Road Gypsies - Val & Holland: 04/03/25

April 2nd: We pulled stakes in Kingman-AZ, hitched Independence to Betsy … and concentrated on following Elohim's lead into our Future 🙏

We're leaving AZ, this morning.

We loved AZ's warmth; but the constant devil winds and thin altitude air made breathing difficult for both of us. We did not know that the desert air would be worse for us than the humid rainforest coastal air of the PNW. I had always heard Drs. telling me that a drier climate would be best for my lungs … so, when in the Spring 2023 Holland agreed with me to sell the house on Longview-WA and travel the USA - making Yuma-AZ our long-term "home base" … I was elated! Holland had periodically lived all over the lower extremities of American States, and I was thrilled that I would get to see and experience those places with him - and make a home for us in Yuma, "the sunniest place in America!"

But that wonderful dream turned into a hellish reality, as we tried valiantly from 2023 to current 2025 to build a life "down south" on those hopes and prayers: we simply cannot breathe easy in any of the southern states - and Holland has faithfully ferried me to CA, NV, AZ, NM, & TX … doing, and going far beyond, to find a safe haven for us to rest our struggling lungs, and build a happy Life to enjoy our senior years.

NO GO 😕

While the air in Arizona can be dusty, doctors sometimes recommend it for people with lung issues because the dry, arid climate and lower humidity can be beneficial for certain respiratory conditions, especially compared to the humid climates of some other areas.

Reduced Humidity: Lower humidity in Arizona can help reduce the growth of mold and dust mites, which are common triggers for asthma and allergies. However, Arizona has a higher prevalence of certain lung diseases compared to other regions of the country - such as "Valley Fever" (Coccidioidomycosis) = this fungal infection is caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Coccidioides immitis, which is present in the soil in Arizona. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including fever, cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath: Arizona has a specialized Valley Fever Center that provides research, treatment, and education about this disease; "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" (COPD) = this is a group of lung diseases that damage the airways and make it difficult to breathe; "Asthma" = Arizona's dry climate and dust storms can trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. Somehow, this info is not mentioned by Drs. promoting AZ's "wonderful air for struggling lungs". Since we've been making our 6 month trips to AZ, since 2023, Holland has struggled with fever, cough, & shortness of breath: I have been struggling with shortness of breath - and have had several serious asthma attacks that have scared my poor husband when they suddenly happened. It wasn't until we were set up in Fortuna-AZ the winter of 2024, that I connected the dots 🤬 It was in Fortuna, that we realized that AZ was out of the question for "home base" - and we will probably never come back here again for a lengthy stay.

Dry Air: Dry air can make it easier for some people with respiratory conditions to breathe, as it can help reduce mucus buildup and make breathing feel less heavy. This has not been the case for us … I have struggled mightily to breath easy - no matter what part of the State we have hunkered down in. My chest always hurts trying to suck air into my lungs … and Holland's lungs never escape the mucus build up. He always quips, "I sound like a fricking cat with a hair ball it's trying to loosen." And I try not to laugh, because it is true - he does sound like a cat with a hairball 😉 But, it's really not a laughing matter because I know his chest is hurting with the constant hacking and spitting … but at least he is not spitting up on the floor, like a cat would do; and that is a blessing (no joke).

Lower Pollen Counts: While Arizona does have dust, it also has lower pollen counts compared to some other areas, which can be beneficial for people with seasonal allergies. Personally, I have not noticed this - my eyes always itch after a breeze loosens pollen and sends it my way … Fall and Winter in AZ is windy and carries dust & dried-out foliage refuse in the gusts - Spring and Summer in AZ is lush with new growth following rain showers - new growth comes with heady pollen fallout; and I am noticing that Holland is sneezing and blowing his nose more than usual. Seasonal lung issues are happening for us in AZ as in the PNW - the difference is, that there are the aforementioned desert lung complications thrown into the mix; and those new complications make our lung issues more complicated. More seriously deadly, due to the fact that compromised lungs do not rebound like healthy lungs would. In AZ, I have had 2 major asthma attacks that seriously worried both of us - I felt bad for Holland because he'd never seen a full-on asthma attack before: it is very scary, and seriously concerning. And I am concerned when he has a COPD flareup, because his lungs are more compromised than mine - when a fever sets in and the chest-pain coughing and hacking starts, it is a serious concern.

Specific Conditions: The dry climate of Arizona can be particularly helpful for individuals with conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, as it can help reduce inflammation and improve lung function. FALSE! Holland was diagnosed with COPD years ago, and I married him with that full knowledge … and I have environmental asthma, which means that I only suffer asthmatic flareups and serious asthma complications when symptoms are triggered or worsened by exposure to specific substances or conditions in their environment, such as allergens, pollutants, or irritants. The dry climate of AZ has not been kind to our lungs 😟

Dust Concerns: It's important to note that while the air in Arizona is generally dry, it can also be dusty, especially during certain times of the year or in specific areas. People with lung issues should be aware of the potential risks of dust exposure and take precautions, such as staying indoors during dust storms or using air purifiers. We decided on AZ because of it's warm climate and what we were led to believe, it's "wonderful air": we did not know that we would be indoors 95% of the time while here; and that my hopes for "a year'round tan" would not be happening: I am going back up North, paler than when I left! Simply because we cannot get out of Independence, or Betsy, for any length of time without suffering an entire week following an outdoor venture 😒 We do have, and utilize an air purifier - that thing never shuts off; and still, our poor lungs struggle.

So, we are leaving AZ, this morning. Who would have thought we'd need to go back to the PNW to enjoy sun rays (skimpy as they may be), spend time outdoors, and draw a carefree breath (our lungs struggling only with seasonal allergies, not daily happenstance)? 🤔

Our route this morning.
Barstow-CA from Kingman-AZ; 3h 17m (206 mi), via I-40 W

The road out of Kingman, was horribly rough. Poor Independence.

Rain; nearing Needles-CA

The rain smelled good - it had a dusty odor, and taste … but also a very refreshing Spring rain scent.

This … blesses the desert, with color.

We left Kingman at 9.30 AM; we still have a way to go.

Low-lying fog hangs over the Providence Mountains-CA

CA roads are trash - it doesn't matter what type of road you travel. Just trash.

What is the weird looking building, in that field over there?

I went online to see if I could gather any info on this weird building that stands alone in a desert field, and came up with a couple explanations - none of which actually pinpoints what the thing is:

Internet pic

a) It’s a GPS calibration device. These are scattered around the U.S. (but not overseas - GPS remains a U.S. military system). To continually refine the accuracy of GPS signals, calibration devices like this - basically, giant, hyper-accurate GPS receivers - constantly compare their GPS-computed position with their known location.

b) It’s a navigation beacon for aircraft, called a VOR, which stands for Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range. It sends out signals - using frequencies only just slightly above those used by the FM radio stations, that tell aircraft their bearing from the beacon, and their distance, and allows planes to ‘see’ where they are in any weather, even in the absence of GPS or ground-based radar. While it may look high-tech, VORs are relatively ancient, first coming into use after World War II. This is what Holland believes it to be.

c) Remember Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, and the Very Large Array of radio antennas in the movie Contact? This is part of another, less photogenic deep-space radio project. The signals from these sensors—there are nearly 300 across the country—are mathematically pooled together to create a virtual, continent-sized radio telescope. I'm settling on this [explanation] because AZ seems to be the gateway state to a lot of spacey stuff.

d) No one knows what these are - or rather, those who do won’t tell us. These sites, which were built after 9/11, are controlled by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, which will not release information about their purpose, other than that they do not produce “harmful radiation or interference.”

The Lavic Lake Volcanic Field, between Newberry Springs-CA & Barstow-CA
The Lavic Lake Volcanic Field:
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavic_Lake_volcanic_field)

The new bridge in up, now = the old bridge is totally gone; Barstow-CA

The new North First Avenue Bridge; Barstow-CA. The original North First Avenue Bridge was built around 1930, spanning the Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railway intermodal yard, in Barstow-CA

Skanska Completes $30 Million Replacement of North First Avenue Bridge in Barstow: https://www.vvng.com/skanska-completes-30-million-replacement-of-north-first-avenue-bridge-in-barstow/

YES … yes, He does ;-); seen coming off the bridge, towards Skyline RV Park. Barstow-CA

Barstow-CA is on Route 66

Rock has been laid at Skyline - this is something new & it looks nice; it should keep the dust devils grounded ;-)
Skyline RV Park; #30384 Old Hwy 58, Barstow, CA

After we unhooked & set things right inside Independence, Holland suggested we drive to Hinkley-CA; it's not that far away, and we've been intending to get there for quite a while (every time we come to Barstow); now we need to make the time since we have decided this is our last trip this way, coming from AZ or going to AZ:

Hinkley-CA from Barstow-CA; 18 min (13.0 mi) via Old Hwy 58 and Santa Fe Ave

CA soulless politics and business practices suck.

The Hinkley Bible Church is still functioning.

Hinkley, California, is famously known as the "Erin Brockovich town" due to the landmark lawsuit and movie based on the real-life story of groundwater contamination by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) with hexavalent chromium. The movie is based on true accounts, and 98% accurate.

Erin Brockovich Clip on Water:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGQGxJ4bqK4)

Holland wanted to check this place out; I prayed about it.

Psalm 121.7-8

I was listening to some Petra songs, this morning ;-)
Petra:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNvWU_DUATc&list=PL06A3-WmRbqh1ZtIv5rR7QC2XTDJt_y_5)

From 1952 to 1966, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) dumped about 370 million U.S. gallons (1.4×109 liters) of chromium-tainted wastewater into unlined wastewater spreading ponds around the town of Hinkley, California, located in the Mojave Desert.

The real-life Erin Brockovich, a real-life legal clerk, investigated the apparent elevated cluster of illnesses in the community linked to hexavalent chromium, and her efforts, along with those of the real-life lawyer Edward L. Masry, pitted and won a 1996 direct-action arbitration against PG&E, resulting in a $333 million settlement, which was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States

In 1996, residents won a direct-action arbitration (a formal, out-of-court dispute resolution process) against PG&E, resulting in a $333 million settlement, which was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States.

While the movie praised a successful win, the cleanup of the toxic contamination was a slow process … and the true results are that some wells in Hinkley-CA, still test at dangerously high levels of chromium-6.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is still in business, having emerged from bankruptcy in 2020; and continues to operate as a major utility company in California, providing natural gas and electricity to approximately 16 million people across a 70,000-square-mile area in northern and central California.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is STILL operating!

I couldn't believe what I heard! And I can't believe people are swallowing the BS

Acres of alfalfa - which is a worthless pursuit & a business stunt to pacify unscrupulous laws.

Hinkley-CA~No Hollywood ending for town plagued by toxic water:

https://www.sbsun.com/2013/07/09/hinkley-no-hollywood-ending-for-town-plagued-by-toxic-water/

Toxic plume spreads, PG&E faces 2nd Hinkley suit: https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/toxic-plume-spreads-pg-amp-e-faces-2nd-hinkley-4688046.php

In the Hinkley area, PG&E is using contaminated water, containing hexavalent chromium (chromium-6), to irrigate alfalfa fields as part of a remediation effort, aiming to convert the toxic chromium-6 into a less harmful form, chromium-3, in the soil.

Alfalfa can be used for phytoremediation, a process where plants are used to clean up contaminated soil by absorbing and accumulating toxic elements. Alfalfa is a good candidate for this due to its large biomass productivity, high tolerance to potentially toxic elements, and strong capacity to take up these elements.

Alfalfa watered with toxic water is likely unsafe to consume because contaminants in the water can be absorbed by the plant and accumulate in its tissues, potentially posing health risks; alfalfa that has absorbed these toxins can lead to various health problems - consuming animal products that have been fed with this alfalfa would be foolhardy. What are they going to do with all that alfalfa?

I was glad to leave Hinkley behind us, as we turned back towards Barstow.

Holland drove back to Independence on the backroad, saying with a smile and a wink, "My backroad Baby need her back road fix." It was a thoughtful thing to do - he prefers freeway driving; and I do need my back roads scenery fix, now and then 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

Driving through Barstow, towards Skyline, we pulled over so Holland could get his fix … anything and everything pertaining to cars or trucks, gets his immediate attention 😉

Old Hwy 58 from Hinkley-CA to Barstow-CA; 16 min (13.3 mi) via Old Hwy 58 and CA-58

Tom's Certified Welding & Machine Shop; #28664 US Highway 58, Barstow, CA