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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