Hello from Maricopa, AZ. Maricopa is 20-30 minutes south of Phoenix. On the drive from Palm Springs, we bypassed Phoenix and got onto I-8 for 30 minutes. While on that section of road I recognized the area from my army days where I was sent to work at Fr Huachua in Sierra Vista. Both places are two hours south of where I recognized the land. Considering I was last here almost thirty years ago it a little amazing. This area is a little different people wise but the temperatures are about the same as Palm Springs. I might consider staying here for while some time in the future.
We passed through Quartzsite, AZ again. It was full of people this time. The only thing that could make Quartzsite worse is it being crowded. We saw lots of people dry camping in the desert. That is not my idea of camping or living for that matter. We visited Slab City near the Salton Sea in Southern California. If there is a place worse than Quartzsite it would be Slab City. Slab City is an abandoned Marine base with all the buildings removed but the concrete slabs from the barracks remain. Thus the name Slab City. This place is full of every kind of conceivable vehicle known to man. You will find old school buses that have not moved in thirty years with people living in them. You will also find nice motorhomes there too but not a lot. It is a disgusting place. Quartzsite is like Malibu compared to Slab City. The area around Slab City has many naturally occurring hot springs. I am told that Slab City used (and may still have) a pit with a ladder where a person could go into the pit and shower with hot spring water. We didn't have time to find the pit though. Stinky,naked,cheapskates in a Roman bath would have been an unusual photograph.
We are docked at the John Wayne RV Park. The history of this place is less entertaining than I imagined. It seems it is named after the John Wayne Parkway in Maricopa. What a let down. I thought we would have a working museum of The Duke or something. I am disappointed but the park is really quiet. We are enjoying the quiet. Shorts would be justifiable as the uniform of the day. We will venture out to Phoenix today and check things out. The manager of this park had a slight southern accent. It turns out he grew up in Johnson City, TN but has lived in Minnesota for the last forty years. Of course I picked up on his slight accent immediately because everyone else here speaks like they are chanting--you know where they pronounce each syllable with emphasis kind of like the Indians in old western movies. The manager's accent just goes to show you can take the boy out of the south but can't take the south out of the boy. I love being a Southerner. Besides I'm not good at chanting.
Have a happy and prosperous New Year.
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