After Organ Pipes I went back to Yuma for the Yuma Hamfest, another Amateur Radio event, this one held at the Yuma Fairgrounds. Many of the folks who attend Quartzfest also go to Yuma so it is fun to meet up with radio friends again. Also, the Yuma event gives away great prizes, some of the best amateur radio equipment available, at the big closing dinner. I didn't win, but it was fun dreaming about the possiblitly.
After the hamfest I went up to Mittry Lake, just north of Yuma. I had this great camping spot. It sort of looks like something out of the South Pacific. The only downside to this particular spot was that it wasn't too far off the gravel road which happens to be a main backroad route to the Yuma Proving Grounds. Fortunately, the prevailing winds were off the lake and blew the dust away from my campsite.
Next stop, the Phoenix area for a couple of Seattle Mariners Spring Training games. I'm not a baseball fan, not the slightest. The only name I would recognize would be Ichero. I found out from the fan sitting next to me that he was traded a few years back. Oh well, it was enjoyable, especially since the Mariners won both games, the second in the bottom of the ninth after being behind for the rest of the game.
The Arizona Science Museum in Phoenix has the Leonardo da Vinci traveling exhibition "The Genius". It basically shows many of his inventions, some he built and some which were recently created from his designs. This picture was a booth he designed so one could view all the parts of their body from any angle. There also was the re-creation of a log bridge he designed for the military which didn't require any lashings. It's amazing how the logs interlocked together. The bridge actually got more stable as it was loaded. And, did you know that the Mona Lisa has no eyebrows or eye lashes. Using some very sophisticated photographic scanning techniques scientist have determined that originally she did, but da Vinci painted them with such fine, thin, brushstrokes that they have since faided away.
I then went to the Lake Havasu area for a while. This was my campsite just north of town.
I can now say the I've kayaked under the London Bridge. Can you believe it? The folks in Lake Havasu actually bought the London Bridge, took it down block by block, shipped it from England and reassembled it in their town. They also took the pennisula next to town and turned it into an island so they would have a place to put the bridge. It was CRAZY, but they did a pretty good job of it.
Lake Havasu was having their Blue Grass Festival the weekend I was there. Having never been to one before I couldn't resist going. This I assume was the headlining band "Lonesome River Band". I have to tell you, the banjo players were just amazing. Of course all the musicians were great, but seeing how fast the banjo players pick with hardly any perceivable finger movement is something to behold!
And, of course, on the way home I went back to the Redwoods and Oregon Coast.
Instead of going straight home I went to Seattle to visit with relatives, mainly my brother and his partner who are moving to the Palm Springs area next month. Bummer!!! I'm happy for them and of course I'm excited at the prospect of visiting with them during my trips to the southwest. But, I'll miss our diners out when I come to Seattle every few months.
And Stanford won the tournament!
Tomorrow, onto North Idaho and playing with the grandkids.
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