Ajo AZ BLM 2014

We left New Mexico, drove thru Tuscan & took the Ajo Highway directly to Why AZ, then north up to Ajo to the same BLM spot we had last year. It was SUCH a great feeling being back in that same spot. Sure felt like HOME. And. . .we finally brought out our lawn chairs. Hadn’t had a nice spot or warm enough weather for them since leaving Colorado the first of October.

We immediately noticed how green the Sonoran Desert is this winter. Wow. We also noticed some stakes with pink tape around the top placed all around our hilltop. Hmmm — interesting. Mid-morning a guy on a bobcat dropped by trailer to let us know what was going on. It seems some wingnut went hiking around the tailings & “fell in a mine”. . .so the mining company who actually owns this section of land on the north side of the road is fencing it in! OMG, so many campsites are going to be inaccessible now — including our perfect hilltop site.

This cactus near the entrance to our campsite was blooming.

So while waiting for our friends Lynn & David to catch up with us from Tuscan later in the day, we went scouting for another campsite. We finally settled on an area at the far west end of the area, near Cowpile Rock, big enough for not only us & Lynn/David but several more trailers. It’s really a pretty good place, a little too close to the road if it was just us but with a fairly consistent 3G cell signal. We met our friends in town later in the afternoon & they really seem to like this Ajo BLM area.

Lynn & David both hike & bike a lot, so Lynn found her way to the big rock next to Cowpile, & Wednesday, she & I hiked up to the top. Wow, what a view. Lynn & David are parked on the left of center (red pickup) & we’re across the ditch to the right.

Here we are. . .way up high.

I found these gorgeous, delicate blooms on the way back to camp. They remind me of mimosa tree blooms. They’re definitely not tho.

    

 

 

 

 

 

I took another hike with Lynn & David on one of the trails north of our camp, but for the most part, was quite content to sit around & watch the sun play on all the various green cacti species. They left Friday & Jeff & I went into Ajo for a fish dinner at the VFW. Sure was good.

The night before we left, a couple of 5th wheels pulled into our large area. They were expecting 3-4 more rigs to arrive for the folk or bluegrass or something music festival the next weekend. We reluctantly headed to Gila Bend the next morning, then west on I-8 to Yuma. . .well specifically to American Girl Mine road near Sidewinder. . .on the California side of the Colorado River. I had a dentist appointment in Mexico!