Last week I rode past this.....this......state of the art three square mile work in process thing. I didn't know what it was so I went back to Yuma and did some research.
This is a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology with thermal energy storage. CSP technology uses heat from the sun to generate electricity. Solana’s parabolic mirrors focus the sun’s heat on a heat transfer fluid. The fluid can reach a temperature of 735 degrees Fahrenheit. To produce electricity, the hot fluid transfers its heat energy to water, creating steam. The steam is then used to run conventional steam turbines. The heat energy in the fluid also can be stored and used at a later time to generate electricity.
The Solana Generating Station contains 2,700 parabolic trough collectors. Located on what is currently agricultural land, the power plant will use 75 percent less water than what has been used on the property previously.
Apparently this was Obama's project. Financially it could not be finished so another company bought it out. If it does get started it has the capability of supplying 70,000 homes with electricity.
I like the idea of harnessing the sun's power to create energy for our use. I hope this is not just another silk cactus flower.
Another reason why I enjoy Agua Caliente.
If you sit still.....for just a few minutes.....
...they join your world.........
...and have breakfast with you. Like.
You might remember that last year before I went to Mexico I camped for a few days at Agua Caliete north of Yuma. I enjoyed it so much that we decided to camp there again. What a beautiful little oasis in the desert.
We enjoyed a little hike behind the springs. It always amazes me what you can discover when you go away from the road.
We were told that we had just missed the migration of swarms of monarch butterflies. But I was able to catch a few stragglers with my camera.
Throughout the years I have had the opportunity to wander through the desert at my leisure and have come across many amazing plants. Some Cacti produce the most beautiful and surprising flowers. Well, the other day I was told about this flowering cactus behind a neighbour's park model. I have never seen anything like it, have you?
I tried to look this up on the internet but couldn't find it. Comments would be welcome.
A-HUH! I am so glad to see that there are at least a couple of people in the world who are smarter and less naive than I. :-)
Some day I would like to go back to oceanside and walk through the streets of this little seaside town.
This dock and it's surroundings could have entertained us all day.
Can you tell that this resident pelican feels the same way?
These are the last pictures I took before we turned inland. Mike's BMW was giving him some mechanical difficulties so we had to make our way across to Yuma, AZ. But we will be back. The ocean draws both of us to it's fresh blue beauty. We can't stay away for long.
Just riding along enjoying the world, excited about our next point of interest.
OCEANSIDE. The longest and most beautiful pier I have ever walked on.
Ruby's is a 50's fish and chips restaurant at the very end of the pier. Bright red vinyl seats, grey faux marble table tops and waitresses with bright red lipstick, back combed hair and bobby socks.
By the way....this pier was named after someone very important.
"Look here! Look here!" the gull cried. Although it was foggy I peered over the rocks and dunes that blocked my view of the ocean. I saw big rounded lumps on the beach. "Strange looking rocks", I said to myself as I ignored the self-important seagull.
Then....."WAIT A MINUTE!........Those aren't rocks!"
Those are Sea Lions!
I could swear this puppy just had his morning double vanilla latte. I've seen this same smile on my sister's face.
Life is a beach.
I was so excited to approach the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Last year I had no chance to take pictures, but this year I have a GoPro. It was an amazing day. the sun was making the blue sky brilliant and accentuated the fog that was rolling over the bridge.
These photos do not do justice to the magnitude of this bridge. Nor do they portray the beauty of the fog drawing it's curtain across the six lane highway as we rode under the arches.
Bye bye San Francisco. How can you tell that for us it is all about the ride. It's beautiful to see a city approaching, but it is even more beautiful to leave it behind. :-)
We can make a good cup of coffee on our camp stove but sometimes you come across fascinating places and just have to stop for an espresso.
I have to admit that although I am not ADDICTED to coffee, when all conditions are right; flavour, scenery, good company and yes, the kind of cup my coffee comes in..... I do experience a kind of euphoric cloud of well being hovering over my head. :-)
This is at Big Sur above the ocean. At times the sun would break through the fog warming our skin on a cool October morning.
Come with us up the winding staircase and smell the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans. Below, the art shops contain beautiful works of glass, pottery and wood. If I had not been so fully loaded I would have bought an amazing frog I saw there.
......and then we were back on the road again, winding our way southward, every curve offering a surprise on the other side.
It was the weekend and all the campsites were full. A dried fish vendor on the roadside told us of a road we could take that would bring us to a quiet place to camp. He was right, it WAS quiet...except for the mooing of about 100 cows in the pasture land. But hey...it was free.
The view from my tent door was awesome.
In the morning the fog was rolling in from the ocean below us.
I just knew it was going to be another amazing day on 2 wheels rolling.
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