Recycling Our Highways: Part 2

Many people think Vidal Junction, California is the dark side of the moon. But there's quite a bit of action on Friday nights if you hang around the Mini-Mart & Gas Station where US 95 and CA 62 intersect near the Colorado River. [Photo 1]

From the west come RV's, pickups, cars pulling a variety of boats and camping equipment on the way to the river. From the east and north come a steady stream of 18 wheelers. Some stop for gas, munchies, or a toilet break. Some hurry on throughout the night. Some, especially trucks, stop and sleep for a few hours.

The next morning, truck traffic dies down and early risers show up from the west heading for the Colorado. Many stop for coffee at the Mini-Mart before pressing on as it opens at 7:00 and it's been 100 miles across open desert from Twentynine Palms. [Photo 2]

About the same time Marty Pigue, the resident cleaner of highways,  gets up and gets ready for another day of gathering recyclable cans and plastic as previously reported in Recycling Our Highways. Only this time he wasn't going to go up and down the highway as he'd almost stepped on a diamond back rattlesnake, jumped backwards, tripped over something, and fractured his right leg. [Photo 3]

Fortunately somebody at Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) knew enough to wrap Marty's leg and tell him to be careful for a few days which definitely include staying home, meaning the Mini-Mart & Gas Station. But all wasn't lost as he's well known having been gathering recyclables for fifteen months and people bring him plastic bags full of cans and plastic. Other's aren't so cooperative and just toss them in the rubbish containers and he has to fish them out. [Photo 4]

Sitting there talking with him, there are stretches where there's nothing much happening except for the sun rising overhead and then falling beyond the western horizon in a blaze of glory which is everything.

While Marty doesn't have a bank account, you can reach him C/O Kim Price, HC 20 Box 444, Vidal, CA 92280. Cell: 760-464-9352.

Related Articles

• Recycling Our Highways: Part 1