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An
exit with a story? Spot Road |
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Stout's
Hotel in Gila Bend |
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View
of the Mohawk Mountains |
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1)
I passed Spot Road. There has to be a story behind
that name. I saw a lineup of about a thousand birds, all sitting
on a highline in a row. They seemed to be perfectly spaced,
each with its own bird version of elbow room. There were cattle
grazing in the desert -- cattle are a big thing with me. You
sometimes see military aircraft practicing their maneuvers
in the skies to the south, on the Goldwater Gunnery Range.
Another interesting thing -- fields or outcrops
of black rocks scattered about the desert, perhaps of volcanic
origin. Where's geologist Arizona Buck when you need him?
He'd know. I've seen these black rocks in other desert places
too -- never thought much about them. I wonder how they got
there.
In Gila Bend, a gas station has photos of the
town as it was in pre-interstate days. It was a busy little
town, with many more buildings than today and lots of shade
trees. It doesn't look like the same place now. The crowded
downtown is gone, there's lots of space where buildings used
to be, and there are very few trees. In the summer, that makes
things hotter. They should plant more trees.
Elsewhere, there are falling-down buildings,
abandoned adobes and mobile homes, vehicle junkyards and occasional
white crosses. Years ago, Arizonans placed white crosses along
the highway where loved ones died in traffic crashes. In recent
years, we've started doing this again. Too often, you pass
these memorials to fellow travelers who never made it home.
Please drive carefully.
As I left Yuma, my thoughts strayed to the frequently-voiced
opinion that this road is boring. I understand the sentiment.
I've felt that way myself at times in certain places. But
beauty and appeal exist where you find them. Your attitude
can shape your point of view. I set out to really see Interstate
8, to discover if anything was unique about it. It's a road
many would consider monotonous, even ugly. But once I started
looking, it was more than I could do to note everything of
interest along the way. Of course, this is my home, and I
have an advantage in that respect since I know its history.
But open eyes and minds can find the things along any road
that make it unique, interesting or beautiful. Take the time
to look, and you'll see.
Bob
Schaller
January 29, 2007
