Tiniest Little Church, Yuma, Arizona

Along Highway 95 on the way to Hidden Shores Village, in the most unlikely of locations, is a wee little church. Set in the middle of a dusty field (which looks like it is used for farming, but during our stay, sat fallow), down a dusty road, is a wee building that looks like a child's playhouse. Beckoning visitors from the highway is a sign that says "Pause, Rest, Worship". It's almost impossible not to drive the ¼ mile down the lane just to see what this is all about.  With a little poking around on the internet, I discovered this church was built by a farmer in 1996 in honor of his wife. The miniature church measures about 7 by 12 feet, seats around 12 people on tiny little benches, has an altar with a guest book visitors can sign, and a book of hymnals. Too hard for the curious to pass by, check it out for yourself if you're ever in the area.

Hike Behind Hidden Shores Village, Yuma, Arizona

Surrounding Hidden Shores Village are miles and miles of desert hills, most of them crisscrossed with multiple use trails for hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and off-roaders. The first morning after Jennifer arrived for her visit we decided to take off on foot from the RV Park for a hike in the desolate terrain. Being that it was still March, the temperatures weren't into the killer range yet, but we still wanted to get an early start and be back before lunch to avoid the heat of the day. Most of the landscape was barren and bleak, dry and dusty, and you wondered how what little does grow out here could even survive in this environment. But in between the hills and valleys, we were treated to expansive views of the Colorado River and the Imperial Dam, plus a bird's eye view of the RV Park. We got off trail for a portion of the hike, and found ourselves scrambling in dry washes, where we saw evidence of those times when the rains do come and the rushing path they take through the hills. Our sore leg muscles the next day reminded us of all the hills we took on, and these pictures will give you an idea.

Yuma Territorial Prison

During our stay in Hidden Shores, my sister Jennifer (from San Diego, CA) came for a long-weekend to visit with us. It really isn't much of a drive from San Diego to Yuma, only 180 miles, and we were delighted that Jennifer was able to get away to spend some time with us while we were here. One of the tourist attractions in this area is the Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, so one day while we were out and about, we decided to stop by and see it for ourselves. (Some of you might recognize this prison from the movie "3:10 to Yuma".) We were greeted with a hearty "Welcome to Prison"!, as we walked through the visitor center doors; all of us agreed, we were very happy this was only said in jest, especially after touring the facility and witnessing thelurid living conditions actual prisoners endured. Over the 33 years this prison operated (1876 - 1909) it housed 3069 prisoners, and 111 prisoners still lie in unmarked graves on the prison grounds. Rumor has it this prison is haunted, even though there were no executions here, and you can purchase books in the Visitors Center that describe the supposed hauntings. What some called the "hellhole, the prison was constructed by the prisoners themselves, hacked from the granite hills that lay nestled in the relentless desert between the Colorado and Gila rivers. Just for fun, visitors can put on the prison stripes and take a mug shot of themselves. Jennifer and I had a little fun with that, and Dan locked himself in a cell for his picture. Below are the pictures from our prison tour.

Hidden Shores Village (Yuma, Arizona)

Hidden Shores Village is located near the Imperial Dam, along the Colorado River, and is a mixture of fixed vacation homes, rentals for weekenders, and spots for RV'ing snowbirds like us (ones who move to warmer climates in the winter). Yuma is set in the middle of a big dusty desert, and most people are surprised to learn that this area is particularly rich in agriculture. Yuma is actually the winter vegetable capital of the world and about 90 percent of all the leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. from November through March are grown in and around the Yuma area. Hidden Shores Village is nestled amongst these emerald patches of farmland, and has a little something for everyone: a 9-hole golf course walking distance from the RV Park, boat ramps, a 20,000 square foot club house, game rooms, library, workout room, heated outdoor swimming pool with jacuzzi, horse shoe pits, shuffle board, an on-site convenience store, and trails leading out into the desert for hiking, biking, and taking your off-road vehicles. Here are some pictures from our March 2014 stay at Hidden Shores Village.