I have gone from temps in the 100's to a cool overcast day in San Diego. I was coming in on the I8 and watching the sun drop into the ocean. After a few wrong turns, and three or four phone calls to Will, I finally arrived at Rolando Blvd, and Marty's house. It was so wonderful to see Will standing there at the door!

After I checked out in Marana, Arizona, I drove to the Saguaro National Park. I had noticed a few of those welcoming cacti, but I was unprepared for what I saw in the park! Literally a forest of saguaros! Not only them but other cacti as well. I stopped at the visitor center, watched the slide show, looked at the exhibits, talked to the rangers, and of course bought a few things. I was going to take a driving tour around the park, but decided against it, as I needed to get on the road, and I got to the see the saguaros up close and personal. The Indians in this area look at the saguaros as being human, and indeed as you look at each one with or without arms, they do look like humans, standing tall and welcoming everyone. I saw holes in some which were the homes of birds and tiny owls. The local Indians harvest the fruit and make jelly. I asked why there was none at the center, and was told the only place you can buy it is on the reservation. I decided I would come back next time and get some at a later date.

The saguaros are unique to the Sonoran Desert, which covers the southwestern corner of Arizona, into a small portion of southeastern California, and the northern part of Mexico. This is the only place they can be found in the world. Amazing. And I got to see them. I truly feel privileged.

Before I got on the road, I bought a seedless watermelon from a roadside stand to bring for Will and I to eat. Then back on I8, and going west. I drove past a sign that said Elevation: SEA LEVEL. Okay. But what about all those mountains I see coming at me? I got to the California border and had my first stop. The check for animals, plants and fruit and vegetables coming into the state. Whoops! The young man said, "You're from Virginia?" Yes, I nodded. He ran off the list of things I might be carrying in the car, and I shook my head, and crossed my fingers! "Have a great day" he said. I had covered the watermelon with my shirt!

So Matilda and I took off. Not feeling very guilty, and quite sure we weren't bringing in any dangerous insects into California. The very first thing I came upon were sand dunes! I don't mean sand dunes like on Cape Cod. I mean huge, huge sand dunes. And every once in a while, I would see a small bush that was clutching for dear life on one of them. I could not believe what I was seeing.

Then I saw THE FENCE. The barrier to keep people from coming into the U.S. illegally. It was in the distance, but I could see it. I was in the Imperial Valley, an agricultural region. It was kind of eerie to see the fence or whatever they call it. Then it disappeared, either because there was no more of it, or because it was more distant. Then the signs indicated there was another border stop. This time there were some very SERIOUS looking border patrol men, one with a dog who was sniffing every car, right around the gas tank. No one really smiled, and I was waved on.

I was now climbing again, up to 4000 feet above sea level. And all around me were mountains - but were they really mountains, or mountains of huge boulders! And where did they come from. It was like an enormous crane had picked up the stones and just piled them up. Every mountain was like that. I thought of how that happened? A volcanic eruption at some point, an earthquake (I don't think so). I need to find out the answer to this. Up and down we went, down to 2000 feet and then back up to 4000 feet. We did this about four times. At one point, a sign recommended that drivers turn off their A/C, because of overheating. And about every half mile, there were concrete barrels, with RADIATOR WATER, printed on them.

Going up probably the third climb, once again, there was a border stop and check. I was waved on, as were most cars and trucks, but I noticed one small pickup, with a cover on it, that was pulled over, and the border patrolmen were going through everything in the back. And positively NO ONE WAS SMILING!

The I8 is an easy road, with very few trucks and little traffic, UNTIL you get close to San Diego. Then traffic picks up, there are more lanes, and driving west, the sun in your eyes. And the speed limit remains at 70 and then at 65, with most people knowing where they are going!!! Matilda and I just kept heading west into the sunset, feeling good that we had made it across 2800 miles of this beautiful country of ours, with much more to see and do!

Adieu, Adios, and Mahalo,
I love you all,
Sally