We have settled in almost the same place we were last on the “beach” at South Shore of Senator Wash (the GPS keeps saying Senator Washington, wonder where that came from).  The lake has emptied for the time being and we are overlooking a mudflat with gulls. Day time temperatures have been mid 70’s and overnight has been mid 50’s.  Shorts weather is greatly sought after and will be with us for a while. 

We have taken a hike around the lake, three and a half hours with one small detour.  As we approached the end of the walk we came across a man selling LED replacement bulbs for our interior light fixtures.  They are very bright and draw a tenth the power of the old incandescent bulbs.  They are also about ten times as expensive!  The lamps he had did not work out as the light they cast was too garish and inadequate for the purpose in the fixtures we have.  Fortunately he left them with us on a trial basis, back they go.  The technology is changing fast and while we were in town shopping for some other replacement stuff I found some newer LEDs that work very well.  They have warmed them up and these can be swiveled within the fixture.  Although I have seen similar lamps for in home use I would not suggest them, yet.  The price has to come way down and the light quality still needs a lot of improvement.  We have three on the coach now because they are battery savers, and when dry camping they are fuel savers as I can reduce my generator run time.

Last night, after having finished yet another Nevada Barr murder in the National Parks mystery, I got out Moby Dick, the Whale, H Melville and started out with the classic opening sentence: “Call me Ishmael.”  I think Carol was surprised to hear me chuckling through the opening chapters.  I guess I too was surprised at the humor.  I am looking forward to a great time reading this book.  You will understand if I write less for the next week or so. 

I shall pause in this writing now to enjoy the day. . .

Resuming; It is now Wednesday, March 3, We have gone kayaking with Doug and Lois from the Southwind parked next to us.  We have been back to town for more produce and to take back stuff that was the wrong stuff and replace with the right stuff.  I now have new windshield wipers on the coach, a nontrivial exercise since many places do not carry the 26” wipers we need.  The old ones were shredding as we drove through the last rain storm. 

We have finally been to Lutes Casino for lunch.  It may have had some gambling once upon a time, it was won by the current owner 40 years ago in a card game, but its primary business today is to serve a lot of good food at a reasonable price.  It is on Main Street in Old Yuma and it is packed.

And now it is Thursday, I had better finish this off and post it, but first another set of facts we learned yesterday.  The reason for the highly variable amount of water in Senator Wash has been a matter of conjecture among those of us camping on its shore for as many years as we have been coming here.  Yesterday while Carol and I were on a walk ( a hike would imply use of poles and backpacks with water and distance) that took us down to the Pumping/Generator station below the Senator Wash Dam.  There was an employee of the Imperial Valley Irrigation District coming out of the pump house and we stopped him to ask about the operation.  It seems that water for agriculture irrigation is ordered from Hoover Dam seven days in advance of expected need.  The wash is the last holding place for surplus and a buffer in the event too little is available for the farms’ needs.  According to this man up until four years ago the woman responsible for estimating the need and placing the order was so competent that the reservoir seldom fluctuated more than a foot or so.  She died, the current managers, including her son apparently are not so good at forecasting, thus major swings in the amount of water in the Wash and the shoreline comes and goes.

When we leave here we will go to Borrego Springs to meet Dean and Janet – Death Valley last year – and arrange to get together with the Hoggs as well.  then into Los Angeles to spend family time and face an incredible rip off at Dockweiler RV Park (municipal park) where the rate has risen 80% from last years rate which was a 33% increase over the prior year.  Welcome to California!