Day 4: Indio to Yuma via Quartzsite: 8.5 hours; 216 miles.

We got up and found ourselves in a beautiful setting, right on a golf course with a lagoon in back and mountains in the background.  And it was warm (60's).  I think we have finally left the Artic Blast behind us.

We loaded up and started out at 9:15 and headed east on I-10.  We passed a sign that warned us to "aviod overheating" by turning off our air conditioners for the next 100 miles.  We must be in the desert, and I'm glad it is January.

In about 22 miles we came to the exit for Joshua Tree National Park, turned off, and proceeded down a deserted road into the desert.  We soon came to some interesting rock formations and stopped at the Cottonwood Springs Information Center about 7 miles up the road.  We took a short nature trail near the Center and saw many interesting plants.  There was a display showing the desert turtle in the Center, but we were told that the turtles are hibernating now because it is too cold.

 R got a booklet identifying desert wildflowers. We took a short hike along a wash between some beautiful rock formations and found many of the wildflowers on her chart.

Although we were in Joshua Tree Park, we did not see any Joshua Trees.  The park includes parts of two deserts and the Joshua Tree prefers the "cooler" Mojave Desert to the north, we were in the Colorado Desert which is part of the Sonoran Desert.  We did get to see the Joshua trees last trip when we took a route to the north.  We saw another distinctive tree which T dubbed "Wispy Trees."  And some very pretty red barrel cactus.

We got back onto I-10 and passed another interesting sign that said, "State Prison-Do not pick up hitchhikers."  As we got to the Arizona border we started to see sagauro cacti for the first time along with more whispy trees.  We soon got to Quartzsite.  My mom always told a joke about her town of Olathe.  She would say "Olathe" -- an old Indian name meaning duplex -- because that was what you noticed about the area.  I have a new saying, "Quartzsite -- old Indian name meaning RV."  They are everywhere.  It is hard to describe.  The population of Quartzsite is about 3,600 during the summer, but swells to over a million in January and Feburary -- most in RV's.  They are everywhere in the desert in rustic camps named "Long-term Visitor Areas."

We stopped at a large area of RV's and booths which was part of the local gem show.  We saw a variety of minerals, rocks, fossils, gems, and beads. We all found something we could't live without and then went looking for lunch.

None of the food booths were open (it was about 3pm) so we headed gown highway 95 to Yuma.  We passed by an interesting mesa-like formation called "Castle Dom."  It really did look like a castle.

Then we entered a U.S. Army Proving Ground.  There was a mysterious, large, blimp-like object hanging in the sky.  Something interesting they are testing? We passed a sign warning of "test vehicles crossing."

We made it to Yuma about 5:45 (Mountain Time Zone.)  First hotel was full, but we got the last couple of rooms at the Fairfield Inn.   And just down the road, we found a Penny's Diner (see previous blog).  Enjoyed milk shakes, malts, and BLT's.  Got back just in time for the Olympics.

Tomorrow we get to Tucson!