It's Eerily Quiet! OH CRAP!!!

 Here we are ... still in the Indio hotel room as I sip a cup of my phony coffee.  I'm a tad bit groggy, as Dave Burdick apparently knows.  Yes, every time I heard a truck door slam, I jumped up to see if it was mine.  The three trains didn't bother me at all.  If only I had remembered to bring an Advil PM.  

Why did I not bring the RV?  Because the storms coming through with flash floods don't mix well with a lightweight RV.  Since I don't know how long I'm going to stay, I figured it would be easier, and faster, to take the hotel route, not to mention cheaper than RV parks.

It was however very nice to feel that 75 degree indoor weather when it was 108 outside.  As I loaded stuff up, sweating like a champ, I'm sure it never got below 100 outside.  

And we were off ... with Jonathan clinging to the side of the cage.  I don't usually drive over 65 mph, but as long as the road was smooth (I stayed in the left lane except to let people pass me) I kept it at 70-75 mph.  Anything to get out of the heat as soon as possible.

Finally I arrived in Quartzsite ... my first stop.  I bypassed McDonalds in Indio ... a big mistake.  As you can see, breakfast came in the guise of a biscuit bacon and egg sandwich.  If I had half a pound of melted butter, it might have gone down a little smoother.  This was the driest thing I've eaten in my life ... totally suitable for the desert.

Luckily I got a large coke with which to wash it down.  Oh but wait .... I have TWO!!!  The two for one sale at $4.00 was cheaper than the ONE at $5.00.  Yes I did ... I picked the bacon off the second one and threw the rest of it away.

Then it was time to fuel up the truck.  $168.00 got me a full tank.  Oh look ... diesel in Arizona is $1.50 a gallon cheaper than California.  That's funny because only about 75 cents of it is taxes.  

Off I went again, this time stopping in Gila Bend for a doggie break.  It's only about 95 here at 10:00 in the morning.  There was beautiful scenery though.  All these huge monsoon storms, more than it seems they have had in 50 years, have certainly greened up the desert.  

As far as the eye can see, absolutely everything is in bloom.  You can't even see the sand in most places.  Now off the freeway on my little road, the grass is 18" high, covering the landscape like carpet.  Yes, that's another big storm coming in.

My grass is the greenest it's ever been!!  Too bad it's completely covering up my garden areas too.  It's hard to be mad when the weeds are covered in bright yellow flowers.  More on that tomorrow.

I lucked out and got through the lull in the storms just in time.  After a delicious dinner at the Chance household (after making sure Jonathan was alive and well), another big storm came through at 8:00.  Good grief the thunder and lightning were epic!!!  It's so scary when it cracks right over your head and shakes the house.  

It's eerily quiet this morning as I type away.  And now to my next big OH CRAP!!  Arizona Department of Transportation sent my truck registration to me.  NO emission test required.  Pay $82.00 for two years.  It was due 7/31.  I mailed it to them 7/20.  They received it 7/28 and promptly sent it back, scribbling out the NO part and saying it requires an emissions test ... and now of course it's LATE.

Sounds a lot like California DMV, yes?????  So although I thought I would be lounging restfully on the couch watching television and thinking about mowing the lawn, I am instead headed down to the DOT offices.  Won't THIS be fun!  Big sigh!!!!!