Day 3 Arizona West RV Park Yuma, Arizona

We spent the morning working on tax stuff and doing laundry. We decided to travel to the border town of San Luis about 26 miles south of Yuma. We took our passports and off we went. It has been very windy and since it is very dry here…the dust was blowing.

Our journey was through farm country; fields of lettuce, yellow, purple, and white cauliflower, and lots and lots of cabbage.

We were not allowed to take any pictures at the border crossing. There was a high fence many miles long with barbed wire on top. This town, San Luis, is where hundreds of immigrants recently dug a tunnel and surrendered themselves to Border Patrol. We saw a lot of makeshift tents on the sidewalk on the Mexico side. We believe these people were from Central America, waiting to cross the border. We were directed to pass through immigration. Because we were just planning to walk around and have lunch, we were not required to do more than show our passports. This city is a working city and not a tourist destination. Many people come from San Luis into the U.S. each day to work. There were buses transporting men and women to and from the fields. The city itself was a little gritty, but everyone was friendly and helpful and we felt safe.

This is where we had our lunch. Authentic Mexican tacos. They were very good. It was $6.00 for our meal.

We rested for awhile and decided to go to Old Yuma for the evening.

We had dinner at the Pint House. This is where we met Rob and Emily. They had lived in Alaska and then a job transfer brought them to Yuma 7 years ago. They were interesting to talk to. One of the things that I asked Emily was about the water situation out here. The Colorado River and it’s tributaries have been diverted for the collection of water for human use, beginning with the Hoover Dam. There is a lot of controversy about how water should be utilized and distributed. It is important to be able to grow food but it is also important for homes to have water. I don’t understand the issue well enough to form opinions but it is important to listen to how it effects those who live here. Emily grew up in southern California where she was taught as a young child to conserve water. As an adult, she visited Las Vegas. In the plush hotel room there was this amazing shower with great water pressure…it made her angry. The water is distributed to the surrounding states including California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. She and her family had been so careful with water and for her to see it wasted so frivolously, made her really question the fairness of it all.

After dinner we went to the movies. We hadn’t been to the movies in so long that we had no idea that it could be so comfortable…no sticky floors with trash and littered popcorn…these very luxurious recliners where you didn’t have to strain your neck looking up for 2 hours…and only $11.00 for both of us!

We enjoyed the movie very much!

We were intrigued by a bike path along the Colorado River. We might try that tomorrow!

Day 2 Arizona West RV Park Yuma, Arizona

We headed north on 95 through farm fields. They were harvesting broccoli and cabbage and the whole world smelled like cabbage! We could see lots of different leafy vegetables growing. This area is popular for winter crops and we are looking forward to getting some fresh veggies while we are here. The fields are watered with irrigation systems.

Soon enough we were back in the desert. We entered The United States Army Yuma Proving Grounds.

We arrived at our destination. This area was owned by King of Arizona Mine back in the day. The mountains and surrounding wildlife refuge are named Kofa after the goldmine. We got the very last map and after consulting it we decided to go to the right at marker 75.

This road is only recommended for 4 wheel drive vehicles. It passes through the desert and the mountains and the views are breathtaking!

This area has lots of wildlife…foxes, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, and mule deer. It is also a famous birding site. We saw NO mammals. We saw some nondescript brown birds, too small and too fast to identify. We did see a little lizard, a hummingbird, a grasshopper, and lots of butterflies. We also saw these ants. They call the desert barren. It certainly is dry. But there is a wide variety of animal and plant life here. The desert is alive!

Though we saw no desert wildlife, we were surrounded by beauty.

We were driving along when all at once the road ended. Had we taken a wrong turn? The map was pretty simple…it looked like we could loop all the way around…

Another look at the map….oh no…the road doesn’t connect after Big Eye Mine…There is a mountain in between us! Oh well…we had plenty of gas, plenty of water and snacks…back the way we came…20 miles back to the road! Well the good thing is that when you go back the other way you get an entirely new perspective!

Tomorrow we have a different sort of adventure in mind!

Mileage: 57,555 Arizona West RV Park Yuma, Arizona

We continued west across the desert. Through the Mohawk Mountain Range and then the Copper Mountains.

We arrived in Yuma before lunchtime. Yuma is the sunniest city in the United States. That’s why we are here! We are planning to stay for 10 days and then decide where to go next.

Today was an ordinary kind of day. We did each get to do some biking. Other than that, we were doing laundry, getting set up, and regrouping. Tim watched playoff football and I actually got to take advantage of the sunshine and warmth as I sat outside with a book. Tomorrow we can go west, north, or south to explore…we have come from the east!

Mileage: 57,449 Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground BLM Gila Bend, Arizona

We took 10W out of Tuscon and onto 8W across the desert. Saguaro, mesquite trees, flowering yellow brittlebush, scraggly creosote bushes with a backdrop of mountain peaks comprised our panorama. We also passed farm fields full of cotton, cattle farms, and a solar powered farm.

We arrived at the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground at around noon. 75% of the land in Arizona is public land. This park is part of the Bureau of Land Management. The camping fee with our senior pass was $4.00.

We packed our lunch and headed out with the Jeep to explore. Our first stop was the petroglyph site. Looking at these pictures carved into the rock made me feel like I was looking at something both timeless and sacred. No one can decipher exactly what the pictures mean or what they were used for but they have been there for about 1,400 years. Some of the symbols are recognizable while others are a mystery that scientists are still trying to interpret.

We drove miles into the desert. Desolate and beautiful…we couldn’t get enough!

Our lunch spot.

What lives in these holes? We know there are all sorts of things to be wary of in this environment. These holes were covered by a very fine layer of spider webs.

The dry bed of the Gila River.

We rested for awhile this afternoon and then made dinner. Grilled ahi tuna with a mango lime rub, grilled avocados stuffed with bruschetta and goat cheese and grilled sweet potatoes with brown sugar glaze and pecans…very nice!

As we cooked and ate our meal, the sun went down. The whole world was glowing pink.

The moon is almost full…tomorrow I think.

We went back out with the Jeep after eating to try out Tim’s new off road lights. We were looking for desert critters but we saw nothing. It is very peaceful and quiet and dark. The stars are lovely. Tomorrow we move to Yuma.

Day 3 South Forty RV Ranch Tucson, Arizona

We slept in this morning and it felt wonderful! We spent the morning cleaning the RV, fueling the car and doing other small errands. We packed a picnic lunch and at noon Lee and Claudia were here to lead us on an adventure. We began our tour of southeast Arizona in Madera Canyon. We drove along the highway through scruffy desert. It was a gorgeous day for a drive.

Our first stop was at this neat little gift shop. They feed the birds in their side yard. There were scrub jays, hummingbirds, and lots of other birds I have never seen before…I have some learning to do!

We stopped for lunch…they brought delicious wine and dessert. Food tastes so much better when you eat it outside with friends!

After lunch we drove through Box Canyon. This was a dirt and gravel road with hairpin turns and steep drop offs…very beautiful too!

We traveled to the eastern portion of Saguaro National Park and road through the loop until sunset.

Our last stop for the day was Saguaro Corners where Lee and Claudia treated us to a delicious dinner. It isn’t often that you meet people that you instantly like…Lee and Claudia are that sort of people. So gracious and kind. They went out of their way to make sure that we had a great day! We appreciated it so much. We feel like our new friends are kindred spirits. They get us and the whole RV thing…that is after all how we met them! We look forward to future adventures with the two of them…hopefully in Yuma!!!

Day 2 South Forty RV Ranch Tucson, Arizona

We drove to the Sonora Desert Museum. As we approached, the scenery changed dramatically and the hillsides were covered with saguaro cacti. We have never seen anything like it.

This is the second most frequently visited site in Arizona after the Grand Canyon. It was highly recommended by Lee and Claudia and several other people here in Tucson. It is part zoo, natural history museum, and botanical garden. The exhibits are set in a natural desert landscape. The goal of this place is to inspire people to live in harmony with the environment. For those of us who know nothing about this otherworldly setting, it was a great to be educated by well informed docents about the plants and animals native to this area. The museum was designed in 1952 with the intent to balance the needs of the animals with the ability of the visitor to experience as much as possible the natural habitats. Many of the park’s animals were hiding today. We did catch glimpses of the mountain lion. We were able to see the wolves and coyotes as well as the javelina.

We didn’t get to see the raptors in flight. They had presentations later in the day. They allow the raptors free flight and it is supposed to be an amazing experience…next time!

We took the short ride to the Saguaro National Park.

We took the dirt and gravel loop road and found our lunch spot.

Every Thursday evening in the Freddy’s parking lot there is a cruise-in. Tonight there were about 100 cars…old and new…fancy and plain… There were a lot of older guys there with the love of old cars in common.

Another great day!

Mileage: 57,310 South Forty RV Ranch Tucson, Arizona

We enjoyed our coffee as we watched the sun come up.

Roadrunners can run up to 20 mph and are about 2 feet long. They can fly to escape predators. We have seen a few but haven’t captured a picture yet. They eat rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas, cactus seeds, and almost everything else.

We drove the short distance to Tombstone and set out to explore. This is an old western town. The shootout at the O.K. Corral made this town famous. It was the home of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp.

It was a neat place to walk around. We were there early in the day. There are reenactments of the shootout later in the afternoon.

We arrived in Tucson around lunchtime. We are staying at the South Forty RV Ranch.

We took our bikes out for a short ride and then got ready to meet our friends Lee and Claudia for dinner. We met them in Alaska and we were eager to get together and share stories about our adventures. We had Mexican dinner at La Hacienda and then visited in their home with coffee and dessert…Nanaimo bars from Vancouver Island/British Columbia. They are such lovely people and very gracious hosts.

Mileage: 57,205 Queen Mine RV Park Bisbee, Arizona

Once we were disentangled from El Paso we headed west into New Mexico.

The landscape along Route 10W was unremarkable; flat and desolate grass studded with yucca. There were more trucks on the highway and lots of trains.

I drove for more than an hour today, though Tim says I haven’t done anything hard yet. I thought that driving with tractor trailers and passing slow moving vehicles as well as driving through border control inspection stations was enough challenge for today.

There were frequent signs abut driving through possible dust storms, where visibility could potentially be zero.

Thankfully no dust storms today…but good to know!

We exited 10W at MM5 in New Mexico to travel south. This is a scenic route through Douglas, Bisbee, and Tombstone. We had heard this was a drive worth taking.

Mountains flanked the road and in the distance we could see snow capped peaks.

We were listening to Latin American music as we traveled. It really made me crave margaritas!

We passed through the border town of Douglas. The Border Patrol presence here is high. There are inspection stations and trucks highly outfitted with surveillance equipment.

The road to Bisbee was beautiful.

Back in the day, this was a copper mining town. Our campground sits right on the edge of a mining pit.

Bisbee far below.

We settled in our campsite and headed to town to explore. This a quirky, happy, artsy little town. The houses are painted all manner of outrageous colors and there is art everywhere. There is even poetry stapled to the telephone posts.

We found Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant for dinner…food and drinks…oh so delicious.

Bisbee at night.

Mileage: 56,901 Walmart El Paso, Texas

As we left it was 40 degrees. The mountains and cliffs were pretty in the morning light.

We entered Big Bend Ranch State Park and traveled along Route 170. This park is a “dark sky park.” It is far away from all city ambient light and there is limited artificial light in the area. It is the darkest sky in Texas. The stargazing here is said to be phenomenal. 80% of the population of the United States is not able to see the Milky Way. the first time we ever saw it in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, we were not sure what we were seeing.

We were told that people come from all over the place to make this drive…it doesn’t disappoint. This park road writhes and twists along the Rio Grand. There are steep sections and tight curves. As we rounded each bend and climbed each incline, we were treated to outstanding views of the river, mountains, buttes, mesas, cliffs, bluffs and hoodoos. The pictures absolutely do NO justice to this beautiful drive.

Too soon we were through this area and on our way to Route 90 and then Route 10. I did a brief stint in the driver’s seat today…trying to get more practice.

Here is a random blimp along the road…it was a tethered radar system of some sort.

Lots of trains.

We drove to El Paso where we decided to stay at a Walmart. We need supplies and groceries and since Walmart is a free place to stay…here we are. Tomorrow we will drive further west into New Mexico.

Mileage: 56,540 Rio Grand Village RV Park Big Bend National Park

At first glance, Big Bend appears to be a barren desert. It is actually more ecologically diverse than any of the other national parks with “more species of birds, plants, butterflies, bats, reptiles, and ants.”

We parked the RV and disconnected the Jeep. Because of the government shutdown, the park is much less crowded than it would usually be at this time of year. The Boquillas Crossing was closed.

The Boquillas Crossing is a pedestrian crossing into “old Mexico.” When the park is fully functioning, you can take your passport, get in a rowboat, and cross the Rio Grand into Boquillas. The small town has a restaurant. It subsists on earnings from the tourist who cross the river. The residents of Boquillas sell trinkets…beaded wire sculptures of scorpions and roadrunners, decorated walking sticks and embroidered bags. The border is closed as long as the park is closed. The Mexican people of Boquillas tried to meet with the park authorities to no avail. The craftsmen are being allowed to set up small trinket stands in the park that operate on the honor system. We took an easy hike to the Boquillas Canyon with overlooks of the Rio Grand and a path down to the river plain.

This is where we met Eduardo. He was using his rowboat to cross the river with a bag full of crafts that his wife had made. He explained that they were desperate to sell things in order for his family to survive. Tim bought a bag with a burro on it. Eduardo appeared uneasy and quickly rowed back to the other side of the river. Other craftsmen had traveled across the river on horseback to sell their wares.

Old Ore Road was an isolated spot for our picnic lunch.

Exploring the park with the Jeep on 4WD dirt and gravel roads allows us to be immersed in the desert. Truly off the beaten path or the main park road…we are seeing things that others who just pass through do not get to experience.

At the hot springs, there was a short walk along the canyon walls to the water where people were soaking in the 104 degree springs.

We took the River Road East for more than 10 miles and never actually found the river. As we traveled through here, I cannot help but wonder what force and how much time has passed to create this rugged landscape.

On a clear day, you can see 242 miles…not any further because of the curvature of the earth. Unfortunately, most days there is a haze due to pollutants that corrupts the view.

We were lucky to get a camping spot at Rio Grand Village RV Park…really just a big parking lot, but good enough for tonight….the only place to camp within 60 miles.