2010 -Bullhead to San Diego

So we left YARINGTON!  Yay!!  And with the bright blue skies, the sunshine, and the warmth things soon looked and felt a lot better.  Here are some of the sights we passed between the big "Y" and Bullhead City!  We finally got off of the 'ye olde 395' and onto the US 95 - which - if you (and I) remember - we should have been on to start with! LOL

A beautiful lake nestled on the East slope of the Sierra's.  Walker Lake - it is a huge lake - just kind of out in the middle of the desert!   It is pretty - not Oregon trees pretty - but still another wonder of our USA!  It is reputed to be great fishing and it was just surprising to go-around-a-hill and come upon this huge lake! :-)

After Walker Lake came the huge Army Base at Hawthorne.  Like - just sitting in the middle of the desert we started seeing 'bumps in the sand' - then they became a pattern - and then Keith let me in on the secret - they were huts - for one reason or another- covered with sand.    And in the middle of Hawthorne - we have a signal light and a sharp right turn.  Just a little funny to go along with a really long drive!

A close up (sort of) of Hawthorne, NV.  Quiet, dusty, sunny, and really nice and warm!

And then we come to Mina, NV.  We stopped here to get something cold to drink - 

there was a pickup there - but nobody was home.  I couldn't resist a photo - after being in places that have such strict codes for EVERYTHING - seeing a metal building with a storefront on it - and being open (but not right now) for business was special.  There was a trailer out back - maybe it was their lunchtime.  Here are some other photos of the little old town that were taken by others (I hope they don't mind the link).  Really quite interesting (to dummies like me) when I start looking for the background of the places that absolutely reek of our American History!

Then came the sleepy little town of Santa Fe, NV - When looking into it's history - I found out that it is a gold mining town - to this day!  Who'd a thunk it!

And then to Beatty!!!  Nestled in the middle of gold mining country and known as the "Gateway to Death Valley", Beatty is one of the larger towns that we traveled thru - this in the only good photo that I came up with.  Amazingly - Beatty has an airport - and just outside there was the Beatty "house of ill-repute" - which of course - I guess - is legal - but - knowing my wonderful mother in law - it was a hoot!!!  Beatty has quite a history!

Getting closer!

 And we made it!

Chaito was so glad for a new lap to sit on!!  Dad gracefully agreed to dogsit his grand-doggy while we went to San Diego.  Looks like he and Chaito will be just fine!!

And we spent the next two nights at The Riverside - spending the whole day on Saturday at Dad's rearranging the 'load' in the pickup and getting ready to take off for San Diego on Sunday.  I think I ended up with his whole shed full of "stuff"! LOL

And we are headed to Jackson's in San Diego!!!  Onward HO!

 Where the rocky desert changed to sandy dunes.  It is right along I8.  I saw the exact spot!!

 

Keith helped Jackson trim the "TREE" in the backyard.  It was quite the task ~ they got out the 'chain-saw and everything'!  It looked great when they got finished.  In San Diego they pick up the 'green recycles' every other week - just in the green can or tied in bundles.  Really quite handy. :-)

 Here is some of what they cut - Jackson tied the rest of the stuff up.  And I filled a couple cans with the cuttings from the front yard.  There was sure a bunch for no more ground than he has. The "Birds" out front and the bougainvillea looked real good after we got done!

 We cleaned up Jacksons patio and back yard too.  We were so thankful to him for having us and letting us stay for so long.  Keith and I got both got several teeth worked on which required different trips down to see Dr. Ruth.  We have so met so many wonderful people in our travel down our path!  Dra. Ruth extracted 4 teeth and did my impressions and all the stuff she had to do with very little of the 'stress' of a visit to the Dentist's up here in the States.  And I've been to both!  LOL 

 And all to soon our visit was over and there we were - headed back to Bullhead City to pick up Chaito.