I Think It's Official

 Here I sit in front of the computer in sunny California.  Oh the aches and pains!!  I may be getting too old for this after all!!  Cooper may be thinking the same thing.  Notice the red blanket.  That will come into play later.

AND WE WERE OFF!!  Traffic in Tucson wasn't too terrible, but I was determined to keep it under 70 mph.  My little truck purred like a kitten.

I was a little surprised when we turned off on Highway 8 at the amount of traffic there.  I usually see maybe eight vehicles and trucks passing me.  I know it's a holiday weekend, but I expected everyone to be out camping.  I was wrong.  Although you don't see it here, it was really crowded for an early Sunday morning.

I know speed limits are just a general suggestion, but I think it's official.  You can travel as fast as you want.  Cars and trucks were passing me like I was standing still.  I would also like to note that I can eat an entire bag of Goldfish in two hours.

It's fuel time in Quartzsite.  For those heading here for the winter, be forewarned ... the fuel prices are officially ridiculous, as was the traffic.  I had to wait 20 minutes just to get up to a pump.

Here it is folks ... Quartzsite diesel is $5.50 a gallon.  Regular gas was $4.50.  Just to show you it was a holiday weekend, that exact same diesel is now $4.50 a gallon on my Gas Buddy app.  Anyone remember the old SOCK IT TO ME dance?  I guess that's what they did this weekend.  Kind of makes me mad they take advantage of people ... even in Arizona!

They weren't alone though ... Indio was $6.79 and up.  

Again, it was a holiday weekend, right?  The border Ag station wait was almost a mile long, even though they were waving people straight on through.  Big sigh ... I'm back in California, land of crazy drivers and NO Highway Patrol.  

I think it's official ... there are NO speed limits in California.  Absolutely EVERYONE passed me as I kept it at 65 mph, mostly because I get better fuel mileage.  From Blythe to the drop into Indio, it was 60 mph all under construction.  No kidding ... even the trucks were leaving me in the dust.  Big fifth wheels were swinging in the wind, and I don't think those boats have ever gone that fast before.  No one, and I mean NO ONE went 60 mph.  It's crazy!!

At long last we arrived in Indio to our little hotel room where I wanted to crash.  Cooper just would not settle down.  Bad Mom Nancy forgot to bring any toys, so we wandered the grounds for over an hour.  

Finally it dawned on me ... Cooper didn't have his red blanket.  Just like a three year old!!!  Once I brought his "banky" in, he laid down and went to sleep.  

Surprisingly the little man was hungry enough to eat most of the chicken tenders (no breading) I brought for myself, along with a little scrambled egg.  Good boy Cooper.  I'm very happy he's feeling better and eating.  

Or at least he was.  We had an OH CRAP moment when for some crazy reason, he ran up to an Oleander bush and licked the leaves before I could jerk on his leash.  NOOOOOOO those are poisonous!!  He's never done THAT before.  He kept trying to spit it out, but it wasn't working.  I called Auntie Nurse Patty and said this kid was going to be the death of me!!

She said to get a wet washcloth and wash off his tongue.  Have you ever tried that?  Good grief ... it was hard enough to just get his mouth open, but wipe off his tongue?  Well it appeared to have worked.  I gave him a few more pieces of chicken for good measure, and prayed he would be alive in the morning.  Nurse Patty said he would be just fine.  And he was.

It was a long night of tossing and turning before I finally gave up.  Cooper was ready to hit the grass.

We were on the road by 5:30 am.  I forgot it was still dark out.  No worries, we'll just take it slow and easy ... or not.  Good grief, you have to go at least 70 mph to keep from getting run over.  I was passed by every single car and truck on the highway.  

It was also interesting to note that I could find eight Mexican radio stations, four religious stations and NO western, or even hard rock stations on my radio.  Come on, admit it ... you've listened to that Mexican music too, because nothing else comes on the radio.

It's also interesting to see that not one single wind machine is working, even though there is wind.  I lightened this picture so you could see them.  It was the same over Tehachapi, where the wind always blows.

I also have another myth to expose ... M & M's DO MELT IN YOUR HAND!!  Yes, I ate the entire bag on the way to Lucerne Valley.  My turnoff is just ahead in this photo.

Here's something else I bet you didn't know.  Water from your tap, kept in the fridge, then frozen to keep your chicken tenders cool, tastes absolutely TERRIBLE when it melts.  

We made a pit stop in Lucerne Valley before hitting Barstow where fuel was $6.99 a gallon.  I'm sure it's less now that the holiday is over .... or not.

With no Highway Patrol on the road, I'm not kidding, terrible traffic sped along at 80 mph PLUS.  No one got stopped.  Well there was one .... a Harley went screaming by and went between two side-by-side cars.  I'm sure they called it in, because just down the road I spotted the ONLY Highway Patrol vehicle who had him stopped.  No tickets were given to the cars that drove by him at 75 mph (speed limit 65) ... one of which was me.

Don't even THINK about going through Merced.  Traffic is split for 5 miles, with the left lane so narrow I was sure I wouldn't fit.  You could see where everyone had hit the barrier, and in fact, one truck was blocking the roadway because he smashed into it.  The speed limit should have been 35 (not 55) through this section, and even then it would have been too fast. 

It's interesting to note I spotted an advertisement on my phone .. the California Highway Patrol is now going to hire 1,000 new officers, so if you need a job .......  maybe they will even put one or two on the highway to slow speeders.  Or not .....

So I'm gearing up for bingo, hoping for a nap or two before I have to go.    BINGO!!!!