river. Laughlin has casino parking, at the Riverside were dozens of RV-s but too noisy so after donating a few bucks to the local economy we went back to Arizona and spent another 2 nights in the camping. Plans after that? Las Vegas for another couple of days.

Sometimes you just need a day doing NOTHING.

Quartzsite, Ponderosa Rd

BLM camping on the California side of the Colorado,

it comes with frequent visitors.

Wife loves cactus flowers

I understand you have to have your toys but what to do after a wrong turn?

 Flowering cactus on the campsite

2 steps from the river. Davis Camp, AZ

The Riverside Casino in Laughlin Nevada. RV parking OK.....

.......but we prefer Davis Camp on the Arizona side of the river.

The Riverside casino in the distance.

Viva Mexico

Algodones is booming because of Snowbirds and dentists. For the winter months about 300 Mexican dentists are moving to the little town and work there. The service is much cheaper than in the US or Canada, its good so customers are coming all winter every day by the thousands, business is booming. There is a huge pay-parking lot on the US side, and almost everybody just walks across the border. I was surprised, I did not see a single Mexican uniform while crossing the border, it was like a walk in the park and you are in Mexico. (Not so when you are coming back)
Once you are in Mexico, after the dentist appointment you can shop 'till you drop in the 4 block area, souvenir shops, folk art, cheap liquor, good food and of course a bunch of junk. We had the best fish and shrimp tacos in Algodones, those courtyard restaurants are simply awesome. Before we headed back we did buy a 1,5 litre bottle of Margarita for 3,50 US and a big bottle of Kahlua for 8,50 US. Coming back to the US side is was a bit more than an hour waiting in line but its good business for some locals. There are rickshaw like bicycle taxis, can carry 4 passengers and for 8 bucks you get a ride across the border. This way you can bypass the long line because you cross the border on a "vehicle" and business is booming. We had a good time and will visit again when we are in the area. The only thing bothering my eye is to see those really nice blankets and all kind of native art next to the baseball and hockey shirts but I understand that everybody wants to make a living.

She is making T shirts right in front of the store. She explains to my wife how to decorate it with beads.

Amigo the beadmaker.

Window in Algodones.

4 square blocks of Dentists Offices, Pharmacies, shops and restaurants, that's Algodones.

Mariachi band at the restaurant.

The courtyard restaurants are my favorites.

Coming back was an hour waiting in line.

Slab City to Algodones

Heard so much good and bad stuff about Slab City that we wanted to see it but never had enough time. Finally on this trip we could visit the place because it's only a few hundred yards from Salvation Mountain. We asked some RV-ers for directions and it was funny to see their reaction: "I would never ever stay there again, I couldn' sleep all night, I didn't like it." Others said: "It's an interesting place, you have to see it. If you grew up and have been happy in the hippy era you will love it.  Now I really wanted to see it. The place gets it's name from the concrete slabs still in the ground, the only remains of a WW II military base. Today it's called: " The Last Free Place in America." and trust me it is. You are going to feel it after you drive around and check it out. There are some permanent residents who brave the 120 degree summers but most people are snowbirds on a low budget here for the winter months. But the population is much more colorful: recession refugees from young to age of 89, hippy souls, bikers passing through, modern Gypsy Kids and so on. Some live here with family and kids and telling you: the kids are just as safe as in any big city. The whole place is a bit Wild West, regulating itself, in more serious cases the Border Patrol is always around chasing illegal immigrants. The few die hard souls living here full time said: it's not for everyone but if you like freedom this is the happiest place on Earth. But...I need a bit more time to adjust although I have a feeling for the place but....what really hurts my eye is garbage everywhere. Abandoned shelters left behind with tons of garbage around them and more garbage all over the place. I will visit next time as well maybe spend a few days there, definitely would like to meet more locals. For now we are headed for Algodones, the border town and "Mexican Dentist's Paradise". More about it next time.

Welcome to Slab City

Some brave fulltimer souls

They have their own Church, Library...., weekend concerts, dance at the campfire....

You feel like in the Mad Max movie

My only problem: too much garbage all over the place....

Washed the VW for the first time on this trip.

Spent the night ( and some cash) at the Quechan Casino. They have a huge parking lot for RV-s and it's only 1 mile from the border.

Tomorrow's plan: walk to Mexico

Salvation Mountain & Slab City

The whole story is like out of the story book: once upon a time there was a man called Leonard Knight. He was discharged from the army after the Korean war and visited his religious sister in San Diego and he found the way to the Lord himself. He wanted to do something and his first idea was to build a big hot air balloon with big signs on it to praise the Lord. After years of working on it the balloon got so big and heavy it failed to lift. After 14 years of working on it he gave up on the balloon but not on the Lord. He was working in Quartzsite at this time, visited the Niland area in southern California and liked it's climate much better than his native Vermont and decided to make a  "small statement" as he called it about his faith before he leaves. After about 10 years more and more Snowbirds spread the news, Leonard's mountain grew and grew and became a local attraction. The government wanted to tear it down, declared it toxic because of the paint but an independent lab proved it wrong and Salvation Mountain is still standing at the entrance to Slab City, a winter heaven for snowbirds, formerly a Marine Base in WWII. He built it from straw, covered with clay, painted it to praise the Lord and get his message out about love. All the time he lived on site in a converted truck, later in a trailer. Hat off for this very dedicated man, Salvation Mountain is now over 3 stories high and 100 feet wide, you can say it's an internationally known landmark.The sad news is: we could not see him or talk to him because after working on his "small statement" for decades at the age of 80 he has been moved to a care facility. I'm glad we had a chance to see his work because without care the mountain will erode quickly in the unforgiving desert climate.

The sign at the entrance.

He lived on site in the truck all the time.

The well known landmark March. 2012

Everything here is about the Lord and love.

Slab City is just around the corner. More about it next time.

Our tribute to Salton Sea.

I drove by hundreds of times and somehow always loved it. Most of the time I did not have time to stop, not to mention stay there for the night. Always felt sorry for the place and for the few souls who stayed there and were hoping for a better time. Could not believe that a state like California would not do anything to save a jewel like the Salton Sea. We visited a few years ago, tons of dead fish on the shores and the smell was terrible, flies came in clouds so we jumped back in the camper and ran away. On this trip we drove by again and of course we had to check it out. First surprise: lot of birds; a good sign. The campground is nice and clean with a few campers; even has a host. We drove around, checked it out and said: finally, they are improving the place, there is hope. Liked it so much ( 8 bucks a day with senior discount, heated showers, covered BBQ area ) we spent 2 days there. After that we moved to world famous Slab City but it will be another story.

Birds are back at the lake, it's a good sign.

Wife is getting some vitamin D the natural way

Those guys invested a lot in this place...

Primitive campground ???

...with covered BBQ area...

...and very clean heated showers, everything is wheelchair friendly.

We liked the place very much but left with a sad heart and I still can't believe what I heard. Had a chat with the host before we left and he said he wont be here next year. The state of California is cutting back on founds everywhere including state parks, meaning 4 campgrounds will be permanently closed around the Salton Sea. Hard to believe.

A trip to the Sun-2012 March

We wanted to leave in January but it was so cold I could not talk my wife into it. Checked the weather in the Palm Springs area and she said: it's -2 C no way I'm not going, it is almost warmer in Canada. Our friends just bought a house in Green Valley Arizona and invited us to visit and stay with them for a while. Even they admitted it was unusually cold in February. After waiting and waiting what seemed like for ever we decided to go in the middle of March hoping for nice and warm weather. Wanted to leave on the 17th of March, as we headed south to the Coho ferry in Victoria the Check Engine light came on. Damn!! Do we risk a serious breakdown or do we get it checked out? We drove by at Speedway Motors anyway, stopped to find out what they could do. Very friendly girl there on Saturday, she offered to run a quick scan to find out what it is and then decide. Thanks God it was only a faulty sensor code, it didn't even came back after clearing the computer. Although it did cost 80 bucks having the piece of mind is money well spent. Thanks again Speedway. We made the afternoon sailing, quick crossing, customs is like the McD drive trough, and we are headed south. We like to take the 101 from Port Angeles to Olympia, it is 72 miles shorter than the I 5 and we don't have to drive trough Seattle. We even had a trucker friend on the ferry, we have been working together for about 10 years a long time ago. Uneventful trip the first day, I drove to Salem OR, spent the night north of the city at a Pilot Truck Stop. Did not want to waste much time, I wanted to see some sunshine but no luck so far, my wife keeps telling me we are still too early. At the Oregon-California border I'm looking at the trucks going north and all of them have snow on the grill and the windshield, not a promising sign but we crossed the "hump" without a problem, nice and sunny on the other side and we drove all the way to Lodi Ca and stayed at the Flying J for the night. We were at our favorite stop in Littlerock, at the Hungarian Sausage Factory, stocked up the fridge, even the freezer with goodies, now we can boondock for a week and don't have to worry about supplies. Made it to the Palm Springs area the 3rd day in the afternoon and finally it is as it has to be: 25 C ( 77F )

Waiting for the ferry in downtown Victoria

Nice but cool weather when we left the island

The next day snow froze on the hood of our motor home at the Oregon-California border

It was well worth the drive, we had 25 C ( 77F ) in Palm Springs the next day.

Following the hood south.

We had an ugly, rainy and busy winter and I have a new job. I have to go to Vancouver 4 days a week, driving a truck and hauling food. Like the new job, a lot less headache than the management was before. Because of my new job we couldn't take any time off but after a while it hits me again: we got to go!!! We used to go every winter but this winter was just crazy, -2 in the Palm Springs area, much colder than usual in Arizona too. My wife said: I do not go 'till it's at least 25 C or more. And it hasn't been for a long time. Last week it was finally getting better, short chat with the boss, no problem, you can go for 2 weeks he said, but only after mid-March, somebody else booked a trip ahead of me. I have a friend, when I ask him where he is headed he always answers: following the hood south. The plan is: strait down south to Las Vegas, Yuma, walk across the border to Algodones, Margarita, Taco, some sunburn and burn some fuel coming home.

Poor motor home spent the winter parked. It's not designed for neither is it's owner.

From our place we follow the hood south for about 3 days and on the other side of the gate all kind of goodies....
(Wikipedia photo)

....are waiting. Like Margaritas.... (Wikipedia photo)

.......and driving trough the desert on the way home is always beautiful. Stay tuned!