WHY are we blowing???

  Here in Why the winds started early in the morning, but did not keep us from enjoying our day.  We started on the way to Organ Pipe National Monument. First, we quickly ran down past the National Monument to Lukeville on the border, just 'cus. There were lineups to get back, since it was a Sunday and the end of school spring break.

The campground at Organ Pipe was great even for large RV's. Even though we are not staying there this time, it was good to check it out.

Organ Pipe Cactus

   The wind was blowing very hard with a cloud cover, so the skies were very dull today.  We stopped at the Visitor Centre and picked up a guide for plants and cactus in the southwest. The 21 mile Ajo Mountain Drive was still completed though, and wow! that road needs to be graded again.  It took us a couple of hours, and we stopped half way through to have lunch at Estes Canyon.  This little guy decided to visit us at the ramada

There were interesting arches that we perhaps saw yesterday on our drive through the nearby roads, and today from another side of the mountain.  The arches are created by weather action, not wind. Well, you would think it was wind today.

Yep, that's the colour of the sky today - see the 2 arches?

So many things just blend away into the desert.  An interpreter at the Ajo Museum said to look for the buildings that have melted into the desert. Animals are so camoflaged and so are the bones.

Thanks again to the Bayfield Bunch for their recommendation of an RV park here. 

Our view, Why, Arizona. Yesterday, No winds, Blue(ish) Sky.

We may stay here another day till these winds blow out.

Day Tour of AJO

Our visiting day in Ajo was very enjoyable.  Al from the Bayfield Bunch emailed us about taking the Ajo Scenic Loop, which is a 10.9 gravel road route.  It was recently graded and took us through a higher area outside of town, in the Sonoran Desert.  There were a few boondockers on Darby Wells Road. 

The first stop in the morning was to the Post Office to mail some parcels to the boys and get some more stamps, and of course, coffee time in the Ajo Plaza.  What a lovely spot, but too bad it is not busier with more businesses. We found out later the Library is one of the 'hotspots' of activity in the winter.

The nest stop was the Interpretive Center of the Wildlife Refuge, where we learned that a large portion is now closed to any activity due to the fawning season of the Pronghorn Antelope.   We picked up a book on Desert Cactus at the gift shop in order to identify and learn more! 

Next on the day's agenda were visits to the Ajo Museum, where there were at least 4 volunteer interpreters and townspeople, who were very proud of Ajo and it's history.  There, we were also encouraged to drive the Ajo Scenic Loop and were given the brochure to read along the way, explaining interesting points.  Of course, Ajo being a mining town, there was a room of rocks and specimens of all sorts.  We are not 'rock' people but volunteers at both the mine information building and the museum were - boy o boy those people love rocks. I probably should have paid more attention when the geology portion of science came up in High School.  See - you never know when you need that information, I always told my kids! 

Stained glass windows of the Catholic Church, set in hardened sand, rather than lead

Closed Mine

Imperial Dam LTVA to Ajo

Just before we left Yuma and the Imperial Dam area, we made a quick trip to a Verizon Wireless store to change the address on our account.  You can't do that online with a Canadian address.  It also seems we need at new wall plug cord, and of course, they do not stock anything at the store.  So, who knows when that will be arranged, as they are shipped UPS, but we are on the road with no plans for a longer stay anywhere.  The component is covered under warranty, so it just may have to wait for a bit.

We were too early for the opening of the Verizon store, and there was another store across the street open that somehow managed to get us to spend some moolah for a new camera. So far, it's a great little camera : Nikon S9100.  I haven't tried a night shot as yet.

Julie and Ed saying so long!

We drove from Imperial through the Dome Valley, rather than to Yuma, in order to catch I 8 East.  What a pretty valley of very busy farms.  Workers were picking lettuces and we also saw some fields of strawberries being covered by remay ( white cloth ) probably in order to keep the birds off.

The Desert Rat

A very warm day of driving, but tonight we are in Ajo, enjoying a night at Shadowridge RV Park.  They accept Passport America, so it only cost $12 tonight, and it sure was worth it for some air conditioners, and both were turned on full blast!  We drove up to the viewpoint to have a look at the closed down Cornelia Copper Mine and at the old railway station.

We will try to go back to the mine in the morning, to see if we can get some information and history.  It was way way down!

We look forward tomorrow to learning more about this little town and its beautiful architecture.  Some people have asked how our old cat is doing without her fur friend - she is fine, has turned very clingy, but she is most likely enjoying the air being on in the fifth and much cooler!

see ya later to new friends

Today we are on the road again, after a great day here at the Imperial Valley.  We finally met up with Val and Claude, who just arrived here and are camped down at the beach front property by the lake.  They joined for us a quick glass of wine before they headed off to another Happy Hour by the lake. 

Ok, Ed, go fill up your plate!

Kim cooked dinner last evening for Ed, Julie, Bob and Delores with marinated steaks, spinach salad, wine and a hot weather dessert of lemon loaf cake, strawberries and whipped cream. Mmm.  We feel very fortunate to have met such great people.  Both couples spend the winter months there at Imperial Dam LTVA, and would love us to come back and be here longer!  Oh but there is so much to see... and it is hard to leave....so, we say " see you later", rather than goodbye!

Goulash Fun

Can you believe I forgot my camera.  Darn.  Must be that mentalpause.  Or the heat.  Or the crazy burros heeing and hawing all night!  Well, we had fun with the neighbours here at Imperial Dam.  Goulash was supplied by Rhode Island Bob and his lovely wife Dee, with garlic bread made by Indiana Ed and Julie.  The rest of us supplied salads, pickles and desserts. Mmm Mmm.  Lots of good conversation and just good people. We brought a Louisiana Lemon Coconut Cake and a Watermelon and our friend Bob Stone brought a lovely fruit platter.  Just right for a hot day.

Earlier Bob, Jake, Don and I  decided to run into town to take in the Mesa Outdoor Market, in order to enjoy a Gyro for lunch.  My oh My - this blog is turning out all about food!  We drove the rural way into town, through Bard and the agricultural fields. Again with the food! Only it was lettuce.... We thought about going to the Yuma Lettuce Days Festival, but standing in the sun on hot pavement was not that appealing.

Tomorrow, Bob and Jake, both of Calgary, are leaving for further places.  We have a few days here yet, and we are excited that we may get to meet fellow bloggers, Claude and Val   They also live in the Shuswap area.  It is pretty cool when you can email your GPS coordinates to fellow bloggers..... of course you can still write long explanations..... ok, turn at the Big Guns...

We talked to a couple at the dinner this evening who rent a lot in the Fortuna Foothills.  We are not that serious about any purchase, and feel that some of the prices are too high.  It is a large area, so there is always a few lots for sale... maybe another year.

To Trent and Theresa - we would like to answer your questions but could not find an email address to pm you..... if you care to drop us a line we will do our best to answer some of your RV questions!