Karen Gales Youngson: Goodbye to the Desert

We're awake early and have an easy getaway as we hadn't unhooked. We turn "a sharp right" according to Ivy, our GPS voice, onto Highway 62 to Vidal Junction. This is the intersection of the highways that is always the turning point that tells us we have finally arrived in the desert. On the other hand it is the "goodbye" corner going north. Agriculture (Ag Checks) and Border Patrol checkpoints are a way of life between Arizona, California and Mexico. As we go through our last one, the kayak draws attention. They are concerned about plant and mussel contaminations from the lakes and rivers being transported into California. We explain the boat hasn't been in the water since Manitoba and it's all OK and we are given our inspection certificate.

We climb up over 2000 feet through a rugged little 'desert mountain range' and coast down into another part of the Colorado River valley and the rather ugly town of Needles, Ca. Thirty miles later we pull into Laughlin, Nevada. This is a distant cousin to the gambling meccas of Las Vegas and Reno. It is where the three states converge in one corner. One road, Casino Drive, running parallel to the Colorado River with maybe 8 to 10 Casino Hotels. All the hotels provide some kind of RV parking. We have stayed in 3 or 4 over the years. Those that don't charge anything are usually the busiest and also include the most desert rat clientele which also includes the most generators. The Tropicana Hotel charges $7 a night or $35 a week, maximum 2 weeks, for dry camping. We set up with reasonable space between us and other rvs and go into the hotel to register. It is a busy weekend, being Valentines and Presidents Day holiday but will quiet down by Monday afternoon. Enquiries as to where we might watch Olympic coverage leads us to the Carnegie Bar. The bartender tries to find the Canada/Finland hockey game for us but doesn't have any luck. We head out to go back to our RV when the bartender tracks us down to tell us he found the game.....love it!!...there are 3 minutes left in regulation time and the game is tied. Halfway through OT Canada's defenceman Drew Doughty gets the winning goal!! What a great few moments for us to see with the perfect outcome.

Bob's cold is wearing him down and it's time to find a doctor. The opinion is sinusitis. He needs antibiotics to clear it all up and hopefully it will address his breathing difficulties and the ringing in his ears. The doctor feels the medication will help it all. Fingers crossed.

After getting the prescriptions filled we picked up a Papa Johns pizza with Ham, aka,"Canadian" bacon, pineapple and mushrooms, a large for $9.99. It is our lunch and dinner for a busy, fractured day...tasted fantastic!!

We are looking forward to our time here and Bob feeling better before we have to make serious miles for home. We have pleasant neighbours, warm daytime temperatures and cooling nights.

Our back yard trees on an asphalt camp sight. Sometimes we have pure desert beauty and other times it's the neon lights of a desert gambling town. It's all good and we enjoy the diversity of our life style.