We get weak and spotty cell and internet coverage, and several good ham radio repeaters reach out here.... but I rarely if ever get any positions reported from my trike rides, Even the higher power radio in the RV and Explorer do not get coverage from our Senator Wash area, adjacent to Imperial Dam north of Yuma.
I rode a good seven miles of nasty rough roads both yesterday and today, and it is not fun riding. The dirt roads are barely bulldozed out of the eternally scattered volcanic desert rocks and gravel, still full of oversized rocks and potholes -- but the paved roads are WORSE.
The pavement must have been laid back in the 1930's or 1940's and barely, if ever, maintained since. What little asphalt exists has wasted away next to nothing, leaving up to 2" rocks standing up glued to the weathered asphalt remaining underneath. It rattles the cars and RV's traversing it something awful. It's not quite as bad riding a bike on it since the speed hitting these rough surfaces is lower, but it is NOT fun pedaling along with your teeth rattling along with everything else on the bike or trike, watching for the even worse potholes and gaps as well as watching for stuff on the bike to fall off and bounce off into the cacti and dust.
What's a bit funny is that the awful pavement belongs to California, along whose border this BLM area lies. When the roads cross into AZ property, they are much better maintained. What the cat-hair does CA do with all those high taxes they impose on everyone?
There are places closer to Yuma and civilization that cost more money, but we're beginning to think it might be worth it. Long term BLM visitor permits cost $180 for a 3-month pass, which is next to free since the pass includes permission to get fresh water, dump USED gray and black water as well as trash. But what paved roads exist are terrible and it's really a pain to ride or drive anywhere to get mail, go visit RV Heaven (Walmart), etc.
The silly reason for today's silly title is that there are actually feral donkeys (burros, actually) that forage out here, and they occasionally wander through the camping areas willy-nilly. Most visitors have seen them, but we have yet to encounter any, except for an unfortunate one lying along highway 95 between here and Yuma that was busted open for the birds and buzzards to enjoy. Supposedly it was shot by some unthoughtful passerby and left there for several weeks. It is long gone, obviously cleaned up by BLM or maybe even highway workers. We KNOW live ones exist by their piles of poop scattered all over creation, some fresh, much of it ancient.
The weather locally is suddenly and dramatically getting warmer and even HOT, with forecast temperatures in the high 80's today, and upper fifties and low sixties overnight. Thus the crowds of winter sojourners are thinning out, we in the next couple weeks as well.
As I walk the dogs around I am unable to resist visiting vacated campsites. About half of the RV'ers leave a bit of trash behind, some leave a few scraps of firewood, and some leave behind what must be termed RV Rock Art.... One nearby place has what appears to be a large iron cross outlined in the ground with arranged rocks. Another has a cartoon man character outlined in rock:
Ride Started: 11:15 AM Ride Ended: 12:32 PM
Ending Battery Voltage: 13.3
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.07
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.2 MPH 5.7 MPH 21.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 41 mins 1 hour 14 mins 26 minutes
