There is no lack of adventures in the Tucson area!  We made our home at the Green Valley RV Park.  As soon as we set up camp, all the neighbors came by to check us out and chat.  Most are snowbirds who live there 3 or 4 months out of the year.  There was so much to see, we spent little time in camp.

 

AMADA, AZ – THE LONGHORN SALOON

             In the town of Amada between Green Valley and Tubac, we had dinner at the Longhorn Saloon. Good food, friendly staff.

 

            A few nights later we ate across the street at the Cow Palace which sits on the site which dates back to the 1920s.  Several movies were filmed there including The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing,  Pray for the Wildcat, Tin Cup and The Postman.

 

TUCSON’S ANNUAL GEM SHOW

 

            The biggest show of its kind, it is spread throughout central Tuscon in several venues including hotels and tents.  I’ve never seen so many rocks and gems. 

 

 

 

 

 In search of meteorites, Alan found what he was looking for, his own little piece of outer space. 

 

This is really an event for people who are serious, i.e., people who buy and sell gems, and/or make jewelry to sell.

 

 

Personally I think Quartzsite is much more fun.

 

 

MISSION SAN XAVIER del BAC

 

 

            This historic Spanish Catholic mission, about 10 miles south of Tucson, is on the Tohono O’odham San Xavier Indian Reservation.  You park and walk through the mission and church with no fee.

Because of the natural springs in the area it is known as “the place where water appears.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

          The mission was founded in 1699 and its Moorish-inspired designcture is elegant and simple.

 

  It is  very picturesque!

 

TUBAC – The city of art

             Tubac has a long history as a prehistoric Hohokam village, later occupied by the Pima (Tohono O’odham) and sporadically by the Apaches.  Nearby is Mission Tumacacori (rhymes with Yuma-cockery).

            The town is made up of several blocks of art galleries and boutiques with Native American wares, Indian jewelry, etc.  The artists may be seen creating their artwork on the spot.  Tubac also has several wonderful restaurants.   It is what Sedona was like before it became ruined. 

 

Tubac is quaint and friendly with an intimate ambiance. 

 

It just so happens when we visited, they were in the midst of their annual art festival!

 

INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE MUSEUM

            This wonderful museum is a non-profit educational program of Safari Club International Foundation dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of the world’s diverse wildlife.

 I could barely move past the butterfly display which was captivating!

                  This Bird of Paradise is supposed to be upside down.

 

        The Museum is located in Gates Pass on the way to Old Town Tucson.

 

 

OLD TOWN TUCSON

            Having grown up in Hollywood, I was not too impressed with Old Town Tucson and felt it was overpriced.  The mid-town shoot out was hokey, as they usually are, but the can-can show in the saloon was lively and professional.  We took the cave tour led by Terrible Tom and enjoyed a short ride on the train.

 MADERA CANYON

             This area in the Santa Rita Mountains of the Coronado National Forest is a destination for birders world wide.  It was my favorite part of the entire trip.

 

This acorn wood-

pecker stalked us at our picnic table!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Canyon creek traverses four life zones and many habitats between the desert floor and the mountain tops.  There are several places to hike or sit, with binoculars in one hand and a bird guide in the other!

The Santa Rita Lodge has a sitting area in front of bird baths and feeders.  

This hepatic tanager was very cooperative as Alan kept clicking his camera.

We could hear a bunch of noise behind us and suddenly about a dozen wild turkeys appeared looking for lunch.

The main reason that a crowd of birders were waiting in front of the gift shop was to hopefully catch a glimpse of the Elegant Trogon.  While we were waiting, we were thrilled to see a painted restart, which seemed to be posing.                                                  

 

AND SUDDENLY GUESS WHO APPEARED!  To everyone’s delight the trogon flew into a berry bush right in front of the waiting birders.  It only stayed a moment and never was in plain sight, but the cameras were clicking and binoculars pointing. 

The elusive Elegant Trogon, once called the Coppery Tailed Trogon

ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

Bats have ears that are dispurportionate to their size!  To show this, the museum invites you to try on these ears so you know how a bat feels!

 

The aviary was full of desert birds such as a western tanager and a black headed grosbeak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 There are acres of gardens and lots of exhibits including live animals.  This is a place that takes a day to see all it has to offer.

IMPERIAL SAND DUNES

     Headed north, back into California, we went through another immigration check point and since it was getting dark we pulled into a camping area at this OHV recreation area.  That is OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES.  It was really quite beautiful camped at the foot of the dunes, but we knew daylight would bring out the ATVs so we didn’t stay long after daybreak.

PHILLIPS COCKY CACTUS COMPOUND

     Just outside of Anza Borrego State Park in a community called Ocotillo Wells, we visited my cousin Diana and her husband Larry.  Their 10 acre spread is set up for entertaining guests and we were greeted with a campsite complete with hook ups.  We sat in the palapa and watched the Lakers lose to the Magic.

 

     Diana and Larry and little Suzi enjoy their desert retreat during the winter, but come summer they head for Florence Oregon and enjoy a completely different life style.

Finally it is time to head home from the Wild Wild West.  From Blythe and Quartzsite to Castle Dome and Yuma, from Organ Pipe National Monument to Tucson and its surrounding adventures, from Tubac back to Yuma, north to Imperial Sand Dunes, through Ocotillo Wells, and as a last stop, Desert Hot Springs.  It has been an adventure filled trip!   

What draws us into the desert

Is the search for something intimate

In the remote

–         Edward Abbey

 

     Blistered by baking summer sun and deluged with torrential monsoon storms, this land in the Sonoran Desert is a land of extremes.  Between Yuma and Tucson and only a stone’s throw from the Mexican border, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a show case of a flourishing ecosystem of species which have evolved to exist in a harsh environment.

     Around us everywhere we enjoy the beauty of the saguaro with its characteristic arms.  It is especially picturesque at sunset. 

 

                                                                                                                                               And we also enjoy the unique organ pipe cactus which can live to be 150 years old.

 

    

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the organ pipe cactus grows in a mutated fashion which creates a beautiful pattern called “cristates.”  This rare occrence also occurs in saguaros.

Although this area is subject to extremes, here in February it is mild, with blue skies, sunny warm days and brilliant sunsets.

      This National Park received stimulus monies, and it shows.  The campground has nice facilities, the visitor center is excellent, and the staff – both paid rangers and volunteers – are friendly and knowledgeable.  In the campground ampitheater we attended a ranger program each night – on astronomy, geology and the features of the park.

THE SCENIC AJO MOUNTAIN LOOP DRIVE 

     The Ajo Mountain Drive, a 21 mile scenic loop road,  is on a good dirt road and half way around there is a picnic table and hike below a double arch. 

 

 

   The desert’s beauty captures us as we travel this

loop road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In the Spring this area could be carpeted with wild

flowers depending on the cycle of rain during the year.

 

 

 

THE DESERT VIEW HIKE 

     The trail winds up the mountain out of the group camp area.  It is a walk with the challenge of taking note of all things large and small.

 

 

The small fish hook cactus was used in a variety of ways by the Native Americans who once lived here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 From the highest point we looked down on the campground.  I have tried to circle our camp, not very artistically.

 

Looking out toward Mexico we could see a large fire which was soon gone.

 

 

 

 

 

We could sit at camp and birdwatch.  Alan had a field day trying to photograph them.

                                                 Cactus Wren

                                                Phainopepla

                                               A cardinal (honest, it’s there)

 

 

 

                                                   Thrasher

 

                                                       Shrike

A mile from the campground is the town of Lukeville which sits right on the border.  Border patrol had an obvious presence. 

This is the border crossing people take to drive to Puerto Penasco on the Sea of Cortez.

Below is the relatively new fence constructed at the border line.

At the visitor center there is a memorial to a young border patrol agent who was killed in a gunfight with the

 

At the Visitor Center there is a memorial honoring a young border patrol agent killed in a gun fight with drug smugglers.

This park is remote, but obviously worth the drive.  We will be back one day, but for now we must head south to Tucson.

UFOs over Blythe?

 

                There is more to the area around Blythe than one would think.  Of note are the Blythe Intaglios.  When there is a possible extra terrestrial connection, an adventure becomes exciting, and these intaglios lead us to that connection. 

 

            First, intaglio means “etching.”  Just  west of Highway 95 about 18 miles north of Blythe, there is a swarm of intaglios, a few of which are just a short drive on a dirt road.  They are on BLM land and protected by fences for obvious reasons.

 

            Over time the sun on the desert floor causes a layer of dark varnish over the earth.  Brush aside the varnish and the light-colored earth below creates an obvious contrast in color – the light and the dark.  That is how these etchings were created, some thousands of years ago by those who came before us.

 

 

            The etchings are of many figures, notably a human, and a horse.  In all there are several dozen but only a few are accessible. But why would one make an extra-terrestrial connection?  Because the intaglios are so large  they are hard to make out unless you look down on them.  A pilot first noted these figures in 1937 when flying over the area.  They are on sacred Native American lands and many are apparently threatened at this time because of a mining venture back further in the valley.

 

     Upon leaving we felt we should make amends and offer a donation to the Native Americans so we made a donation at the Blue Water Casino in Parker.

 

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge

 

            Just a half hour drive from Blythe is a birding haven, part of which is in Arizona and part in California.  Straddling the Colorado River,  it is home to many species of birds and it is also a stop for a great variety of migrating birds.  The endangered Yuma clapper rail, the only freshwater form of clapper rails, is found in marshes throughout the refuge.  We spotted flocks of Canada geese and several pintail ducks.  We missed the sandhill cranes which are usually present.

 

 

            The visitor center on the AZ side has exhibits, information, friendly volunteers and a observation deck.

 

 

                                                          PINTAIL

                     Dozens of burrowing owls line the road

 

                                                   Egrets in the fields

       

 

 

                                                          KESTRAL

                                            And even pupfish!

 

 This was to be a quick trip to checkout the refuge before breakfast.  We wish we had eaten first and planned more time in the refuge.  We will come back again and plan to spend the day.  There are campsites there right on the river, with no amenities.

 

Castle Dome: GHOST TOWN/MUSEUM

                            The modest entrance

        

            This museum/ghost town is off Highway 95, closer to Yuma than Quartzsite.  What a fascinating place.  The dirt road from the highway runs about 10 miles, a bit rough, but we towed the trailer there with no problem.  For $6 you can spend hours exploring the some 38 buildings rescued from the desert.  Mining history abounds, but of paramount interest are the remnants of everyday life in this harsh desert. 

             A special exhibit on Levis features a few pair, apparently the genuine items according to the Levi Strauss Company, which date back to the 1880s.  There is a mercantile, bank, dentist office, caf, several saloons with poker rooms, an assay office, church and much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 In addition to the little townsite, there is a hike out to the  Mine, which we didn’t take this time.

 

Yuma

 

            The KOA Kampground in Yuma is no longer KOA, but privately owned and subject to membership.  They let us have a site for $50, a bit steep.  However, we enjoyed the hot tub and met several people who were traveling like us.  Many are “full time RVers” who have sold their homes and spend their senior days traveling from place to place. 

 

            We enjoyed a relatively private campsite while most people were in a parking lot setting, just feet from each other.  Their rigs, 35 feet plus long, were enormous.  We were the pee wees of the park.  At night the park offers BBQ dinners, pancake breakfasts in the morning, a host of activities for their guests, horseshoes, library etc.  It’s not for us, but they all seem to  be having a good life.

 

            The park is called Yuma Lake RV Park, Resort and there is actually a lake there.  We took our coffee over in the morning and watched the ducks and cormorants swim around.  This park is surrounded by agricultural fields.  Departing Yuma we stopped at a stand and bought the most beautiful looking produce:  broccoli, huge tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, nuts, raisins, in addition to fresh tamales and date nut bread. 

 

 

We were ready to head to the wilderness- the beautiful Sonoran Desert area called Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.