Arizona 2004
There are plenty of rocks in Arizona, here are some at a Rest Area on I-10 East of Tucson. Most of our camping time in Arizona was spent at The Picacho Peaks RV Park at the base of Picacho Peak. The peak is 3,374 feet high. Picacho Peaks is rather striking as seen from many miles along the interstate. The battle of Picacho Pass was the Westernmost battle of the Civil War. On arrival the temperature was in the 70's while back home it was in the 20's; this is why we are snow birding! Our site at the park is "up the hill" a little further away from the Interstate and railroad tracks. It is a gravel/rocky full hook up back-in site with a concrete picnic table pad. The view is spectacular! The park offers all the amenities (pool, club house, laundry, etc plus a host of social activities to participate in. There are plenty of Saguaro Cactus,- the cactus that we so often associate with the desert plus many other varieties of cacti.
While living the RV Lifestyle, there are almost daily learning experiences. At Picacho Peaks RV Resort, as at many RV Parks, when you stay a month or more, there is an extra charge for metered electricity. Here the rate is 13¢/KWH plus 6.6% tax (at home our electric rate is between 7¢and 9¢/KWH). We need to learn electric conservation!
The cost for basics is significantly more out here compared to home. Diesel fuel cost approximately $1.70/gal compared to $1.49. And we sure do miss commissary milk at $1.69/gal compared to $2.39 at the local IGA out here!
Left front trailer tire lost air, possibly due to tire rolling when backing in to site on the 19th of January; was down to 35 lbs. Used our Sears Compressor to pump tire back up to 65 Lbs. The compressor was a wise investment.
Saguaro Cactus only grow in the Sonoran Desert. Our visit to the Saguaro National Park, East (there are two sections of the park- West of Tucson and East of Tucson) was most enlightening. A Saguaro with arms is about 75 years old. For more information on the Saguaro Cactus, click here.
Sometime in the 1400's, the Hohokam culture disappeared from the Phoenix basis. No one know why, but a visit to the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge, provides some insight on how these Indians once lived. Who knows what went on in the Clan House or out in the Compound. "In 1892 the Casa Grande became the Nation's first archeological preserve. For more information about the Ruins click here.
Tucson had approximately 20" of snow in the mountains. It is strange for us to see snow capped mountains while sitting in the desert.
On the way to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, we crossed Grant Pass in the Tucson Mountains. We saw many artist capturing the beauty of the desert and mountains. "The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1952. It is part zoo, part museum and part botanical garden." The hummingbird aviary was a favorite for us. The color of hummingbirds is beautiful. There was a Barn Owl and an American Kestrel on display by handlers. Here is a Rock Dove. A Mexican Wolf was seen resting in the zoo. We used our City Bugs to get around in the Museum and finished off our visit with a very peaceful picnic lunch near by.
We were greeted by a pair of "parking-lot' Roadrunners when we visited Sabino Canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains, which is in the Colorado National Forest, Tucson. This US National Forest complex is a hikers paradise. For those of us who prefer an easier way up the 3.8 mile winding road into the canyon, there is a 45 minute $6.00 narrated round trip tram ride. You can get on an off the tram at any of the nine designated stops. This really makes it easy to take advantage of the many hiking trails and picnic areas without over doing it. Picnic areas are located only on the road/trail up in the canyon. Private vehicles are not permitted in the canyon. The scenery is breath taking crossing streams and looking up the canyon walls.
Ted De Grazia (1909-1982) is Arizona's celebrated Southwestern artist of many mediums. Little did we know that we had a few thing in common with De Grazia when we visited his Gallery of the Sun located in Tucson's Catalina Foothills. First, we were greeted by Michelle Wilkinson, who lived in Maryland 17 years ago. Additionally, De Grazia received much of his artistic inspiration from and by painting the Papago Indians- Jack, was at one time Commanding Officer of the USS Papago (ATF-160)! The Gallery is in itself a work of art. The entrance is designed as a mine entrance- De Grazia was born in an Arizona mining town. One of the gallery floors is inlaid with sections of Saguaro Cactus and one of the walls is adobe with straw. Down a little path adjacent to the gallery, De Grazia also built a little mission. To learn more about De Grazia, click here.
The Catalina Mountains and the Sonoran Desert within the Catalina State Park, West of Tucson, provided a perfect backdrop for a peaceful picnic lunch on the 30th of January.
The U S Post Office in Red Rock, Arizona serves Picacho Peaks RV Resort. This post office was established in 1887 when Red Rock was a major cattle shipping point via the Southern and Pacific Railroad.
Riding through the desert, we started of February by traveling the back roads of Saguaro National Park, West. Here we saw red rocks and several different petroglyphs. The park has some really neat picnic areas.
Since its completion in 1797, San Xavier Del Bac Mission, has been in continuous use by the Tohono O'Odham Nation (Papago Indians). Upon our visit we found that the left front of the building was being restored, hence we did not take pictures of the outside of the mission. However, we were able to take some interior photographs of the main altar and the ceiling. There was also a side exterior chapel with its bell tower that was rather photographic. Please click here for additional information about the mission.
Adobe bricks were the primary construction materials in the early Southwest. In Florence we saw a building that was originally constructed with adobe bricks in the process of being restored with an exterior finish.
There is no shortage of places to have a relaxing picnic. One such place was at Picacho Peak State Park, in the shadow of Picacho Peak. From the Park's Brochure," ... Picacho Peak is an eroded , resistant lava flow in a sequence of lava flows interlaid with thin strata of gravelly sedimentary rocks. This sequence is believed to be about 22 million years old, making it four times as old as the Grand Canyon."
Visiting the 50th Annual Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, Patricia purchased a crystal the was "talking to her!" We also found some crystals for Carolyn.
It is easy to find out of the way scenic and secluded picnic locations. Here in the shadows of the Huachuca Mountains we found a spot under Sycamore and Alligator Juniper(because the bark looks like alligator skin) trees in Garden Canyon ,which is on the post at Ft Huachuca. Ft Huachuca is located in Sierra Vista, 20 miles north of Mexico and 70 miles northeast of Tucson. Enjoying a moderate climate, the Sierra Vista average monthly temperature is 74.4.
Exploring the back roads has been interesting and a lot of fun. In Madera Canyon we traveled across streams and mountains, some of the roads were barely wide enough for the truck. We felt like we were making a commercial for Dodge showing "Ram Tough!"
On the 19th of February 2004 we departed Picacho Peaks and after 370 miles we arrived at our destination in California.
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