I GOT A DATE.......WITH A DATE SHAKE

Morning Bud, no problem with the coffee lets just get a cup in the  truck stop and haul Butt.

Bud you ever been at a cross roads and didnt know which way to turn?... Well that is where I am right now and I have one mile to make up my mind. Do I turn left and get that Date shake a Dateland over on Infernal-state 8 or do I turn right on AZ 85 and go up to infernal-state 10 and get a date shake at Indio,CA. Think I will go right and over to the Infernal-state 10.

Did you say why are you turning left ? because I am the captin of this ship, Jeanie said I could be when she is not here, and I changed my mind. I want a Date shake from Dateland and are we less than a hour from there.

I sure wouldnt want to live here but i love to visit.

Man  was that ever good, both of them,  That outta last till I get to Indio and then I'll get another one. We will be in Yuma in less than an hour. The Infernal-state goes around Yuma now but I am going to take you just like I use to go. This big ole hill up here was always called Telegraph pass by the drivers. Heard folks call it something else now but it is still Telegraph pass to me.

Just on the east side of Yuma was a Truck Stop called TED'S. We fueled with him all the time and would you believe we wrote checks for fuel. It was around.12-15-19 cents a gallon. Ted opened another place over at Quartsite and the buildings are still there but he closed the truck stop a long time ago. He had a big nice restaurant and good food . I haven't been to Q in years so I don't know whats up with the place. Main highway went right in front of Teds,before the infernal-state.

 Ted's here in Yuma was on old U.S.80. They washed out trailers, fixed flats,changed oil, did mechanic work, and washed trucks, the whole bit. That was back when Truck stops were real Truck Stop ,not just do it yourself convenience stores for trucks.

Sometime we hauled grain from West Texas to a feed mill 5-6 miles out on 95 north and then come over here and get the trailer washed out.Sometimes we hauled iced chickens from Mississippi to Phoenix or LA and we would do the same.

Lettuce field

Lettuce head in the Field

Then we would run down here a little ways until U.S. 80 intersected with U.S. 95 south and go to Somerton and load Lettuce headed for New Orleans or Dallas. After I got the lettuce loaded, I would come back here to Ted's and fuel and the next stop would be that Truck Stop at Sierra Blanca,TX that I showed you. Well Bud I mean except when the bladder couldnt go any more, then you had to pull over. I got a ticket for that over by Wilcox,Az once, by a female Highway patrol no less.

Ole Marty Robbins might have crossed the Brazos at Waco but Rojo and Bud just crossed the Colorado at Yuma and we are in CAL-I-FOR-NI-A.  Winterhaven is a nice little town, I always liked it a lot.I Had a friend that ran that little produce stand right there. Reckon he has been dead 25 years or more years now.  He thought Neal was top shelf.

 Looks like those people sure have a lot of fun on those sand  hills..... I don't know what those rigs  are , I think they are called Quads or Dune buggies, Just not my kinda thing, takes about 5 minutes in the sun and this Redhead looks like a lobster.

We are going to exit up here on old U.S.80 and then S33 to 78 then 111. That will run us up through Holtville, Brawley and up to Niland and all the way back to the infernal-state 10 at Palm Springs. No I didn't forget the Date shake at Indio. 

They sure grow a lot of hay over here. I bet we see 20-30 loads headed west once we get on the infernal-state 10

I am going to show you what they call the Freest place on earth. I found it several years ago but I still dont know much about it.I want to bring Jeanie here  so we are going to try to learn a little about it,but we aint going to spend a lot of time there.

Ima gonna stop here in Niland at this little store and ask directions,just been here once and I was coming from the other way.... Were all set now. This place is called the Slabs or Slab city. I hear there is another place in CA called the Slabs and this is Slab city, I don't know for sure. What I do know is this is a old military base that was abandoned years ago and people come her for the winter and park for free. No Rules, No Regulations,No Rent. I guess you could call this a NO PLACE :-))

Bud, how about you go that way and find out and I will go this way and we will meet back here in 2 hours.... OK that's the plan.

Beat me back huh bud, well what did you find out?...... Yep me too. Just find a spot but don't crowd your neighbor cause thats why they are here. no electric, no water ,but a water truck delivers and no dump. I kinda like this place, ya know Bud, I like RV parks about as much as I like infernal-states.

Looks like most everybody has solar power and there is a guy over on the main road that installs systems. I cant believe a Golf course of sorts, a library, and a pet cemetery.Several  clubs of different types, a church and open air dance hall. Ya know Bud there has to be a ole sore head or two in these 600-700 people but everybody I met was real likable down to earth folks.

Wish we had time to spend the night here but it's the 22nd already and Jeanie is expecting me to be there the 23.... What do you mean it aint the 22nd?.... doggone if you aint right its the 21st and that settles it. I want to see a little more here, how bout it Bud?.. Done deal.

Tomorrow; Another Date shake and supper with Jeanie.

I plan to have a great day, I hope you will join me

Rojo with Bud tagging along