Sitting in my truck in the middle of the Mohave Desert, at the intersection of Calif. Hwy 62 and the California Aquaduct (34°3.616 N 115°16.062 W elev. 1001 ft) establishing a lunch spot for the marchers who will begin showing up in a few minutes. It's 9:30 in the morning.
The goal this morning was for marchers to be walking by 7:00 (or perhaps earlier) to cover as many miles as possible in the cool of the morning. I pulled out from last night's campsite at 7:30.
Typical for these hot desert days, I established a break point at 4.3 miles from camp, the lunch spot at 8.3 miles from camp, a second break point at 11 mi, and tonight's camp site will be 15.2 miles from last night's. The BLM has granted us opportunity to camp anywhere on their paoperty through this stretch of desert, which has made the site determination pretty easy. Any place where we can park our fleet of vehicles without any getting stuck in the sand is a good site.
We started this march on March 1st in Wilmington, Calif.with about 1,500 people walking away from an inspiring and enthusiastic rally held at Waterfront Park. We walked in a torrential downpour most of that Saturday and Sunday, and saw gradually drier days across Los Angeles and the eastern suburbs. We stayed in campgrounds with bathroom facilities and water, in people's homes where we had opportunity to bathe and sleep on a bed or couch, and in a parking lot squeezed between the Interstate 10 freeway and the railroad track with a mile-long freight train passing about twice an hour. In the desert since Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms we've had full moon and stunning sunrise and sunsets.
The group shrank to 42 people, and then to about 32. We loose somebody from time to time because they could only take a week or two off, or raised only enough money to join us for a short time, or whatever personal reason. We've also gained a few people, who only recently learned of our adventure, or couldn't get away earlier. Today our staff march director leaves us to get back to his wife and home in Iowa, where he will continue to work for us full-time until entering law school in the fall. We expect to loose another when we hit the Arizona border a few days from now, and at least two more when we reach Phoenix, about April 8th.
Now 9:45 ad the first of the marchers, whom we call "scouts" have arrived for lunch.
Two marchers signed up to join us in Phoenix, We hope to pick up at least a few more.
Some of the marchers are suffering from a variety of health problems. Mostly blisters and other foot aflictions, but a lingering cough, an aching back, a sprained knee and the like have taken marchers out of the walking for a day to a week.
We are currently supported by a fleet of 6 vehicles, which means that at least 6 of us are not walking the full distance in any one day. Today I drove the break/lunch truck, pulling the eco-commode trailer from last night's camp to the lunch spot. Then another volunteer took it to tonight's campsite and I was able to walk the final 4 miles.
My job for the next three days will be "campscape." I will be one of the last persons out of camp in the morning, whether driving or marching, to insure that nothing is left behind, the site is clear of any sign of our having been there more than foot prints and tire tracks. Then, I will endeavor to be one of the first on the next night's campsite, to determine positioning of the trucks and trailers to best serve the camp's needs. The primary gear (luggage) truck set cross to the wind so that the stoves and kitchen are sheltered; the eco-commode trailer safely off the road and easily accessible, the primary water truck parked high enough to draw water by gravity to where we need it, that all the vehicles are safely off the highway and not in danger of becoming stuck in the sand.
Others are cooks, loaders and unloaders, dish washers, etc., all taking care of the every day needs of the camp.
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Today, a coast-to-coast relay run, raising money to benefit the families of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing passed us. The primary support vehicle behind the runner was provided and staffed by US Marines from the nearby Twentynine Palms base, and blasting music for her to run by. Some of the journalists and photographers following the relay stopped and talked with us,, and we hope might make mention of our effort in their coverage of the relay.
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A brother and sister team returning from a family reunion in Joshua Tree to Phoenix stopped by to find out what we were all about. It turned out she is from Aguila, a town northwest of Phoenix, and by chance, the site of a recently cancelled camping opportunity. How fortuitous! She will look into possibilities of our staying in her yard, her neighborhood, or other nearby site. Ed put her on the phone to our Arizona coordinator to see what they could work out.
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Soon after establishing our camp, just off the highway here in the desert about 55 miles west of the Colorado River, a California Highway Patrol officer stopped by. I was close by so walked out to greet him. He greeted me by saying, "I'm curious." This of course put us at ease. We had a nice conversation with him about the desert, nearby towns, the strange county lines that make his territory alternately in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, climate change, and more. He was born and raised in Needles, Calif., but now resides in Lake Havasu City. He took Ed's card and went back to work, wishing us well.
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It's 8:00 and time for me to get ready for bed.
I'll try to write again another day, but there's little time or energy for such frivolities.
Love ya all,
Pablo
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