Cooling off.....Why?

September 14 – We managed to leave the campground by 9:15 this morning.  Since we were so miserable yesterday with the dash air blowing warm to hot air, I called a place yesterday who said they would work us in this morning.  It was less than a mile away and actually a tire place.  Bill led the way in the car and it was on the corner and he pulled in but I was afraid to pull the RV into such a small place and block anyone or have to back up onto the street, so my next best option was to slowly drive around the block until Bill called or signaled me on my next pass.  I was about the make the last turn for my first time around when he called and said to pull in where he did.  They waved me on into the end bay that was unoccupied.  At 10:10 we had cold air and ready to hook up the car and get on our way.  They know there is a leak but the line runs so long they decided to put the 19 ounces of Freon in and get us back to cold air!  So nice!

Scenery today

Actually it was kinda cold so I had to lower the blower and go from Max Air to regular!  Awesome!

Today our end stop was Why, AZ.  You might ask why “Why”!  That is the gateway to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  We hopped on I-8 West and it was another boring desert drive, but at least it was 4 lane and the most traffic we’ve driven in since Las Vegas.  Lunch and fuel stops coincided at Love’s in Gila Bend.  The fridge is getting empty so while Bill pumped I went to the Taco Bell and got him meximelts and me a cantina bowl.  It was OK.  I’d rather a Wendy’s salad!  They didn’t have pull through truck spaces to park in so we found a space a block down and had our lunch.

Just as we were ready to pull out the Wellness Director of corporate for my mom’s facility returned my call about the incident yesterday and I did not hold back.  She was so appalled at what all I had to tell her and assured me it would be addressed and she would get back to me.

No more interstate for the day, the new route was 2 lane, flat desert road south to Organ Pipe and Mexico if we wanted to go a few more miles.  Along the way we passed through Ajo, AZ which looked skeptical on the approach but the little town square area was beautiful and I would have loved to stop and check it out.  It was old Spanish style adobe and there was a mission also.  Too bad we don’t come back that way!

Fountain at the mini-mart

Why is further down the pike and it has nothing!  A mini mart kind of store with a gas station and that’s pretty much it.  Our campground, Howling Coyote West, is fine but it would have been nice for the guy who waved us on like the office was just ahead would have flagged us to stop so he (being the manager) could tell us where to park!  We unhooked and Bill drove back to ask him and he said to park anyplace we wanted.  Most of the campgrounds in AZ this time of year are empty except for the full time residents.  As hot as it is I understand why it’s so in Why!

As soon as we got parked and I made an iced coffee we took off for Organ Pipe.  I guess we thought the Visitor Center was close to

an Organ Pipe Cactus

the entrance.  Nope, not even close.  It was another 15 miles into the property.  We spent some time with the ranger at the VC and watched the video then we headed out on the 21 mile loop of the park where we would see numerous kinds of cactus.  Well, no one said it was mostly gravel!  Bill was not a happy driver and less happy when he saw the sign to beware of illegals and to call 911 or notify someone.  He said he was not a risk taker like me. 

It was up and down, and all around.  They provide a booklet

The illegal went that way, no he went
that way!

with the stops along the way and what you will see at each.  Once we reached a little higher elevation we started seeing lots of the Organ Pipe cactus that are the namesake of the park.  We also saw saguaro, cholla, ocotillo, prickly pear, chainfruit cholla, teddy bear cholla in addition to

Arch we spotted

creosote and mesquite.  Never saw any animals but there was a nice big arch in the top of the mountain and later we found a tiny one.

We made it back to the main road without spotting a single illegal but along the loop was a border patrol truck with a radar or motion gizmo and another border patrol closer to the exit.  We actually saw more sheriff and border patrol vehicles in and around Why than anywhere! 

Back at the RV we had dinner, chilled and crashed!