Crashed computer

My trip to South Dakota over Thanksgiving and to see the new granddaughter has been great. But it hasn't been without its perils..... I got up there and took one picture and my camera died. I thought the battery might need recharging, but that wasn't the problem. The lens won't retract, it won't turn on or off in picture mode. It will allow me to see the pictures already taken, but I have since downloaded them. I wonder if it was dropping it in the sand last week..... But then I wanted a new camera anyway. But the biggest issue is my computer. I thought the hard drive seemed to be cranking and cranking and cranking the other day. In fact, I thought about it and realized it's been doing this for several weeks. My battery won't stay charged either. If I am not plugged in, I have exactly 19 minutes before it shuts down. But today it wouldn't boot up. Finally after trying safe mode, last known configuration, etc., etc., it did boot, but then I could not open my mail program with my contacts and calendar. Oh my, my life is ruined. Without those, I don't know anything. Every phone number and address and email, including over 6000 emails and 400 contacts were in that program. So I did what every network tech does, I rebooted. And it took about an hour to get it to boot up again. So I checked the event log and my hard drive has a bad sector. What is that you say? Well, believe me, it isn't good. So, the bottom line is, I will be using someone else's computer to keep up my blog, at least until I get back home and replace the hard drive or get a new computer. This means no pictures for a while. Hopefully I will be able to salvage some of my files and won't loose everything. And I'm always telling everyone else to backup, backup and backup. I wish I took my own advice...

After Death Valley

After leaving the campground at Death Valley, I headed south towards Badwater. It is the lowest point in North America at about 230 ft. below sea leavel. It is called badwater, not because the water is poison, but because it is salty, and such, is bad to drink.

It is only 3 miles across the salt flats, but there have been deaths from people who are not prepared and don't carry enough water and some sort of hat or shade for their head. Temps can get above 130 degrees in the summer. I'm glad I was here in the fall.

Here I am at Baker, CA, just on the edge of the Mojave desert. We stayed overnight in a lot across from a Big Boy's Restaurant. But Baker is known for having the largest thermometer in the world. As you can see, it is pretty large.

On we headed through the Mojave towards I-40. Halfway we stopped at Kelso. Once it was a thriving train station and town of 1500 population. Now it is has been restored and is the parks visitor center. No more passenger trains, only freight trains go through daily.

I was lucky enough to be outside when a freight train went zipping by. It doesn't even slow down, just blows its whistle.

My next stop was Parker, AZ, where I met up with the WINs again. They were staying at a county park, right on the river. It was beautiful, especially during the sunsets. Above is just one of the beautiful sunsets I saw while there.

Of course, anytime we are near a river we go kayaking. So one day we put in right where we were parked and kayaked down the Colorado River about 7 miles to Bluewater Casino. We arrived just in time for the casino's buffet lunch. But on the way we detoured through some canals and I thought the above sign was too much.

One day I headed back to Lake Havasu City, where the famous London Bridge was re-erected. A local townsman thought the town needed something to draw the tourists. It just so happened that London, England, was looking to sell one of their bridges. So the city purchased the bridge for 4 million dollars and spent more than that re-erecting the bridge. But I'm sure it has paid back the city many times over in revenue from the tourists who flock to Lake Havasu City just to see the bridge. Like me..

Here is a larger picture of the entire bridge. At the time they erected the bridge there was no water underneath. After the bridge was built they dredged a canal under the bridge and allowed water from the Colorado River to flow in.

I didn't kayak the Bill Williams River, although some of the group did, but I did stop and hike the area. It is a marshy area and great birding area.

After Parker, AZ, I moved down to Blythe, CA, on the other side of the Colorado River. While there, some of us ventured out to Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. After having the ranger interns show us a film at the visitor center, they took us on a guided tour of the area. We saw lots of Sand Hill Cranes and heard just how loud they can be.

Another place we visited was the Blythe Intaglios. As you can read, they are giant figures made on the desert floor. I wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but in the next few pictures you will see. I wasn't exactly impressed.

Here is what they are supposed to look like from the air. They were discovered in the 1930s by a pilot

.

I couldn't get a great shot, but this is what you see from the ground.

New Grandbaby

I know I have some more catching up to do about where I went after Death Valley, but, this is more exciting. I became a grandma, for the 6th time, Tuesday evening. Now I had 5 boys and 5 grandsons, so when this little girl was born, it was something special. She was 18 1/2 in. long, and 5 lb. 15 oz, named Caitlin Jean Patton. I am so proud, but then, I think daddy is too. Congratulations Bob and Amy!

 

Caitlin with dady, just a few hours old.

Death Valley-49ers Encampment

After leaving Golden Shores, I headed towards California's Death Valley. It was the time of year for the 49ers Encampment. Didn't really know what it was all about, but had heard it was something to see. So I went. Back up through Las Vegas, then west through Pahrump, before heading down into Death Valley. Now Death Valley is known for several things, such as: the old western TV show, Death Valley Days; 20 Mule Team Borax for cleaning; being the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere; and for the 49ers, those illustrious pioneers who crossed in 1849 headed for the gold fields of California. The 49ers Encampment is a celebration of the 49ers, complete with a wagon train and riders who arrive in the middle of the celebration. Don't know exactly how far the wagon train came, but talking to some of the riders, they rode for 6 days, and 130 miles to arrive at Death Valley. Along with the Encampment is lots of cowboy music, cowboy poetry, cowboy artists, a gem and crafts show and films about Death Valley. There were fiddlin' contests, pickin' contests and even a parade. But there was also time to sightsee as well. One day a group of us took off for Titus Canyon and along they way stopped at the old ghost town of Rhyolite. But what I thought was most intersting was about borax. I had only heard of this mineral in the 20 Mule Team Borax or now known as Borateem. It is a cleaning agent and laundry booster. But in the museum I learned that only 5% of all borax is used in cleaning products. Most of it is used in the making of fiberglass and pottery glazes, as well as some other industrial uses. All in all, I had a great time. Glad I went. Will go again. Did not get to see all that there was to see of Death Valley, so I have things to look forward too when I return. Here are some memories of my trip.

Going into the park.

Outside of Furnace Creek Ranch, across from the campground.

The old train depot at Rhyolite. The mining town lasted only three years from about 1903-1906 with a top population of 10,000, but by the 1920s had only 20 people left.

This is the famous Tom Kelly's bottle house. He built this around 1905 and used 32,000 bottles. Someone asked if he drank all the beer for the bottles. Seeing as how he built the house in less than 3 years, he would have had to drink 195 bottles a day. I don't think so....

The group who went to Titus Canyon.

Coming out of the canyon.

Looking across one of the intersecting valley while driving through the canyon.

Back at Furnace Creek in the Date Palms.

The wagon train coming in.

Snowcapped mountains surrounding Death Valley. We had a storm the last night there with winds up to 50 mph and some rain, which was snow in the higher elevations.

5-Mile Landing, Golden Shores, AZ

I did a sunrise kayak, visited a touristy ghost town and dressed up for old time pictures, did a 4-wheel ride and kayaked Topock Gorge as well as dressed up for a costume Halloween party while staying at 5-mile Landing, Havasu National Recreation Area, Golden Shores, AZ.

 

Sunrise kayak.

Bertie's blown tire on our 4-wheel trip.

Sandy getting a free ride down the river.

Water fights on the river in Topock Gorge.

Halloween party.

Dancing at the Halloween party, I'm a tigress.

I always seem to have a saloon or cafe in these small towns.

Dressing up for pictures.

The showgirls with the guys.

The guys all dressed up.

Loving on the jackass's in Oatman

Bullhead City, AZ; Laughlin, NV; and Kathrine's Landing

The next gathering was at Kathrine's Landing, Lake Mojave. This is just north or Bullhead City, AZ, and Laughlin, NV. While there we only did a short hike and 2 kayaks. I only went on the river kayak, choosing to bow out of the lake kayak. Out short hike was out to Grapevine Canyon on Christmas Tree Pass. Now as I heard the story of how Christmas Tree Pass got its name, back in the 1800s, as people traveled west, they would leave something attached to a tree on the summit of the pass. Over time the tree was loaded with all the things people left and it came to be known as Christmas Tree Pass. Sounds reasonable, so it probably is true. Now Grapevine Canyon was so named since there are lots of petroglyphs. But as you can see, I wonder just how much is maybe more current scratchings. But then, although interesting, I wonder what people will think of our grafitti in 200 years.

 

Petroglyphs at Grapevine Canyon

Sundance and his band The biggest part of this gathering was the dancing. Some went dancing 5 nights, some of us only 3 nights. One evening we had over 30 of our group at the dance club. We found a cowboy, named Sundance, who was playing at the Regency. He was singing Karaoke at another club when we first saw him. So many of our group went to listen on Friday and Saturday night. Now this club was an older casino, no hotel, the restaurant was closed, and only slot machines, no tables. I believe we provided more buisness for them those 2 nights than they have seen in the past 6 months.

Line Dancing

Kayaking the Colorado River

Fremont Experience and Red Rock Canyon

Our last day we went hiking at Red Rock Canyon, a National Recreation Area south of Las Vegas. One of the hikes we took was to La Madre Spring. It is one of a very few year round springs in this area, so of course, lots of wildlife come here. Although we didn't see anything but a large tarantula, I'm sure there are more wildlife than this who come drink from this spring.

 

Here I am cooling my feet.

And of course there were red rocks to climb. Here I am climbing to the top of this hill.

One night while at Boulder Beach a group of us went into Downtown Las Vegas, to Fremont Street for the Fremont Experience. I suggest if you have a chance, ditch the strip and try Fremont St. the next time you are in Vegas. It boasts the largest TV screen in the world. For 2 blocks, Fremont St. is covered over by a large TV screen, which at night they light up for the Fremont Experience. Every hour they show a short 15 minute film on this huge canopy above the street. I know this picture doesn't do it justice, but it was an experience. I forgot my camera, so this was taken with my cell phone.

They also have bands and a sax player, and even motorcyclists riding their bikes around in a small cage. A combination street carnival and gambling all in one. But we did have a great prime rib dinner for only $7.95.

Someone wanted to see a picture of the tarantula. So here it is!

Kayak Games

On Saturday morning at Boulder Beach, we had kayak games. One was a duck race. Everyone had a small rubber ducky and we all lined up and at the signal we started towards the finish line. We had to get our rubber duckies down to the finish line using only our paddles. No touching the duck. Well, I guess I'm just a little competive, because I WON!!!!

 

The Duck Race

We also did some kayak training. We all had to tip ourselves over and try to get back in the kayak while in deep water. The trick was to pull yourself up and over the back of the kayak. I had canoe safety training as a volunteer and knew the concept, but it is harder than it looks. Here I am attempting to climb back in.

Problem was, my kayak filled with water when I tipped, so I ended up taking the kayak back to shore to tip it over and empty it of water.

I finally got it over, but when the kayak tipped, so did I.

Boulder Beach

We also did other things while at Boulder Beach, such as some hiking and biking and kayaking. Some of us even went to Vegas. There is an Historic Railroad Trail which goes from a trailhead on Lakeshore Dr, to Hoover Dam. Of course it follows the old railroad bed, which brought supplies in while they where building Hoover Dam. The last train ran in 1961 and shortly after they tore out the rails. It is 3.5 miles one way. It is another 2 miles one way from our campground. One day I biked the trail, and the next day I hiked the trail (from the trailhead only).

We saw bighorn sheep while on the bike ride.

Here is a view towards the first of five tunnels you go through on the trail.

And here is below Hoover Dam.

The day we arrived was a full moon. I learned that a true full moon only happens when the moon rises at the same time the sun sets. It was a great night for a moonlight kayak. And of course we were all hungry, so we went for a prime rib buffett at a nearby casino.

One day Max and I drove into Vegas, the Strip, just to see what had changed. Lots of construction going on and new casinos going and many old casinos are gone. The Frontier, which used to be next to Circus Circus, is now a thing of the past, as is Aladdin. We parked at Bills Casino (used to be Barbary Coast), and walked up to the Venetian where we saw the actors above singing and performing. Then we walked across to Caesar's Palace and watched a show there. And of course we had to stroll through Las Vegas's Margaritaville. But the show we really came into town to see was the Star Trek Experience, which we found out closed Sep 1, 2008.