Desert Boondocking

As I stepped off the coach, my senses came alive. I inhaled the sweet scent of the desert wildflowers. The air reminded me of the many blended fragrances from the department store perfume testers – a pleasant smell. My eyes swept the landscape from the bright yellow mounds of flowers to the green saguaros cactus. These plants make a colorful contrast against the dull brown ground and backdrop of orange tinged, barren mountains. I walked around with wobbly steps. I could feel loose rocks push against the thin soles of my sandals. This lovely place would be our home for the night. No campground, no fee just the solitude of a pull off in the desert along Arizona Highway 95 somewhere between Yuma and Quartzsite.

The night sky grew black without the city lights. Eventually, the stars grew brighter and filled the sky. Some stars seemed to rest on the horizon; others formed familiar constellations overhead. In the morning, the crescent moon lingered in the blue sky. The sun poured blinding light over the eastern mountains.

We used our generator to cook breakfast of bacon, eggs, and coffee. We checked email using our Verizon wireless broadband access device. The connection showed five bars, that’s fast. We almost hated to leave this scenic spot. It ranked high in our Top 10 list of places we boondocked for just one night then continued along our journey.

March 18, 2009