The trip to SARA’s Crack was a last-minute decision. We had originally planned on doing another Nevada hike. However, after my flag wars with the Confederates, one of the hikers not only cancelled; she also called everyone else to rant and rave. The content of her rants was not fully disclosed to me and I didn’t ask, but the end result was that only one person had the balls to go hiking with me.
The original hike we had chosen was a difficult one. With about four of us scheduled to go, at the time, it was doable. I didn’t feel comfortable trying it with just the two of us. Also, I didn’t move my RV all the way to Arizona just to go back to Nevada every time we wanted to hike. After searching around online, I found SARA’s Crack minutes before bedtime and sent it to him.
Little did I know that this was about to become my favourite desert hike of all time. And, I’m sure you’ll see why!
Mountains
I grew up in mountain communities as a child, in Jamaica, but we didn’t really have mountain views. Tall trees and rolling hills have a way of ruining that. It wasn’t until my stay in Nevada that I realised how much the mountains call me to me. In Arizona, I missed waking up to them outside my window. At the racist’s playground — Tradewinds RV Park — I woke up to RVs in storage and Confederate flags.
Well, this trail started off with the view of mountains in the backdrop and that was already a solid win for me!
Canyon
Almost every desert hike that strikes my fancy involves me walking through canyons. Last week, I showed you one that was especially difficult. This one was a breeze. It did call for some agility, but nothing too crazy. Even the rope climbing was just to get up and down around 10 to 15 feet of rock and the knots make it super easy.
Lake
What originally drew me to this hiking trail was the fact that I could hike toward the lake. It will never not amaze me to encounter these enormous bodies of water in the desert — and to see water this blue and clear so far north of the West Indies. If I go back to Arizona for nothing else, it will be to see this view in person, again.
Fear Factor
This was not a very difficult trail to hike and it gets a lot of foot traffic. I would hike it alone. That said, Lake Havasu is as Redneck-Republican as the rest of Mohave County, so take special care if you are a Person of Colour. My hiking companion and I were not treated politely by many of the White people on the trail. The millennials and a few of the older people were fine, but we definitely got mean-mugged.
One old man, for example, was very happy to see the White frat boys hiking in front, but literally turned his nose up at the sight of us. Racism in Mohave County is not subtle. People are very clear that they do not like you because of the colour of your skin. You also never know what vigilante might feel aggressive, so bring protection. If that bothers you, don’t go there.
Aside from that, it’s a beautiful trail — and, like I said, I would hike it solo. Racist rednecks can kick rocks. They don’t scare me!
PS:- I hope you’ve all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year! Seasons Greetings to those of us who do not celebrate Christmas or who follow a different calendar. I’m wishing you all the best, as well!
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Lived in Arizona for nine years. It sure is beautiful country! Well done you. Happy Nw Year, <3
It’s not my favourite, but this was a good spot. 🙃 Happy New Year!
Girl, how dare you say there are no mountain views in Jamaica. Those trees are a part of the view ma’am. And.. and.. you can see the sea sometimes, the Kingston Harbour, the city in the distance, valleys etc. Disrespectful, hmph! (That aside, great views! 🙂 I love the canyons)
LoL I didn’t see there were no mountain views. I said there was none where I grew up. 😂 The area looked like views anywhere else because you couldn’t see below the mountain. Too many dips and valleys. I had mountain views in Irish Town and Gordon Town, but I didn’t grow up there. 🙃
The canyons are gorgeous! I’ve yet to hike the Grand Canyon, funny enough. I’ve been hearing a few horror stories, so I’ll need to do some serious research and pick an easy trail with good views, if I’m going alone. 😅
Oh, better! 😁 And please do your Grand Canyon research well cuz we haven’t met face to face yet, so cyaa make nothing happen to you. 😭😭 Plus, I need my hiking company when I come to visit the States. 😁 Happy New Year when it comes dearie
I’ll do my best. It should be under snow right now, so I probably won’t be heading there until late spring or in the summer. That should give me enough time. 🙃
Also looking forward to seeing you ma’am! I can’t wait for this pandemic to be over. Mi tiyad. Right now, California is about to go under extended lockdowns because people were out with families this week. Sigh….
Sigh that’s crazy. I’m here wondering what kind of restrictions are going to be passed here too, because we weren’t any better 👀 Grand market was banned and parties remain banned, but people were still doing their thing in all the major towns up to midnight in their numbers, no masks, no social distancing 🙁
I saw the videos.
Californians are careful. The problem here isn’t the partying. People are careful with strangers, but they let their guards down for family and friends. Who’s gonna wear a mask at Christmas dinner or refuse to hug someone they haven’t seen in months? Not many. That’s the primary source of spreads up here.
What I find amusing is how before the pandemic, so many millennials were claiming they don’t need anyone and don’t want to go anywhere. They were bragging about canceling on friends and ignoring phone calls. But now, dem cyaah tan a dem yaad. All chat, no substance.
Oregon was like that when we lived there in the 1970’s. I remember one man telling my husband, thinking it a compliment, “you are the first ni..I ever knew.”
Wow. Sometimes, I don’t know which one is worse. The ignorant ones who mean well and don’t hate us or the ones who hate us and stay out of our way.
I never minded the ignorant who meant well.
They tend to try to downplay racism because they believe it doesn’t exist and minorities are overreacting. One tried to convince me recently that the racism I experienced in Arizona was because I’m beautiful. Made zero sense whatsoever. She was so focused on trying to tell me how to react, but put zero effort into telling her racist friends to do better.
That is a good point. I am reading a book with a friend called “I’m Still Here” whose first chapter is called “white people are exhausting.”
I agree with the chapter and I haven’t even read it yet. I’m surrounded by Republicans because I’m surrounded by retirees and I’m reaching my quota. I don’t think I could keep living among these people. Eventually, I’ll have to find where the millennials and older liberals are. They’re mentally exhausting. One threatened me yesterday and then told me he’s not debating with an “unarmed person”.
Northern California historically is liberal. Not as warm, but lovely.
Actually, Northern California is Republican and Southern California is blue. Cali people have always told me that and I checked a map recently and it was true. One Cali guy told me it’s because the “old money” lives in the north end. I do want to go up to Lake Tahoe though. Hopefully, I don’t run into too many crazies.
Wow. That is a real change. A lot of old money is quite Democratic and liberal.
New money tends to be Democratic, like millennial tech startups and Hollywood celebrities. Most of Hollywood and Silicon Valley is liberal. So if new money AND old money was liberal, sounds very much like Republicans are poor and that’s certainly not the case. 😂 They make up a big chunk of the top 1% and support elitism within the Republican party. At least, that’s my observation.
I grew up with Peggy Rockefeller who was very liberal despite the origins of her father’s wealth. I think I know of several people my age who inherited wealth and are liberal and philanthropic. Those are the ones I speak of in Northern Cal.
I’m sure they exist. Most Democrats I know have Republican parents, but that’s still anecdotal. It doesn’t reflect the statistical fact that Northern California is red and Southern California is blue. There are rednecks in SoCal too. The collective data doesn’t invalidate that.
I love this dialogue which really shows a generation difference. Clearly I carry a picture of coastal northern California, including SF and Berkeley, and all coastal towns as liberal. Northern inland California, including Sacramento is a different story. I appreciate your updating my admittedly old data bank!
I’ve heard California’s politics wasn’t always like this, so it’s good to hear what it was like back in the day. I think Sacramento and San Fran are still pretty blue, as more most cities. I guess it’s the rural areas outside of that, that are more prone to conservative values.
I love the idea that I lived back in the day. It is certainly true.
Haha, us millennials are already describing our own childhoods as back in the day! 😂
Too funny.
lol…sara’s crack. 😉
I’ve been making jokes about it for a month! 😂 Never gets old!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
nice adventures and cool care box. the only concern i have about you hiking alone is the assholes who would follow you just to harass you or worse, harm you just because they are racists. people are just too stupid. they dont realize you are trying to enjoy the same things as them. who cares what color your skin is!!!
Thanks, Buddy! It was so much better than the typical Christmas present. ☺️
I do think about those things when in Arizona and I’m glad you understand it. One lady tried to convince me the rednecks were staring because I’m “soooo beautiful.” I told her I’ve had my face all my life and have been to 30 states. No one looks at me like rednecks do in Georgia and Arizona. The racism sucks but just as bad is all the Republicans trying to TELL me how to respond to it instead of telling their friends to quit.
Glad you’re not one of them!
Lol…soooo beautiful. She is so delusional. Lol. Not about you being beautiful…just that you would believe her BS. 🤣🤣
Buddy, she had a week-long campaign trying to convince me! One day I couldn’t take it anymore. That’s when I snapped and reminded her that I’ve had this face for 31 years. 🙄
She’s one of those Republicans who grew up around POC, so they swear to God they can’t be racist. She means well, but she really doesn’t get it.
I’m looking forward to heading back up to Joshua Tree. I’m really hitting my Republican quota. 😭
Lol… Republican quota
What a lovely hike! It’s unfortunate it was colored by the unsavory folks you encountered, though…it really is mind-boggling that racism is alive and prevalent in parts of the US, but it’s admirable that you braved it and went hiking, anyway. Glad to see you in good health and mind!
Thanks Rebecca! It’s been hard staying put in California, but January 4th isn’t too far away. 😅 Sadly, I think it will be extended because I personally know people were mingling in large groups and flying in to see each other. Fingers crossed!
It does look like a beautiful hike. I haven’t been in the desert since I was a little kid and do need to return some time. But I’m like you, the mountains call to me. I love the Rockies, Colorado being my favorite. Sorry you have run into so much racism.
I love the mountains but not the snowy ones! 😂 I was saying to my mom last night that maybe I should give snow a second try. I experienced light snow and hated it. I also hate the cold overall.
lol, you would not survive in New England! This has been the coldest December I can remember.
I believe it! The temperatures in Atlanta have been in the 20s and 30s for weeks! Meanwhile, I’m nice and toasty in the 70s and 60s with palm trees and desert sand. 😅
60s and 70s are nice! It was 60 here yesterday, but pouring rain and a high of 33 today!
Oh wow…….you just can’t win with winter weather in the Northeast!
No. It is either bitter cold or a yo-yo, but raining when it gets warm.