Home on the range...

We spent some delightful time and our warmest weather to date in Palm Springs, from there we made a brief stop in Colton for the 'good guys' at Colton Truck Terminal to make an adjustment with the exhaust system. A minor issue but since we were passing through the area and also because these guys know their stuff, we got it taken care of, and then continued on our way up through the 'high-desert' and into Tehachapi for the night and then the remaining couple of hours on into Visalia.

It was a good journey and a fun time, although the weather could have been a little warmer, but nevertheless, it was fun, interesting and enjoyable for all four of us.

Now, we are getting some of the 'other stuff' out of the way. I will kind of let this blog go into the idle mode for the next few weeks, but will check in randomly over time.

"The Sun-Belt Tour"................. Visalia, CA to furthest point - Key West, FL and return to Visalia
5 mos/ 3 wks/ 3 days
8,437 miles (coach)
2,255 miles (car)
1,088 gals/diesel fuel
84 gals/gasoline
15 states
18 Elks Lodge RV parks
...and lastly!! ... about 50 lbs of the nations best pulled-pork bbq (...o.k., maybe 50 lbs is a little high, but it sure seems darn close....and I am wishin' right now that I had a pound or two in front of me as I write this...)
And above all lotza and lotza FUN!!
Aloha ya'll!

Quartzsite was way down...P.S. is way warm...

I mentioned Quartzsite in my previous blog, and having passed through there earlier today, and having been there about three or four times before, it seemed rather apparent that the attendance is down this year. I think that one of the main reasons for this downturn is the severe storm that passed through Arizona about two-weeks ago and between the clocked 80 mph winds and the flooding rain, it all played pure havoc with this years Quartzsite events.

My personal guess is that there were between 80,000 and 100,000 (tops) encamped there this year. I also noticed that the "big tent" was not up, and from some other RVer's who were there, mentioned that the storm took it and many of the other tents and items with it and that they are probably located outside Albuquerque about now.

But hey, there is always next year, huh?

Once we crossed the Colorado River into the 'Golden State' (...or is it the 'red herring state' now), we cleared through the Border Patrol checkpoint and the CA Agriculture Inspection Station. Now I figure that if they concentrated half as much on the roads and rest areas here, they (and all of us) would be money ahead. Bu-t-t-t-t, aside from that, we're here in the Coachella Valley and it was about 82F today, which is real nice after a lot of cold and chilly weather.

Tomorrow, we spend some time with friends and then we will just play it by ear, if you will, as to our northward continuation of our journey. There is a forecast for increased possibility of rain coming into the Central California area tomorrow night, so not sure how that might play out with us over the next few days. We'll see....