EPISODE NUMBER THIRTY-FIVE - ARIZONA

EPISODE NUMBER THIRTY-FIVE – ARIZONA
FEBRUARY 7 – 14, 2008

I picked up several pieces of literature at the Willcox Visitor Center, and found some interesting articles in the Tucson Weekly:

The Department of Homeland Security has been busily erecting a fence across the entire Mexican border, and has been experiencing opposition from land owners. To quote “Much of this conflict is rooted in the Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005. It awarded the secretary of homeland security sweeping authority to override all environmental laws – including the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act - when building roads and barriers along the Mexican border. It also prohibits judicial review of such decisions, making lawsuits pointless.”

In essence, what this means is that environmentally sensitive areas such as the “San Pedro, a dense ribbon of life weaving 140 miles through Southern Arizona from Mexico and ranked by the American Bird Conservancy as a “Globally Important Bird Area” and Monument Hill in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, have no protection from the government with regard to the fence that is being erected through sensitive areas. San Pedro lost the lawsuits they initiated. Lee Baiza, the superintendent of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is trying a different tactic, insisting that the area in this park could be more easily fortified by the state-of-the-art surveillance equipment that the DHS spent millions of dollars to develop. Can we guess who will win???

2. A three-page article tells of the battle that the national parks is having in receiving funds to maintain the parks, and to purchase adjacent lands to form a barrier from encroaching development that is happening throughout Arizona. It seems that “in 1964 President Johnson signed legislation creating the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was to set aside up to $450 million annually to finance land acquisition for federal agencies. But Congress often chooses to spend that money elsewhere. In recent years, the amount allocated to purchase national-park land fell from $125 million in 2001 to $31 million in 2006. Meanwhile, the legislatively authorized boundaries of national parks now include 1.8 million acres of privately owned land, valued at approximately $1.9 billion.” That means that the privately owned land could be developed.

What I also find interesting is that this information is only found in a small tourist newspaper, whereas the local dailies of Tucson, Phoenix, and for that matter everywhere I’ve been traveling has very extensive coverage of the various presidential candidates and little else. Certainly, nothing on what is happening in the rest of the world


THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2008

It was relatively warm here, compared to the temperatures further south where the elevation is higher. The sites at Desert Trails are very close together. My site was in the area where there are not only rigs on either side of me in a row, but also another row directly behind me, with no trees or anything else between us. I felt like a sardine in a can! I could hear my neighbours on either side and behind me talking as I lay in bed.

NEXT TO THE DESERT AGAIN

The one thing that was nice is that there are trails leading directly into Tucson Mountain Park, where the giant saguaros that I remember can be found.

These interesting plants can be hundreds of years old. The older the plant, the more “arms” it has. It seems such a shame, then, that many are being cut down to make room for more houses. Ripley and I took a walk out into the desert, and it was pleasant to hear birds singing in the early morning. I find the shapes of the desert plants quite fascinating, as they have adapted to their harsh environment. The spikes protect them from being eaten by deer, etc., and they are able to survive on little or no water for lengthy periods of time, plus the extreme differences in temperature (everything from freezing to boiling during the year). I took the opportunity to photograph some of these cacti, and have attached a few photos here on the blog.

At least I was able to use the park’s wi fi, but never did get over to the pool or hot tub. As it was a bit more then I would like to pay, I stopped in at the adjacent RV park Diamond J, to check it out for my return next week. Justin and Kristin are the owners of this new park (only open two months), and they have not yet got all their facilities in place. They are still having trouble with their wi fi and do not have a pool or hot tub; instead, they boast a miniature golf course. Nor do they appear to have a shower facility, but the sites are much larger than Desert Trails next door, and it also opens up on to the trails in the desert, so I will probably stay here next week when I return to have my generator fixed. The fee is $20 instead of $22.50 next door.

I headed north on Highway 10, away from Tucson, for the time being, and was kind of surprised to come across several state trooper cars on the side of the highway. Sitting on the ground were two young men in handcuffs, while the troopers were going through their car. Makes one wonder what they were looking for!

PICACHO CAMPGROUND

Since I could not travel too far away from Tucson (because I have to return on Monday), I traveled north towards Casa Grande, but stopped short when I saw the sign for Picacho Campground, which was listed in my Passport America book as being a half-price park. Picacho is some fifty miles north of Tucson, and the signs on the side of the highway warned drivers not to stop for hitchhikers because there was a state prison nearby. Not an encouraging sign. When I arrived at the campground, I was told that they no longer honour the Passport America discount. After thinking about it, I decided to stay anyway, just to enjoy the sun, the hot tub, pool and their advertised wi fi connection. They also boasted a steak restaurant, but the prices were a bit steep. The campground was quite pleasant, with some shade and plantings between each site. There is a stable behind the campground, with horses in “stalls” – not the type that I’m accustomed to inside a barn and sides made out of wood. Instead, the stalls are constructed of metal bars, with open sides and a roof. Two of the horses were very curious to see Ripley on the other side of the fence, but she was not impressed.

The monthly rate here is quite reasonable ($305) and the weekly rate is $120. It would be worth considering as the place to stay for the next month, as I have decided that I do not want to remain at Desert Trails where I had originally booked. I like more space and a smaller park where you can actually get to meet and get to know your neighbours. I think there are more than 1,000 spaces at Desert Trails, and as I mentioned, the sites are very close together. There is not even room to have a picnic table, nor to put out my awning. Picacho is a much smaller park (approximately 50 sites) with nice amenities, and still halfway between Tucson and Phoenix. The hot tub felt good.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2008

PICACHO NOT THE ONE, AFTER ALL

Well, my mind has changed about Picacho Campground as the place to stay! When I tried to use the wi fi, it would not work. I’ve never had to remove my own wi fi connection, and use the park’s software program instead, and the lady in the office told me that a lot of people are having trouble using it.

This was disappointing enough, but I thought that I would use the hot tub once again before leaving, and the pool area was closed until noon! Under the circumstances, I felt that I should get a refund, especially since they no longer honour Passport America discounts. So, I was feeling a bit disgruntled as I got underway to continue north. It didn’t help that I woke up with a headache! My neck and back are all out of alignment, causing pressure on nerves, and I really do need to get to a massage therapist. In any event, my mood was not the greatest and I have discounted Picacho as the place to spend a month.

One of the things that I wanted to do while in Arizona was to visit some of the ancient native sites, and Casa Grande Ruins Monument was close enough to stop there now. Strangely enough, the Ruins are not located in the city of Casa Grande, but in the nearby town of Coolidge, straight up highway 87. I was quite surprised to find two huge flocks of sheep in this farming community, along with fields of alfalfa hay, watered with an irrigation system.

As I passed through the town of Coolidge, I noticed two RV parks and thought that I would check them out on the way back from visiting the Ruins.

It was another glorious day in southern Arizona. Temperature in the mid 70’s, and not a cloud in the sky.

CASA GRANDE RUINS NATIONAL MONUMENT

The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument allows dogs on the grounds, I was pleased to read, and we entered together, after having paid the admission fee. The remains of an ancient Hohokam farming village are preserved in this park, and the most significant structure is the Great House, protected from the elements by a roof built some time ago. I joined a group of visitors listening to a volunteer guide, who described the lives of the people who once lived here. The walled village consisted of several individual houses, some with several rooms, and they relied upon the desert for much of their food source. They hunted mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, rabbits and pack rats, waterfowl and turtles. They harvested the fruit of the saguaro cactus, mesquite pods, and also planted corn and beans, using the nearby Gila River as irrigation, as well as for fishing. The building material for their village was underneath their feet. Caliche is a concrete-like mixture of sand, clay and limestone, all of which were found in the sub-soil. The people traded with others as far away as California and Mexico, trading their pottery and jewelry for macaws, mirrors. copper bells and other items.

The site is one of many that once dotted the desert area, but some time in the 1400’s the culture died out throughout the region, the theory being that the life-sustaining river dried up and they were forced to leave in order to survive. It is thought that these ancient people are still represented in present-day generations. Interestingly, the word “Hohokam” means “all gone” in the Pima Indian language.

There has been a lot of speculation about the Great House, which has not been found in other Hohokam settlements. Why was it built? What was its purpose? According to the brochure, “Its walls face the four cardinal points of the compass; a circular hole in the upper west wall aligns with the setting sun during the summer solstice. Other openings also align with the sun and moon at specific times. …Knowing the changing positions of celestial objects meant knowing times for planting, harvest and celebration.”

The adjacent small museum exhibited some of the pottery and other artifacts found, but as in most places throughout the southwest, much was looted in the early 20th century.

AN ADDED BONUS

I seem to be very fortunate in being in the right place at the right time for some “extras”. As it happened, a renowned native American flutist was scheduled to perform at 1:00. Scott August has won several awards, was originally a pianist who worked in television and took up the flute as a hobby. He explained and demonstrated several different types, including the original native

American flute, apparently a very difficult instrument to play. He referred to it as an ego buster. He has added some other sounds, utilizing a synthesizer, rattles and a small bird-like flute to make a blending of sounds. The haunting sound of the minor key of the instrument made for a beautiful concert (and it was free!). Of course I had to buy his CD.



INDIAN SKIES RV RESORT

It was getting later in the afternoon. I didn’t want to travel too far, and journeyed down the road about four miles to the southern end of Coolidge, to Indian Skies RV Resort, which advertised that it took overnight guests. The park has about 200 spacious sites, many of which are rented by the season or annually, boasting a large rec hall, a billiards room, craft room, reading and card room, a pool, hot tub and free wi fi. Many of the guests are Canadians and, as I registered, Steve and Anna from Collingwood, Ontario offered to help me to back in and to set up. All the people I met were extremely friendly, and I had a good feeling about this park. The only drawback is that there are certain areas off limits to pets; but there is a large open area in the back of the park where dogs do their “thing”. The park is quite secure, with a concrete wall in front and fence around the other three sides, and the gate is locked at night. Residents have a pass code to open the gate after hours.

I was surprised at the number of activities listed in the sheet I was given. It is possible to be busy all the time, every day, if one is so inclined. Just about every kind of card game is offered; there are aquafit classes, exercise classes, crafts, quilting, singalongs, line dancing, woodcarving, shuffleboard, horseshoes, dances, entertainers and dinners.

When I settled in, I enjoyed hearing crickets outside my window. My site backs onto a row of oleanders, and my neighbour Sherry on one side (who is a permanent resident) has a fence, so that I have some privacy in my bedroom. On the other side, Hoppy and Georgia from Montana, came to welcome me and to offer any help if needed. There is a concrete pad right outside my door, and I have decided that this is where I will spend the next month, once I return from Tucson.

The pool and hot tub are open 24 hours a day, and I enjoyed hopping in later in the evening, and looking up at the stars.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2008

I went over to the office to ask Rosemarry (her spelling) if there was room for me for a month. The fee is $355, which is $50 cheaper than it would have been if I had gone to Desert Trails in Tucson. Electricity is extra and depends upon the amount used (there is a meter at each site). Fortunately, the site where I am currently is available, and I have opted not to get cable TV ($45 extra). I can make do with the five channels that I get on my antenna.

The temperature is in the mid 70’s again today, and I had to remind myself to put on sunscreen. It is too easy to get a sunburn here.

I took Ripley for a walk outside the park. The town of Coolidge is not very pretty. There are many houses that have seen better days, and it is easy to see that this is one of the areas that has been hit hard economically. There are many houses for sale and many storefronts are shut.

CANADA DINNER

Today is one of the “special” dinners, hosted by Canadians this time. For $6, I was able to enjoy a roast beef dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, cole slaw, peas, carrots and red Jello with a Canadian flag on the whipped cream. I was assigned to Table 11 and sat opposite Jean and Tony from Massachusetts. Tony was a commercial fisherman for many years and was in the Navy in WW2. I would guess him to be in his early 80’s, but still very spry, as was Jean. Unfortunately, the din was so bad in the rec hall that it was almost impossible to hear what they were saying or to talk at all. I was told that there had been acoustic tiles on the ceiling which helped keep the noise level down, but that the owner took them down!

We sang both the Canadian and American anthems before dinner, and I remembered all the words to both! And, as a comedy act, the announcer said that there was a special messenger from Prime Minister Stephen Harper who would make an announcement. With that, Jean Pierre came in wearing a clown suit with maple leafs all over it, and gave a bilingual speech that was very funny!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2008

BACK TO TUCSON

Jan Barnes had suggested that we go to a swap meet (otherwise known as a flea market) today, so I got an early start on the road back to Tucson. I figured that, on a Sunday morning, it shouldn’t take me more than 1 ½ hours to drive my RV back to Diamond J RV Resort, but I had not counted on the amount of traffic moving in to Tucson to the Gem and Mineral Show that is currently on; nor did I make any allowances for the fact that ALL of the downtown exits are closed for construction. This meant that I had to detour on the northern end of Tucson on to a side road, make my way slowly past the site of the Gem show, where people were slowing down, searching for parking spots, and then on to the southwestern part of the city. I should mention that the Gem and Mineral Show is a really big deal here. There are literally hundreds of sites where merchants come and set up their booths to buy and sell gems. It goes on for about two weeks in total and attracts interested people from all over the world. I had no idea of the extent of it when I first heard about it last week.

Eventually I got to Diamond J and registered. The site that Kristen had given me was near the front entrance, but when I arrived the neighbour next to me had parked his truck in my spot! I don’t know what he was thinking, but he certainly was hogging a spot not allocated to him. Kristen gave me a different site, which had a little garden attached to it.

While waiting for Jan to arrive, I took Ripley off for a walk on the trails next to the park into Tucson Mountain Park, and enjoyed the sight of the first lizard I’ve seen since arriving in Arizona.

You don't want to brush up against

this Teddy Bear Cholla. It bites!

It is finally warm enough for them to come out; if they’re out, and so too will the rattlesnakes and I’ll have to be more careful of where Ripley goes. She gave Jan a huge greeting, but we had to leave her behind.

"Grandma" Jan & Ripley

SWAP MEET, TUCSON STYLE

These are always fun, and I always end up buying things I didn’t know I needed. Jan managed to find some goodies for her grand daughter, and I found some gifts for folks back home. But what I really enjoyed was the fresh fruit. We split a bag of oranges, and I also got plantains, pineapple, strawberries and a mango. Yum!

I couldn’t find any cassettes (which shows the age of my RV) and managed to resist buying some of the gorgeous turquoise jewelry. Jan bought a lawn ornament of a sleeping Mexican, to put out in front of their bus when they park for awhile. It seems to be a tradition for most RV’ers to decorate their little bit of lawn when they are stopped. Most likely I would do the same thing if I were to stay in one spot long enough. It feels more like your home, then.

When we returned to Diamond J, I invited Jan to stay for lunch – sandwiches with deli meats, and of course Ripley was delighted to see Jan again. However, after lunch she had to be on her way and get back to work, preparing ad copy.

The day was still wonderfully warm, so I took Ripley out for another long walk in the desert. Just as we were getting far enough away from other walkers and enjoying the solitude of the desert, an ATV came whipping by! These are a scourge and if I had anything to do with it, I would ban them. They are noisy; they pollute the environment and destroy delicate plants that thoughtless people roll over. The area I was in is just outside the boundaries of the National Park, and I gather there are no laws to prevent ATV’s from using this area. What a shame.

Diamond J have just installed wi fi, but I wasn’t able to pick up their signal; instead, I got the signal from Desert Trails next door and signed in there!

Jan forgot to take her share of the oranges home with her; she’ll meet me at Simonsen’s Generator tomorrow morning.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008

I found my way back to Simonsen’s Generator with no trouble and Ripley and I said one last farewell to Jan and Brad, who are on their way back to Texas. Ripley hopped into their car with no problem, and was all set to go for a ride with them!

My appointment was for 9:00 a.m. At 4:30 p.m. the mechanic was finally done with my generator. It cost $495.28. Can you imagine how upset I was? Can you imagine how annoyed I was to be told by these people that the generator had been installed improperly in the first place, that anyone who knew anything about generators would have known this fact, that the way it was installed was a potential fire hazard because there was no way for the heat to get out and was next to the exhaust pipe, increasing the hazard? In order to fix this, they had to remove the door panel, and its lining, take the generator out, cut a hole in the body of the RV, re-work the exhaust pipe properly, install a new air scroll, put the generator back in and re-install the door. That is what took the entire day.

I will be looking for compensation from Hughes RV, in Orangeville, Ontario, who sold me the RV.

GILBERT RAY CAMPGROUND

When I came to Tucson with my then husband some twenty years ago, I recall that we camped in a tent in the desert surrounding Tucson. The city has grown dramatically since then, but the campground is still there, nestled in Tucson Mountain Park, and I wanted to spend the night there. Despite, the warning signs not to drive an RV on the road, I took a chance and made my way through the dips very carefully. The personnel had gone by the time I arrived at the park, just at dusk, so I chose a site where I could watch the sun go down, and left my payment in the envelope provided. It was glorious to be there, to listen to the birds as they settled down for the night, and just be out of the city again. The park offered electricity but no water hook-up, so I used my storage water for the evening. I wish I had come here sooner.

Desert sunset

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008

I listened to the chorus of coyotes several times during the night, wondering what had got them so excited. Had they made a kill, or were they just expressing their territoriality?
The stars were quite brilliant, and I was able to watch as I lay in bed looking out the back window.

With more energy than I have had recently, I got up at 7:00 and hustled Ripley out for a long walk through the desert. I found lots of scat, evidence that wildlife had been there during the night.

Barrel cactus

ARIZONA SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

Tucson Mountain Park contains several attractions – Old Tucson (site of many western movies and re-enactments – I decided to pass)/Wildlife Museum/Gates Pass (too difficult for an RV to travel) and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. It had been many years since I was last there, and I wanted to see it again. Unfortunately, they do not honour reciprocal passes (I can generally get in free by showing my membership card in the American Association of Zoo Keepers), and I had to pay the $12 admission fee. Of course, dogs are not allowed, so I made sure that Ripley had lots of open windows in the RV, which I parked in the shade.

The Museum is still a world renowned zoo and botanical garden, displaying interpretive exhibits of wildlife and plants found in the Sonora Desert.

salamander

A hat and water are definitely recommended, even in February, as it gets extremely hot walking around the circular paths, past the reptiles and invertebrates, the Earth Sciences building containing a simulated cave, and out into the cactus garden, the hummingbird enclosure, the prairie dogs, mountain lions, white-tailed deer, Mexican wolf (an endangered specie)

javelina (wild pig), parrots and on to the raptor free-flight show. The commentator gave a very good description of each of the three birds flown, telling the audience about its natural history, while the bird flew over their heads. A raven opened the show,

followed by a barn owl

and a ferruginous hawk.

These birds could easily fly away if they were so inclined, but are trained to come to various perches for food, and then to land in the hand of the handler at the end of their performance.

Hummingbird in walk-through aviary

After a refreshing latte in the coffee shop, I headed off to the venomous animal show, held inside the Baldwin Education Building. A female zoo keeper brought out a gila monster (also known as a beaded lizard), the only venomous lizard in North America. This is one of the animals that I myself had cared for during my time at the Toronto Zoo, so I was interested in seeing how she handled it (she used two snake hooks). She talked about the natural history of the animal and answered questions for the large audience.

Next, a male keeper brought out a western diamondback rattlesnake, which shook the rattle on its tail very dramatically throughout his amusing presentation.

He was a natural at making his talk interesting and educational, and hopefully the audience learned a thing or two. I asked him about the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs, and I was disappointed to learn that it was not really considered to be much of a safeguard, and that a dog who was bitten still needed to be treated with antivenin.

Time to hit the road again, and return up to Coolidge and Indian Skies RV Resort, to begin my month there. Time to hit the hot tub again!

WEDNESDAY, FERUARY 13, 2008

When I arrived yesterday, I asked Rosemarry if there was a bus to take me in to Phoenix to pick up my rental car. I had no idea that it was about sixty miles further north. It didn’t look that far on the map. Steve and Anna offered to drive me, but suggested that I look into renting a car in nearby Casa Grande, only 17 miles away. I got online and found that, sure enough, there was an Enterprise Car Rental dealer there and arranged to get my car there instead.

CASA GRANDE

So, this morning Steve and Anna took me into Casa Grande, where I rented a PT Cruiser for a month. Since my liability insurance on my car is still in effect, I am being charged $652 instead of over $1,000. It is expensive, but still will give me the freedom to toodle around using much less gas, and to go places where I can’t park the RV.

I didn’t realize that Casa Grande offered so many stores. Just about every chain store you can imagine can be found here – Wal Mart, Target, Dillard’s, Beall’s, Lowes, Home Depot – and a movie theatre!

AHH – AT LAST!

And a licensed massage therapist (thank goodness). At long last, Kathy Burchett took away the pain that I have been living with for some weeks now. The muscles in my neck and lower spine are once again relaxed, allowing the nerves to relax. She used some techniques different from what I’m used to – but they worked! And we enjoyed a nice conversation as well. She has recently moved to Casa Grande from Mesa and is enjoying living here. Her husband has moved around a good deal in his work in construction, but they are now settled here.

Afterwards, I treated myself to a real ice cream cone at Cornerstone Creamery – it tasted wonderful!

Heading back to the park, I took the long way just in case I might get lost. Time for laundry ($1 for washer, 50 cents for dryer – the cheapest so far).

As I was walking Ripley later, I met a man whose name I forget and his wife Karen, who drove from Wiarton, Ontario on their motorcycles, and have rented a place two sites down from me. They invited me in where I chatted briefly, but as I hadn’t had supper yet and it was already 8:30 p.m., I excused myself. Later on, I headed for the hot tub. I have found that after 10:00 there is nobody there, and the cool evening air is just right.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2008
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY – FOR SOME

Dogs are only allowed in certain parts of the RV park, so now that I have a car, I prefer to take Ripley away somewhere where I can let her off leash to explore. I found just such a place on the other side of the fence from the park. In order to get to it, I have to drive around a block and come in on the other side. There is an irrigation gulley on one side and an alfalfa field on the other where Ripley has discovered all sorts of smells and holes to explore.

There was plenty of roast beef left over from the dinner the other night, and it was offered as a soup and sandwich lunch for $3.50. The beef and vegetable soup was really delicious; I wish I could make soup like that. There were only approximately fifty people there for lunch, and the remainder of the meat was sold off at $2.99 a pound. I couldn’t resist a bargain like that and bought just over a pound of sliced roast beef, which will be great in sandwiches for Ripley and me.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning house. It is amazing how much dust collects in a short period of time. I even shampooed the rugs and organized some of my boxes. It is difficult to store everything in a limited amount of space, and the large plastic boxes with lids are ideal for this purpose.

I wanted to explore more of the country near Coolidge and Ripley and I headed off. This is a primarily agricultural area, the main crops seeming to be hay and cotton. I found the remnants of the cotton harvest and kept a small piece as a souvenir. Raw cotton looks just like the fluffy cotton balls that you buy in pharmacies, except that there are still seeds inside.

Later, into the hot tub once again.