Lost in the California Farm Fields

Saturday, December 20, 2014

After breakfast this morning, I made a trip to Walmart to pick up medicine and some groceries.That place was packed.  Gave the lady at the counter my medicine information and she said it would be 3pm before it was ready.  It is noon now, so what to do.  Didn’t want to get groceries too soon, because the cold stuff would get hot.

Decided to find a dry cleaners.  I brought a leather cowboy coat with me that I had purchased last year in a Quartzite flea market.  Meant to get it cleaned over the summer, but put it away and never thought about it till time to leave again.

Found one near by and left the coat with them, but it won’t be ready till the 27th.  I only have 10 days at Mittry Lake and the 27th is the 10th day.  Asked if they could have it on the 26th and the lady called her boss and he said he could.  They only do heavy leathers once a week on Fridays.

Went back to the Walmart and wandered around the store.  Bought Dolly a Christmas card and some stamps and mailed that. 

Then at 2pm started shopping for everything else I needed.  Got that done and there were five people ahead of me at the pharmacy so waited some more.  Luckily, when I got to the counter, my medicine was ready and waiting.  Then it was wait at the checkout and finally at 3pm I was out of there.

Headed north on 4th street passing I-8 and hoping to hit highway 95 and go home, but not to be.   I found myself on highway 24 going north.  If I stayed on it I would have gone right to the north end of Mittry Lake, but I didn’t know that.  I just turned east towards the familiar mountains at the first stop sign I came too.

I didn’t know it but I was in California and after a couple of miles the blacktop turned to a dirt road that went into farm fields.  And these weren't small fields.  I wandered around each of these huge fields always going east if I could.

I followed these mud packed roads for more than 5 miles until I finally got to a road that was so sandy, I had to back up. Immediately, my rear wheels started spinning and sinking into the sand.  I stopped, threw it into 4 wheel drive and started backing out till I got back onto hard dirt.  I was thankful not to get stuck in the middle of nowhere.  Made the hard decision to just go back to the main road and ask someone how to get home.

Got back to highway 24 and proceeded going north.  I was determined not to go all the way back into Yuma.  I stopped at this museum and asked for directions to Mittry Lake.

Didn’t stop to visit, just to ask directions and take a few photos.  The gentleman said to just continue north on highway 24 and it would run right by the north entrance to the lake.

This road has seen better days.  Went by Laguna Dam and then by the entrance to Imperial Dam. I think there are RV sites up there too.  I will check that area out tomorrow for future reference.

Just before entering into the Yuma Proving Grounds area, sure enough, the road to Mittry Lake was on my right. 

Finally, after two hours of wandering the dirt farm roads of California I made it back to Arizona and home to a late lunch and no dinner again.

It is now time to watch the football game and call it a night.

See you later.