After leaving Yuma, I spent the night at a Rest Stop about 25 miles east; then drove onto Gila Bend, AZ where I addressed and mailed my X-mass cards. It was comfortable, near 80 degrees, in my van. I then drove on stopping at Ajo and picked up a few groceries. Bananas were 25 cents a pound; less than half the normal price in San Jose.

I am camping at a BLM free camp just south of Why, AZ. There are about a dozen RV's and campers in here. I wanted to transfer some money out of an IRA account in 2002. On Friday, I went back into Ajo where I could FAX the forms to the bank. It was very nice weather, probably in the mid 70's and bright sunshine. After I had a Mexican meal around 2 PM I came back to the same camp area.

Both today and yesterday it has been rather cold and overcast. The highest temperature today was 64 degrees, which is a bit too cool to be in shirt sleeves. In the van I am wearing long-john's and a light jacket over a sweat shirt. I am comfortable, but not sweating. I was going to go for a walk but it seem to be trying to rain, but only a few drops and then stops. If it clears a bit I need to get the exercise. I have not been able to do much hiking yesterday or today. I bought a couple math books with so have been brushing up on a bit of Number Theory.

Tue 02-12-24 16:27:18

Sunday night it rained for about 5 hours, not hard, but a nice steady rain. Monday it was nice and clear, but there was a fair breeze that made it too cool to be comfortable out side; so I stayed in the van and read and studied some math books I brought for just such occasion. By 2:30 PM I decided I really needed to get out and get some exercise. I bundled up with long-johns, three shirts and a jacket and went for about a 3 mile hike. There were a couple fellows that came by in a Dodge pickup truck and we talked for about an hour. One was from New Mexico, and the other was from Minneapolis; they had met around here about 3 years ago. I had put some water in one of the "solar showers" and left it in the sun from about 11 AM till after I got back from my hike; it was not ice cold but definitely on the cool side, so I got a quick minimal shower.

Today, it was crystal clear, and only a slight breeze. I put more water in the "solar shower", it was warm enough that I felt comfortable laying on a mat in the sunshine; but it was a bit cool when I set up in a folding chain. On the ground there seems to be less breeze. After lunch I decided it was definitely warm enough for a hike, without bundling up like I had to do the day before. Again walked for about 2 hours, but didn't follow the road as much, also maybe people headed for town for some last minute X-mass shopping.

This is a rather different X-mass eve, but there are at least a dozen other RVers who are spending it in the same area. There are a few high clouds, but I doubt it will rain tonight. As I lay I could not help but think about what many little kids are thinking should be happening tonight. I decided to put my thoughts about Santa Clause in a separate page.