ATOP THE PLOPS FIRST WITH KELLY AND PHEEBS THEN ATOP THE PLOPS AGAIN WITH PHEEBS, YUMA, AND DOUG

Another awe inspiring sunrise as I wandered around outside in my jams and housecoat toting 2 cameras along with me.  Nippy but not cold enough to scamper me back inside and I was able to get a few photos from around the coach.  Keep in mind folks all the landscape photos I have taken are from one tiny little area where we are camped.  You can only imagine the countless thousands of other locations and the kinds of beautiful photos you can find here.  Photography coffee table books could be published from this Darby Well area alone.  Surrounding mountains and cactus laden hillsides take on different hues and colors as Sunrise cycles through to Sunset.

We are about 4 days short of a full Moon and each night the surrounding Sonoran desert becomes enchantingly more beautiful in a nocturnal moonbeam glow which floods softly across the desert floor.  With our desert night air being so still and quiet if one had dropped a pin a mile away it would have likely shattered my ear drums.

I’M THINKING THAT MIGHT BE CARDIGAN PEAK OUT THERE

EARLY MORNING SUNLIGHT TICKLES THE PEAKS OF WHAT MAY BE CHILDS MOUNTAIN

GROWLER MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE DISTANCE

THAT SHADOWED DOME ON THE RIGHT IS CALLED PACK RAT HILL AND ON THE HORIZON ARE THE AJO MOUNTAINS

Instead of another flat lander walk on the road this morning we decided to do a little climbing so headed off on up the Cow Plop rocks behind us where the kids had climbed.  This was not the first time atop the plops and it wouldn’t be the last time for me today.  I was right back up there again shortly after our walk.

KELLY WITH HER NEW ALASKAN DIAMOND WILLOW ‘MATOON’ WALKING STICK

WE START OUR CLIMB TO THE ROUNDED PLOP TOP LEFT

KELLY’S DOWN THERE MAKING HER WAY UP THE STEEP ROCK STREWN SLOPE

AN OLD BUT SHALLOW MINING DIG

PHEEBS HELPS KELLY TO THE TOP OF THE CENTER ROCK

YAAAAAY MOM MADE IT

SEEING FOR MILES AND MILES

PHEEBS ENJOYS THE GREAT VIEW AND THAT’S OUR RIG OUT THERE

OUR CLOSEST NEIGHBOR IS VISIBLE OUT THERE TOO

SO THAT’S WHAT WE LOOK LIKE FROM THE COCKPIT OF A U.S. MARINES LOW FLYING A-10 WARTHOG

THAT IS BLACK MOUNTAIN OUT THERE

I THINK THIS PHOTO MIGHT GIVE YOU A GOOD IDEA ABOUT WHY I KEEP REFERRING THESE ROCKS TO COW PLOPS….MUST HAVE BEEN SOME MIGHTY BIG DARN COWS HERE AT ONE TIME THOUGH

Kelly used her new Alaska Willow ‘Matoon’ stick for the first time this morning climbing up to and coming down from the big brown Cow Plops.  Lots of Saguaro and Organ Piple Cactus along the way with some Hedge Hog and Prickly Pear scattered about.  Even saw a young Barrel Cactus and of course lots of Brittle Bushes which will be so pretty in the Spring with there bright yellow flowers.  Palo Verde trees and of course the ever present Creosote bushes.

It’s a bit of a loose rocks climb so it’s imperative one has on a good pair of gription oriented shoes.  The lower center Plop is easily accessible by a sometimes hard to follow rough path which swings around the southwest side of the center plop and leads one up on top from behind.  Nice views all round from up here which gives one a better perspective of the surrounding area.  We always dress warm in the cool morning air but by the time we reached our destination atop the rocks the Arizona morning was heating up fast so without lingering too long we carefully made our way back on down to the rig.  Going down through small loose rocks is akin to skiing downhill on a bunch of marbles with your shoes on backwards.  Kelly was sure glad she had her new walking stick with her.  I never use a walking stick because it gets in the way of my cameras. 

A FEW VIEWS FROM ATOP THE PLOPS

THIS ORGAN PIPE REMINDED ME OF AN OCTOPUS

WE BEGIN OUR TREK DOWN

THE TRAIL IS SOMETIMES HARD TO FIND

ALMOST AT THE BOTTOM

We had arranged for Doug from Miss Adventure Travels to drop over and it wasn’t long and he and Yuma rolled in and off Doug, Yuma, Pheebs and I headed back up the Cow Plops.  I knew Doug would like the short hike and great views from atop the Plops.  By the way I can’t remember if I read somewhere they are called the Cow Plops, heard it somewhere or it’s just a name I gave them years ago because of the way they looked.  I kinda like to think Cow Plops is mine.

THESE TWO ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE EACH OTHER

It’s not often I walk or hike with anyone other than Kelly so it was nice talking to Doug on our way up.  Camera tips and ideas kind of took center stage for a bit and I’m always happy if I can help someone out with a few of my thoughts on camera stuff and photography.

Didn’t take the 4 of us long to land ourselves on the center Plop where Kelly, Pheebs, and I had just been a short time before.  One never tires of the wide sweeping views here in this long stretching land of mountains and desert.  The Sun was  getting even hotter as we stood there taking it all in and chatting away so it wasn’t long we were making our way back down again and heading for the shade under our awning at the rig.

DOUG GRABS A LAST PHOTO OF THE COW PLOPS

Doug is one of those laid back down to earth fellas I feel very comfortable with and we are able to talk about things that we both have in common and understand.  Fears, worries, apprehensions, future plans, hopes and dreams.  I like it when I meet someone I am totally at ease with.

 

YOU KNOW DOUG I FIGURE BETWEEN THE TWO OF US WE COULD PASS OURSELVES OFF AS BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDAMCE KID

Yuma and Doug stayed about another half hour then headed off into Ajo for a few groceries and things.  With this type of traveling lifestyle for the winter months one never knows if and when trails may cross again so there is a special bond amongst parting friends each time.  Most of us are at an age and stage in life now where we all know the trail’s end may just be over the next ridge or around the next corner……………….

NOW THERE’S A COUPLE OF GOOD GUYS

Ok, guess I had better get myself to answering a few questions here seeings how I said that’s what I would do:))

A FEW ATV’S RUMBLING THROUGH THE DESERT

Q: Do Ice Cubes in the RV Black Tank Really Work?……A: We came across that solution in the RV Net Forum years ago and yes it did work for us…….And Dave Burdick in a comment said this, ‘I have also added a 2 liter bottle or two Coca-Cola or Diet Coke...it helps break it up, and dissolve the pile.

 Q: I would interested how that tracker worked.  A: I’m assuming your talking about the ankle bracelet tracker I talked about Kelly putting on me in Algodones.  Although there are tracking devices put on felons etc I was only kidding about either Kelly or I having to wear tracking bracelets on our ankles to keep from getting lost.  Maybe something we should look into for Kelly though:))

 Q: Don says,  Ajo sure looks like it was a booming place at one time. Where do people work now??  A: Yes the big mine is closed.  There a lot of Border Patrol people in and around Ajo plus a couple other Government agencies here such as ICE and I have forgot what that stands for.  There really is no main employer in Ajo anymore like the old days of the mine so the town has reverted back to it’s own resources and appears to be doing reasonably well.  Winter RVing Snow Birds are a help during the winter months too. 

Q: Patsy asks, My only question is how do you know the names of all of the mountain ridges? Would love to know where you find that information.  A:  We carry the Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas’s for California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.  These not only contain road maps but topographical maps for all these States naming such things as Mountain Ranges, Peaks, and Valleys.  Without constantly referring to these Bench Mark Atlas’s I wouldn’t know diddly squat. 

Q: Question. Do you not sometimes get a little worried about snapping photos of folks!?  A: My short answer to this question is yes I do.  Now I did write a long answer to this question which quickly got way too long so I have saved that long version for a future post in which I will again express my views on photographing people whether young or old.  I also got myself off on a little tangent about a couple other comments in the Shout Box and will let that ride for now.  But only for now…………

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Morty and Saul, are out one afternoon on a lake when their boat starts sinking.  Saul the banker says to Morty, "So listen, Morty, you know I don't swim so well." Morty remembered how to carry another swimmer from his lifeguard class when he was just a kid so begins tugging Saul toward shore. After twenty minutes, he begins to tire.
Finally about 50 feet from shore, Morty asks Saul, "So Saul, do you suppose you could float alone?"  Saul replies, "Morty, this is a hell of a time to be asking for money!"

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Knock Knock
Who's there?
Wilfred!
Wilfred who?
Wilfred like his present?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Willa!
Willa who?
Willa you marry me!
Knock Knock
Who's there?
William!
William who?
Williamind your own business!
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Willie!
Willie who?
Willie be home for dinner!
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Willis!
Willis who?
Willis rain ever stop!

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Black Fellah to White Fellah
Dear white fellah,
There's a coupla tings you orta no.
Firstly
Wen I am born, I'm black.
Wen I grow up, I'm black.
Wen I get sick, I'm black.
Wen I'm cold, I'm black.
Wen I go out in the sun, I'm black.
And wen I get scared, I'm black.
And wen I die, yes, I'm still black.
But you white fellah ....
Wen you born, you pink.
Wen you grow up, you white.
Wen you get sick, you green
Wen you cold, you go blue.
Wen you go out in the sun, you go red.
And wen you get scared, you yellah.
And wen you die, you purple
And you call me coloured !!