Hello folks,
I am on spring break. A break from sitting on my ass for the last seven months doing absolutely nothing. Unfortunately the rest has not improved my feet, they just keep getting worse. And none of my many doctors have been of any help. I hope I am actually able to see something. Anything requiring more than a few feet walk I will not be able to do. But I was tired of sitting at home and figured this was my last chance to even try.
Yesterday I to flew Phoenix. I had a nonstop flight out of Indianapolis. After I got here I drove to Gila Bend, Arizona where I spent the night in a flying saucer. My motel was called "the Spaceage Lodge."
This morning I drove 75 miles south of Gila Bend to just north of the Mexican Border and visited Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
From here I drove the 21-mile Ajo Mountain Drive. It's a one way loop dirt road. It was quite scenic and very desolate. It took me close to three hours to drive and I only ran into about a dozen other vehicles the whole time. That's Tillotson Peak in the picture below.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is the only place in the United States to see large stands of organ pipe cacti, though their range extends far south into Mexico. The monument encompasses the bulk of its U.S. population. The organ pipe cactus is a wonderful example of the adaptations that cacti need to flourish in the Sonoran Desert.
There are 28 different types of cactus in the park. Don't ask me to name them.
Below you can see the skinny little dirt path snaking through the park.
I enjoyed my visit to the park. No walking was required.
Below you can see an arch up in the mountains.
After a little less than three hours on the scenic drive I arrived back at the main highway. I then had to return to Gila Bend the same way I came. About half way into the 75 mile drive back was the small town of Ajo. It was a nice little town. Below is a school there.
There is also a mine in Ajo.
When I got back to Gila Bend I had lunch at a Carl's Jr. and then drove 115 miles west to Yuma, Arizona where I am spending the night. The rental car place gave me a new Avalon to drive. The engine on this thing is so quiet I can't even tell it is running. I'm also averaging 40mpg. Very nice ride. I'd trade in my 15-year-old Avalon but since I drive less than 2000 miles a year now, that would be a waste.
I'll write more later,
Tim
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