“Nature may be a glorious example of God’s handiwork…but so is man!”  (Abigayle) 

 

February 27, 1999,

 

Right now I’m parked in the desert between Yuma, Arizona and Quartzsite, Arizona.  The two towns are about 2 hours apart with pretty much nothing but desert in between.  It’s only the end of February, and it’s so HOT outside… I can’t believe it!  I know… I’m just a girl from the Oregon Coast, but this is like being in a foreign country. (Saudi Arabia?)  I’m actually sitting here with a plant mister and every few minutes I coat my face and body with the cooling mist.  Gee, I wonder what it would be like out here during the summer?  Now that would be an experience; especially in an RV (kind of like living in a tin can in the sun).  No thank you!

 

Other than being “hot”, everything is fine.  I decided to spend some time writing new material and not performing so I parked Lucky on the shore of Mittry Lake for almost a month.  (That’s where I am right now.)  Actually, I got lost in the desert near the military proving grounds and while I was driving around in circles trying to figure out where I was, I burst a hole in my fuel line.  All 60 gallons of gas ended up on the desert floor - but somehow, I found myself on the shore of beautiful Mittry Lake just as my engine died. 

 

And if that wasn’t enough of an adventure, on my third night here, I got burned pretty badly in a campfire explosion.  I must have used river rock when I built the fire ring because even the fire department (who came all the way from Yuma because someone with a cell phone heard the ear-shattering "BOOM" and thought an RV had had a propane explosion) couldn't find anything combustible in the ashes.  I’ll save the whole story for the book, but let’s just say... I don’t have a single eyelash, eyebrow or strand of peach fuzz on my face (just a whole lot of blisters and a few scabs).  I used to have long blonde hair but now it’s ALL GONE as far back as my ears.  (Guess I’ll have to grow bangs.. Ha! Ha!)  And just think…some people actually have to pay for a face peel! 

 

So... I decided to stay here long enough for the scabs on my face to heal (couldn't perform looking like that anyway) and now it looks like the only scarring will be on my neck.  I'm very lucky because it could have been much worse!  And now that I look human again, I’m on my way to Parker, Arizona where I’ll go through the usual routine and set up a performance or two. 

 

I put a picture of Mittry Lake at the bottom of this entry.  Hope you enjoy it!

 

Abigayle

P.S.  I’m parked “way” out in the desert and even though there are a few other RV’s out here, the closest one is at least 100 yards away.  There's no road… just desert so flat you can drive across it.  So, there I was this morning, having a cup of tea and enjoying the sunshine when a car pulled up.  Now who would be coming to see me?  Boy was I amazed when two very sweet and well dressed older ladies, armed with their church publications (the Watchtower, etc.) approached my RV.  Whether you agree with them or not, you just HAVE to admire anyone who believes so strongly that they are willing to go to that much trouble to share their beliefs with others.  But there they were - in their church dresses, nice shoes and nylons, (stumbling across the desert floor), doing what they feel is right.  Good for you Sisters.  The Lord needs all the soldiers he can get! 

 

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Picture Below:  I took this picture of Mittry Lake, (25 miles from Yuma, AZ) just a few minutes after I arrived.  If you have to be stuck somewhere out in the desert with no gas in your tanks and a hole in your fuel line... can you think of a better place?