![\"bouse-tank.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/tour.airstreamlife.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/bouse-tank.jpg\" "\\"bouse-tank.jpg\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nOne person told me of “Patton’s tanks”. \u00a0 Apparently southern California and parts of western Arizona were used by General Patton to train soldiers the skills of desert warfare with tanks, in the WW II era. \u00a0 I picked up Mike, Tracy, and Jim and we headed up the Plomosa Road to see if we could find them.<\/p>\n
We were thinking we’d find a rusting old hulk of a tank abandoned in the desert somewhere, but the only ones we spotted were on display in the center of the little town of Bouse, about 20 miles from Quartzite to the northeast. \u00a0 There are a few plaques there commemorating the heroic exploits of the 739th tank battalion, the 554th ordnance heavy maintenance company (tank mechanics), the 701st tank battalion, the 740th tank battalion, and other companies organized out of Camp Bouse. \u00a0 No mention of Patton at all.<\/p>\n
Along the way we spotted these rocks with natural “windows” eroded into them by the wind. \u00a0 Mike and I couldn’t resist, so we pulled over and hiked about 1\/4 mile to them, then climbed to the top and cooled off in the strong breeze through the window.<\/p>\n The “window”; Mike lays in the window to take a photo \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Back in Quartzsite, Mike showed me a hidden neighborhood where people have been creating “glass gardens”. The owners of the houses weren’t home, so I couldn’t ask how they got started. \u00a0 Several of these gardens exist in Quartzsite, and you might find one if you hunt around carefully.<\/p>\n People are doing all sorts of things here, but you’ve got to look beyond the many flea markets and swap meets to find them. \u00a0 For example, I keep seeing these crazy dune buggy enthusiasts on- and off-road. \u00a0 They look like something out of the movie “Mad Max” and they seem to be having a lot of fun.<\/p>\n<\/a>The drive over wasn’t a waste at all. \u00a0 The history of these tank battalions was interesting (lots of action in Europe during WWII), and Plomosa Rd from Rt 95 to Bouse reveals a lot of great boondocking spots. \u00a0 This is a boondocker’s paradise, in fact, if you want to get away from crowds. \u00a0 Nearly all of it is BLM land with free camping for up to 14 days, and there are primitive \u00a0 roads that will get you into some very secluded and lovely desert spots.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n