Farewell to Ajo

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Sunday February 23, 2014

Yep! you are not halucinating- the bus hasn't actually moved  since arriving in Ajo on December 8th.

Joan and I wern't sure we would remember how to set up for travel after sitting in one place for so long.  We started today putting away all the clutter that collects when one has time to stay and relax- the folding chairs, the chaise lounges, the side tables, all the deployed awnings, lowering antennas, stowing our rock collection and our saguaro staves, etc, etc.. Our plan is to leave Ajo in the morning and head east toward Tucson.

We have been seeing Ajo lilly plants that grow in the desert here for months now- I'm glad I finally got to see them bloom before we left.

Some of the trees in the hills and in town have also begun to bloom, like this Sweet Acacia.

I've been seeing a lot of these "dead" bushes in the desert since getting to Ajo and on most of my walks in the desert...

Imagine my surprise at seeing this- the "dead" brush seeming to come alive- greening up like it was no big deal!

By 3 PM I wanted to get out and stretch my legs- Joan just wanted to rest, so I struck off to hike up Camelback Mountain which looms above the RV park.  Camelback forms a backdrop to the town and  the large letter "A" formed out of white rocks sits on it's flank.

I didn't set out to climb all the way to the top (there is no "trail" to the top)  but I did want to climb to the antenna grouping on a ridgetop about 2/3 the way up.  There is a gravel road to the antennas that is gated at the bottom, but I figured I coud hike up and intersect it on the ridge above our RV park.

Once I get to the antennas (TV, Cell, phone) I decide to go even higher.    Mt A is part of the Little Ajo Mountains- the Ajo Mountain Range is further south in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, but at 2500 feet this one is still a challenge.  (Ajo is at 1740 feet).  Even though there is no trail, per se, it is not terribly hard to pick your way up the ridges and around the larger rock outcroppings.

In my blog from November of last year I chronicled my climb to the top of Camelback and told the story of the 30 foot high, concrete cross that is erected there in homor of a much beloved mine manager, John C. Greenway.

From my vantage point high on the ridge I took some photos of the town below.  It's a great way to say good bye to our winter haven in SW Arizona and hello to new adventures awaiting.

Tomorrow we will head across AZ 86 towards Tucson, and then duck to the south to Huachuca City (pronounced Wa-chuka) or to Sierra Vista.

Ajo gives us a beautiful send-off with this pretty sunset.

Your Traveling Friends

Joan and Jeff