The Desert Diaries
The Desert Diaries
Maxine in her CowGirl Era
Maxine's Arizona trip began in true adventurous style – hiring a Jeep with huge off-road tyres and setting off from Las Vegas to Meadview, south of the Grand Canyon West.
The challenge started almost immediately when her internet connection disappeared, leaving her without SatNav or Google Maps - and for those of you who know Maxine and her legendary sense of direction, you'll know what a nightmare that is!
After a 'few' wrong turns, a stop at what she thought was a motel (which turned out to be a care home), and help from a kind doctor who printed her a map, she was back on track.
As the hub of the city disappeared behind her, the desert silence opened up.
The mountain vista drifted closer, Joshua trees and occasional shacks hugged the roadside, pointing into the Wild Wild West.
Eventually she arrived at her wooden cabin No5, (home for the next week or so) just before the sun set, relieved, tired and everso slightly dusty.
The next day came the mighty Grand Canyon West
Maxine said 'no words could describe this monolithic landscape and being imersed in natures timeline.
It was almost to much to take in, was this real or was I back in Vegas'
Here's two magical unplanned findings that Maxine stumbled upon. 'The Seven Magical Mountains' made from granite mined from local mountains. A creative expression of human presence in the desert, this beautiful piece punctuates with a poetic burst of form and colour.
Maxine now has a project in mind to deconstruct these wonderous stacks back into mountains.
On her way back to the cabin she stopped off in Goodsprings, heading for this 18th centuary Saloon bar. Getting out of the Jeep she heard live music playing in the back yard, a tight band headed by a black diva in her 70's, played some amazing soul funk sounds - what more could a cowgirl ask for!
Leaving Meadview and driving through Arizona towards the Mojave Desert in California on her way to Nipton, the tyre pressure warnings suddenly flashes across the dashboard.
Miles from nowhere the pressure quickly dips... 37,28,20... then out of the blue just in time Maxine sees a sign for a gas station. The station didnt have an air pump, but a lovely helpful man tried to change the tyre. The Jeeps jack wouldn't raise the waggon high enough...nightmare...
After some hand drawn directions from the lovely garage clerk, she's sent on my way to a 'nearby' tyre garage. ' With 5 minutes to spare, I rush into reception. It was 4.55pm - can anyone please change a tyre for me'? By the way they’re far to heavy for me to handle. Joe, an American Indian guy behind reception got someone onto it pronto.
Whilst it was being changed, Joe, with his long white hair tied back, beckoned me over saying 'they'll be no charge, just give the mechanic a cash tip. Turns out all I had on me was click & pay. He delved into his pocket and pulled out a role of dollars,
'give these to him' he smiled.
'What a wonderful act of kindness ending a momentous desert adventure'
