A Visit to The Boneyard

 

 

 

So it was a cool, breezy morning in Las Vegas and I had just finished participating in a roadside cleanup in Red Rock Canyon with the local geocaching group.  Then I pulled out the GPSr to see what caches were close to me and started following coordinates and signing caches.  As I was
heading toward a cache near Woodlawn Cemetery I saw a sign that said "Neon Museum" and I took a quick right.  OMG!  It's the boneyard!  Well, not the real one because it 


Part of the sign that the daughter
danced on in the movie Vegas Vacation.

would be too dangerous with all that broken glass and metal everywhere.  The museum is the cleaned up version and while I don't usually spend money on guided museum tours I did here
(it was the only way they allow you to tour the sign yard).  
The museum is on Las Vegas Blvd within sight of the Stratosphere and housed in what used to be the lobby of the La Concha Motel.

The docent was very good.

Thirsty?

Wonder if they'd notice
me taking this?

  The tour takes you through the yard where the signs are displayed and some are even cleaned up and lighted.  So without further ado,
I will shut up and just flood this post with pix.


 

 

 

 

The Mother Road

A beautiful setting

A recent visit to Kingman AZ's visitor center was a real learning experience.  Most importantly I learned that the longest continuously still in use portion of Route 66, the so called Mother Road, runs right past there.  Of course I had to investigate.  From the California border 66 starts off in Topock and weaves gently through the countryside.  I stopped in at Havasu Wildlife Refuge but the spring winds were too strong for me to put the kayak in the water and paddle the canoe trail.  Ah well, back on the road.  Soon the road was not so gentle.  It climbed and curved and swerved.  I'm sure all the bikers I was passing
were enjoying it but I'm not crazy about it.  Good thing the speed limit was 45.  I noticed some crosses on a hill and took the turnoff to discover an impromptu veterans' monument on a very scenic spot.  Definitely worth the stop.

Hee Haw! Welcome to Oatman.

Next I pulled into the town of Oatman.  Once a thriving gold mining town till the government shut it down in
1942 due to the war effort.  When the miners left they turned their burros loose in the hills so today when you drive through Oatman and the surrounding areas you better slow down so you don't hit one!  In fact, a drive through town is really a creep as the donkeys are so used to
being fed by tourists that they walk right up to the car.  They also stop and poop/pee wherever they please.  Made for an interesting stop.

The next stop along the road is Cool Springs but for me it's the worst part of the road.  As the bikers say "Five miles and 120 curves" which of course makes them happy but I really was glad to get past it.  In Cool Springs there's an old gas station with lots of Route 66 memorabilia.  Really cool stop.  About 15 miles further and the old road crosses under Interstate 40, briefly passes through the older historic part of Kingman and then goes on east out into the countryside (and thankfully almost curveless) toward Hackberry. 

The old station at Hackberry is really fabulous.  Lots of old 66 signs and vehicles as old as the

highway itself.  Inside the ceilings are covered with license plates from all over: every state including TN (Blount Co.), lots of foreign countries (no doubt contributed by visitors), and I even saw one for the Panama Canal Zone and US Armed Forces in Germany.  The crowning touch is the 1957 Vette out front.  Wow, what a stop!!

And that's where I stopped.  There's still more to see but I ran out of time and energy.  You've got
my promise that I will be back to catch the rest of the continuous strip of 66. 



Another Day Another Sea

Finally, after 3 1/2 years on the road I made it to California.  And with gas prices hovering around $4.50 a gallon, I won't be staying around long.  I found a nice moderately priced rv camp just across the Colorado River.  The first thing I figured out is that I could go back across the river to fill my car up at the Flying J for $3.39 a gallon.  If you go early in the morning you hit a line at the pumps and most of the cars have California plates. 

Originally I had thought I wanted to camp in Yuma but this worked out better as it was closer and meant burning less fuel in Seeker.  Since she gets around 12 miles to the gallon when towing it seemed better to camp in Blythe and drive my car to Yuma for a day trip.  Which I did do.  But don't expect any great reviews.  I hit Yuma on a hot day with temps between 95 and 100 and also the opening day of their Centennial Celebration.  Bad timing is an understatement.  Perhaps I'll get back there one day.  Just on a less hot less crowded day. 

On a better day I did get out to the Salton Sea.  This place is unique to say the least.  It's an inland salt water lake basically, and while there are 2 rivers and agricultural run off that add to the sea, the only way moisture leaves is through evaporation.  And did I mention the salt content?  Try 50% more saline than the Pacific Ocean!  Once upon a time the lake was a fishing destination but with the rise in salinity only one fish, a tilapia, can live in the sea.  With the abundance of fish and decline in fisherman the Salton Sea has become a destination for lots of birds.  And that's what brought me here.

I only had a few hours to visit, but I did manage to see some great birds.  Oh, and with all those fish be prepared to face a strong fishy smell at the waterside.  Nevertheless, I thought it was a beautiful destination and hope to get back there sometime this fall or winter when the birds are really good.  Till then I have settled for sticking my feet in one more "sea".

Visiting Friends and Family

Of course I had to visit the local
cemetery.  Some very unique
headstones here.

In my last post I talked about being in southern Arizona to see some pretty gorgeous birds.  I was also in that area for another reason.  My good friend Ann was out here for an artist workshop so I made sure our paths crossed for a few days. 

The courtyard at Tubac
Country Inn.  Almost made
me wish I could stay there.

Ann was staying in a former ghost town that is now a well known artist colony called Tubac.  I caught up with her at the Tubac Country Inn which is a very charming spot.  If you are into art and get the chance to visit Tubac I highly recommend staying here.  Her room was spacious, nicely appointed, and decorated in southwest style.  The inn has a gorgeous courtyard where I met up with Ann and sat in awe of all the folks sitting around making jewelry, drawing the landscape, and doing watercolors in the garden.  I of course was briefly distracted by the Broad Billed Hummingbird. 
Later we strolled into town where the shops are filled with works from local artists and imports from nearby Mexico.  Her week was full with all the

Teresa does beautiful
mosaic glass work
like this.

workshop classes but we did get to have a day to get out and see some of the sights nearby.  And then she was off again and back to Nashville.

This bracelet is soooo
gorgeous and it has
a matching necklace!

My favorite piece of
Pat's beadwork. 

My time in this part of Arizona was done so I headed up to visit with family.  Pat and Teresa have been living in central Arizona for about 5 years now.  Their home is warm and cozy with a great back porch that looks out on a small lake which I of course used for some birding.  And once again I forgot to take pictures of us or them.  So I'm filling the gap with some pictures of some of their work.  Yes, you know I'm surrounded by artists out here.  It was a good week and Pat and I had some good visits.  I always love to hear him talk about Grandpa Wade and my uncles.  And now that Tina and her family (Pat and Tee's oldest) have moved out here they
are never at a want for company. 

Soon my week was over.  Time to move on down the road.  I hear Yuma calling I think.

WARNING: Bird Nerd Alert

OK, I try to spare my friends and family from my birding addiction, but my visit to Patagonia Lake State Park was so great I just had to share.  By the way.  I borrowed these shots from the park website.  You know I can't take pictures.

This lovely Arizona State Park is located only minutes from the Mexico border.  It's central draw is a gorgeous lake in an otherwise desert locale.  The campgrounds are full most of the year and the number of boats on the lake on a pretty day is probably in the triple digits.  Thankfully it's a big lake. 

This Elegant Trogan is a once in a lifetime
sighting.  Many birders spend days
looking for one of these.  Our
group happened upon 2!

The other crowd that is attracted to all the water is wintering birds, and that makes Patagonia a must do destination for birders any where near the lake.  After leaving all my wonderful friends and memories behind me at the Bosque this was my next destination to reach before the weather turned too warm and all the Mexico birds head back home for summer. 

So I went on a bird walk which means I walked around with a group of about 20 other bird nerds led by a local birding group leader.  We only walked about 2 miles round trip around the southern part of the lake but it took us just over 4 hours.  And

This little guy lives most of his life in Mexico
but does spend the winter at Patagonia:
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet
We located him by his chirp which
sounds like the beep your microwave
makes when the popcorn's done!

my results?  I saw 38 individual species including 2 that I saw for the first time and that some birders never get to see. 

This Costa's Hummingbird was a ho hum
sighting for the local folks but for me it
was very exciting.  Arizona has 15
species of hummers!

OK, all done with the birding news for now.  Sorry if I bored any of you.  Hope some of you enjoyed my side trip. 

Next post?  Visiting friends and family.