Desert Messenger

16 www.DesertMessenger.com April 6, 2016 Traveling with Gypsy Jane by Jane Finley writer * artist * teacher (stretching, exercise, relaxation, meditation) Rock Siesta Bisbee, AZ 3/20/16 I heard about the Quartzsite Rock Fiesta a couple of months ago. When I learned last week that as many as 20,000 people were expected to come to tiny Quartzsite AND that it would be almost in my backyard AND there would be two days of probably very loud music until midnight, I made immedi- ate plans to skip town. After all, I moved to Quartzsite to escape those big-city crowds and NOISE. Last week as I watched what seemed like miles of orange fencing go up, the huge stage with many loud speakers, and the enormous white tents with peaks like some middle- eastern harem, I knew I had made the right decision -- even though I was offered a free two-day pass. Since I had a ticket to hear a John Denver singer in Brenda at 3:00 on Wednesday, I thought why not just take off from there and stay away until Sunday? Seemed like a plan. It started out well. The John Denver show exceeded my expecta- tions. After the concert, I thanked the singer for his "gift" and told him that John Denver's music got me through a lot of hard times many years ago. What a unique and talented individual, and the per- former portrayed him perfectly! I felt like it was John Denver's hand I shook. After the concert, I headed for Phoenix where I planned to stop at Mimi's Restaurant for the best French onion soup in the whole world. Then the good time came to an abrupt end when I hit the bumper-to-bumper traffic as I ap- proached Phoenix. For miles and miles, as far as the eye could see, I watched my speedometer linger at five miles per hour with no end in sight. Finally, I got to Dysert, the Mimi exit, and I felt I had earned that special soup. No way was I go- ing to get back on the freeway after dark; so I went to the nearby Waffle House, which I thought was open 24 hours, and parked way in the back for the night. In the morning I treated myself to a disappointing pecan waffle at The Waffle House and then guess what? I got back on the freeway with its bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at a snail's pace, all the time ask- ing myself WHY PEOPLE LIVE IN PHOENIX. I was in a kind of hold- ing pattern because the sun was in my eyes, and I missed the 10 East exit, landing at the state capitol. It has happened before. So, I pulled over and took a nap. No way could I face not only finding my way back to 10 East but the never-ending traf- fic jam, not to mention those huge trucks that seem determined to sandwich me in and honk at me. After Phoenix I had Tucson to look forward to (NOT). Since it was mid-day by then, the traffic began to thin and was OK the rest of the way to Bisbee. I visited Bisbee when I was full-timing in my RV 10+ years ago. My first stop was the food co-op. I parked behind a van and noticed a bumper sticker that said, of all things, "Rock Fiesta, Quartzsite, Arizona March 18 and 19." Is there no escape? I said to the guy, "You're a long way from Quartzsite," and we exchanged life stories, including all the recent traffic jams in Phoenix. He said he planned to drive through at 9:00 p.m., but it was still crowded. I LOVE Bisbee, mainly because it has a lot of respect for the past. It doesn't just tear down buildings and "build a parking lot." Most of the homes are VERY old; they just keep repairing them, and it adds to Bisbee's history. I spoke at the library there and was awed by its beauty -- all that wood! It must have taken a whole forest to build it. Bisbee is a very unique town in many ways: Old Town with all the hotels (including the majestic Cop- per Queen), restaurants, bars, and music; the food co-op which is just past the humongous copper pit for which Bisbee is infamous; the park where the Saturday market is held, and the long drive out to the golf course (and Safeway) which is very close to the border. When I pass the border patrol, no matter what time it is, it is always packed with border patrol cars. I think about all the dollars we spend on keeping people out... I don't know why I expected Bis- bee to be the same. Of course, it wasn't. Back then, I dry camped at the golf club close to the Mexican border (and this time experienced the controversial fencing I'd heard so much about) -- thought about all the time and expense it costs us to keep people OUT. At the golf club, the wonderful manager Pete was no longer there. The first sign that things in Bisbee would not be the same. Next I drove by the Senior Cen- ter where I exercised and played canasta years ago. It was closed. As I started to leave, I asked some people sitting outside if they ever had activities at night. They said there was a corned beef and cabbage St. Patrick's Day dinner in about an hour. Perhaps my luck was chang- ing! I had been looking for corned beef and cabbage all day. I went to the $10 dinner, and it was excellent. I was so tired after the intense drive, I didn't even go dancing, just went back and parked overnight at the Senior Center. (BUT right now with dancing music playing on a local radio station as I write this, I'd love to be dancing -- tonight for sure). The music scene in Bisbee has also changed since I was here years ago. Old Town was almost empty. I did find one good singer, but NO dancing. Because of that I decided to leave Bisbee right after the Saturday outdoor market. It was about the best outdoor mar- ket I've attended -- not too big, but big enough to satisfy my every need. I ate some wonderful food in two different places (both excel- lent: one curry stew and one green chili breakfast burrito), and there was even live music; so I got to DANCE.....outside....in the sun- shine......my favorite kind of danc- ing. Of course, as usual I was the only one dancing. The trip back to Q was much bet- ter because I got off at Casa Grande (Hwy 8), thinking I'd find some kind of live music on a Saturday night, but no luck; so I spent the night at Walmart. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was disappointed with Casa Grande. It was much bigger than I expected -- one big strip mall. In the morn- ing, I traveled on Hwy 8 again and then headed north to Buckeye on Hwy 85; thereby skipping Phoenix all together. I had to backtrack a bit to get to Mimi's where I treated myself to their fantastic (and ex- pensive) eggs Benedict, my favorite breakfast. Here's some of what I learned: Traveling is much easier on Sat- urday and Sunday than during the week when people are commuting to work. Secondly, In big cities NEVER drive between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. or 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.! Why did it take me sooooooo long to learn this? I'm reminded how all my lessons are either hard or ex- pensive or BOTH! The good thing is: I now know at least two ways to avoid driving through Phoenix! Life's a journey; take the scenic route! -- from RoadTripAmerica.com Jane's book is WANDERINGS: Liv- ing the Ordinary Extraordinarily (Stories from the Road). For an update on Jane's travels and writ- ing, visit her website (janefinley. com) and/or read "Traveling with Gypsy Jane" and "Poems from the Road" in The Desert Messenger (desertmessenger.com) begin- ning March 5, 2014. (contact: janefinley@yahoo,com)

• Cover