St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission, A Ride to Ferguson Lake, and We Moved to Pilot Knob BLM (Catch up Post)

We are presently parked in the Roadrunner BLM  near Quartzsite. 
I am still playing catch up and this one is long. Lots of pictures all reminders of the wonderful memories we are making. (Clicking on the pictures will open them larger in a new window.)

Sunday, February 10, 2019

We had beautiful blue skies as we drove into Yuma for Sunday Mass at the lovely little church pictured below, St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission. (Side note: the parish we belong to in Escanaba is St. Thomas the Apostle.) This Catholic mission is located in Winterhaven, CA but the Masses said here are scheduled on Arizona time. Dedicated in 1923 it is a replica of the Mission Puerto de Purisima Concepcion which once stood on the site. It is up a hill from the parking lot but if you cannot do the steps there is a small parking lot up the hill next to the picture in the upper left below. The parishioners at this church are very welcoming and every time we have attended mass here we have been personally invited for coffee and donuts after Mass by at least one parishioner.

Inside: on the left. a statue of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha  (below is the
inscription on the picture below the statue), top right: Icon of St. Thomas,
bottom right: Picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The views from the parking lot just outside the mission door.

After Mass we headed to the Black Bear Diner for breakfast. Coming into
the parking lot Tom said, I will just take a ride up front I am sure there will
be a parking place and there, surprisingly, was one. Since, that very rarely
 happens to us I had to commemorate the occasion with a picture. 

Inside everything is about the name. '
The food was delicious but as usual no picture.

The top picture is for Shirley and Ken, this quote is at the top of their blog,
The bottom one is for George. If you know George you know he loves his hot
sauce. Plus, I thought the whole baby, mama, and papa burn theme was cute.

On our way back we took a ride out to Mittry Lake to see where that road
would eventually lead us. The road circles back South of the Yuma Proving
Grounds onto AZ-95. The black dot is a duck.

Coming back around we again passed the Farm to Table restaurant we
like to stop at for lunch at least once a season.
Plus they do have antiques for sale here.

The Post's Gate.

We finished the day back home with a Happy Hour enjoying Shirley and Ken's company. A perfect way to end our day. Kim and Ken had headed out while we were gone to their next adventure. Though, knowing we would probably not see them in the morning we did say so long with a couple of hugs the night before.


Monday, February 11, 2019


Today was another beautiful day. The skies were a beautiful blue though we did have some wind. Ken had mentioned a ride to see Ferguson Lake the day before so after they got back from running a few errands we all got into the Jeep and took off on the adventure. It was a great ride, beautiful scenery, and wonderful friends to share it with.

Ferguson Lake Road in the distance.

Ferguson Lake taken at the Imperial Valley Hunting and Fishing Club
 that we came across on our ride.

Looking out towards the right of where I was standing.

Heading back out the road from the club.

  

Just  a little ways past the Hunting Club we came upon this memorial.

Memorial for four Marines lost in a helicopter crash.

Shirley googled what this memorial was about and if you click on this link, Seeing America with Ken and Shirley, she shared what she found out.

Quite a few mementos  and coins

have been left on top of this memorial

all with a very special meaning, I am sure,

to those that left them.

Ferguson Lake

The ruggedness of the mountains

and the green crawling up the hills 

 with the blue skies as a backdrop all beautiful in their own special way.

The road ahead

well worth the ride

to see Ferguson Lake and the Colorado River in the distance.

We turned around to go back the way we came.

Stopped at the lookout we passed on our way.
Two special people, Shirley and Ken, in front of a wonderful view of the
blue water, the beauty of the browns and greens of the desert, and the
mountains in the distance. Plus, the wonderful blue sky. 

Looking in the opposite direction is just as beautiful.

More pictures of Ferguson Lake

and the Colorado River in the distance.

Ken and Tom standing on the edge.
Swapping interesting stories I am sure. 

A beautiful Ocotillo shining in the sunlight.
You know there had to be one.

Coming back we could see the area we are parked at in the distance.

We then decided to take a ride down to see how the other half lives
parked next to the Senator Wash Reservoir. You do pay extra to do so.

A view of the reservoir from a park just down the
road past where we are parked.

I love this picture of the Senator Wash Reservoir with mountains in the
background.Those little white dots in the distance,
we are parked up there among them.

Watching the sun quickly slip 

behind the mountains

as we sit and enjoy a wonderful conversation.
There may have been adult beverages involved.
A great way to end what had been a great day.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

I was up before the sun this morning and was determined to go out and take some pictures in the early morning light. It was chilly with a breeze and my fingers were freezing but no complaints. The sky was a beautiful blue, plus, the light on the mountains before the sun made its appearance was wonderful to watch.

Our chairs from last night looked  lonely in the early morning light.

The sky

slowly getting brighter

in the east as the sun slowly makes its way up.

The mountains around us

are slowly lighting up and the shadows are wonderful to see.

As the sky continues to light up

the colors and the shadows continuously change across the mountains.

Our home and Shirley and Ken's home on wheels just in front of us.

The light is getting brighter

and the show on the 

mountains continues.

The sun rising up over the mountains in the east.

The Ocotillo by us

the bushes and the green grass in between the rocks

glisten in the rising sun. The shadows add their special touch.
This is my favorite time of the day in the desert.

The windshield has been fixed. Tom has had fun dumping our tanks and filling
our fresh water tank and it is time to hook the Jeep up to the Stinger "B".
This was my view from inside as I waited for my turn to do what needs to be
done for the Jeep to be towed behind. The bottom right is Tom trying to get my
attention to finish up. I may have been busy taking pictures out the window.

Leaving the US Army Yuma Proving Grounds.

Heading south on AZ-95

we pass fields of green vegetables.

We will pass several fields on our way to Pilot Knob BLM . Here on AZ-95
then on I-8. Some being picked and some like this one just starting to grow.

As we made our way into Pilot Knob BLM I heard from Kim and Ken.
They had spotted us coming in. I mentioned there would soon be a Happy
Hour and they said, you may just get a couple of visitors.
What a nice surprise getting to spend another Happy Hour with them.
Tom and I along with Shirley and Ken were so glad to see them pull in.
Left to right: Ken, Shirley, Kim, Ken, Tom, and my chair

Our view of the desert and in the distance Mexico included clouds today
as we sat and enjoyed wonderful conversation with friends.

Like I mentioned at the beginning I am playing catch up but I want all the wonderful days and memories written down so in the years to come we can look back and say, I remember that day it was a good one!

We wish you wonderful memories of special days!

We are glad you stopped by. 

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.