Monday, March 4, 2013

Stark....raving...blue! Yuma!

West of Quartzite, Arizona

Arching overhead from horizon to horizon, poked from below by crags borrowed from the moon. The ocotillo are so fluffly their spines are hidden. Everything has a thorn. The pace is pokey too.






A few miles south of Lake Havasu City we reached clothing-optional warm. I chose a promontory that jutted out from the Bill Williams Mountains' bajada.



Fred Williams Mountains bajada








The next day a herd of ATVs went by with shouts of welcome to the "land of perfect weather." It was too...except for their noise.

We arrived in Quartzite near sundown and had to settle for a camp kinda close to the freeway. But the fine mix of saguaro and teddybear cholla leant an exotic aire to the landscaping. The night was a bit chilly.




Blythe was better. Temperatures were tolerable and there's room enough to escape the noise.

I read about Wonderland of Rocks in  Joshua Tree Nat'l Park and went to see. The Ranger said the trees need a hard freeze in order to bloom and the one that was closing in would probably do it. I watched the clouds roll in as the temperature plummeted. I packed up and ran....to Yuma.

Where I hit gold! More desert than you can shake a stick at! Land spreadin' out far & wide. But the wind!!

In the Historic District I discovered Bandanna Books. (Link is to a map. They don't have a website.)

Neat & Tidy - Right Aisle


Steve, a poker-player since age 7, bought it last December. He claims he don't know nuthin' 'bout books. Well *somebody* does...or did. For the moment at least, he has the finest collection on sexuality this side of Xavier Hollander. I chose a pristine  version of Mead's Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies and was tempted by a nice copy (no stuck pages) of the The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers.



Neat & Tidy - Office Aisle


The art section'd been ravaged by a horde of seminarists from nearby Yuma Art Center, but Steve said it'd be replenished in a few days.

Ravaged Art!!
Steve and Wife


Yuma awaits....you.

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