2018.02.13-Yuma, AZ

2018.02.13-Yuma, AZ

Back to the dessert with lots of sand and some winds.  So, we have dust everywhere.  The last day or so the tempura has been reasonable, in the low 70s rather than the high 80s.

We ventured out to Quartzsite, AZ, so Jerry could get an understanding of the layout.  He will probably make an effort to attend next year’s big RV show there.

On the way back to the RV from Quartzsite, we stopped at the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge to look for birds.  It was a spectacular spot for birding!  We saw flocks of yellow-headed black birds, lots of sandhill cranes, flocks of red-winged black birds, raptors, two foxes (or maybe small coyotes?), a burrowing owl, snow geese and a glossy Ibis.  After soaking in these sights, we drove to another section of the refuge and were so fortunate to see the sandhill cranes flying to their nightly spot.  We must have seen 30 or so ‘lines’ fly over us.

On the way out of the Refuge, we stopped at the visitor’s center so Jerry could take some sunset pictures.  Down in the field that the sandhill cranes had vacated were a flock of snow geese.  Something spooked the flock and up they went to noisily circle the field, then go right back from where they started.  Of course, they let anyone around know they were upset.  They are loud!

The next day, we visited the Yuma Territorial prison.  The railroad destroyed some of the structures when it expanded.  What few buildings left were interesting.  I can’t imagine being incarcerated there with NO air conditioning or running water.  Oh my!!  There was one room, called the dark room, which was essentially solitary confinement in a 15’ by 15’ cage, that was inside a dirt mound with only a hole in the roof for air and light.  We were told sometimes the guards would drop scorpions or snakes down the ‘air hole’.