Skills ... I've Got Skills!

 Boy howdy am I ever going to impress you with my photographic skills today!!!  Here I am parked at Orange Grove.  The very close trains stop by at 3:30 am and blow their horns to say hello.  Might as well get up.  After a short semi cool walk, I threw everyone in the truck and we were on the road by six.

I guess this was Tehachapi?  Really, I've no clue.  Lucky for me it was cool enough that the truck didn't overheat.  I even high-fived my truck when we got to the top of the hill without a check engine light!!!

Part of my picture problem is using my phone.  It used to provide decent photos, but it's so old, nothing really works well any more.  I did have fun chasing this train across the desert.  He was going about 65 mph and gaining on me quite a bit.  By the time we got to Boron, he slowed down and I WON!!!!  Yay!!

You know how it is when you're driving through the hot desert with not a single thing to capture your attention but the new-er truck drivers who never turn their turn signals off.  It does keep me awake though ... those flashing red lights.

At last ... Barstow.  This is my favorite easy-to-get-to diesel station.  I always send out good vibes for an empty RV lane, and I was not disappointed.

Probably my best picture.  It takes skill to capture a picture perfectly centered.  I filled up before I left home at $4.69 a gallon.  I said a bad word when I spotted the diesel sign across the street that said $6.09.  It was a nice surprise to see this at Flying J!!

Off we go again, practicing camera holding all along the way.  I've no idea why I took this picture or where it is.  In spite of all the steep hills getting to Needles (I doubt I will go this way again) my silver steed cruised along.  Sometimes it shifts down when I don't want it to, pegging the RPMs, which brings on a frenzy of do I speed up or slow down to make it stop.

I had a little trouble in Needles at the turnoff because my WAZE map program locked up my entire phone.  Nothing would work and it refused to tell me which way to turn.  In desperation I had to pull over and reset everything.  There was a short circuitous route involved, but I was finally on the right road.

In no time ... here's the Colorado River.  I pulled over here to get that big truck off my butt.  I swear he was kissing it all the way down the hill.

I thought I might capture the river with my camera skills, but alas ... no water in the picture.  

From there it was a short trip to Quartzsite where they were waiting for me with a nice large pull through space ... 50 amp.  I immediately turned on both air conditioners for the kids, but left them in the truck until the house cooled down a bit.  It was 102 when I pulled in at 1:00.  Inside it was 89, and after three hours it finally cooled down to 81.  That was as good as it got.

I unhooked this time ... the better to get dinner at Carls Junior and fuel on the way back.  Fuel took up all my time.  I don't know what's wrong with Arco's pumps, but it took 20 minutes to get 20 gallons.  

This morning I get the lovely job of dumping tanks before I take off in the cool 77 degree weather.  It's so refreshing!!  Next stop .... Tucson.