Desert Life: Free Camping, Stolen Trucks, Heat Waves and Uninvited Guests!

 When we were last here, we were just departing from Ironwood Forest National Monument, just west of Tucson, Az.   Well, we picked up Interstate 10 west, then transitioned to I-8 as far as Gila Bend.  As usual, we took advantage of the free dump, fill, and a had a bite to eat before heading north to the I-10 again near Buckeye.  This time, we turned south at Quartzsite and found one of our favourite places to camp south of town, with no one within a half mile!  Same place we camped back in Nov/Dec.

Big rain one day.  Almost washed the dust off the truck!

 Spent about a week in Quartzsite area, caught up on laundry, filled some propane, but it was often too windy for much biking around.  I took the opportunity for a couple of Amazon orders.  I've had some nightmares getting things delivered in Quartzsite (actually I rarely have an order without some complications), although I think I have now got that one figured out (you must use a postal address in Quatrzsite - even if you are getting it sent to a 'ship and receive' place!), but they also charge $5/package.  As a result, I used an Amazon locker in Lake Havasu - even if Amazon makes it difficult to find them.

So, when things started to arrive, it was time to move up the road to Lake Havasu.  Once again, we stopped at our usual favourite - Mile 174 BLM.  My spot up on the ridge top was occupied - well actually there was lots of room, but I could see that both rigs up there were sporting industrial sized generators, so that was a no-go.   Pretty sure I recognized a couple of rigs that were parked in the same places they were, when I left in December!  Maybe they're just like me and returned to the same spots? Not!

 

 

 An early evening walkabout, so Bailey is on leash!

Weather was pretty warm.  Too warm for hiking most days, but the bikinis were starting to bloom down at the channel, as spring break got under way.

                                                        "Is that a DOG walking by?"

Took advantage of a cooler day and early morning to do my annual hike up Lizard Peak - check out the aerial video!  It's a gooder!

From the mountain top, I was able to check in on Bailey back in camp, and make sure he is not (!) sleeping on guard duty!

Flowers were blooming, although these ones were in a Lowe's garden center!

A depiction of my parking spot in Rotary Park on my truck's screen!

It was pretty hot every day now with the hot spell going on.  Some days we'd just stay home in the shade, and mist water on Bailey to keep him cool.  That's a good indication that is time to find some where higher, and cooler!

After some serious considerations and map examination, Mojave National Preserve got selected as our next home for a while.  Usually, we've enjoyed camps in the northern part of the preseve, near Baker, but this time it was possible to search a bit, to find a great spot in the southern portion.

I spotted this 'camper' off in a nearby wash.  But after further examination, I realized that this was an abandoned truck (likely stolen?), and no one had been around it for weeks.  

 

I dutifully reported all the details to the parks dispatch, and sure enough the next morning a nice Park Ranger showed up to investigate.  He immediately took steps to remove it, but the first tow truck he called would not even drive into the wash!  Eventually, hours later, another couple vehicles showed up, and by happy hour they were dragging it out of the area.  The keys were in it, but of course it wouldn't start.  Hard to see the tow rope in the video, but it is being towed out by the jeep.  Felt sorry for the Ranger, as it had burned up his entire day!

One day, I started to watch a hockey game, while sitting in my truck....

It was a great, scenic, secluded, level camp spot with fairly easy access.  But it turned out to be a bit of a nightmare.  Why is the hood open, you might ask?

Well, here is the answer!  

  Kangaroo rat and a bunny!  I think the rabbit felt safe from owls under the truck?

 I think it was the second night there when I thought I heard some sort of scratching under the rig, or possibly in the basement!  I couldn't see anything there, but then opened the hood on the truck in the dark, and heard some scratching.  I started the truck, and the pack rat came to the top of the engine, and I was easily able to grab it by the tail and fling it away, unfortunately, leaving a portion of tail in my hand.  It ran back under the truck, so I moved the truck and re-parked hoping that would scare it away and deter it.  Nope!  These things are a pain, and once again I could hear him somewhere around the engine.  So, it was time for a midnight drive, about a mile out to the highway and back.  Parked again, but it was till there!  Time to dig out the traps!  From past experience, I had a couple of sturdy snap traps, so I set one on top of the engine, and one in the basement.  I also set a brand new live trap I carry for just such an occasion.  I baited all with some peanut butter, some tinfoil, and some shiny plastic bags for the live trap.

Well, in the morning, I found one deceased culprit in the snap trap, and hoped that would be the end of it.  Not so lucky!  Over the next couple nights, the traps remained empty, and I strung some LED lights on the ground under the truck, and added some cameras!  Even threw some used cat litter underneath to try and deter them.

 Well, they clearly weren't hungry - as I baited the traps with peanut butter, then added some cat food, and strawberries.  But they sure loved scampering all over the engine for hours.  I don't know what the attraction is?  Luckily, no damage detected (yet).

Another really hot day was shaping up, but I headed out on this shadeless hike in mid morning to a volcanic crater. 

While still under attack from the packrats, I decided to move on, hopefully before any damage was done.

It was a short move, just up to the northern portion of the preserve, but somewhere that should be free of the cute little rats.  Set up camp, and settled in for the night, but alas, there were scratching sounds somewhere in the inaccessible areas under the rig.  I managed to squeeze a trap through an opening into that area - secured by a cord tether.  And I did eventually find a small access hole in the underbelly, well hidden between the axles, but there was not enough space for a good look.  I shoved Bailey in, but there was no room for him to move either!  I left the hole open for the night, thinking the stowaway might be hungry, and eager to resume life in some natural desert habitat.  It wasn't till about 6 AM when I heard a short bit of noise from down there - the silence.  Finally - caught the little freeloader, and I hope he didn't have any friends with him! 

It was pretty darn hot in that lower elevation area, so there was no reason to stick around.  So, off we went in search of new adventures, cooler temperatures, and perhaps (?) just a bit closer to home.  But that's going to have to wait for the next blog post!