7/19/2021 The Mojave to Kingman AZ

So, we left Joshua Tree City and quickly found ourselves even deeper in the desert. I didn't think it was possible. But it got flatter and more rocky and sandy and hot. This morning Snack Guy took me on a walk before we left and I stepped on a cactus. It hurt. Worse even, some barb got stuck in my paw. I'm not a complainer, so I didn't cry out or anything, I just kind of lay down and started to lick at it, as one would. Turns out that was not such a good idea because the barb had a lot of little thorns in it and they broke up when I chewed at them, so they were in my paw and now in my mouth. It hurt. Snack Guy had to carry me back to the Airbnb, and when we got their it totally freaked out Food Lady. They had to hold me down and get all the little needles out of my paw and out of the roof of my mouth, and I was not pleased in the least. It was a heck of a way to start the day. It didn't really get any better. After all the drama of the cactus needles was sorted out, we packed up the not-Jeep and headed out. We wound up back on Rt. 66, a section we'd skipped to go to Joshua Tree. Then some place called The Mojave Desert. Snack Guy needed another stamp, which meant we had to drive a half-an-hour into the depths of the desert to a sad, empty, lonely, little visitor's center, with a sad, lonely, little park ranger. Snack guy got his stamp. And boy, oh boy, I told you if you liked rocks and Joshua trees, that last park was for you…well, if you like rocks and sand, and rocks and sand, and more rocks and more sand, then the Mojave is for you. It was hot as an oven when Food Lady is cooking. I don't know why in the world we went there. But there we were. And then of course they decided to stop and eat lunch. And then of all places, it started to rain. I don't know what was wrong with the world this day, but everything seemed out of place, and my paw and mouth hurt. But we moved on. And in a few hours drive, we found ourselves in Kingman AZ. A quirky little town, with a lot of quirky people and quirky little dogs. It's one of the towns famous for being on Rt. 66. Also famous for being the home of one, Andy Devine. Now, Snack Guy tells us he only knows who Andy Devine is because of a song by Jimmy Buffett which mentions the actor. That song is Pencil-thin Mustache if you are interested. It's not my favorite. My favorite song happens to be Queen's Bohemian Rapsody…..but that's another story. Anyhow, I digress. So, Andy Devine is an actor from back in the 50s and 60s famous for being a cowboy sidekick with a distinctive voice. You can YouTube him if you're so inclined. Snack Guy did and made us watch. So, we rode along Andy Devine Avenue in Kingman and the sights were both interesting and kind of sad. It's kind of ghost townish with a few quirky shops. I know I've used that word a few times already, but really, that's the only word that would work for this town. We did find a nice little coffee shop, The Human Bean, and they got some great coffee and even greater puppuccino. This one had a doggy treat in it, so I was pleased. The house we stayed at is OK. There's kind of rocky back yard, but Food Lady and Snack Guy keep talking about it being kind of dingy and dirty. I kind of feed off their vibes, so I can't really get comfortable here either. This morning Snack Guy had to take the not-a-Jeep in to get its oil changed, and we all wound up going. The we had to walk back because it was going to take a few hours. It was a longer walk than we'd planned. I think they may have been trying to kill me. But we made it, and Snack Guy finally got to see a Tumble Weed. Something he's been dying to see this whole time. But as we walked through town, we realized again that there is something just kind of sad about this whole little town. The people don't seem happy, and the dog park was the worst yet. Full of mean dogs, too big and mean to play with, and a bunch of little dogs, and honestly, I just didn't have any idea how to deal with those guys. I tried to play and to get them to play, but it was no use. Finally, we just gave up and came on back to our dirty little house. That's all there is to report about the Mojave and Kingman AZ. Tomorrow we move on the Grand Canyon. Sounds fun. More rocks and a big hole in the ground. I miss grass and home. But we can't quit yet. More adventure to come.

And I'll keep you posted,

Risa