I Miss Her & Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

As much as I've come to hate Albuquerque -- the loud mufflers, the driver's who've "discovered"  their horns, the traffic  and, lest we forget, the DOGS...the barking dogs! -- I miss her and am looking forward to baking her some pumpkin pies. She's always loved pie and learning to bake was a gift from my grandmother.

I meet with the plumber on Wednesday to clear up some minor problems with the bathroom re-do. Then it's back to Tucson. Should you ever need a cat-sitter in Albuquerque, here's a link to her website.

We (she had the Casita then) saw this olde saguaro in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

West of Tucson we camped at Gilbert Ray County Park for $20.00 a night. No hookups and no showers. In deference to Americans' prudery, I donned my black underpants to shave and bathe. I look forward to boondocking. Suggestions?

Sunset over Tucson...

At KOFA Wildlife Refuge

Kofa Wildlife Refuge

Over 660,000 acres of which more than 550k is wilderness offers a plethora of exploration opportunities.

There are the remains of a CCC built campground, Crystal Hill (such original naming!) where quartz crystals still abide and decent expanses of untrammeled desert. The biggest drawback is the frequent buzz of jets, helicopters and small planes which, out here, elevates their obscenity to physical violation. And they call this wilderness. 

But this is my kind of campground: so overgrown it's only recognizable when seen from above. The individual campsite trailer-dumps have been diaphrammed with steel plate, the barbeque posts have been torched off at ground-level and the pink agglomerate, CCC-crafted pylons that protected the margins of each site are obscured by new growth. And not a picnic table or another person in sight.

With Eggbert's new offroad tires giving him an increased level of confidence, we took the 4-wheel road toward Scott's Well and Juniper Spring. He leaped the arroyos with ease and clambered over the steep spots with aplomb. But as I sat enjoying the Five-o'clock-martini, I smelt the odour of gasoline and the next morning discovered a leak. We hastened into town for repairs and are enjoying a Thanksgiving layover that will include the Recycle Santa Fe Art Show December 5-7.

Sunset's tender light on the Livingston Hills.