Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Day 13 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 12-1-13

Destination: Organ Pipe national Monument

Depart: 8:40
Arrived: 3:30

States: Arizona

Highway: 95, 10, 85

Weather: partly cloudy and warm 60-70

Visited: Ajo, Oasis cafe, monument visitor center

Trails: perimeter trail of campground 1 mile, visitor center trail 

Cool fact: Saguaro cactus growing here take about ten years to grow one inch. They also need a nurse plant to begin growing. So a 43 foot saquaro cactus is about 200 years old. It takes them about 70 years to reach maturity and produce flowers. 95-100 years to grow an arm. There are some really old cactus here. 
        Organ pipe cactus do not need a nurse tree and this is there northern most range. It takes them 20 years to grow 3 feet. They predict that they only live 150 years. They grow rapidly during the monsoon rains if July and August. 

Highlights: 
Arlene- beautiful drive, seeing lots of cactus and a beautiful sunset, camping extremely close to the Mexico/ USA boarder. We can actually see the fence dividing the two countries! There are warnings to not speak or give water and food to any suspicious person we may run into! What!! 
Jason- arriving here
Ella- taking a log nap, sleeping in
Gordo- playing in the dog park where we dumped

Lowlight:
Arlene- waiting in a long line and then getting a bad milkshake, getting lost tying to find the showers and being terrified that a Mexican drug lord was going to snatch me then finally finding the shower and there is only cold water. 
Jason- drinking a watery milkshake
Ella- diaper leaked and a long drive
Gordo- knocking off his bed and not being able to sleep in it, getting hot and stepping on a cactus!! 

Da da hooking up the trailer

Waiting for our milkshakes in Ajo

Walk around visitor center

She loves driving with da da

She loves standing 

Using her walker

Camping at the national monument #61

Sunset photos during our walk






This is a Organ Pipe Cactus 





I love the colors 



Bumpy road popped our dough 😁

Hanging out in the sun

Nefty invention to light the hot stove 

Jason's photos below 





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