Off Road Camping

So the next three nights were spent at random places off the roadside.  Mom you may want to skip to the next entry here, if you are reading.  Just a thought:)  So the first night was a beautiful spot down the road from an RV spot.  It is a real snow bird hang out here cause it is hot hot hot!!  The first time I have taken off my long johns!  I pulled into the RV joint and was greeted y a kind man riding a golf cart.  He was looking  after the place while the folks were away who owned it.  Said the price for me was 25 bucks!  Same as an RV!  Agreed it was steep an told me to go behind down the road a bit.  As I went to start Lydia up there was no turnover.  I have experienced this before and know it is a wiring deal under the seat but it is a huge deal to get under the seat so I just kept trying.  Usually in a patter of time she will start.  This time no.  It was getting dark and I was thinking well maybe I stay here then.  I hate asking anyone to give me a push.  If they off thats great but I will not ask.  Man on the golf cart offered!  As we headed back to the bike a big RV came in and he had to go collect.  In the meantime I thought I would give it a try myself.  I had seen it done before and thought what the heck so got Lydia rolling and kicked her into first.  Not the first time but the second was a success!!  I felt pretty proud and think man on the golf cart was happy he did not have to break a sweat.  Headed into the desert to find me a spot.  Having lunch the next day at a subway I was accused of riding in on a horse and being dirty!  This guy was a harley rider and he did not approve of my style.  That was a first.  Bikers are notoriously friendly and love hearing other biker stories in my experience, so this guy really threw me off.  Pretty funny now that i look back on it.....I kinda like being dirty so not sure why I took such offence but guess its just not something you want to hear from a stranger.....with such attitude.
The second night was just north of Yuma which is a giant RV town.  Neighborhoods made up of RVs.  I left the town late and headed into the sunset looking for a place to set up.  It is mostly BLM land round here and that means free camping.  I got off the highway and settled into some trees.  Later I was awakened by a tank covered in lights zooming by.  It was not too close but close enough that I could see it and that kinda made me wonder where I was?  Turns out I was on an army proving grounds.
Next morning,  I found a good looking cactus to take a picture of.  I parked Lydia beside it and took a few pictures.  Got back on to head off and as I started to take off I lost my balance and I was over before I knew it.  Lydia was lying at such an angle that I could not move her.  She was not budging.  I had to go to the road to get back up.  No one stopped for a half an hour and then i figured that it might help if I had my helmet.  Ran back for it and within 10 minutes a couple from Edmonton stopped.  He was a little guy and was older but he lifted that bike with no problems.  They offered to stay as I packed the bike up but i insisted that i was alright.  Next thing I knew the bike was down again.  Darn!!  Out to the road I went after trying a few more times to budge the bike.  It turned up that there was a stone under the back tire that I should have thought of checking.....anyway another guy stopped and we got it up and I was on the road again......few.   What a day.     That same morning I headed north on the highway and stopped in to get a date shake.  Middle of the desert and this man was selling Ice cream!  With dates!  Pretty great, pretty pricey.  He filled me in on the army proving grounds and the rest of the area.  Flash floods,  once in a lifetime chance of hunting big horned sheep,  Tarantula wasps, which I still have to look up cause I am not sure I believe the story he told me.  The beautiful and terrible things of nature.  The desert.  That morning as I was drinking my coffee in the proving grounds I saw a grouse, a rabbit, some kind of bird of prey and a giant tarantula!  That was how the Tarantula wasp came up.  It was shy and very slow moving so we got along alright.  I even got close enough to take a picture.  Not too close tho this is with my zoom.  Surprised at such a critter and I now check my shoes, close all bags and tent night.

First night camp, in the morning I climbed the little mountain, or big hill behind.

The third night was along the Colorado river.  Amazing how the river flows through the desert and palm trees have sprouted up along the sides.    Resort type places line the river and charge $25 to get near it.  I am stubborn and will not pay that.  It does not make sense to me to charge a tent the same as a mobile home.  They are catering to the homes and the campsite I would get would be covered in crappy gravel....most uncomfortable.   Anyway I left the palm trees and water and went to higher ground.  There are tons of trails for off-roading.  Although I will admit I was dreaming of the palm tree lined river resort as a pitched my tent in the sandy, rocky tops off the high way.
I was hoping to find a nice lone place along the river to settle in for a few days but it seems to be really populated around here and not easy to find such a place.  O Canada.