With the temperatures in Tucson climbing into the high 90s, it was time to leave! Solar is done, refrigerator in place, sound-deadening insulation attached, I am outta here! Time for some adventures! I longed for a beach walk and maybe even a swim! My friends invited me to visit and I planned for a two-three day stop. Initially I had planned to go to Mexico from there, but people talked me out of it saying do not go alone. OK. California here I come!
First stop on the westward expedition was Yuma, Arizona. For some reason I always pictured Yuma a small town. Maybe I've seen too many Wild West movies? It's a sprawling city with most of the neighborhoods looking like giant RV parks! I stayed at the BLM land on American Girl Mine Road northwest of the city. I thought I missed the exit off Highway 8, but it's just past Felicity. It was a desert, desolate in it's emptiness, quiet, and unpopulated with just a few RVs miles away.
My first dip upon arrival there was only one other person. The second immersion was later in the day and there were about ten visitors. I didn't feel comfortable taking photos of strangers so I don't have photos of the actual pools. The hot springs looks like two cement little kiddie pools with a shower overhead. The shower was HOT. Oh, hell, the pools were HOTTER! Most importantly, no one was naked...thank god. Call me prude but after a lifetime of sexual harassment I'm not hot springing with naked people. I was a little concerned about the cleanliness of the water, but I threw all caution to the wind, or rather into the water! I came out of that pool red like a lobster. It was wonderful. The strange thing about this hot springs is it's right next to the freeway. Literally.
I was told the free BLM land was the first left turn as you leave, under the freeway, but then I encountered a LTVA (long term visitor area) sign stating the cost is $180 for six months. As I was reading a sign, a woman driving by (later I found out her name is Moonlight) stopped and asked if I was looking to stay the night. She said the sign is just for the first part. Drive to the back beyond the power lines and there is plenty of free camping. I did not want to park too close to power lines due to EMFs. The area was nearly empty and very quiet with tall bushes and trees for privacy. But it was still desert. Don't venture off the road too far or the sand can get deep. I was almost stuck unable to back up. Did I say this is an adventure??
Onto San Diego, but took a detour off Hwy 8 north on Hwy 79 to Julian through the most gorgeous countryside filled with parks. I ended up in Julian, beautiful little town, then around to Ramona, Powy, and south to San Diego then Chula Vista where I was visiting friends. I was happy to see green grass, bushes and trees for a change.
California...hmmm. Surprisingly, southern California is COLD! In the 60s with a thick dark gray cloud cover the whole time I was there. I can officially say I have climatized to the heat of Arizona! My solars also did not like the clouds. For the most part the freeways were nice, not crowded like Phoenix or Tucson. The first store I visited the grocery checker asked if I wanted a bag. I asked if they cost and she replied, "Honey, you are in California." No more free bags! Gas was at least $1.25 more per gallon (Tucson was about $3.09 when I left) and at one stop I paid $5.99 per gallon for plain ole unleaded! And, last but not least, Starbucks was a challenge. Most of them were drive through with no interior seating, but the bottled water was twenty cents cheaper!
By the second day I was definitely missing the warmth of Arizona! I went to Imperial Beach which was my goal for this trip. I just wanted to walk in sand, wade in ocean salt water, and maybe even swim. It was FREEZING! Against all common sense I thought, I don't care! Take off your shoes and walk! So I did. It was glorious, but my feet were numb in the first ten seconds. There is no way I'd put my body in that freezing ocean water no matter how therapeutic I thought it would be!
I love visiting my friends, but they were staying in a house that belonged to her parents with 1970s shag carpeting, old crocheted blankets on all the old furniture, and copious amounts of dusty collections of all kinds. They weren't one to use air fresheners, but they did use Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and scented soaps. I was so thankful I had a safe place to sleep for the night. The city air wasn't a problem like I have experienced with Seattle or Phoenix probably due to its proximity to the ocean.