On The Go With Gary and Jo

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Little Church which has room for 12 people. Found on highway 95 south of Quartzsite.

Yuma Territorial Prison

We visited Yuma Territorial Prison. Really a great outing. It was built in 1876 and the first 7 inmated were locked in the cells they had built themselves. It housed more than 3000 prisoners over the time it served as a prison. Besides serving as a prison it served as Yuma Union High Scholl from 1910-1914 (students were often referred to as the criminals from Yuma High) From 1920-1930 it offered free lodging to the hobos riding freight trains. It also offered free homes to the homeless durind the depression area. People were sentenced to the Yuma Territorial Prison for crimes such as burglary, assault, selling liquor to Indians (164) adultry (27), pologmy (11), obstructing railroad, seduction (3), and prize fighting (1). 4 women were inprisoned for adultry with sentences varying from 4 months to 2 years. They have a small museum which tells history of the prison. You can also view a film about the prison. The cost to tour the prison was $4 per adult. Also on site, you can see a few false store fronts with cute names for stores and owners. Hollywood also made use of the prison for some of their movies. In fact, they lowered an entrance to the cell block because the actors were short and they wanted the actors to appear taller. For those who would like, click on the link "our travel photos" at the right and go the the Yuma Territorial prison album for more pictures of the prison and the store fronts.

Part of cell block at Yuma Prison

Entrance to the prison

Road Runner outside of Yuma Prison

Official Center of the World

We visited the Official Center of the World located in Felicity, California. The Official Center of the World is based upon a children's book COE The Good Dragon at the Center of the World. Gov. Dukemajeon of Ca. recognized Felicity as the Center of the World. Not to be outdone, Senator Pete Wilson pushed legislature through Congress which also recognized the Official Center of the World. You can take a tour for $2 per person. During the tour, you stand on the official center of the world marker and receive a certificate. Also located at the Official Center of the World is part of the staircase from the Effiel Tower. You can also view the World Commemorative Center which engraves in granite the highlights of the collective memory of Humanity. The granite museum walls are engineered to last for 4000 years. The names of 4,617 U.S. Marines killed in the Korean War are engraved there. You can also view the history of Aviation and the story of the Foreign Legion. The 8 walls of the History of Humanity are also being engraved. You can view more pictures by clicking on the link on the right "travel photos"

The official center of the wold.

Michaelangelo's finger of God pointing towards the official center of the world

Friday, January 27, 2006

Quartzsite, Arizona

We have been in Quartzsite for 2 weeks. Quartzsite is crowded with people who love to camp. There are many places for one to spend money. Lots of items to buy. If you can't find it in Quartzsite, it can't be found. We have not seen half of the venders' booths. We did spend time in the big RV tent and also spent $$ there. Gary bought a new metal detector and even found a couple of small gold nuggets out in the dessert. We visited the Hi Jolly Monument on Friday afternoon. We were able to visit with others who began fulltiming in 2005. We played music for them on Wed. night. We were joined in our music making by Jim Reed, on fiddle and guitar, his wife Sherri, on mandolin, and Willard Bass on guitar. Good time had by all. We will be leaving on Sunday and headed for Yuma, Arizona for a week.

Joining us in our campground were about 11 other rigs from Los Banos. The weather has not been that warm here. Hopefully when we return in Feb. for the Bluegrass Festival, it will be a little warmer.