Claudia and I took a great walk on BLM roads through the desert.
Later this morning, we packed coolers and went Jeeping.
We wound our way around in the Chuckwalla Bench, exploring the area.
Our lunch spot.
We found BLM Route 585. This was a fun, moderate Jeep road with some smaller obstacles. It felt a lot like riding on an old wooden roller coaster; up and down in the small foothills.
This evening Lee and Claudia made delicious nachos and elk machaca burritos. The meat was rich with flavors and spices. We enjoyed the meal and the fellowship of friends.
I began the day with an uneventful walk along 85 in Ajo.
The campground has this amazing little cactus garden. It is always filled with birdsong.
Today was moving day. We traveled north on 85 and stopped at a wayside to have breakfast. We were in the Barry Goldwater Range. We watched 4 jets practicing tactical maneuvers. We could see the pilots dive low and then we saw bursts of smoke coming from the ground several miles away. The aircraft would then climb dramatically before veering sharply to the left and then the next jet would come through, executing the exact flight pattern. We could hear loud rumbling noises. It was thrilling to watch.
We stopped in Yuma to get groceries and supplies. We also filled the RV with fuel. We are going back into southeastern California and we remembered that fuel was nearly 4.00 a gallon there.
This evening, we camped off road on BLM EC 633 where we camped 2 weeks ago. We were joined a short while later by our good friends Lee and Claudia. We had a wonderful evening with great conversation, wine, appetizers, a campfire, chicken feta burgers, pizzelles and chocolate covered strawberries. After our meal, we stood together looking at the stars. We are looking forward to adventuring with our friends this weekend!
February 11, 2021 Revisiting Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Ajo Heights RV Park Day 4
The coyotes were having a party last night here in Ajo!
I started my day with a walk down the main road. I was chatting with my mom on the phone when I saw 4 javelina on the sidewalk at the Family Dollar Store. They jogged across the parking lot and regathered at the ice cream parlor. We spent more than 24 hours in the desert. We saw a bunny and some lizards. Here in town, I have seen a coyote and the javelina. It makes me wonder if the people here in town are as enchanted by the desert critters as we are. The animals probably have more to eat here and there could be a couple of retirees feeding them as well.
We went to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to explore. We stopped at the Visitor Center to plan our adventure.
We took Puerto Blanco Drive. This road eventually connects to the backroad entrance that we found yesterday. It would have been a 65-mile journey and we wanted to see the rest of the park.
We drove all the way to the end of 85 to the Lukeville Border Crossing. This looks very different than it did when we were here two years ago. It is much more formal and there is a huge x-ray machine for cars, RVs and trucks. The border wall WAS a 15-foot fence with barbed wire at the top. It went on for a few miles and then there were concrete bollards to prevent cars from driving over. Lastly, it faded to nothing. NOW the new wall goes on as far as the eye can see. We wanted to ask if people are climbing this new 30-foot steel wall with concrete reinforcement. There are lights and cameras in place at intervals as well. There were lots of border patrol officers cruising through the park and along the highway. There were also officers out on ATVs. Much of the road along the border is closed to ordinary vehicles, citing safety concerns. There is still a lot of construction equipment here and we have seen work trucks in the campgrounds. They must still be working on a portion of the wall.
We were able to go a short distance on Camino de Dos Republicas. The road leads to an old line camp. This is where you are able to approach the wall. We could hear chickens and roosters and Latina music coming from the other side, from Mexico.
We took the 21-mile scenic loop. We have been here before and I loved it the first time. You can forget just how beautiful a place really is. It was just as breathtaking today. Today I felt overwhelmed and awed by the magnificence of this green desert.
This is an organ pipe cactus named thusly because someone thought it looked like organ pipes. This National Monument protects and preserves the northernmost range of this cactus. They grow commonly in Mexico but they are very rare here in the United States. They like to grow in the rocks that have tumbled down from the mountains over the ages, in the bajadas or the feet of the mountains. They prefer the southern slopes where they can get the best Arizona sunshine. They flower in May, lavender and white flowers that bloom only at night. The blossoms close during the day to protect the cactus from additional moisture loss.
We had our lunch along a wash. In this wash, the Hohokam people planted beans, squash, and corn 12,000 years ago. They organized a complex system of dams and irrigation ditches and were able to produce crops with just 4 inches of rain in a season. Later, the Tohono O’odham practiced similar dry farming methods.
More scenery.
The last gravel road, Alamo Canyon Road, took us to a primitive campground in a gorgeous setting. Someday, we can return with our Jeep tent and spend the night.
This evening I went out to get some firewood, more purified water, and carryout from Arriba Mexican Restaurant.
Tim fixed my flat tire…another cactus thorn!
We have quickly passed through Ajo on two other trips. I am glad that this time we chose to stay.
We took our time this morning. We enjoyed hot coffee by a warm fire. We could already feel the warmth from the rising sun.
We decided to explore some more gravel roads. In a couple of miles, we found ourselves at the backdoor of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. We are exempt from paying the fees because we have the senior pass. We were looking for a view to go along with our breakfast.
We passed by this water station. Anyone passing through the desert is welcome to get water here.
A short distance later we found this rescue station. Anyone needing assistance, is able to push the button and help will come. Many people walk over the Mexican border and pass by this way. No matter what your views and beliefs about immigration…we must remain humane and we cannot let people to die in the desert.
More pretty scenery.
We climbed up to a ridge and had our breakfast.
Border Patrol has a strong presence here. We could see two vehicles watching.
We were back in Ajo shortly before lunchtime. We stopped at the Ajo Farmers Market and Cafe for breakfast burritos stuffed with eggs and chorizo…huge portions and excellent!!
I liked the message on the window.
This town gives humanitarian aid to people passing through They have a Good Samaritan network. The restaurant is also affiliated with a food pantry for people who could use a little extra help. This town has a good message to share and a good vibe. We like it here.
Back at the campground, I paid to stay another two nights. The host was asking about our tent camping experience. Somehow, we started talking about rattlesnakes. Last summer, there were 8 rattlesnakes in the campground. There was also the incident with the Mojave green. A woman was exiting her RV and going to get into her car. Her husband was coming down the steps and saw a Mojave green aggressively strike out at his wife. He whipped out his firearm and killed it…wow! We had heard that rattlesnakes start to emerge in February. I was told by Kathy, that although they will come out now to sun themselvs during the day, they don’t really become active until May.
This evening we took a picnic dinner to the town square. It felt odd to see green grass!
We took a walk around town.
More from Artist Alley
We drove to the Ajo Mine Overlook. This was the first copper mine in Arizona. Spaniards mined here in the 1750’s. The mine is no longer active.
I walked down Main Street this morning. On my way back, I saw a coyote walking in the wash behind the grocery store. I really wanted a picture but common sense prevailed. February is mating season and the coyote can be particularly aggressive at this time of year. I crossed to the other side to continue my walking.
We were packed up and ready for our first roof top tent adventure. We left directly after breakfast. We left our perfectly warm, safe, comfortable RV at Ajo Heights.
On our way through town, we stopped to look at some of the street art. We have posted the first one before but it is a good reminder…Humanitarian Aid Is Always Legal.
We were on pavement for a short distance.
We took Darby Wells Road and just kept going. We wanted to be closer to the mountains and further from people. We were able to achieve those goals. The nearest camper was 6 miles away! How is that for socially distant? We found a perfect spot for our overnight wilderness camping.
The camper is supposed to be up and ready in 1 minute…we need some practice before we are that proficient…but it is easy enough to get it up and ready! We have two good sleeping bags and we brought extra blankets because it was forecasted to get down to 48 and we were not sure how warm we might be. We packed a lot of gear from the RV. As we get better at overnight camping and supplement our gear with some better options…maybe we will have to pack less than a full Jeep load for just one night!
We were in a really stunning area. A beautiful setting with expansive views of the valley far below. It is hard to visualize with pictures…but Tim would like to share this video with you.
We spent the afternoon gathering firewood and exploring the area around our campsite. I spooked a little cottontail.
This is a packrat nest. They like to incorporate shiny bits into their nests. It is important to keep the hood of the car open when camping in their habitat…they like to build nests in motors and chew on wires and stuff!
Bits fall off of cholla cacti. The bits are then carried sometimes by wind or water but more often by animals and on peoples clothes…(as Tim can attest…they are very pokey and are hard to get out of skin and socks)… where they drop to the ground and grow a new cactus. Sometimes they are also called jumping cholla for this reason. They are very resilient and need very little to plant themselves.
We saw lots of these little lizards darting about.
I took a nice walk but not too far from our setup.
We enjoyed a nice bottle of malbec and a fire as we watched the shifting light and the clouds. We listened to an owl hooting off in the distance. The peace and the solitude were deeply soothing and relaxing.
We were camped not far from the Barry Goldwater Range where military piolts train. For a while this evening we had our own private airshow, the jets weaving serpentine arcs across the sky.
We enjoyed a dinner of turkey chili and grilled pitas as we watched another sunset. It was so cloudy that we didn’t think we would see much color but we were pleasantly surprised.
Cotton candy colored clouds.
We got up together during the night when Tim thought he heard something scratching around in the engine. We didn’t see anything with our big light! The clouds obscured all but a few stars. The tent was sturdy and comfy and warm enough. Temperatures really didn’t plunge into the 40’s until around three this morning. We slept and woke up with the sun rising over the mountains. It feels good to push ourselves to try this new thing…we are so fortunate and happy! We had so much fun!
Good morning!! No time for our usual morning routines today. We were awake and on the road as the sun came up.
Today the true reason for our stay in Phoenix is revealed! About a week ago, Tim and I were riding across the desert. We were looking at all the amazing, remote places that there are to camp. We carry a tent with us…but we haven’t really wanted to sleep on the ground here. It is rocky, and there are snakes and scorpions and tarantulas that call the desert THEIR home. There have been several times that we have been on a trail and have had to turn around and go back…even though we really wanted to see more. Anyway, the other day I asked Tim if he had ever thought about getting one of those tent things that go on the roof of the Jeep. He wasn’t sure I would be interested or that I would want to crawl up in there…but the tradeoffs are enormously rewarding. We started to do some research when we got back to the RV. The IKamper Skycamp 2.0 was highly rated and had a hard case and was big enough to sleep 4. We got really excited about it. We wondered if we should wait and get it later this spring and then we realized that we could really use it here. Tim found a dealer in Phoenix. Boris from Simply Go Camping was very helpful. He wasn’t sure that we could get the large tent camper on the Jeep but he did have a Skycamp Mini in stock. The next day, Tim called him and told him we would be at his shop first thing Monday morning to get the tent installed. So, we spent a very enjoyable weekend hanging out at White Tank Mountain and then this morrning we were in the city by 9.
Boris was very patient with us. He answered all of our questions and he and Tim found safe way to mount the larger camper on the Jeep. This is exciting news because we really want to be able to use the camper with Ollie and Austin!
Thanks Boris…we are looking forward to many overland adventures with our new tent!
Simply Go Camping has this logo. Boris is trained as a graphic designer. He calls his logo “cake”…mountains, roads, trails and waterways.
We left at about 11. We had thought we might go to stay at Painted Rocks. Instead, we headed south to Ajo. We got a nice site at Ajo Heights. We wanted to explore off-road camping options for tomorrow and so we took a ride. We have a couple of options in mind.
When we got back to town we went to get purified water and some groceries. It was already dinnertime and so we stopped at Agave Grill and got great sandwiches.
We spent the rest of the evening getting ready for tomorrow’s overnight trip. We had to set up the tent and leave it open to air. It seems really roomy and comfy inside. We won’t post a blog about our first RTT (Roof Top Tent) adventure until Wednesday.
I enjoyed the morning outside in the fresh air. No humidity, warmth, sunshine again…it is snowing at home…
We decided to go for a really good hike. We had FaceTime with the grandkids this morning and we were talking to them about cacti. We took some pictures to send to Ollie so he could see.
This hike was listed as a moderate hike. There were long sections of fairly flat and smooth trail mixed with patches of rockier terrain. Even so, we had no trouble negotiating our way. We made it to the portion of the trail that gets more difficult…two diamond difficult. At that point we had hiked for 3 miles. We both felt good enough to keep walking but we also knew that we had to walk all the way back. Something I read yesterday about trail hiking that I had never seen written before made a whole lot of sense; “When half you water is gone, turn around.”
What a truly nice day to be outside.
Because we were not on our home network…we were not abe to stream the game as we had hoped. Tim watched live highlights and the score of the Super Bowl as it was played.
I fixed grilled shrimp and little sweet peppers stuffed with feta and fig and cheddar and bacon. Our fancy feast made it seem a little festive.
The sun had already gone down by the time I thought to take a picture.
It’s getting dark now and we can see the lights of Phoenix twinkling in the distance. I love that this park feels really wild and remote but the city is just a few miles away.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park Surprise, Arizona
After we completed our morning exercise, we packed up the RV and left on 10E.
We camped at White Tank Mountain.
We have stayed here once before but only for an overnight. We didn’t really get to explore or enjoy the park. This is a beautiful place with lots of cactus varieties. It is green and lush compared to the desert in southern Arizona and southern California.
We sat out in the sunshine for a short time this afternoon. It was 71 degrees. Not too bad for February!
We went for a nice hike this afternoon.
Curly spined California fire barrel
Teddy bear cholla
Strawberry hedgehog cactus
This evening, the city of Phoenix, below us in the valley, was bathed in pink light. The skyscrapers were gleaming.
I was going to do my usual routine this morning when I saw a woman walking her dog out across the fields. I decided that instead of walking the neighborhood streets, I would walk that way as well.
I walked for a long time and had just decided to turn around when I saw another woman walking with a baby in a carrier. She was coming from an area that I thought would be along the river. As I walked down over the hill. There was a sign indicating that I had entered an Ecological Reserve.
It was a lovely, peaceful walk. I saw lots of birds including quail, roadrunners, hawks, ducks, a variety of wading birds, and maybe a golden eagle. There were all kinds of scat, paw prints, claw prints, and hoof prints. I wished that I could just sit there for a while and watch the happenings, especially by the marsh.
Before I knew it, I had walked more than 2 miles and so it was time to go back.
We had to stop at the diner this morning to get a picture of this old Chevy truck.
We took the Jeep on 10W and got off on Ford Dry Lake Road.
The gravel road took us through Government Pass in the Chuckwalla Mountains and then down behind the mountains and through a second pass, Graham Pass, then back to the highway.
Driving through the passes was stunning! It was 75 and sunny with no clouds. We were surrounded by jagged peaks and desert.
This evening we went to get a carryout order from Garcia’s. The authentic Mexican food was good.
Today was a good chore day. It was sunny and it was warm but it was WINDY!
We went to town and threw clothes in at the laundromat. Then, because the Starbucks was across the street, we treated ourselves to another cup of coffee. We filled our gallon jugs with purified water and went to the carwash. When we got back to the laundromat, it was time to switch the clothes to the dryer. Everything was dry in 25 minutes! That is one good thing about a nice laundromat…you can be in and out with lots of stuff in a really short time! We went to get groceries and got back to the RV by lunchtime. We spent a quiet afternoon.
This evening we packed our dinner and went to find a place along the river. We thought we might go to the Palo Verde Diversion Dam but the area was closed because of COVID.
We had fire and enjoyed the setting sun as it cast light on the mountains on the Arizona side. The coyotes were carousing and serenading us tonight!
