Unincorporated

Unincorporated, meaning: not included as part of a whole; a territory not belonging to a particular country, town or area; a company not formed into a legal corporation.

Throughout my life, whether by my own design, my responses to events or the will of others, I have often felt unincorporated. A gypsy life embodies it. There is a certain freedom in being unincorporated - although it comes at a cost.

This week I traveled to the unincorporated city of Ft Mohave, Arizona. After flying in to Las Vegas, I drove through the Nevada desert for 1 1/2 hours to my destination. Just after leaving the bright lights of Vegas behind, I passed acres and acres of solar panel farms. I suppose that’s how they manage to keep the lights and slot machines running!

95 through Nevada may be straight and boring to locals, but with this being my first experience, I found it a stark beauty. Between the fascinating topography and the shimmying of the crappy rental car (cruise control was not working and it shook like crazy), the trip passed quickly.

Ft Mohave, a suburb of Bullhead City, was named for a fort occupied during the Mohave War. It lies on the other side of the Colorado River from the Nevada state line, and also 12 miles from the state of California. It’s a small desert town without much going for it except for a row of casinos and jet ski rentals on the river. The largest employer is the healthcare system. Jobs in healthcare pay dearly here, in order to attract workers. I had dinner at a nice steakhouse on the river and watched tourists try to stay on jet skis (some unsuccessfully).

The heat was incredible - 114 degrees. I burned my hands on the steering wheel of the rental car. And so I was relieved to head back to Vegas after only a few days. I sat and watched the airport slot machines being serviced while I waited for my flight - a very long day as I made my way back to Boise and then straight on to Seattle.

My next destination was Renton, Washington - a suburb of Seattle on the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Renton was named in honor of Captain William Renton, a local lumber and shipping in the 1800’s. Renton seems a gritty, hardworking city of all ages. Like many older suburbs, it’s been infused with new growth - Boeing, technology and healthcare companies. I saw older neighborhoods next to shiny new apartment buildings sprinkled with microbreweries, coffee shops and seafood restaurants.

Renton is also the last resting place of Jimi Hendricks. I can’t say I’m an avid fan as he died of an overdose when I was only 5 years old - but respect must be paid. His gravesite is covered n flowers and guitar pics.

After visiting the memorial, I spent the next few hours on the shore of Lake Washington in George Coulon Memorial Park. It was a sunny, balmy 80 degrees. The park has walking trails, public swimming, a pavilion and picnic areas. There is a lovely floating boardwalk with hexagonal seating areas and beautiful views of the lake. Quite peaceful.

Some days it feels good to be unincorporated. Stay tuned for more adventures. And, as always, thanks for reading……

GypsyJules