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The mountains here stand in stark relief to the blue, blue sky…other days, they are tainted with the haze of dust and probably smog. Treeless, they still maintain their majesty looming above everything we do on our lot because in their ruggedness they maintain their mystery. In the evenings just before sunset I sit and watch as they turn breathtakingly beautiful and rosy in the day’s last hue, accentuating every nook and cliff face. From their direction then come the bats—probably hundreds of them, although those that flap, fly, and dive over our lot number about 20-30 every evening. They provide comic relief to watch, seemingly such uncoordinated flyers yet sustaining such an important ecological niche. They make me smile; they have me know I am back in the desert.
Occasionally, tugging at my heartstrings is the desire to see trees; specifically those big old fir trees that tower thickly over the Pacific Northwest and create their own atmosphere—verdant, lush, and tangy with a crisp forest smell. I can picture the mist clinging and swirling on the coast winds. Coast withdrawal has set in with a vengeance now that the desert is…well…getting very hot. I was reminded of all this today with my daughter attending a high school friend's wedding in Coos Bay and telling me it was nice and about 60 degrees. Here: 101.
I find in the human mind that it is very difficult to imagine in real time where we are not. In other words, as we go about our day it is very difficult to also imagine ourselves in a different space than what we occupy at the moment, other than remembering our memories of when we were there. When I think of where I often walked the quay in Charleston, and think RIGHT NOW, I wonder: how are the waves; is there someone there running their dog (as I water my plants here in the desert); are the pelicans diving, the gulls crying; is the bell buoy rocking and whistling enough to be heard (as I listen to doves coo); is that crabber leaning over to just about pick up his pot; is the spotted harbor seal cruising like a submarine? Is the sun shining like it is here in Yuma?
Somehow, I can still smell the sea air when I remember and imagine. Yes, I miss it terribly. That’s why, despite redecorating our little abode here in the heat of the Yuma desert, I still hang a favorite plaque that my best friend gave me.
I have found that most folks don’t have very good knowledge of the lower Colorado River. I do know that southern California considers it nirvana’s paradise and flock here on warm weekends throughout the year for water recreation. So you can understand my mystification upon asking several people about boating the Colorado River from Yuma and basically what I got was “Oh the river is nice, but I don’t know where you go to launch.” Stop!
Today we decided to drive out a short 24 miles north of our place and check it out for ourselves. We rode the Wing one year out to Lake Martinez but didn’t really understand at that time how it played into the Colorado system. Long time readers may recall that Marc and I rode out with friends on the bikes and had lunch; that area is fairly commercialized with a couple of low-key resorts with restaurants, RV parks, and a small marina. It looked tranquil with pleasant blue skies. I had wondered then if it was landlocked somehow.
I was driving and took the highway which starts on government property at the Yuma Proving Grounds as Marc said “No, Lake Martinez is farther north”. “Well” I replied, “I think Melanie said they launch at somewhere called Senator Wash off this road.” So down the bumpy road we went following the BLM signs to the long term snowbird parking areas to Senator Wash Lake. We had crossed the Great American canal which drops directly out of Imperial Dam some miles back and suddenly upon cresting a slight hill had blue water in sight!
A true oasis in this desert, the water glistened purely of clear blue as jet skiers and boats crisscrossed below us. Where was that muddy Colorado of downtown Yuma? Not here, thank God! Farther down the small road we stopped to talk with the camp host situated below the obvious dirt dam face at what appeared to be yet another lake. We soon found out the upper lake, Senator Wash, is pumped there out of the Colorado (and the lower lake called Squaw Lake) to be used as additional needed water storage in late summer or when irrigation needs manifested themselves. It is truly one of the few self-contained lakes in this region and used, sometimes heavily, for recreation. However, on the distant shore it was noted that there were many empty sand beaches, appearing as though one needed to get there by boat only. That’s what we’re seeking!
The camp host was most gracious in lining us out with the information he possessed (he is new on the job) and giving us a couple of boating pamphlets. Day use in this entire area is $10/day or for $75 annually you can have unlimited access. Well, that’s a no-brainer! That would include using any of the available boat launches under the auspices of the BLM in this recreation area. Once launched from here, with our sticker which will give unlimited parking for our tow vehicle in his watched parking lot, we can navigate up-river for 76 miles to Blythe, CA. From there, we can also go north but we currently lack the information on that section of the river. Once one hits the Parker Dam, above which sits Lake Havasu, there is yet another 88 miles to Davis Dam which sits just north of Needles, CA, also totally navigable. So there are several segments of the Colorado to enjoy recreationally in this southern Arizona area. Obviously, the one we will be concentrating on initially is the segment from Imperial Dam north to Blythe. Boat camping here we come!
In celebration of Marc’s unmentionable age, the neighbor’s threw an impromptu party for him Friday evening. As our hot work day (RO system trenching totally completed) cooled into a wonderfully pleasant evening, we gathered, visited, laughed a lot; watched Ron work his grilled burger magic and downed our fair share of his perfect margaritas. One couple, Tom and Melanie, have a party pontoon boat which they enjoy taking out on the Colorado River so we made future plans to all get together for another party once Marc gets our boat here from Bend, which is his next load. It’ll be a raft-up of good times!! (raft-up: in boaters terms, the occasion of two or more boats rafted together for purposes of all those aboard being able to intermingle out on the water!). Thanks for the party Ron and Jan!
Time seems to fly by around here; filled with nothing but work. Marc continues to trench in the dastardly RO system water line as I’ve danced around the open hole putting our new color on the small shed and the larger shed. Marc painted the container although all three structures need the brush touch-up to complete where the roller wouldn’t fit.
That has taken a back seat to the fabrication of a temporary stand to hold our new window a/c unit which fits in the bedroom—the only window large enough to accommodate it. Of course, this also requires a new plug since it is 220, so Marc hopes to have that completed by tomorrow so we can finally move in. Things have been all settled in it for weeks; we have just been staying in the RV since it has air. In among these tasks Marc has helped out a friend’s son at his new restaurant building some stuff and also been applying and interviewing for jobs. No news on that front as yet and nothing for me either, so I continue to be slave labor here in the sun, digging in the trenching for the irrigation of our new oleanders.
On a different tangent, one of my favorite things about the area is photographing really creative ideas others have come up with for their lots. We know once we have the boat here, which will park alongside the park model, that we’d like to build a gate to close off that area and improve the appearance from the street. We like the idea of Marc building something out of steel and wood with a design incorporated much as this owner has done with two swinging doors.
Another idea we came across and liked is this very rustic iron and wood gate—in addition to the man gate leading to their courtyard they also have a larger similar one leading to their side yard. It turned out as we just met these fine folks that own this beautiful home, that they are fellow Escapees, Jim and Susan, and they were delighted to have us take a close-up look. Thanks for the ideas! Mind if we borrow them?
Well, maybe not quite although Marc has certainly been doing more than his fair share of tasks around here lately. At sundown the other day he climbed up on the park model roof and spread on the “goop”, white, thick, plastic-type paint meant to reduce heat gain. It stands to reason rather than the dark asphalt shingles absorbing all Yuma’s sun, to have something light that reflects the rays instead. The gable-ended portion of roof which covers only our front porch and the only portion of roof visible will remain original because hey—this stuff is ugly!
For some reason during development of our section, the powers that be decided that our lot needed some fill, so on went layer upon layer of (mostly) rocks and sand. One would think in the desert a person could expect sand and indeed, we do have sand after our two foot deep layer of rock. Digging the trenching for the RO system water line was hard work for Marc in the broiling sun. Any time we dig a hole for anything; this is what we put up with: wheelbarrow loads of rock.
Time for a break with our wonderful neighbors Ron and Jan and some barbecued T bones served al fresco! And yes, we’ve had a slight wee bit of fly problems lately, hence the need for personal fly swatters! Marc captures the party from the roof and some pictures of our mountainous view to tantalize me into wanting a rooftop deck even more. Our only problem is where to build one? Eventually, we may consider some type of stucco structure over the RV which could accommodate such a deck. Now wouldn’t that be great for entertaining?
I guess I must have worked around model homes for too many years because I always enjoy taking ideas and converting or outright stealing them to incorporate them into my own homes. To me, there is nothing more boring or uncreative than everything purchased right from the nearest stores and plunked down into one’s space. And I’ll admit it also bugged me a bit that here we are in the deepest of the American Southwest and everyone seems to accordingly have one of three decors: Santé Fe, Desert Southwest Pastel, or what I call Contemporary Desert/Kachina/Mexican style. This is not to say I dislike these styles; only that I wanted something a tad different. So, being the skin-flint that I am when it comes to spending decorating dollars, I worked to tone down our Beach House into something that might now possibly look just “rustic SW, with a touch of Mediterranean”. Huh? you say.
First off was the problem of cheaply covering the Styrofoam that we placed in all eight clerestory windows which when uncovered were already serving to bake us in Yuma’s sun. Ordering these windows on the park model were a Godsend for the gloomy coast; here, not so good! Eventually when I’m rich and famous I want plantation shutters, but until then, new burlap curtains enhanced by some turquoise marbles hung on a spring rod served to adequately cover our new “shade enhancers”. Total cost for this was about $9 for the burlap which I got half price off, and $45 for the rods.
I added a new pillow I made to the couch and liked the (remnant) material so much that I made a table runner with the leftover. Another $9. That topped the new burlap (also leftover material) tablecloth I also made without even sewing anything—just ringing it with hot-glued sisal rope. I had bought the rope ($3) to ring the candle holder for a new look; which was originally a filled scented candle purchased for $4 from WalMart.
I kept the white curtains with their tiny sea star accents at all major windows (they also have their original roller shades), which were never really meant to close but with the windows opened to Yuma’s wind kept moving across their rods without permission. Yes, those are all the rods I originally made and stained and varnished out of large dowels I cut to size to save a boatload over normal window rods. Ah, the rope worked wonders here as well—tie those up and they add a touch of western décor!
Further adding the lovely Pendleton blanket I received as a gift back in 1996 and have never been able to use for fear of having it covered in cat hair, I extended the western feel. That now drapes my architectural salvage find of an old blue window ($25) and half of the vintage shutter pair (bought in Redmond for $35/pair) which sit above my line of kitchen cabinetry. Behind this shutter sits our RO water tank cleverly disguised! From the tank, Marc ran the water line into the washer area right below so the main filtration system is now hung on the back wall of that closet. Another self-made curtain now hides his handiwork (not pictured).
I ordered and added new art work over the door entitled “Shady Patio”, evocative of a lovely day somewhere on the Med, which replaced my hand-made shell wreath I gave to my daughter since she had always coveted it. The poster cost $5 and the frame was clearance priced for $14. My largest expenditure, because I fell in love with the nubby look and different textures, was a new area rug from Pottery Barn made of the softest creamy colored wool and jute; thus rustically tying in again with the rope and burlap. That was on sale for $249.
So, Beach House tamed: into what I haven’t yet quite decided! What do you think?
Meanwhile outside, Marc worked to get the sewer connected and I bought and we planted two unusual oleanders (they look like old fashioned roses) in front of the privacy wall hoping they will serve to soon grow tall enough to help ensure our privacy and also screen all the “Ah-hem…sheds”. Needless to say, the first one was looking a little peaked in our 98 degree heat yesterday!
