Southwest Fall 2016-5: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous to Home: Very Large Array, Pie Town, Montezuma's Castle, Quartzite, Slab City, Joshua Tree.
We'd been on the road for two weeks, and it was time to head back West toward home. After making a short detour east from Valley of Fires BLM Campground, New Mexico, to nearby Carrizozo for coffee, we set out for the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) near Socorro. Doug had passed by it but not had time to visit in the spring.
VLA consists of 27 dish-shaped antennae, each weighing 230 tons, that together comprise a telescope that tracks radio waves to help construct a timeline of the universe from the past to the future.Every four months, the antennae are moved among 72 positions on their Y-shaped railroad tracks, each leg 13 miles long.
The antennae can also be turned to face different directions.
Next was an essential stop: Pie Town, New Mexico.
We arrived at Pie-o-neer Restaurant just before closing and consoled ourselves with some tasty pie that our very successful trek was nearing its end.
That night we stayed in Prescott, Arizona, in a campground among wonderful rock formations, but sadly mostly inhabited by the down and out.
.heic)
Marilyn had noted Montezuma's Castle National Monument on the map, so the next morning we explored it. Another less-visited site, it was inhabited by the Sinagua people beginning ca 1100 CE. Their cliff pueblo along Beaver Creek included 45 to 50 rooms.
Later that day we stopped in Quartzsite, site of a huge winter gem show that brings thousands of RVs that scattered in packs about the surrounding desert.
Quartzsite is also know for Hi Jolly, camel herder for the US Army.
From there, it was on to Yuma, Arizona. With outside temperatures approaching 90 degrees, Marilyn found a comfortable air-conditioned hotel. Doug's approach is that a motel every third or fourth night is quite acceptable, yet on the over-three-week trek, we found ourselves in only two motels, coupled with two nights in an AirBnB. Marilyn, when asked if she wants a motel usually responds, "I like my bed (in the Van)."
The next day, we made the short drive to El Centro, California, to visit Doug's wonder Aunts Ruth and Eileen.
Then it was up the east side of the Salton Sea and a brief tour of Slab City, formerly US Marine Corps Camp Dunlap.
Our journey ended with two nights in one of our favorite places: Joshua Tree National Park. Driving from the southern entrance near Cottonwood Spring up Pinto Basin Rd, we stopped to look at the ocotillo that leafed out and were beginning to flower due to recent rains.
We found a site at Jumbo Rock Campground.
The Europeans camped next to us had barely pulled in before they were settled into lounge chairs in bathi—but not warm to those of us used to 100-degree-plus temps.
The next morning we drove to Twentynine Palms.
Back in camp, we walked Skull Rock Trail.
Our last day on the road, we drove through beautiful Lucerne Valley, stopping for breakfast at Cafe 247, an outfit with a sense of humor.
We arrived home that evening, another grand trip to the Southwest at an end. It was time to get caught up in the house and yard and get ready for our next trip. In less than a month, we'd fly to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with Doug's son and daughter-in-law!
Doug and 1 of 27 antennae each weighing 230 tons at Very Large Array, Soccoro, New Mexico.
VLA consists of 27 dish-shaped antennae, each weighing 230 tons, that together comprise a telescope that tracks radio waves to help construct a timeline of the universe from the past to the future.Every four months, the antennae are moved among 72 positions on their Y-shaped railroad tracks, each leg 13 miles long.
VLA Antennae arranged on railroad tracks designed to reposition them every four months.
VLA antennae tracks.
The antennae can also be turned to face different directions.
Underside of antenna.
The site also includes the Bracewell Radio Sundial which shows the time and date, the solstices and equinoxes, and the location of three objects important to astronomers: Centaurus A, Cygnus A, and Cassiopeia A.
Bracewell Sundial at VLA.
We left Carrizozo, NM, Oct 6 & arrived home Oct 11.
Next was an essential stop: Pie Town, New Mexico.
We arrived at Pie-o-neer Restaurant just before closing and consoled ourselves with some tasty pie that our very successful trek was nearing its end.
That night we stayed in Prescott, Arizona, in a campground among wonderful rock formations, but sadly mostly inhabited by the down and out.
Prescott, AZ.
.heic)
Prescott campground.
Marilyn had noted Montezuma's Castle National Monument on the map, so the next morning we explored it. Another less-visited site, it was inhabited by the Sinagua people beginning ca 1100 CE. Their cliff pueblo along Beaver Creek included 45 to 50 rooms.
Montezuma's Castle cliff dwelling.
Other walls & rooms of the Sinagua Pueblo along Beaver Creek.
Later that day we stopped in Quartzsite, site of a huge winter gem show that brings thousands of RVs that scattered in packs about the surrounding desert.
Quartzsite is also know for Hi Jolly, camel herder for the US Army.
Monument to Hi Jolly.
Hm, how many of these would Doug like to have?
From there, it was on to Yuma, Arizona. With outside temperatures approaching 90 degrees, Marilyn found a comfortable air-conditioned hotel. Doug's approach is that a motel every third or fourth night is quite acceptable, yet on the over-three-week trek, we found ourselves in only two motels, coupled with two nights in an AirBnB. Marilyn, when asked if she wants a motel usually responds, "I like my bed (in the Van)."
Blimp outside of Yuma used for Border Patrol.
The next day, we made the short drive to El Centro, California, to visit Doug's wonder Aunts Ruth and Eileen.
Then it was up the east side of the Salton Sea and a brief tour of Slab City, formerly US Marine Corps Camp Dunlap.
Guard Shack, former USMC Camp Dunlap
Slab City's famous Love Mountain.
Slab City provides free homesites to squatters and snowbirds among the concrete slabs of former buildings—with no utilities.
Slab City home site.
A few places had solar.
A spiritual center for Slab City.
Our journey ended with two nights in one of our favorite places: Joshua Tree National Park. Driving from the southern entrance near Cottonwood Spring up Pinto Basin Rd, we stopped to look at the ocotillo that leafed out and were beginning to flower due to recent rains.
Ocotillo.
Ocotillo only leaf out & bloom when it rains.
Ocotillo flowers.
We found a site at Jumbo Rock Campground.
Jumbo Rock Campground.
The Europeans camped next to us had barely pulled in before they were settled into lounge chairs in bathi—but not warm to those of us used to 100-degree-plus temps.
Sunrise.
The next morning we drove to Twentynine Palms.
Joshua trees along Park Blvd.
Sad Joshua Tree.
Joshua tree forest.
Dried flowers were left on the Joshua Trees. They typically bloom in spring & not every year.
Dried Joshua tree flowers.
We had coffee at Joshua Tree Coffee.
Back in camp, we walked Skull Rock Trail.
Skull Rock.
Marilyn on the trail. Note the large dyke, a sheet of rock that is formed in a fracture of another rock, running through the rock behind her.
Vertical dyke.
Along Skull Rock Trail.
Along Skull Rock Trail.
Back in camp.
Joshua Tree sunset, last night of our trip.
Our last day on the road, we drove through beautiful Lucerne Valley, stopping for breakfast at Cafe 247, an outfit with a sense of humor.
We arrived home that evening, another grand trip to the Southwest at an end. It was time to get caught up in the house and yard and get ready for our next trip. In less than a month, we'd fly to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with Doug's son and daughter-in-law!
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