Day 5 - Palo Verde to Quartzsite, AZ

Last night's dinner was oriental chicken with water chestnuts, salad with cheese and blueberries, and cheesecake. I had expected 60 days of Mac and cheese, so the meals are awesome!
Not so awesome was the men's shower (singular). And tonight's RV park only has one working shower. Water conservation?
Jerry and I were so thirsty after yesterday's ride that we rode to a nearby convenience store and each bought a gallon of cold water. (The van was low on water.)
Today was an easy day - 43 miles in 4+ hours. Temps were in the 40s when we left soon after 7, and were moderated by high clouds. After several miles the road became smooth asphalt with a light breeze and minimal traffic. The low sunlight lit up Palo Verde Mesa to the northwest. Perfect for riding (see photo of Dick passing the fields). We frequently pass irrigation canals like the one in the photo. You can feel the humidity change by them. In the first 10 miles we gained one foot elevation.
In 24 miles we crossed the Colorado River (photo) and entered Arizona. One state down, seven to go.
In Ehrenberg we got on interstate 10 and rode the shoulder for 12 miles. Four miles up the road was a nice rest area (see photo of Andre, Jerry, Ken, Bob and Dick having a snack). We gained 732 feet according to Andre, but the slope was easy riding.
In 15 miles we rolled into Quartzsite. The town attracts 100,000 RV dwellers for 6 months and drops to 3,000 the rest of the year. We passed a vintage car dealer (see photo of an Edsel station wagon). We are in the B-10 RV park which is sparse now. Needed a hammer for tent stakes; gravel everywhere. While waiting for Mitch and the van, Linda suggested ice cream at Dorothy and Toto's just down the road. Huge scoops of home-made ice cream. I had a date milkshake which was excellent (see photo). Andre and Flynn teed up a game of chess (see photo).
Bruce