City Boy Still Shaking My Head

River-front property increases property value; Wash-front property not so much. Needed to stretch today so I took the dirt road down into the wash and up the other side. I stood still in the middle of the wash and wondered why there was a wall of steel plating spanning it perpendicular to the wash walls. Apparently the force of the three rain storms we get each year aren’t enough to tear down that steel wall. Then I continued up the other side to walk up the hill.

The barking of dogs isn’t a surprising sound in the desert. In the city those dogs are kept behind fences or on a leash. Bicycle rides and long walks have taught me that it’s different in the desert. I’ve been chased by a German Shepherd that resembled Chewbacca in size and growl and small dogs just tall enough to reach ankles. That being the case I stayed clear of the property and prayed the dogs wouldn’t cross the street.

The owner of the dogs sat still on a patio. I think it was the owner though it could have been a mannequin as I saw little movement. The patio connected to a domicile that was more ‘triple-wide’ than house. Large square glass windows, unframed and unadorned, were cut into the front and side of the triple-wide. Where there should have been a third window hung a huge piece of plywood. Hearing noise above the dogs I looked up to see children and something I didn’t expect.

Two decent sized horses (smaller than Percherons) stood on the property adjacent to the triple-wide. There was not much of a house, more a shack actually. The fence keeping the horses in was lines of cable or wire not fence or wall at all. Still they seemed content to stay put.

I have to say the views from the top of the dirt road was terrific. One could see the lay of the land, the hive shaped rock formations adjoining the highway and large flat mesas in their midst. Still I am not accustomed to this ramshackle variety of property. Taking my leave of the view I skirted the dog property one more time. Down through the wash and home to my property just a block down from the (sometimes) waterfront view.