Mojave Nature Reserve

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Arrived at Mojave Nature Preserve yesterday afternoon after driving for hours through the most amazing desert/moonscape. I had to stop at the famous (and now almost defunct Route 66) Roy’s café and motel for ice. You have probably all seen this place in one Hollywood movie or another. It’s spot middle in the desert and I was lucky to buy the last bag of ice for the day. Roy is long dead, and the ‘new’ owner fancies old cars from the 50s with scantily clad ladies on the bonnet. Very funny and predictable, if you had seen what he looks like: probably in his 60s, slicked back hair to cover the bald spots and a tan any Las Vegas performer would envy. And … the obligatory Hawaiian shirt.

Mojave desert is wonderful and less popular with people. I had only four neighbours and we were so far apart that I couldn’t even hear them, fantastic for a little loner like me. I did meet Gerry and Gerry from Las Vegas, one of them happily telling me that he is 80 years old and does not take any medication. I told him that he has just become my role model, he loved that. Apparently his health comes from good food, great footwear and regular dental care. Listen up, youngens!

All around was a big fat of nothing. I walked up one of the mountains just before sunset, watching out for rattle snakes and coyotes, and the vista opening before me was breathtaking. I was sitting there watching the sun go down and thought about all those cowboys and frontier settlers trekking across this arid land on horseback, mining for gold or ranching for very little money. I still saw some farms around here when I drove in, but they didn’t look too good. Besides, these National Parks are surrounded by Indian Reservations and if any of you has ever been in the Northern Territory you have an idea what their ‘houses’ look like. Same problems: poverty, loss of culture and alcoholism. A lady at the visitor centre in Kelso called them ‘our injuns’, I couldn’t believe it. They were driven here by the white government, promises made but never kept and now they are stuck here in this land that seems beautiful to me, but I don’t HAVE to live here.

I’m going to the Colorado River at Cottonwood today for lunch and a swim and in the afternoon I’m going to pick up my friends Debbie and Jennifer for 5 days of madness in Las Vegas. Can’t wait. In case you never heard of the Colorado River, watch a film called ‘Into the Wild’ by Sean Penn. Alexander Supertramp meets the crazy European couple there while kayaking to Mexico. Watch it anyway, one of my all time favourite movies (and books, in case you want to READ!!!!).

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