Entrance to Yuma Prison Cemetery

I spent some time there as well in January and February and made some new friends. I also went across the border into Los Algodones, Mexico and had my teeth cleaned. There are dozens of dental and vision clinics there and hundreds of Americans and Canadians walk across the border daily for cheap, professional dental and vision care. Additionally, you can pick up prescription drugs there for a fraction of what it would cost you in the U.S. I had family and friends asking if I felt safe. I can tell you, I felt as safe there as anywhere in the U.S.A. There is a large police presence as well as private security. In fact, I asked the U.S. trained dentist who cleaned my teeth, if Los Algodones was safe. She said it like this: Los Algodones is a very safe place. All the businesses in Los Algodones rely primarily on Americans and Canadians for their livelihood. If this were not a safe place, Americans and Canadians would discontinue coming here, so we as a community insist on and work hard to insure that Los Algodones remains a safe place to visit.

Yuma Prison Cemetery

Since Yuma, Arizona is just across the border from Los Algodones, I toured the city and found the old “Yuma Territorial Prison.” The prison opened On July 1, 1876 and was active for 33 years. 104 of the prisoners who lost their lives to disease, accidents, murder, suicide and escape attempts, are buried in the prison cemetery.

If you saw the movie; 3:10 to Yuma, it was about a prisoner being transported to this prison.

Yuma Prison Plaque with names of inmates

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More on that next time…

Fast forward 2 weeks… I just returned from a wonderful and relaxing time in the Smoky Mountains. Nothing but peace and quiet. Due to the winter weather, I saw only a couple more campers at a distance. This is certainly my preference; being alone in the quiet in dispersed (free) camping areas as opposed to commercial camp grounds, which typically are crowded and can be somewhat noisy. So, I find a free camp ground hidden way back in the mountains on the Tellico River.

On the second day, a ranger came into my camp to say hello and to warn me to be on the look-out for bears. He told me there had been a lot of bear activity in the area. 

After an awesome time in the mountains and having seen no bears, I head back to the reality of traffic, congestion and noise pollution.

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The lighter your backpack, the more enjoyment you will have. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a lightweight backpack.

Size is very important. You don’t want to have too large a bag, instead give thought as to what you will be carrying. Don’t limit yourself to a smaller backpack just because it appears to be more convenient. If you do, you may be giving up valuable space for needed items.

Waterproof is important. Make sure to get a quality backpack and check zippers and stitching as well to insure those areas are waterproof as well.

A good fit for your size is also important as are the belts and straps, so as to be comfortable while hiking but secure on your back to maintain a good comfort level.

Solar power and a lightweight backpacks make a great combination. Today, it’s quite easy to find a lightweight, quality backpack with solar panels integrated on the exposed outer surface of backpacks. This affords us the ability to carry our necessary items and have charging capability at the same time. When exposed to sunlight the photovoltaic cells are charged by the sunlight. You can then keep your small devices such as smart phone, digital camera, MP3 player, etc. charged. This can also play an important role in case of emergencies by keeping your devices charged.

See the right side panel of this blog for backpacks through Amazon. By clicking on the backpack, it will take you to Amazon’s full line of backpacks. If you decide to purchase anything through my link, the price is the same, you will not pay more but I will receive a small affiliate fee.

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Thank you and Until next time…