On the road with JnJ: Back in Tucson

written February 27, 2015

It is time for our next installment of the Rolling JnJ's. On our way to Quartzsite in January, we, along with friends Al and Carol Stevens, and Paul and Jan Kelpe, took “the back way” and made a couple of stops that we forgot to tell you about in the last blog. Instead of traveling the interstates (I-8 & 10) we drove Arizona Routes 85 and 86. In doing so we passed through the town (actually an enormous Border Patrol intersection) called Why. You are probably asking why the name Why? It is very simple really. Arizona routes 85 and 86 come together here forming a Y intersection. When Why petitioned the State to become a town (designated place on the map) called “Y”, the State refused, noting a regulation that the name of each “town” must contain at least three letters. So, it didn't take too many board meetings for the “founders” to change their request from Y to Why! Now that is the kind of history lesson that keeps us on the road discovering.

We also made a little side trip to the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum. Wow, what a different Museum. This one is located on the Reservation and is staffed and run by the Tohono O'odham people. The story they paint is “just a little different” from the stories we learned in school from the “White Man's” interpretation. They have a studio where they teach college students how to handle and preserve their ancient artifacts. Really quite intriguing and interesting. We spent that evening and night in a town called Ajo (note the number of characters).


Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ajo, Az.


Ajo Town Plaza

The next day we traveled south, almost to the Mexican border, to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, stopping first at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center (a picture story will follow). We drove a 22 mile “loop” through the park enjoying a picnic and many beautiful vistas and other sights, including a huge Organ Pipe Cactus that attempted to eat Julie. The Border Patrol stopped by just to check on our safety. There is a huge Border Patrol presence out here in the vicinity of the border. We have passed through many BP check stations and so far they have allowed Julie to proceed!

Caravanning with friends to Ajo


The Visitor Center at Organ Pipe NM was named for this fine young National Park Service Ranger. This killing changed the way Rangers work, as they now carry guns for protection.


A Mistletoe plant growing in a Palo Verde tree

beautiful mountain silhouettes were all around us

beginning the 22 mile Loop Drive in the park

We are beginning to see the Organ Pipe Cactus

some of the Organ Pipe Cactus are huge

Al, Paul, and Jim taking a break

a shady picnic stop on the Loop drive

On a hike off the Loop Drive we could see this double arch - one smaller one right above the larger one

Julie being eaten by a huge crested Organ Pipe Cactus (in her coordinating green hat!)

After Ajo we spent the next night in a town called Brenda (guess they couldn't find a Pam) to get all of our tanks emptied and load the Monty with all the water she could hold for our fortnight in the desert.

Now that we are back in Tucson we have once again been taking in the local sights. We toured the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun. Julie remembers meeting Ted DeGrazia at his Gallery and grounds when she lived in Tucson in the late 60's. He was a quiet, friendly and slightly eccentric man. She has always loved his art work and feels quite lucky to have met this very famous (now deceased) artist.


The entrance gate and doors into the Gallery


Cross sections of Saguaro Cactus line a path in the Gallery

The Mission that Ted De Grazia built on his property

simple plank benches, tin flowers and his paintings inside the mission


more of De Grazia's paintings next to a door make of Saguaro Cactus ribs.

a gate over one of many walking paths

On to the next museum. We ventured just west of Tucson to the nationally recognized Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It is an exceptional place on the west-facing side of the Tucson Mountains that has “live” examples of all the animals in the desert. The animals are kept in very beautifully natural, and large enclosures. The Desert Museum has signs marking each desert cactus plant. This sure made it nice, since we have been seeing the cacti all over, but were unsure of many of their names. Right now I know the names, but don't hold me accountable to remember these in the future. It was a very special place to visit.


A Crested Saguaro


paths within the large Desert Museum

Mammillaria Cactus

tall Totem Pole Cactus

not cuddly Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus

Big Horn Sheep enclosure


Cholla Cactus fruit


a corner of creative shade on a raised walkway


Purple Prickly Pear Cactus

Mexican Wolf - Lobo

We also visited the International Wildlife Museum (in the Tucson Mountains), a really cool place with just about every dead animal, insect and reptile known to man, (It's like a Cabella's on steroids!) and the Titan II Missile Museum located in the Green Valley, just about the only thing we didn't have to climb to get to!!!