Written by Mikey:

After leaving California, we headed back into Arizona to visit Mike and Darla in Yuma. They have winter getaway tucked away near a beautiful mountain range in the outskirts of Yuma.  We were greeted with open arms and a full RV hook-up in their front yard.

It was so nice to be around family again. When would we ever get the chance again to spend a leisurely week with our aunt and uncle? To play cards and sip wine on their porch each night?  Darla cooked feasts for us every chance she got: salmon with purple potatoes, roasts with intricate salads, pickled artichokes and olives; sorbet and raspberries for dessert.

We spent our days hiking and stopping at the little fresh farm stands next to the road. Unbeknown to us, Yuma is the lettuce capital of the country.  They grow ninety-five percent of the nation’s head lettuce.  Alongside the I-8, there were dozens of huge fields either being flooded for a new crop or being picked by diligent field workers braving the 80 to 90 degree heat. Yuma also grows copious quantities of dates – Darla took us to a nearby farm where we could watch how they were cultivated. They served the best date shakes in the country. The next few weeks we lived like kings on avocados (5 for $1), lettuce bigger than your head ($1) and green peppers (10 for $1) that were grown a few miles away.

There were also several “Farm to Table” establishments set up right on roads next to the fields where people can pick their own produce to take home. We stopped at one that had a little short order grill set up with tacos on cabbage instead of tortilla shells. Good eatin’.

We took a day trip up to Quartzite AZ and walked around where hundreds of thousands of snowbirders flock to for the sunshine and the dirt cheap living.  You can get a BLM pass to camp for seven months for around $100.  It was a quirky little area filled with little flea market style shops and vendors.  Here’s a pic from google:

The next day Darla and Mike took us to one of the flea markets in Yuma.  There were rows and rows of vendors selling everything imaginable.  We were especially intrigued by the amount of people pushing their little dogs around in carts.  Jayme was able to sneak a picture when the owner wasn’t looking. Why they are unable to walk, no one knows.

We spent a few days in a campground in Lake Martinez. We had big blazing fires each night and met some interesting folks when we watched the superbowl at the hole-in-the-wall bar near camp.

Toward the end of our stay, I ripped out the carpet in our Scamp and put down some laminate flooring.  If I had a nickel for every time Jayme said, “I hate this carpet!” when she was trying to sweep it out, I would have had several dollars.  It was a fun little project and is a breeze clean up now.  Thanks for the sawhorses Mike!

Our trip to Yuma was more than we could have asked for.  We couldn’t have done anything without Mike and Darla’s guidance and for that we are forever thankful.  We might not have ever been over to this area without them. It’s an experience we’ll never forget.