UFOs over Blythe?
There is more to the area around Blythe than one would think. Of note are the Blythe Intaglios. When there is a possible extra terrestrial connection, an adventure becomes exciting, and these intaglios lead us to that connection.
First, intaglio means “etching.” Just west of Highway 95 about 18 miles north of Blythe, there is a swarm of intaglios, a few of which are just a short drive on a dirt road. They are on BLM land and protected by fences for obvious reasons.
Over time the sun on the desert floor causes a layer of dark varnish over the earth. Brush aside the varnish and the light-colored earth below creates an obvious contrast in color – the light and the dark. That is how these etchings were created, some thousands of years ago by those who came before us.
The etchings are of many figures, notably a human, and a horse. In all there are several dozen but only a few are accessible. But why would one make an extra-terrestrial connection? Because the intaglios are so large they are hard to make out unless you look down on them. A pilot first noted these figures in 1937 when flying over the area. They are on sacred Native American lands and many are apparently threatened at this time because of a mining venture back further in the valley.
Upon leaving we felt we should make amends and offer a donation to the Native Americans so we made a donation at the Blue Water Casino in Parker.
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Just a half hour drive from Blythe is a birding haven, part of which is in Arizona and part in California. Straddling the Colorado River, it is home to many species of birds and it is also a stop for a great variety of migrating birds. The endangered Yuma clapper rail, the only freshwater form of clapper rails, is found in marshes throughout the refuge. We spotted flocks of Canada geese and several pintail ducks. We missed the sandhill cranes which are usually present.
The visitor center on the AZ side has exhibits, information, friendly volunteers and a observation deck.
PINTAIL
Dozens of burrowing owls line the road
Egrets in the fields
KESTRAL
And even pupfish!
This was to be a quick trip to checkout the refuge before breakfast. We wish we had eaten first and planned more time in the refuge. We will come back again and plan to spend the day. There are campsites there right on the river, with no amenities.
Castle Dome: GHOST TOWN/MUSEUM
The modest entrance
This museum/ghost town is off Highway 95, closer to Yuma than Quartzsite. What a fascinating place. The dirt road from the highway runs about 10 miles, a bit rough, but we towed the trailer there with no problem. For $6 you can spend hours exploring the some 38 buildings rescued from the desert. Mining history abounds, but of paramount interest are the remnants of everyday life in this harsh desert.
A special exhibit on Levis features a few pair, apparently the genuine items according to the Levi Strauss Company, which date back to the 1880s. There is a mercantile, bank, dentist office, caf, several saloons with poker rooms, an assay office, church and much more.
In addition to the little townsite, there is a hike out to the Mine, which we didn’t take this time.
Yuma
The KOA Kampground in Yuma is no longer KOA, but privately owned and subject to membership. They let us have a site for $50, a bit steep. However, we enjoyed the hot tub and met several people who were traveling like us. Many are “full time RVers” who have sold their homes and spend their senior days traveling from place to place.
We enjoyed a relatively private campsite while most people were in a parking lot setting, just feet from each other. Their rigs, 35 feet plus long, were enormous. We were the pee wees of the park. At night the park offers BBQ dinners, pancake breakfasts in the morning, a host of activities for their guests, horseshoes, library etc. It’s not for us, but they all seem to be having a good life.
The park is called Yuma Lake RV Park, Resort and there is actually a lake there. We took our coffee over in the morning and watched the ducks and cormorants swim around. This park is surrounded by agricultural fields. Departing Yuma we stopped at a stand and bought the most beautiful looking produce: broccoli, huge tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, nuts, raisins, in addition to fresh tamales and date nut bread.
We were ready to head to the wilderness- the beautiful Sonoran Desert area called Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.