Desert Messenger

October 5, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 15 We have great lunch menus, serving at 12 noon sharp! Suggested donation is only $3.50. There's cards, books, games, puzzles, pool table, Wi-Fi available. Community Services, Volunteers Needed! Come join the fun at Quartzsite SENIOR Center 40 Moon Mountain Ave. For more information call 928-927-6496 Senior Center open all year! Monday - Friday, 9am – 3pm Traveling with Gypsy Jane I was delighted to see Pagosa Springs, Colorado had changed lit- tle since I visited, maybe ten years ago. When I said that at the Visi- tors' Center, the woman respond- ed, "Have you been up on the hill?" The hill was about four miles away, and I thought I'd save that for on the way out of town to Durango. YIKES! That up-town growth was unbelievable. I couldn't even see the stores I used to visit; it was so jam packed with new businesses. Unfortunately, this is true for most of the places I visit. They lose their charm and are being destroyed by growth! I had an hour before dark -- time to drive to the nearest Forest Ser- vice road in Pagosa Springs where I could park free for the night. The road was close to town and easy to find. There was a sign at the entrance which said "trail head 5 miles." I started up the pretty- good gravelly, dirt road. I kept an eye out for a campground or trail- head and passed an unmarked road on the left and one on the right a few miles later. They didn't look like campgrounds or trailheads to me. I drove on and On and ON. I was sure I'd gone five miles, but of course I didn't check my RV mile- age: mistake #1. THEN, the road stopped! NOT FUNNY! In fact, pretty scary! Now, I don't believe in worry. Most of the time it's a waste of time, but let me tell you I was wayyyyy past worried. I have a 21-foot RV, and the road was nar- row. I didn't see how I could turn around. By this time, it was al- most dark, and I decided to spend the night where I was and tackle the problem tomorrow morning at first light. Needless to say, it was a sleepless night. It was about 8:00 p.m., and because I was not sleepy, I decided to read for an hour. Then I tried sleeping. Then I read for another hour. This went on until about midnight. At that point, I got up and did everything I needed to do to get my RV ready to leave at first light, including brushing my teeth. I really didn't think I could turn around in that small space. There was a hill on one side and a drop- off on the other. So what were my options? First, I would try to turn around. Second, I could hike down the road in hopes of finding help. (I even made a list of what to take with me: water, emergency phone with no service, insurance card, flashlight, food, etc.) Third, I could try to back down the narrow road. None of the choices sounded good. I tossed and turned, playing each scenario over and over in my mind adding to my anxiety and sleepless- ness. Worry is not good for your health, and I could feel my hair turning gray. Then, I thought of something! My tires were at least five feet from the end of my RV. That meant I could extend the rear end over the edge of the drop-off, and the tires would still be on solid ground. That made my RV alot smaller. I really thought that would work; so I finally got to sleep about 1:00 a.m. I don't know how long I slept, but I was awakened by a sharp clap of thunder. Great, I thought. Where there's thunder, there's lightning. Lightning starts forest fires, and I was stuck in the moun- tains unable to turn around. I sniffed the air. Did I smell smoke? That's what fear and panic do to by Jane Finley writer * artist * teacher (stretching, exercise, relaxation, meditation) It ain't all good! Pagosa Springs, CO VOTE for your favorite volunteer The nominations are in! The Quartzsite Health & Develop- ment Board wants to honor our local residents who work endless hours to make our town a great community. Outstanding Volun- teer Awards honor individuals for their commitment to outstanding volunteerism and making a dif- ference in the lives of residents in Quartzsite. There are two age groups- 18 or younger and 19 or older. You can vote for up to 3 in the adult category and 1 in the youth cat- egory. To Vote, fill out the Nomination Form on PAGE 16 of this edition and return it to Town Hall, the Senior Center, or give to Transit Drivers. by Oct. 14th. OR... You can also vote online at www.QuartzsiteSurvey.com. The winners will be honored at the October 25th Quartzsite Town Council Meeting. Let's have fun honoring our year-round helpers! you. Then, of course, the rain started. Now usually I love sleep- ing in the rain, but now it just increased my anxiety about trying to turn around on a wet road. I don't know how, but feeling trapped and helpless, I somehow managed to get back to sleep, When I next opened my eyes, it was light out. It took me five minutes to get in the drivers' seat. I honked my horn several times, hoping to attract help. Meanwhile, I put my first plan into play. After much back and forth for inches at a time and constantly jumping in and out of my RV to check how close the rear tires were to the edge, my plan worked! And, it was so much easier and faster than I thought. So much for worry! Driving out, I realized how impossible my other options were. Stress is a terrible thing, and I know I aged a few years from this experience. I had to be in Durango, Colora- do; so I left immediately. The long drive was uneventful and restful, the beautiful scenery alternating between mountain meadows and evergreen forests -- just what I needed after my harrowing experi- ence of the night before. So like most things, this summer's travel is a yin/yang kind of thang. *~*~*~* "I like to go out there looking like a strong woman, because I am strong. But I am also a woman who goes through all kinds of problems and highs and lows." ~Katy Perry *~*~*~* Jane's book is WANDERINGS: Living the Ordinary Extraordi- narily (Stories from the Road). For an update on Jane's travels and writing, visit her website (janefin- ley.com) and/or read "Traveling with Gypsy Jane" and "Poems from the Road" in The Desert Messenger (desertmessenger.com) beginning March 5, 2014 (contact: janefinley@yahoo.com).

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