Imperial Nature Refuge, Yuma

Madigan and I decided to take a ride on the Harley for our day’s adventure. I didn’t have a destination but had seen signs for recreational areas along the I95 when I’d driven to the Castle Dome Silver Mine.  It was a cloudy day but a great ride.  Madigan is tucking his head down behind me in his box at higher speeds. I can see his head in my rear view mirrors when he pokes them up.

The last mil  to the Imperial National Nature Refuge was gravel road but little lose gravel.  I don’t like gravel on the Harley but this was fine.  Madigan could get off the bike and run about. Dogs were just not allowed in the exhibit building. I enjoyed the raised viewing platform. 

There was a boat launch with pub and outboard gas pump. Lots of Quads and Dessert 4x4 s with a touring guiding centre.  I also saw all thes great RV and Fifth Wheel Rigs spotte about the dessert.  They were off grid with solar panels and good generators. I expected they could last a few weeks without much trouble.  Maybe military folk get ways or off grid living for the middle class.  More boat trailers and quads.

I drove back to the US Army Proving Ground entrance to get a picture of Madigan and the bike under the helicopter, Another motorcyclist was just leaving having done the same.  

Great day. Great ride. Great dog!

Yuma, Thursday Morning

There’s snow in the north.  Here it’s warm in the morning. The night wasn’t as cool as it has been. I’ve been able to swim, hot tub and lie by the side of the pool midday. It’s been a good week. I’m unwinding I believe.  The routine is good.  Work goes fine with even the complicated paper work being done.  

This morning I contemplated heaven.  Every day is full and sufficient of itself. Yesterday is a memory, a selected story little different from the dreams I wake from. Tomorrow is imagination and manifestation. All that counts truly is today where God is.  God is in the present.  The power of now, So the historic Jesus is an idea of today as are family and friends and other places.  I remember the epiphany of Jesus altering the dimensions of the existence.  God and creation as one. God and human as one.  

I remember Yahweh the name of God, “I am that is who I am.” Touching me.  The inner recognition of truth.  Revelation as the realization of my own god stuff. The feeling of being touched by God over and over again described by C.S. Lewis as ‘surprised by joy’.

I experience that here. Watching the sun rise and sun set.  Taking the time to sit and experience the day. Looking up at the clouds and stars and moon .  There are these moments over and over again of peace and calm. I feel heaven is within and I’m touching living heaven at times.  Brief encounters with the transcendent.  

Jesus is within.  Heaven is within.  The answer is within.  I like the adventure and journey outwards but it’s not the destination.  Spiritual consumerism the disease of the modern.  I’m here talking with God within.  The conversation is enough. The encounter with the hound of heaven.  Tuning my inner ear to the celestial.

There is work today.  I’ve enjoyed work this week, the sense of being helpful and contributing.  I like the security of income even if it’s a somewhat false security. God is all that is secure.  Faith and Grace.

I renewed my membership to CMDA.  The woman there said ‘grace’. Grace was a part of our conversation  I expressed concern about my individualness and the failure of the institution of marriage for me and my disappointment for the CMDA during the Covid crisis when individual pastors but not institions stood up to tyranny.  I missed Bonhoffer’s voice in Canada and missed the voice of St. Francis’s and spirituality.  It seemed the church was just another government agency as was CMDA.  I was wrong to be judgemental perhaps feeling my own guilt after a lifetime of sacrifice and service looking now to comfort and pleasure.

Obesity, Gluttony and Sloth are so much more concerning than Lust yet the perversion of the world favours vices.  The obese wag their fingers at the polyamorous.  The family becomes its own idol while the government ravishes the believers.  State churches, are they different from Beijing and Constantine.  

I’m here in the now and could be writing treatise on these thought. I could be sitting in a library, researching and writing but frankly I’d rather walk the dog and finish this coffee before setting out on my day of work.

I emailed a trail ride place asking if they could accommodate me tomorrow or Saturday for a couple of hours.  I told them I was 220 lbs but I think I’m more like 240.  The other trail ride place said they only took people who were 200 lbs. Discrimination or a focus on little horses.  Do I  need a Clydesdale now?  Mostly I’ve been given Morgans at stables. I’d rather a little horse but don’t want to over burden him or her.  I’d just like to enjoy the movement again, It’s been 5-10 years.  I’d like to ride again and more perhaps.  I ride my motorcycle with joy and wonder if my struggle selling my sailboat is a message I’m to do more sailing.  I could gather the retired guys for a run. I just worry about the cost especially if something goes wrong. Im so much more satisfied with this camper.  I imagine my fifth wheel will be even more enjoyable but I wonder about a smaller fifth wheel or bus. I could consider trading that in.

I imagine a trip to see Berlin, Vienna and Venice.  I’d like to return to Ireland and New York. I have a desire to wander museums and art galleries but the issue is whether I’d like to travel au femme , alone, or with others.  I have Madigan so I’m happy to be outside and this camper is a great home base for our travels.  I could well continue what I’m doing for another year and each year older he’s less barbarian.  Europe and museums and galleries are not dog world.  New York wouldn’t work either.  Maybe. I always think walking about galleries would be more enjoyable in a skirt but when I’m in the gallery I’m sufficiently charmed by the art that I’m not aware of how Im dressed.  The activity is what defines the clothing. On my motorcycle I like leathers and jeans. I wish kilts were lighter. I like the feeling of long and short skirts. Like the Roman wear.  Short do it for me mostly but they’re not what I imagine in museums. I’m into this fashion and image issue.  I like photography and have always enjoyed Laura’s company on these excursions.  I just missed her after the Louvre.

I’m alone and talking with God but God speaks through people as well. I’m not lonely. I have this dog partner. I do feel a desire for companionship.  I like lying naked in bed with another. That experience is akin to sex now which involves work and effort and doens’t come spontaneously.  I can hope for the return of some athleticism. I spontaneously ran for fun yesterday. I do that still sometimes but wish I’d return to jogging seriously. I would be better if I exercised more and here I’m improving.  

Thank you God for this day. Thank you for my positive dreams. Thank you for wakening. Thank you for the sunshine and pleasant weather Thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for coffee.  Thank you for Madigan.  Thank you for Yuma.

Yuma morning

Good morning God. It’s a beautiful morning with clear blue sky and the temperature is warmer.  I’ll walk the dog soon. I’m wearing my blue flannel shirt and sweaters but already think I’ll look for my shorts. I am thankful for all your blessings.   

I have meditated and thought of the second mail package I sent to the nephews and haven’t heard from. So I found the receipt and tracking number and sent it to them.  I also sorted my receipts too. I’ve made a coffee and am drinking it. I told Laura I’m planning a run to Mexico on Friday.

I’ve a plan today to run to the storage locker. Maybe right now.

Thank you God for my work. May I serve you well and do my duty to the best of my ability and have your help and guidance.  Thank you for this mobile camper home in the desert. Thank you for my motorcycle .  Thank you for my truck.

Thank you for family and friends. Please be with them.  

I phoned the Marina and asked for help again with a yacht broker. I’d like to sell my sailboat and yet it may mean I have a trip to make in the summer. I would like to see the great nephews and say good bye to my brother again. His place is planned to be sold and I certainly understand Adell as it was their dream and way too much for one person to manage.  The kids continue in Ottawa and it’s too far to go. I’d thought to move there to be closer to Ron but now I’m back to enjoying being near Laura.  I’m a bit of Gypsy.  I enjoy the clinics and staff and patients so for now I muddle on.  

My mind ipad died but my Canada apple care couldn’t get it replaced till I returned to Canada so I packed it and bought a new one. I’ve been using it to read kindle and fb and enjoy it more for recreation than the big iPad I’m using mostly now for Doxy me.  The thing is I’m working and the $500 cost now didn’t bother me and I’ll be recouped the cost in a few months .  If I wasn’t working and living off savings I’d feel that. I’d feel I’d have to budget and be concern but working with an income I just take it in stride.  I would find a lot of other savings though as much of what I have is related to work and the costs of maintaining a practice are high. I certainly would do the work , I’m a major handyman, but I hire people because I would rather focus on my speciality.  Retired I’d enjoy cleaning and I installed the cellular booster with pleasure and would get back into working on engines even if need be though more likely I’d have less need for ‘speed’ and simplify my life with days of fishing and hiking.  I would pray more and exercise more. 

I’ve been looking into chiropractors but may just go to the fellow in Mexico when I’m there since they’re so much more accommodating.  I don’t want to plan my time off at this point.  

I love the sunsets.  It rained here one day this week and was cool but it’s now back to the routine. I’m thankful.  

Castle Dome Mine Museum and Ghost Town, Yuma, Arizona

I first rode out from Yuma 40 miles on my street Harley only to stop after fishtailing and thumping over the lose gravel and corrugating of the last 8 miles of gravel road before the Museum.  I turned around and returned with my Ford truck and dog, Madigan.  The last stretch of gravel road would be fine for cars and enduro motorcycles.  I would have liked the glory of riding into the old town on a motorcycle considering it began as a horse and stage place in 1871   Since cowboys and miners had trucks in later years my Ford was fine.  I had my black leather cowboy hat from Mexico and the black bart leather vest and riding boots.

The ladies at the entrance were beautiful and endearing sharing all manner of information about the history of the town. I bought a piece of galena, the silver lead rock and suggested I’d buy sparkling galina jewelry for my girlfriend if they had it.

“Not if you liked her. The mine was known for the silver but during the wars it was the lead in the galena silver that kept it going.” 

“It’s a pretty metal but of course lead wouldn’t be healthy for earrings.”  I laughed and settled for a local fridge magnet. This bright and vivacious lady told me about the Spanish searching for Gold in the south west in early 1700 but the silver here only being found in the early 1850.  She talked of extraction and transportation.  A stage line would come through the town linking with other mines. 

They have guided tours but I’d just missed the last one.  Given the story telling and knowledge of the guide I’d go again with my girlfriend. I took the self guided tour and was told the dog was welcome on that. He loved it.  An excellent walk for the two of us because beyond the town there was a series of mines and outlying buildings that made for a good hike. I think I was there for over 2 hours enjoying everything but only seeing a fraction of what was displayed. 

I loved how there was the stage and saloon display from the earliest years and how each building represented an era with the later ones having vintage sports cars from the 60’s.  I enjoyed seeing the ‘ringer washing’ machine that I remember my homemaker mom getting and how it reduced her weekly laundry day from all day to a half day.  I couldn’t help think of my engineer father who would have loved to see the progress of machinery. The early mines were literally holes dug in the ground with advancing years bringing more and more elaborate pullets and lifting machines for the extraction.  

I loved the ‘3:10 to Yuma’ sign at the stage coach depot. Laura and I had watched the famous western movie when she was here on the holidays. I couldn’t help but think how she’d enjoy it, the milliner exhibit and the 19th century hats.  The church was lovely and a vintage organ that church organist Barry would have been fascinated by.  My geologist nephew would have loved the assayer’s office had samples of ore, weights  and the chemicals used for testing.  I couldn’t help but think of my childhood friend Kirk who loves natural wonder and would have enjoyed this quintessential western setting with  surreal mountains and extraordinary cacti.  In someways the distinctive Castle Dome mountain looked like something left by space ship.  I imagined it having a mystery interior yet to be explored.  

The whole town which once had 3000 people is on the outside of the Proving Grounds for the American Army. This is where they test all the new artillery and have the longest range in the US. There’s a stationary blimp high in the sky looking over the area and en route from Yuma I passed a turn off with a couple of mobile howitzers at the entrance.  I loved the trip with the south west scenery, the spectacular skies,views and fauna.  

I took countless pictures and would go again.  I’d read comments and worried about rattle snakes as one expressed worry but neither Madigan, my cockapoo, or I encountered any and I expect there’s no greater fear of them here that any where else in the south. Certainly if one stayed on the well marked trails there’d be no fear. I kept Madigan on my leash and was ready to clean up after him if he chose to poop rather than pee on every stone.  We were respectful in the buildings though something about the smells of the bunk house had him starting to lift his leg in a corner.  I liked the cabin on the first site where the early miner had encountered native marauders.  Then to come across vintage sports cars at far of the trail  from where the stage coach had been at the beginning.   Just an amazing exhibit and so well presented.  I really did feel I was walking through time and got a sense of early miners and the work entailed in extracting the silver. Man and his love of shiny things.  

It was all a different era and yet here it was once alive with people and industry now a ghost town.  The rusting old cars from the turn of the century and some of the rusting machinery speak to how little an impression we make in the reality of the earth time. I like that people have done the work to ensure that the era is not forgotten.  This was truly the west even though it was a brief period, in which the change in a hundred years,  was still amazing.  It speaks so highly of man’s ingenuity. Progress and industry.  I loved Caste Dome Mine and Ghost town. I look forward to coming back again. .

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