01/14/03:
Did some shopping in Yuma and then drove back up US-95 since the business cards I ordered at Staples weren't in yet. At mile-marker 82 is a dirt road that goes 45 miles through the Yuma Proving Grounds to the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. Except for a few spots, this road ain't half bad.
Didn't seem to be much to the refuge that runs along the Colorado River. Mostly willow type bushes along the river and bushy flatlands. I think Canadian Geese are supposed to migrate here but except for one lone bird in flight, didn't see any. Maybe they were all a little farther north. The Colorado River at this point is 100 feet or so wide with 8-10 foot banks. A road leads along both sides of the river so you could put in almost anywhere. Seemed to be a 1.5-2.0 knot current.
Drove around and little but saw nothing of interest. Cibola Lake seems to have dried up long ago and since there's no camping available on the refuge started back towards US-95. Stopped just short of the Yuma Proving Grounds on BLM for the night.
01/15/03:
A generator fired up somewhere yesterday evening just before sunset so I packed up and left. When I came to another dirt road veering off to the right I took it, hoping for a little quiet. I went back this road 1/4 mile or so.
Things weren't looking good with the road becoming very sandy so I stopped to turn around. When I did, I felt that old sickening feeling when the back end sank into the sand. Rather than try to power my way out I got out, removed the sand from around the back tires and placed small rock behind them.
That got me out of that situation but I got stuck again immediately, this time worse. The back bumper was only 6 inches from the sand. More shoveling and more rocks and all the power I had finally broke me loose. I managed to turn around and got out of there and returned to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.
Adding insult to injury, as I drove away the sky lit up behind me with a gorgeous sunset.