Grand Mojave Personal Wind Experiment

A few weeks back there was a lot of hoopla over personal wind turbines in Cape Vincent.  I thought I might relay an experience on this subject from our trips to the Mojave Desert in Ca. It will be interesting to see if the CV personal turbine contingent led by Robert Shimp and others fairs any better.

On a lonely stretch of old historic Route 66 out in the Mojave between Needles Ca. and Barstow Ca. there is a remote gas station, the only one for a lot of  empty desert miles.  Have to go there once in a while to refuel after miles of dirt and four wheel drive roads and camping in even more remote parts of the Mojave. You learn to top off gas whenever possible to stay on the safe side.  I once saw a sign in Nevada that said next gas 150 miles.  About a year and a half ago we were there gritting our teeth as we filled up with $4.99 gas. And noticed the owner had purchased several personal wind turbines.  I questioned him about them and he said he was going to use them to power his gas station and store and home. His normal power was a large diesel generator.   There were 6 turbines and at the time 5 were spinning away on a windy desert night. It all looked good and he was happy…I just smiled and said good luck. They are all for personal use since there is no grid there.  Last week we went by to top off our tank before venturing out for some very remote car camping and backpacking.  None of the turbines were running, one was missing a blade, one was toppled over.  According to the owner all turbines were made in China.  Oh yes…and the diesel generator was humming away as usual as we topped off with $5.39 a gallon gas!!!  So much for the grand personal wind experiment in the Mojave!!

Lonely part of Old Route 66 across the Ca. desert.  The Mother Road, now called the National Trails Highway.  The route of the 1930's Dust Bowl refugees heading for a better life in Ca. and of John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath"  fame.

 Turbines not working

I was very relieved to see that the pink flamingo fountains were still

working and had not been disturbed by the wind turbine disaster.

                                  Had they not been working that WOULD have been a disaster!!!!

More turbines not working.

Oooopppps!!!! Can somebody give me the phone number for China!

Turbine missing a blade.

                                                        

         Ouch!!!!!! Thank God for that nine tenths of a cent or we would have to pay a full $5.40 a gal.!!!!

Looking back at our truck parked in the Mojave on a 4wd road from a nearby mountain. This is part of why gas is $5.39 a gal. out here.  You DO NOT want to run out of gas here. Camped in this wide open desert valley there have been times we have not seen another vehicle for a week and a half.  To walk out of here would take about 3 or 4 days for person in better than average shape, and that is if you could carry enough water.  It would be impossible in summer at more than 110 degrees. A concept of wide open land spaces hard to experience in the Cape Vincent area. We should be preserving what we have left.  

You the American citizen own all the land you can see in this picture.