Bridge closed - for ever?

Back in Holtville LTVA and there is only matter that is on everyone's mind. 
The closed access over the bridge over the irrigation canal on Evan Hewes Hwy north/east of ramp 131,  115/van der Linden Rd. 

The only paved access is from ramp 143 via the old Ewan Hewes Hwy. And that is a bumpy 12 miles (20 km) ride. (We did that coming back from our trip to Quartzsite and Joshua Tree Park and my whole pantry shelves came down.

A 12 miles ride west on Ewan Hewes Hgy from ramp 143

Otherwise you would have to go rough over sandy, rutted desert roads. We cannot do that either with a car trailer behind our 40-footer. One thing is for sure. I am watching the weather forecast like a hawk. Come rain we have to be out of hear before the road convert into mud lakes.

After a rain storm..

One thing I want to explain here. It is not the bridge itself that is damaged, it is the access road entering the bridge from the East. Recently someone climbed under the bridge to have a look and he said that the ground is washed out and you can park a car in that hole. So - it is serious. A heavy vehicle could make the pavement collapse at any time.

That was when we came, now access to the bridge is closed with heavy concrete blocks

They would have to fix the "Aggregate Base Course". (that is: The layer of material immediately beneath the pavement. It may be composed of crushed stone, crushed or uncrushed sand and gravel, or combinations of these materials. To provide the service intended it must be uniform in strength to support the pavement. 
Source for explanation.


Our LTVA host is now gathering email addresses. He will send out a message to inform people if the access to the bridge is fixed or not come September 2012.

Die Straße über die Brücke ist nun mit Betonklötzen völlig gesperrt. Die Trasse unter dem Asphalt and der Brücke ist ausgewaschen. Nun kann man kann nur noch über eine alte Seitenstraße zum Camp fahren, oder durch die Wüste.  Wann die Zufahrt wieder geöffnet wird steht zur Zeit noch in den Sternen. Vielleicht zur kommenden Wintersaison, vielleicht auch nicht.

Veien inntil camp området er no fullstændig blokert fordi bunnen av veien er vasket ut av regnværet. Nå må vi tar enten en gammel landevei eller gå igjennom ørkenen. Og det er ikke sikkert om det vil bli reparert til neste saison begynner.

Food for the eye

Early Brittlebush

I would rather write about the flowers we saw today than about my today's dinner. There wasn't much to cook anyway. The fridge is about empty.


I am a nature's fan and always looking for birds and flowers along the road.
And on the net I even found their names.
It is still early January but there are already some flowers to see in the desert near Joshua Tree Park, CA. See more photos of today's trip here.

Chuparosa, justicia californica

Creosote Bush, laraea tridentata

Arizona Lupine, lupinus arizonicus

Woody Bottlewasher, camissonia boothii

Chanterbury Bells, phacelia campanularia

And welcome to the blog Terry and Jeri!

Green Beans and Fleamarket

There was a nasty wind today and we could not go on as planned to Joshua Tree Park. J.P. and I stayed putt and went to the fleamarket in Quartzsite, AZ instead. 

Lots of stuff on the fleamarket

In the afternoon we sat together in lee of the campers with Lee, Terry, Jeri and Toni. 
Sandi and Jim, as well as Denise left today to visit other premisses. They are really nice people and I hope we will meet again somewhere, some time.

When supper came I was prepared. Today we had green string beans, pork stew and potatoes. 


There is no fire tonight, it is pretty cool outside. Time to read and blog.

Heute mußten wir unsere Reisepläne ändern. Es war ziemlich frischer Wind angesagt und deshalb blieben wir noch einen Tag länger in Quartzsite.


Wir haben noch mal den Flohmarkt besucht und später mit Lee, Terri, Jery und Toni im Windschatten des Wohnwagens Kaffee getrunken.
Sandi, Jim und Denise haben die Gegend schon heute morgen verlassen und sind wieder auf Tour. Ich hoffe wir sehen uns mal wieder.


Zum Abendessen gab es grüne Bohnen mit Schweinegoulasch und Kartoffeln.
Heute Abend wird es auch kein Lagerfeuer geben, es ist zu ungemütlich. Da kann man nur drinnen sitzten und Lesen oder Bloggen.

Vi kjørte ikke til Joshua Tree Park idag, det var varslet for mye wind i området. Istedenfor besøkte vi loppemarket og koste oss med kaffe i skyggen av campingvognen. 
Sandi, Jim og Denise er allerede på tur igjen, De forlått Quartzsite imorres men jeg håper vi treffes igjen noen gang.
Til middag ble det grønne bønner og svinegryte.
Det vil ikke bli noe bål ikveld, det er alt for kjølig for å sitte ute. Vi heller koser oss innendørs og leser eller skriver i bloggen.