More from Ajo

I have some more pics from Ajo that I just have to share. 

The Franciscan Mission is now a museum. 

Inside. 

Outside. 

Bruce outside. 

Helen

Sweetwater Wetlands - Tucson, Arizona, January 29, 2015

Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson - always a fun place to visit

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pied-billed Grebe

Greater Roadrunner

Yellow-headed Blackbirds at dusk - Sweetwater Wetlands - Tucson

Bruce

Surprises

There are some surprising rest rooms in this country. 

In New Mexico. 

In Arizona. 

Helen

Ajo, historic mining town

The copper mine was built where the Spanish had earlier had a silver and gold mine. The head of the mine wanted to keep the miners happy so he planned a model town and better housing than other mines provided for their workers. 

One of the houses provided for a white miner. The Natine American and Hispanic miners each had separate villages. 

One side of the plaza. 

The open pit mine, which is no longer in operation. It is a mile and a half across at the top and over s 1000 feet deep. 

The museum at the mine was extremely interesting, and the volunteer who formerly worked with the mine, a fount of information. 

Helen

Morning after the rain

It was an all day rain, and I never left the camper, though Bruce put on his rain gear, walked and biked in the morning. We spent the rest of the day visiting with new friends, Ray and Kay, who were part of the Red Tank hiking group. 

The dark clouds with shafts of sunlight playing on the mountains and fields of cacti was lovely.

Raindrops on cholla. 

And on Creasote Bush. 

Sun on Twin Peaks. Picture taken from Twin Peaks Campground in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. 

Helen

Rainy day in the desert

Today it rains, thwarting a hike we were planning to do in Estes Canyon. The desert is fragrant with the scent of the Creasote bushes.

Rain on the motorhome window dims the view of the cacti. 

Ajo mountains, where we had planned to hike today. 

This is an Organ Pipe Cactus, named for its appearance. But, it sings!  When the wind blows through its needles, it makes a lovely sound.  In it's natural, peaceful way, it rivals pipe organs.

"Grandfather Organ Pipe" has pipes as large small Saguaros. It sang beautifully to us. 

Helen

Red Tank hike in Organ Pipe Cactus

We had a lovely hike, clear sunny skies, and great hiking companions. The park's van took seven of us to the trailhead and we walked back to the campground. This trail overlapped with a drug runners' trail through one of the washes.

A well used trail through a wash. We could deduce its path for other than hikers by what was left behind. 

There were more black water jugs than our two trash retrievers could carry. Black water jugs instead of white are used because they are not visible to border patrol at night.

Another discard on the trail was a bicycle used to carry the payload until it became a liability.

Out of the wash and on the usual landscape of the Sonoran Desert.  Helen

Do not touch

Do not touch this one. 

Chain fruit cholla taken in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. 

The information on desert safety written in the park's news paper understates the obvious, "Desert vegetation is spikey, so avoid contact."

Best avoid this one too.

Prickly Pear Cactus taken in Picacho Peak State Park.

Picacho State Park

We drove out of Phoenix yesterday, leaving family times behind and arrived at dusk at the park. Bruce has been birding and biking and this afternoon we walked around the lower part of the park, ignoring the mountain. Maybe tomorrow. 

The mountain, Picacho is the peak to the left. 

  Fishhook cactus with fruits.  

The recent rain has left a legacy. It feels like spring in Ohio with the new grass.   Helen

Sparkling air and sunshine

We have spent four lovely days at Lost Dutchman State Park, east of Phoenix, at the edge of the Superstition Mountains.  

1st day;  relaxed, took a short bicycle ride and walked the nature trail where I learned the names of some of the common plants of the area. (Bruce keeps me updated on the birds.)

2nd day; walked the Discovery Trail and Treasure Cove Trail. They were easy trails, but I was so thankful to be able to hike at all after a year of knee problems. Al (Bruce's brother) and Marcia joined us.  

3rd day; did the Discovery Trail with Marcia and Pistolito, then hiked approximately three miles on the Siphon Draw Trail with Al & Marcia. 

4th day; had a family picnic with more family members from Indiana and Pheonix.  

Looking back down the trail toward Pheonix. 

Hiking down Siphon Draw Trail

Picnic

Marcia and Pistolito at the coyote sundial. 

Lost Dutchman State Park

We arrived at Lost Dutchman State Park Tuesday evening as the evening's light still caught the mountain. I rather like the name of this park, for my dad's CB handle was "The Flying Dutchman".  (It is also the name of a quilt pattern, so many years ago I pieced him a pillow with that pattern.). But the park is not named after a missing man, but a lost gold mine.    Helen

On the Mesa looking east from Marcia and Al's home above Glenwood, New Mexico. We had a lovely four days with the best hosts in the region. We visited the ex-mining town of Mogollon, looking for rocks for a rock garden and ate wonderful Southwestern style foods. Thanks, A & M.  

Here we go again, south by southwest

2015.  We are traveling again south by southwest though this year our starting point was Goshen, Indiana rather than Millersburg, Ohio, as in 2013. We are hoping for a warmer Arizona welcome than last time around.


We had four days of very cold weather from Indiana to the house ( brother Al and Marcia) on the Mesa in New Mexico. The three days here have been lovely.