Wednesday, January 23, 2019

A DRIVE THROUGH ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT

ORGAN PIPE CACTUS
Standing alone on the desert floor under a canopy of glittering diamond like stars with distant coyotes howling in the distance is just the best.  And then a slow growing subtle glow in the east crawls it's way up the backside of a distant mountain ranch before suddenly rimming the peaks casting orange fiery fingers westward across the sleeping desert floor.  How fortunate for us to be where we are here in the deserts and mountains of the great American Southwest. 
MORNING'S BLUE MOON LOOKING KINDA LIKE THE BIG BLUE MARBLE, EARTH
Another nice morning walk and no I won't tell you we did 10 miles when we only did maybe a mile and half.   Seeing bicycle tracks again made me wish I had my bicycle here.  We carried our bicycles on the back of our first Class A for a couple years but didn't use them enough to justify the hassle of carrying them. 
A NICELY SHAPED PALO VERDE TREE
KINDA TURNED OUT TO BE A MORNING FOR THE SHADOW COWBOY
AND THIS MORNING WE FOUND THE HEART OF THE DESERT


Somebody asked one time, 'do you leave your outside light on at night?  My answer to that is 'no way Jose'.  Like a bright light attracts bugs at night here only 30 miles from the Mexican border a bright light on an RV can also attract unwanted attention from people moving through the desert.  As a rule these people will not bother anyone but no point lighting yourself up like a bright beacon just in case.  When I step outside with Pheebs at night or in the pre-dawn hours I never turn an outside light on but do have a small powerful flashlight in my pocket and Pheebs wears a green lighted LED collar so I know exactly where she is at all times.  
IT IS NOT OFTEN WE COME ACROSS A SAGUARO CACTUS THAT IS NOT TOWRING OVER US BUT HERE'S A YOUNG FOUR FOOTER ON IT'S WAY TO STATELY GREATNESS

SAGUAROS HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE DEFENSE SYSTEM
LIKE THIS CACTUS GROUPING
Decided to take us for a Jeep drive down through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and have a look around their campground.  We've been here several times before and it's a beautiful area with it's many Organ Pipe and Saguaro cactus scattered across the landscape along with Teddy Bear Cholla and yellow flowering Brittle Bushes.  Prickly Pear Cactus and Red Ocotillos can be found throughout as well.  Mountains all around and several worthwhile scenic loop drives.  We have done the 23 mile Eastern Loop several times years ago and I recommend anyone in the area take the time to drive that loop.
THE FURTHER ONE HEADS INTO ORGAN PIPE THE GREENER IT GETS AND THESE YELLOW FLOWERSALONG THE HIGHWAY ARE BRITTLE BUSHES
ORGAN PIPE CACTI IS EVERYWHERE WITH THESE BEING NEAR THE GROUP CAMPING AREA

A PHAINOPEPIA
BRITTLE BUSH FLOWER
PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

WE ARE PARKED IN THE GROUP CAMPING PARKING LOT
With Organ Pipe caught up in the Government shut-down we were curious to see if the Park was open so cruised through the unmanned open gates leading to the camping area and were a bit surprised to see so many RV'ers staying there for free of course.  Some washrooms are locked some are not.  We estimate the Park to be maybe 80% full and did see some vacant spots.  Lots of room in the Group Camping area for boon-dockers and we saw only one Class C in the large parking lot.  Washroom there was locked.
A DRIVE THROUGH THE ORGAN PIPE RV CAMPGROUND

The Mexican border is only 5 miles further south at Lukeville but we didn't bother going down there.

HEADING BACK TO OUR RIG AT GUNSIGHT WASH SOUTH OF WHY AZ
Close call this afternoon when we saw a Class B van headed our way but luckily it just cruised around behind us and headed back to the main Jeep road.  We were about ready to begin packing up stuff for our next move.  The generator gang who moved in on us last week causing us to move pulled out this morning.  But I must say if they hadn't moved in close we wouldn't have moved to this better spot where we are now.
LOOKS LIKE THE ARMY IS HEADING FOR THE BORDER
YOU DON'T SUPPOSE MAYBE THIS FELLA OVERLOADED HIMSELF
GROANER'S CORNER:((  Pappy sees Elmer walking with a lantern and asks, "Where ya going boy ?" The son smiled and replied, "I'm a-going courting Peggy-Sue." The Father said, "When I went a-courtin', I didn't need me no dang lantern." "Sure Pa, I know." the boy said. "And look what you got !" 
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A roadside sign said, "Unlawful to Pass School Bus from Either Direction"I guess some people misunderstood that, because now it reads:"Unlawful to Pass Stopped School Bus from Either Direction".
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10 comments:

  1. Interesting, Al, we have reservations for Organ Pipe campground next week. We paid for them in advance. bummer. Wonder if that will work with all those people in there. sigh. I was looking forward to seeing it after reading about it so many years now

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  2. WE took the 23 mile drive last year and enjoyed it very much. Some very scenic views on the drive.
    I'm glad you seem to be really enjoying your time there, perhaps you will have a change of heart about selling the rig and maybe do this again next year. A slower pace and longer stays may work better for you folks. Stay safe.

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  3. I know what you mean about carrying the bikes. We haul ours all over the place as well but that area of the country seems to be the best for riding out in the desert. Now that I am aging, I find riding on nice level trails is very enjoyable. No crazy mountain biking though!

    I had to double check your header photo. Pheebs looks like a little puppy...cute!

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  4. We too drove that scenic drive a few years ago, some amazing scenery. Nice that the generator neighbours have moved on and still nice and quiet there.

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  5. Nice photo blog Al. We've been to OPCNM before and thoroughly enjoyed the the 23M drive. Took us four hours and lunch to drive it I recall.

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  6. I've always wanted to visit Organ Pipe..so happy to see it here,can't believe they didn't close the gates, and hope no damage occurs to the park, your bird is a Phainopepla, just don't ask me to pronounce it!

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  7. We really enjoyed Organ Pipe when we were there in 2017, Al. Enjoy!

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  8. Love Organ Pipe. Hadn't thought about the campground being free. I have friends who aren't working there right now.

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  9. I've stopped receiving your blogs again, don't know what is going on. I'm still signed up. I've started receiving Our Awesome Travels again after not for over a month. Something is wrong somewhere. I love your blogs but will have to find something else.

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