In Yuma we stay in a campground, where almost exclusively Residents live in well-furnished and decorated with flowers, RVs or cottage in the shadow of trees with dense foliage. Everything looks tight, but look fairly decent. At the edge of white oleander flower, birds chirping early in the morning.
As the transactions in the small, quaint downtown not open before 10 clock. we visit the historic Quartermaster Depot Park to see where carts from the early days, an old Ford, the classy and spacious house of the commander, listen to the chirping of birds to Mocking imitating all sorts of birds.
go first after 11 clock We continue on I-8 and make a short photo stop at the Algodones Dunes, Imperial County, a real sand desert with impressive dunes, all sorts of flowers bloom on the edge. To cross this 10-mile wide sand barrier was built in the 20s of last century, a mobile Holzplankenweg. The cars were allowed to max. Drive over 10 mph. Piece driver soon slipped once on the fence and got stuck in the sand. A broad irrigation canal, the All American Canal will also be determined by the dunes. We see wide fertile fields. A machine cuts the grass short stature. The border fence with Mexico runs 100 meters off of I-8. Then we pass two tests. A controlled the importation of food, another prevents the illegal immigration of Mexicans (border control). Since our appearance and the visa in the passport inspires confidence, we must pass. # 111 goes on it finally north to the east bank of the Salton Sea. We see a huge Cattlefarm closely crammed with thousands of cattle. A separate railway track leading to a powerful feed silo.
We are looking for a place to stay for the night. All State Areas in which we vorbeifahen are closed. The State of California, tells us a lady was, no longer afford in a bad financial situation and can get the staff! But actually we like it here, not at all. The landscape that is disappointing. As we see in the distance, green shrubs and palm trees. Fortunately, there is the only remaining State Campground, are only 12 places on its only two RVs. The place is very beautiful. Behind us, the Chocolate Mountains, our parking lot near the lake in the west, the Santa Rosa Mountains, whose peaks are covered with snow. We watch all kinds of birds, look out on the (alleged) sand beach and the water. The beach is composed entirely of small pieces of shells and skeletons of other animals. In millions of years, a thick layer of lime is deposited - then we can imagine the formation of limestone mountains. We are located at 70 m below sea level.
After lunch we read, phone calls go up 17 clock Mela, which is associated with several difficulties. The only function of the telephone set at the park entrance is to swallow coins, otherwise you're really not! We have to drive 2.5 miles to the nearest retail store. The swallows more coins. Finally, we try the phone card, which also consumed in our strong credit. Emil it's better now, he has antibiotics - the panacea of American doctors - swallowed. We will call tomorrow at noon in Anza Borrego with her again.
the late afternoon to sunset at 19 clock is spent on the beach. Countless birds are found to dinner Reviews Taucherli with red eyes (I diagnose: inflammation due to salt water), pelicans with ulcers on the bill - I call it Rhino pelicans, probably a white egret and blue heron (blue heron), gulls, terns, two Black-necked stilts (they stand on one leg), Black-pellied plover etc. .. We only make us angry at the Chinese, who are with perseverance it to fish the lake empty.
The Salton Sea existed earlier times, but the water level was 90 m higher. Indians settled along its banks. Then dried up the lake. 1905 he completed the Colorado River, which at high water a dam broke, again. The water evaporates, the bear that is brought by the tributaries scarce mineral in melt in the salinization of the lake.
The # 111 runs next to the Camp Ground, just behind a railway line, a direct link from Los Angeles to Yuma, every 10-15 minutes on a 100-car freight train thunders by long. The engines of the locomotives generate deep vibrations that bring in a disco the diaphragm to vibrate. In addition, you let the neighboring guarded crossing their horn. During the day you can hear them for miles, at night you see her powerful lights from 10 miles away. So what? This is a tradition as the Camp Fire or the oversized cup of coffee on a morning walk with the dog. We can not do this on a restless night. The only solution is a strong drink beer! The next day we drive around
the Salton Sea in the counterclockwise direction. We drive past the palm groves and orange groves. discovered with the sharp image of organic produce Esther is a real source: the Oasis Date Gardens lead for over a hundred years, a large-scale Dattelfarm and specialize in organic farming. The large amount of water required to be delivered from 1913 through artesian wells. We buy an equally generous. I drink organic coffee, and we eat a Dattelbisquit of which we, being very good tastes, the same a couple of packs to buy. Soon we reach the desert area of the Anza Borrego Desert Park. The Ocotillos who now deep green leaves and are in full bloom. At 12 clock we call Mela. Emil has a high fever again. Therefore, we must give to a meeting in the Anza Borrego. The heat and the sun would not do well Emily! We will shorten our stay here and then spend the last three days at and with them in San Diego.
In the desert it is quite warm during the day. We measure 32 °. In the Visitor Center we listen to two presentations: one on bats, one above, solar cooking '. More convincing to me is a cyclist who his vehicle was covered with solar cells that feed four batteries that supply power for an electric motor. With the strong radiation, he races them correctly as possible.
On Saturday morning we leave right away to go directly to our dear grandchild and his parents in San Diego. There us is for us an unusually cool - we wear a jacket for the first time - and humid. We are told that air traffic in Europe by the outbreak of Eyjafjallajökull is paralyzed. We try to get to via telephone flight confirmation details in experience, but stuck for almost an hour in a telephone waiting loop. So we would rather sell us the time with our grandchild. The boys hope that air traffic remains slow even longer time out to keep us in San Diego. Finally, we can confirm our return flight via email through our office in Zurich. We then learn on the homepage of the Swiss, on Monday evening that the first flight Los Angeles - Zurich takes place.
Our granddaughter Emily, it's feeling better soon. We often walk along the coast - where he usually in the baby carriage in a healthy deep sleep falls. On Monday we'll visit with him and his father the same time extremely interesting and instructive, Birch Aquarium at Scripps'.
Today, Tuesday we drink with our guys have a coffee, then go to Los Angeles where we return on Wednesday morning to get the RV. We hope that we can then take the evening flight back to Switzerland.
