Desert Messenger

10 www.DesertMessenger.com April 5, 2017 ADOT Travel survey continues thru April Traveling with Gypsy Jane Every eye in the place was on The Lady in Red. Not only was the red dress the most eye-catching in the room, but it swirled up around her thighs when she twirled. (I found myself hop- ing she had on underpants!) And the woman was gorgeous. She was tall and thin and had lovely reddish-blond hair. SPECTACULAR! I fi rst saw her in the red dress at the BlueWater Casino in Parker, Arizona many, many years ago. Of course, I no- ticed the red dress, and then I noticed she was a mad dancer, as was I, and a very good one. The amazing thing is, that over the next few years, I ran into her when I went out dancing in differ- ent cities: Yuma, Quartzsite, Parker, Havasu, Flagstaff, and maybe even Laughlin. That was kind of her stomp- ing ground, unless of course she was in Costa Rica; Ubud, Bali; Austria or other ports of call. I always remembered her and fi nally we greeted each other, more warmly each time. She came to Quartzsite where I lived in the winter each year. After a few years, I suggested she visit my home the next time she was in Q with the WINS (Wandering Individuals Network). She did, and now she visits regularly when in Q. If someone drives up to my house in the dark unexpect- edly, it can only be Janet. She's turned out to be one of my two best friends, attracted by similar lifestyles. I've done stories on both of them: independent, unique, and fascinating women! She pulled me up from my chair, and said, "Let's dance." I was obviously her favorite dancer! I'd never been picked up by a woman before... I've had vertigo for years (seldom severe), but it was Janet who unknow- ingly encouraged me to go to the ENT doctor. She told me about her several plastic surgeries which turned her into a 20-year-old at 60. She has a fi gure to die for and the energy to go with it. If she's not dancing, you can fi nd her at the top of a mountain, kayaking a riv- er, or hiking The Grand Canyon, usu- ally with a different man each time! (A few sour grapes, Jane?) Last year she biked the 237 mile Katy Trail, a rail-to-trail ride, starting at Clinton Missouri and going past St. Charles. She's never without her hik- ing boots, bicycle, and kayak. But I digress. Back to the ENT doc- tor. I thought if Janet can spend $500 on botox, I can make an appointment for my vertigo, to fi nd out what's go- ing on after 20 years. So that is how I got to the bottom of my vertigo/sinus problem, which is to say (allergies); there is no solution. (That will be $75 please.) I haven't seen Janet this season, and I miss her! Last I heard she was back home, having just returned from Costa Rica. I am insanely jealous....on MANY levels! ****** by Jane Finley writer * artist * teacher (stretching, exercise, relaxation, meditation) The Lady in Red 3/11/07) Quartzsite, AZ "You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth." ~William W. Purkey ****** Authors Jane Finley and Jack Wiley, both long-term RVers have teamed up to publish books from Gypsy Jane's discontinued website: WANDERINGS: Living the Ordinary Extraordinarily (Stories from the Road). To order: amazon.com. THRIFT STORE Benefitting the La Paz County Animal Shelter in Parker Supported by your generous donations! 455 E. Main St. Quartzsite Open Tues. thru Sat. 9-3 928-927-4223 Quartzsite Beauty Salon Perms, Colors, Haircuts. Men & Women HOURS 9-5 Monday thru Saturday Walk Ins Welcome! 250 E. Main Street Quartzsite, AZ 928-927-6664 National Household Travel Survey continues in Arizona through April Results will help inform transportation investments Over the past year, thousands of Arizonans have helped inform how we'll all get around in the future by accepting invitations to participate in the National Household Travel Sur- vey. With the survey wrapping up at the end of April, some are still getting letters asking them to take part. The Arizona Department of Trans- portation (ADOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHA) are sending these invitations, most of them to households outside of metropolitan Phoenix and Tuc- son. The survey, conducted every fi ve to seven years, provides an es- sential snapshot of transportation behaviors and trends by asking how members of a household get around on one day. It's important that as many house- holds as possible participate be- cause the answers will help state, local and federal offi cials decide when, where and how to invest lim- ited transportation funding to im- prove roads, public transportation, sidewalks, bike paths and more. Participation is voluntary and involves just a few easy steps. The fi rst requires fi lling out a brief sur- vey that comes with the invitation letter and returning it in a prepaid envelope. That takes about 10 min- utes. Participants receive travel logs to record where members of their household go on an assigned travel day. Then they provide the informa- tion online or by phone, a process that usually takes 20 to 25 minutes. Using a federal grant, ADOT has commissioned extra survey re- sponses from beyond the Phoenix and Tucson areas to learn more about travel behaviors and trends in Greater Arizona. The goal is for about 80 percent of all participants to live beyond the Sun Corridor. By law, all information provided is kept confi dential, will be used only for research and cannot be sold. Names and other identifying information aren't linked with the survey data used to create statistical summaries. For those who aren't invited to par- ticipate in the National Household Travel Survey, ADOT has created an online travel survey available at azdot.gov/NHTS. Information gathered through this survey will also help create a more valuable transportation system for all. More information on the National Household Travel Survey and how it helps ADOT and all of Arizona is available at azdot.gov/NHTS.

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