Wandrin Blog

Several visits to Australia results in this excellent travel exploration about a huge country. Bryson's gift of language and droll humor along with extensive current and historic research results in an excellent thumbnail sketch of the country, its people, its geography, the flora and fauna and the huge geography that the country represents.


Note: For me the book is a planning resource for an intended visit there in the winter of 2009-2010. (Only a plan at this time.) After a visit ten years ago, this time I hope to explore what I had not seen the last time.

Tom's RV lot in the Foothills was available, so I opted to give Tom a few dollars for the privilege of full hookups. Real estate tycoon Tom was at another of his RV lots and wouldn't be back in Yuma for a while.

Since there was additional space on the lot, I invited Willie and Doug to take one space. Then road acquaintance and fellow New Horizons owner Bill took another space. In about a week I will be here alone as they head down the road on their travel. With all the dollars pouring in, Tom may have to consider buying another RV lot someplace.

After the first of March, I will continue my travels -- once I have determined (and perhaps resolved) the problems to the internet satellite system. Recall that I canceled the Hughes service last summer in lieu of a Verizon air-card that has served me well to access the internet. With the intent to sell the Hughes system, I hope to make sure it works before putting it up for sale.

Today I headed to Goldsboro Bakery to get my annual fix of their excellent cinnamon roll. It still is one of the best in the country. It's been a long time since the last good cinnamon roll. It really may be time to give up the cinnamon roll pursuit. The rolls are not good for the waist line or general health. Too much sugar. Hiking would offset that calorie intake -- if I hiked more frequently.

President's Day was the day I chose to check it out. The parade was in progress as I neared the Fairgrounds. I'm not sure what I missed, but I did manage to catch a Mariachi band leading some high stepping and prancing horses.





Since dates have African origins, it isn't much of a stretch to use Arabian themes for many venues at the fair. That would include camels and ostriches. I missed the camels in the parade. Inside the Fairgrounds, rides were available on a camel -- if that was your thing. Since I had that opportunity years ago when I traveled Australia, it wasn't worth a repeat. Next stop was the ostrich races. Since an ostrich race is so short, the races were more talk than racing. The first race was with riders on the backs of the ostrich. That was followed by the ostrich chariot race. Good entertainment.

More exploring found the usual booths found at fairs. There were the salsa makers and mixers and slicers and dicers and cooking demonstrations with waterless cookers. In between were many other booths selling lots of other things none of us need -- only want. That was when I found the Hawaiian shirts -- selling two for ten dollars. Did I need more Hawaiian shirts. No. I couldn't pass up the price. At five dollars apiece that is five cents more than the last two I bought at a thrift store. A resolution: No more shirts! Closet is full. It is time to cull some for the thrift store.

It was crowded on the Fair's midway with lots of choices of carnival rides and many venues for opportunities for you to leave money with the carnies in an attempt to take home the prized item of your choice -- from stuffed animals to glassware. Never did enjoy the rides and not being a gambler it was easy to pass on the other alternative. The carnies would have you believe that it is not gambling since you have control of the game. Sure! With my poor eye-hand coordination skill, it is gambling.







After all that walking, I developed some hunger. So where were all those dates. Wandering around I found numerous ways to clog up my arteries. There were lots of food choices including cinnamon rolls, but I was looking for dates -- and perhaps a date shake.





Looking at all the signs I finally found a sign for dates. After a taste test of the several varieties, a date shake satisfied my hunger.

Carved stone and wood will get my attention. Near the exit I happened across the building of displays of semi precious stones and rock collections and wood carvers. Nature is a great artist and some people have a great skill in bringing forth that beauty. Absolutely beautiful.

It was a great day of Wandrin.

Egan makes history thrilling and personal. This is the history of agricultural settlement of the Great Plains and prairies resulting in the disastrous Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Paralleling this man made disaster is the 1930s' Depression.

With the feeling of well written fiction, it is hard to put this book down as the disaster grows. Like some novels, the book ends with a wry and surprising conclusion.

Live life.
Love Life.
Live love.

After arriving at Palm Springs, those close by hills seemed a good place to go for hikes. One day was a six mile hike and the second day was five miles. Not much, but it was better than nothing. Regardless, it was a good work out -- especially the uphill part.



An area that doesn't get much moisture, there were a few scattered cactus in bloom. Even rarer were the Mountain Lupine. I found one just starting to bloom. The resulting photo was -- a dud. Most of the Lupines were at least a week or two away from a full bloom.




Rattlesnakes... That got your attention. Although the temperatures were in the high 80s for both hikes, there were no snakes to be seen. The only wild life I did see was a desert hare (a jackrabbit). Since he was headed away from me, there was no chance for a photo op.

Something I really do not understand.... As I was returning to the trailhead coming up hill were two thirty-ish guys. Both had the stereo ear buds attached to something -- probably an iPod or MP3 player. It seems that the quiet and subtle sounds of nature is something not to be enjoyed and relished. Something had to fill that almost soundless world. Apparently, they don't want to get away from that barrage of sounds they were used to. Why hike together if they are going to listen to some iPod or MP3 player.

With those things plugged into their ears, there is no way they will hear the rattlesnake. I actually relish the thought that they will not be able to hear the warning rattle. Can you imagine their fright when the snake makes its feigned strike. That will make them take those things out of their ears and listen to the world that is around them.

Another event on one hike... As I was walking uphill, I noted a lady who was speaking loudly and gesticulating and at one point it was a clenched fist. A scary scene. Could this be a person with Taurette's Syndrome. As the gap closed between us, I saw that she had a cell phone in her hand and there was one of those huge beetle looking things hanging on her ear. Having the cell phone as an emergency aid is a good idea, but leave it turned off and enjoy the hike.



The second hike followed the fenced border of this golf course. The fairways were green and well watered. A golf ball off the fairway would be in the desert sand. No doubt the fees for a round of golf were out of my price range. Since I don't play golf, it isn't an issue.

There's something about a map that draws me in. Better than a novel. Following the roads and looking at names of places, I want to head out to explore.

An atlas is even more intriguing and fascinating. About 20 years ago when I was living in Boulder I was browsing a second hand store and came across a 1937 Rand McNally World Atlas. It was a dollar. Couldn't pass it up.

A treasured item, that atlas has been with me ever since -- even as I travel full time in Wandrin Wagon and weight is an issue. After all these years, I started to peruse it in depth. A dog eared well used atlas with notes in the margins, it has no value to collectors. To me the value is in its age, the changes the world has seen in country's borders, name changes and freeways.

Then there are those notes in the margins. There are family surnames and dates scattered across several states from the east to the midwest to Colorado. Was it a record of generations of ancestors as they continued to migrate westward across the US. Outside of the US, some additional notes were on a map of Prussia (today's Germany) with surnames without dates. On a map of Texas, a note of "last night home" circled Amarillo. More than likely that was the last stop from a road trip before returning to "home" in Colorado.

A story could be manufactured from the notes throughout the atlas. On the map of England, a "Sir Walter Raleigh" note pointing to Plymouth might give the story an interesting twist.





Not only is it an atlas, some of the pages were a "travel brochure" describing the natural and man made wonders to be seen across the world. This picture of Yosemite's El Capitan is one on several throughout the atlas.











Since this atlas predates my birth by three years (my age is no secret), this is a scan of the detail showing Green Bay (Wisconsin) and the surrounding area. Viewing the map close up reveals that my farming village of Morrison didn't make an entry on the map. That area was my world for the first two decades of my life.








Here at Jojoba Hills (Aguanga, CA) yesterday's temps were in the low 70s. Finally it was shorts weather. However, snow is still visible on the near by hills.

This SKP park is located about 20 miles east of Temecula, CA. This is a good place to stop on the way to Palm Springs. Sarah and Pete have a lot here. It's been a couple of years since we last chatted in person. Sarah's always upbeat persona makes it a very pleasant visit.

This visit is intended to socialize with Sarah and Pete -- and all SKPs. The evening card games are always an opportunity to get to know fellow SKPs and is an alternative to TV, my internet addiction (Verizon Air-Card works just great) or a book.

At 2000 feet and snow on the nearby hills, it is a little cooler here than along the coast in San Diego County. The coastal night time temps were in the mid to upper 40s. For every 1000 feet in elevation gain, consider it is cooler by about four degrees. At 30,000 feet in a 747, that would make it --- really cold.


On Tuesday, after months of sitting around and little walking, I joined the hiking group for a day hike. An hour's drive brought us to a hike that took us to a calcite mine (selected a small sample for Wandrin Wagon ballast) and a slot canyon. From a mesa near the calcite mine, the Salton Sea was visible across the horizon. The six mile hike was something this body needed after far too little walking and too many meals.

The author tells of her visits to the Adaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal over several years. She tells the story of the stone age culture who still live on some of these islands at the beginning of the 21st century. With continued visits by the "civilized" world it becomes very hard to maintain their independence and the uncomplicated lives they lead. In addition to the current story of "contacts", the author tells of the historical contacts at these islands and the mixed results and benefit to its residents.

The prime old growth forests on the islands have succumbed to the greed of the nearby neighboring countries. As the forests disappear, the aboriginal way of living has to change as the hunter gatherer approach no longer works.

Over the past 500 years this same thing has happened numerous times as the colonial power finds new land and it is not owned by anyone who understands property rights in the same way. The surprising fact is that it can still happen in the 21st century with the same beliefs on the part of the colonizer and the impact on the stone culture by the take over.

After returning from a grocery store run, I realized that I was getting low on fuel and tomorrow was a travel day.

I saw a Chevron station which had low prices -- compared to others that I had noted. More than likely it wasn't the lowest around, but I could burn precious fuel looking for a lower price.

At the Chevron pump I swiped my credit card. Then the diesel fuel "start" button was pressed. Immediately, the little TV on the pump came to life and started scolding me to buy something. After putting the nozzle into the fuel tank, I moved out of hearing range. When the pump clicked that the tank was full, I returned to hearing range of the pump's advertising looney. Since there was no off button like a radio or TV, I yelled at the machine to "SHUT UP". As I returned the nozzle to the pump, I looked around who might have heard me. The guy manning the booth was looking at me and laughing. I suppose it was entertaining.

In the future, when pulling into an island where there is one of those little TV screens on the pump, I will find another station.

Or maybe I should acquire a highly electro charged taser to blast that TV screen's electrical innards. Right. I won't do it, but someone will.

Some of have noted that "Where's Wandrin" points to Oceanside.

It was a great time to visit with Vanita and Gabe, the RVers at the Elks Lodge, the Chula Vista RV park snow birds and other San Diego friends and acquaintances. This was also the time to catch up on the annual medical and health requirements. However, after close to a month, it was time to move on.

To get used to being on the road again, I decided on a short journey. From the Chula Vista Elks to the Oceanside Elks, it was less than 50 miles. With four lane freeways the entire distance, it wasn't the most pleasant trip. The only thing I saw was concrete and cars and trucks traveling at warp speeds.

After my dinner (a salad) at Wandrin Wagon last evening, I headed over to the Elks bar. There I met Richard -- a full time RVer of less than a week. With no particular agenda or destination for his travels, Richard will enjoy this phase of his life.

Yesterday, and again today, to get some exercise I walked the beach roadways and the Oceanside Pier.