Travels With Connie #48 My Hometown

Sometimes I know exactly where I am going. In that case it’s easy, pick a route and go.

More often I have an idea where I’d like to end up, and generally speaking a direction to go.

Once in a while I just follow the front wheel and see where it takes me.

I was prompted to do this after I saw a post from a friend about his hometown. That would be Whack Science from Split, Croatia. That'll be easy, I thought. Take a few pictures, slap up a post, how hard can it be?

I'll tell you how hard. This is MY hometown. I didn't really realize how important where I live is until I started taking photos. This isn't going to be a 'slap up' post, it's going to be a series. I have things to share that are really important to me.

This is part of what is commonly called 'old town'. Yuma has had a human prescense for hundreds of years because it is the site of a Ford across the Colorado River that is useable most of the year. Long before the Europeans came here this was an important place, the only place to cross the river for a couple hundred miles.

The town that survives isn't that old. The River has a habit of wiping out all traces of civilization periodically, so most of these buildings down town are less than 100 years old. When this town was built, Yuma was an important river port that served the mining districts to the north. The streets are incredibly wide to allow teams of horses and mules to turn around.

I have no idea the significance of this guy, but he lives on a wall just behind Connie in the first picture. One of two.



Hotel San Carlos and the Hotel Del Sol were big resort hotels back in the 20s and 30s. Lying around in the sun and the perfect tan were thought to be healthful then. The Del Sol had a guarantee: The sun will shine or you get your night's accommodations free. They did't have to give away many, Yuma averages 363 sunny days per year.



I like that City of Yuma has put their offices here in old town. This is quite a new building that blends in very well. County of Yuma has most of their offices in the area, too. They have taken several old buildings and renovated them rather than tearing down and starting over. I like that from my town.



This theater is a public project and is wonderfully restored. It hosts some 'small venue' concerts, dance recitals and other things including 2 film series annualy. It's a pretty good place to watch a documentary on the Gila Monster.



This is the entrance to arguably the most famous bar/restaurant combo in Yuma. Lute's casino has been many things over the years from a whorehouse to a Wedding Chapel but has been an eclectically decorated tavern for a long time. The signature cheese burger has a split hot dog weiner on it as a condiment. It's really pretty good.



Well, I've listened to 3 different versions of 'My Hometown' by Bruce Springsteen on a loop while kicking this together. It really is my hometown. There will be more and thanks for coming along for the ride.

All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse

You want some real motorcycle travel? Check out Velimir. That’s some kind of motorcycle writing.

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