Yuma

Waning Gibbous Moon

You know that expression"the crack of dawn?" Well, here it is.

I got up extra early this morning to meet my friends Lisa Smith and Nancy Reid for a sunrise walk on the East Wetlands Trail near the Colorado River in Yuma, AZ. If you have not read the most recent edition of Lisa and Nancy's outstanding Parks and Travel Magazine, be sure to click here.

The first walk was so wonderful that we decided to take a second walk on the West Wetlands Trail so I could see the river up close. There were cranes, mockingbirds, and ducks and even beavers! I am too slow on the draw with my camera phone to produce any wildlife shots. I leave that to the pros like Lisa. I make do with stuff that sits still long enough for me to take a deep breath and squeeze the trigger.

This dazzling shot is a historic bridge from an old piece of U.S. 80, the southern tier coast to coast highway built in 1928. Most of the highway west of Dallas, TX has been removed or paved over by Interstate freeways, particularly I-10 and I-8, but lots of good memories remain.

The wetlands trails feature both paved bike paths and sandy footpaths, plus an elaborate playground and educational exhibits. Yumans and yuccas should be proud.

By mid-morning, the air temperature had begun to rise noticeably so we retreated to The Landing, a superior breakfast establishment that is part of the Historic Coronado Motor Hotel. I feasted myself into a coffee-and-eggs stupor, after which I rallied for today's journey across the Colorado River into California.

What a great day! The past few weeks in Uncalifornia have been pretty smooth. I didn't get to see everybody and every place I intended to visit, but I came pretty close. And the mini-adventures into close contact with the natural world were refreshing.

If Spugly can hang in there for a few more days, I will be home in San Juan Bautista by Friday.

Peace, Love, and More to Come,
Jim