Description

I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

Moved

Thank you for stopping by. Just to let you know, I'm still blogging but have moved to Geogypsytraveler. Hope you'll follow my adventures. Just click here.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Saguaro National Park West – Tucson Mountain District

01 Saguaro NP AZ (1024x534)

I thought I’d seen a lot of saguaros in the Sonoran Desert, but Saguaro National Park is a forest of giant cactus people.

02 View from Gilbert Ray camp Tucson Mt Park AZ (1024x474)

Sunset from camp

I arrived in the late afternoon so stopped first at the visitor center where I watched the orientation film and picked up my Junior Ranger book. Then I went to the recommended Gilbert Ray campground in Tucson Mountain Park for the night.

03 Truckcamper Gilbert Ray campground Tucson Mt Park AZ (1024x768)

Great place with lots of private sites in the middle of the desert all with electricity for $20.

04 Hohokam Rd Saguaro NP AZ (1024x558)

Hohokam Road

In the morning I returned to the visitor center to get my Junior Ranger badge and some information.

05 Ocotillo & picnic table overlooking Avra Valley from Sus Picnic area Hohokam Rd Saguaro NP AZ (768x1024)

Ocotillo and Avra Valley from Sus picnic area 

President Franklin D Rosevelt first established Saguaro National Monument in 1933. Then in 1961 President Kennedy expanded the monument to include Tucson Mountain Park. In 1994 congress established Saguaro National Park.

06 Birds nest in saguaro Saguaro NP AZ (768x1024)

Birds nest

Saguaro National Park is composed of two distinct districts, the Ricon Mountain District east of Tucson and the Tucson Mountain District to the west.

07 Wash along Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

To many these giants symbolize the American West yet saguaros only grown in southern Arizona and northern Mexico.

08 Saguaro NP AZ (493x1024)

Saguaros can grow to 50 feet tall and are the largest member of the cactus family in the US. They normally live for 150-200 years.

09 Young saguaro by nurse prickly pear cactus Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

For a saguaro seedling to survive, it needs the protection of a nurse plant which provides protection from the sun and freezing temperatures.

10 Fishhook barrel cactus Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

Fishhook barrel cactus

I saw many of the parks 25 species of cactus along the .5 mile Signal Hill Trail.

11 Petroglyphs Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

Which took me to a rock pile with various petroglyphs left behind by the Hohokam people.

12 Petroglyphs Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

Imagine pecking away at the desert varnish to leave a message behind.

13 Petroglyphs Signal Hill trail Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

Looks like some modern folks decided to leave their messages as well.

14 Saguaro NP AZ (1024x768)

There’s some very crazy cactus out there, but that’s for another post.

15 Susie & Gaelyn El Molinito Resturant Tucson AZ (958x1024)

In the mean time, I had a Very important lunch date with fellow blogger Susie of Arabia at El Molonito in Tucson. We talked for at least three hours just like old friends. What a treat to meet this amazing woman who moved with her husband to his so culturally different homeland.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Thursday, March 3, 2011

SWF – Sunset at Freeman Rd

01 Sunset off Freeman Rd AZ (1024x768)

What a marvelous way to end a day in the desert.

02 Sunset off Freeman Rd AZ (1024x768)

I could spend weeks here.

03 Sunset off Freeman Rd AZ (1024x768)

Getting lost…

04 Sunset off Freeman Rd AZ pano (1024x410)

…and found.

05 Sunset off Freeman Rd AZ pano (1024x393)

To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

skywatch friday image 

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

MWT - Going to Texas

01 Palms in Mom's yard San Benito TX (768x1024)

It’s that time of year for me to visit my Mom in South Texas. I’m tired of the cold 5,000 foot northern Arizona winter weather. Instead I’ll be warm and sticky from all the humidity. Hey, why not complain about something like the weather that you can’t do a damn thing about?

02 Truck camper at Crazy Jug Point FS292 Kaibab NF AZ (1024x768)

Taking the truck and slide-in camper, although I’d love to have the Big comforts of the 5th-wheel I don’t need to spend any more on fuel.

03 Mom in kitchen San Benito TX (393x1024)

Mom is asking for help.  Dusting, shopping, things that she could get assistance with, if she’d just let people in her house. But she is afraid of the unknown, untrustful. I’m really not trying to complain, just to better understand June, this woman I call my mother. I’ve been trying to learn herstory. I want to help her. Guess I’ll have to learn how.

04 Dad at Atrium Nursing home San Benito TX (1024x941)

And it’s only Mom now as my Dad passed just over a year ago. I feel so fortunate to have seen him during last years visit.

05 Freeman Rd AZ (1024x589)

Yes, I now have a smart phone droidx and hopefully will be able to stay in touch, if I’m not in the middle of nowhere. Which I hope to be many times on this journey.

06 Seminole Canyon TX pano (1024x312)

Seminole Canyon, TX

But I don’t find it easy to type much on the qwerty key board and reading blog posts on a 3x5” screen could cause blindness. I have to watch my usage on the mobile hotspot which I hope to use for posting to keep you all up to date. So I’m apologizing ahead of time if you don’t see my comments. Maybe this is when FB becomes easier.

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To tour more of the world, or guide us through some of your own, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Feeding the birds

01 Female cardinal & house finch on feeder Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

Female cardinal & house finch

Like many of you, I like to feed the birds. Makes me feel good to help them out during winter, even though I know they don’t usually need me.

02 Male cardinal on feeder Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

Male cardinal

So, OK, I feed the little birds for the selfish reason of watching the birds.

03 Cooper's Hawk in Oak Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

And then once in a while get lucky enough to have a Bigger bird come in as well.

04 Cooper's Hawk Yarnell AZ (752x1024)

It’s really not a moral dilemma, just the circle of life.

05 Cooper's Hawk Yarnell AZ (640x1024)

I’m pretty sure this is a male Cooper’s Hawk because of the distinct white band on the bottom of the rounded tail.

06 Cooper's Hawk Yarnell AZ (538x646)

He didn’t get a meal while here.

07 Cooper's Hawk Yarnell AZ (634x1024)

At least not this time.

08 Cooper's Hawk Yarnell AZ (1024x678)

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