Jim and Beth's big adventure - full time RVing -- with a huge truck, 30ft 5th wheel and behind that a Ranger side by side. Goal -- checkout GPAA gold claims and public gold panning areas.
Close to where we are living is this little green space. Its a kind of catch basin for water runoff during the monsoons. They keep this space green year round by sending a water truck out to water this area. Since its a nice flat green space the local kids use it to play ball or soccer or whatever they feel like playing. There are no playgrounds in this part of Yuma so the kids make do with these areas.
The only bad thing is that people walking their dogs are drawn to this area also. Dogs from up north are used to doing their business on grass so they love this. I just wish dog owners were more responsible and picked up after their pets. I feel bad that the kids have to play amongst the dog poop.
If you click on the link above even if it doesn't look like you can and then click on the second https: that pops up you should get to the you tube video. The marines put on an annual airshow here in Yuma at the base. This year they did a record setting wall of flame. The planes flew over and as they spread out the flames erupted -- pretty cool stuff. They also did lots of other stunts. The only drawback was --- the temperature reached the upper 90's so it was pretty hot out there trying to watch the show.
The night before they had a twilight airshow. Not sure what all they did except showing the afterburners on a jet on fire in the dark. Its supposed to cool down into the upper 70's this week so that will be nice. People are leaving in droves now that it has gotten hot. We will be joining the migration north in a few weeks ourselves.
The good thing about the rain we have had is the spring blooms here in the desert. The yellow brittlebush is blooming everywhere. If you drive between Yuma and Casa Grande on Interstate 8 you can see the beautiful blooming brittlebush along both sides of the freeway. It looks like someone planted it alongside the freeway on purpose but that's just how it has grown. You wouldn't look twice at the brown bushes alongside the road most of the year but when they bloom they are outstanding.
There is also a pretty wildflower that is purple blooming all over the desert down here. Its called scorpion weed -- not sure how it got that name but it's pretty when it grows in clumps. It seems to grow where not a lot else will grow. Someone commented that with all the green growing out on the desert it looks like the desert needs mowing. It certainly feels like summer with temps reaching toward 90 degrees. Its supposed to stay in the 90's for at least two weeks and then it may cool off a little but the warmth is pretty much here to stay now.
There is a huge antique car show in Yuma every winter. The cars have to be 1972 or older to be in the car show. They display them at the stadium and then they can run them through downtown to show them off. Lots of beautiful, shiny old cars to see. The cars end up all over town as people bring them to and from the show.
Its the beginning of March and the weather is still on the cool side for Yuma -- low 70's, by now its usually heading toward the high 80's to 90's. It would be very nice except there seems to be a cold breeze from the north or weather coming from California every other day. -- or at least it always seems to be the nicest on the days I'm working.
We still have a few things to get fixed, cleaned up, etc before we leave here -- time seems to be going pretty fast now.
