After returning from our 14 month around the world travels, with no home to come back to, we weighed our options. We weren’t ready to “settle down” again, so we decided to buy a used, 17 foot travel trailer and truck to pull it. With winter coming, we decided to “hit the road” in our new home in order to find a warmer place to live for the winter.
Finding the southern states and Texas too rainy, we headed further west and after many fits and starts, found our winter home in the desert of southeast California at a BLM campground called Coon Hollow. One could pay a small fee to camp there from November to April. There were no facilities, just desert camping, so we outfitted ourselves with a solar panel to charge our batteries and bought some water storage containers to fill once a week at the rest stop 12 miles away.
We chose a large space at the north end of the campground away from the other “full timers”. We had a picnic table, grill, a dry wash in back of us lined with mesquite trees and a view of the desert hills to the east and west. We set up our tent to sleep in, put up a shade tarp over our table and settled in for the winter.
Our days were spent exploring the local area on foot, choosing a new direction each day. The area was used for training Patten’s army in WWII and there were many interesting artifacts scattered all over the desert from that time period. Things like spent ammunition, ration boxes, ammo boxes, etc. Of course there were also many Native American artifacts as well as interesting rocks and minerals. It was peaceful and quiet except for the booms from the bombing range not too far away which lit up the night skies like fireworks. We were also treated to sightings of the latest military aircraft which would fly so low over the campground that we could see the pilots faces! 
We gradually made friends with the other full-time “snowbirds”, most of whom came from the Western US and Canada with a smattering of Easterners. They were a friendly, active group of retirees who took us youngsters under their wings, inviting us to pot luck gatherings and holiday parties. The regulars shared their knowledge of the area with us and took us on hair-raising, teeth rattling jeep trips into the desert to visit historical sites and old mines.
Once a week, Sky and I would make the 45 minute trip to Blythe to shop, do internet at the library and get our mail. We would also explored over the border into Quartzsite, AZ where 1000s of “snowbirds” gathered each winter to camp and attend the many flea markets and rock and mineral shows that were held there. Sky, having had a long time interest in rocks and minerals, was thrilled to attend the shows and we both got “hooked” on buying beads and findings to make jewelry. We would load up on supplies in Quartziste and spend the week back at camp crafting earring and necklaces, then back to Quartzsite to buy more supplies. The rock and mineral club in Quartzsite offered classes to members, so we paid our dues and signed up for the classes on cutting and polishing stones and crafting sterling silver jewelry.
Just to the east of our campground, up in the hills, was a mine where one could dig fire agate. It was owned by Nancy, an eccentric woman, who lived there year round, in an old school bus, with her partner Howard. We really hit it off with Nancy and Howard and ended up spending a great deal of time up there both digging, learning silver jewelry making, listening to Nancy’s stories and visiting with the constant parade of fascinating people who would come there. There were people from all over the country and the world! Geologists, college professors, writers, miners, retirees, all with interesting stories.
Springtime brought rain to the desert. Rain brought flash floods to the wash behind us, impassable flooded roads and a burst of wildflowers, grass and green leaves to the trees and cactus. The dry, brown desert was transformed, almost overnight, into a wonderland of color. It was fascinating to have it raining and then hear the hiss of the water in the wash as it started to flow towards us from south to north. A dry bed of sand was soon transformed into a roiling river of mud and froth of rapids that would give even the most experienced rafter a run for their money. A few hours later, all that would be left were a few puddles!
That first winter at Coon Hollow turned into a yearly pilgrimage for us. We made fast friends, learned more about rocks, minerals and jewelry making and, in fact, it led directly to Sky forming his rock and mineral business called Red Sky Minerals! He is now one of those vendors at Quartzsite that we used to buy from! Who would have thought that trip across the country to find a warm place for the winter would turn into a business and passion for buying and selling rocks and minerals.
Until next time…….be fearless in following your passions, they may turn up where you least expect them!
Terra Lyn Joy 