Day 9 - Part 1 - Pay it Forward

6:15 wake up. 7:00 on the road. Rode my way up Interstate Route 10...Up is the essential word of the prior sentence. Fortunately, it was a very long slow grade and not a steep ascent. Approximately, half way up the 4 miles, was the Ehrenberg Rest Area. Now folks, when you think of a rest area in general, you probably think like I. Sparse, dull, unkempt, and smelly. Many other words that are of the non-flattering variety may be filled in here to make your brain feel the sensory experience of the rest area of  your choice.

Flying in the face of all rest stops is the pristine Ehrenberg Rest Area. Clean, tidy, shiny, pristine, etc. Check out the photos.

Thanks for the head's up. 

Lots of well groomed trees around the property.

Clean parking lot. Can't see it very well, but when a car drips oil, the maintenance folks put down cat litter to soak it up.

Raked portions of the gardens? It's like a Zen garden there. Unbelievable.

For those in the know, this is Stanley, Stanley the Shrubber.

While at the rest area, I met Scott and Deb, the two individuals meticulously caring for the stop area. I complimented them both on the amazingly clean location and both were humbly proud of their efforts. They asked about my journey. They indicated that a fellow biker had recently ridden through the rest area, about a week ago, and was killed by a truck later that same day. 

A pregnant pause, some cognition, some, reflection, then I said, "Well, the man died living. He didn't live dying." At this point, that's how I feel. I lived dying inside for many years being with someone that was killing my excitement, my spirit, my true desires. I'm feeling a freedom like I've never felt before. It's like a mental emancipation.

So I rode on...but before I forget, Monday night, I captured a photo of the setting moon from behind the Ehrenberg Flying J, truck stop.

When riding from the rest area up the continual grade, while going mighty slowly I must add, I spotted a card on the shoulder of the road. I stopped and picked it up. It was a California driver's license for a woman from Indio, CA. Within a few feet were also an ATM and a debit card for the same woman. Yuh yo!

I picked them up, put them in my pocket and took them with me to Quartzsite - at the time about 12 miles away...see below. I'm not kidding.

Self explanatory

That's the first hill I had to climb this AM

Different geologic time periods shown here in the color of rocks.

Me

My exit?

So I got off the exit, and sought shade on the underpass. I tried to make a phone call to my Kentucky friend but had no signal. I then proceeded onto a dirt road. That was a really bad sign. I yanked the map from my front rack and determined I only went about 1/4 mile out of my way.  So, I spun the SS Swartz around and headed the correct way on Dome Rock Road.

Cool view looking down Dome Rock Road toward Quartzsite.

My first good looking saguaro.

Coming into Quartzsite, I came upon Desert Gardens Cars and Mobilehomes. Holy smokes, I wanna be Hutch (because I want to sing "Don't Give Up on Us Baby"). Who wants to be my Starsky?

1959 El Camino - $24K. SWEET.

Hippie-mobile - $9,900. I learned to drive on a VW bus. 

 In Quartzsite, I came upon this sign. There was nothing to see where this sign was pointing.

Just in case you were wondering, the sign above the lockers outside the library in Quartzsite says, "Weapons Locker" -  Shucks, I wanted my Colt to help me search for some Tolstoy.

Just in case you missed the locker on the way into the building, a friendly reminder awaits you at the door.

I found my way into the library where they have wireless internet access (yeah). I did a little research and found the phone number of the woman whose driver's license and other access cards I found earlier. I spoke with her and she advised her car was broken into last night. The information I found was over 100 miles from where her car was abused!

I told her I would send it to her overnight and definitely NOT to pay me back but rather to pay it forward and do something similar in the future for someone else. She said, "I have done that several times in the past! You have restored my faith in humanity. Thanks!" She also advised that she wasn't angry but rather hopeful that the individuals who stole her money really needed it and used it for food for their family. That all felt good to hear. So now I'm off to the post office to mail the young lady her belongings.

Peace to you!