The last blog post was April 24th as I prepared to leave Old Fogey Hot Spring in southern Arizona then continued further south to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. How can that be as I roll through early June while writing this post? I am reminded by Sue that blogging has fallen by the wayside for many. And to be fair I am sharing my stories on YouTube now at https://www.youtube.com/@geogypsytraveler/. Yea, I know, not everybody does YouTube, however there will be many links to videos I’ve posted since the last blog post. Just sayin’. If you like what you see please subscribe to the channel. You can check out ideas about summer travel plans and monetization here.
I continued into southern Arizona most specifically to attend a Ranger wedding where they met years ago while working at Organ Pipe Cactus. It was a three day affair that included the solar eclipse, and I camped in the park’s campground.
But before that I spent a few days boondocking south of Ajo near a favorite BLM site along the Darby Well Road.
Then before heading to Organ Pipe went into Ajo for groceries, laundry, and a visit to the Plaza where I bought myself a few pieces of jewelry.
Old Sterling Silver & Turquoise ring & necklace, plus hand-carved Pipestone turtle earrings
I’m really not collecting again after the fire, but if I see a piece I love that fits, well it becomes mine.
Space X seen from campground
Most of the wedding party were, or still are, Park Rangers from all over North America, so of course we got along fabulously.
Crested Saguaro
Double Arch
One day we carpooled on the Ajo Mt loop drive making stops along the way.
Took four hours for the 21 mile drive. That’s naturalists for you.
The next day, before the wedding ceremony, we shared food at the group camp area while safely watching 75% of the solar eclipse.
I set up camera on tripod and shot about every 5-10 minutes then eventually put together a composite.
After the wedding activities I returned to Darby Well Road for about a week of camping and learning how to make the eclipse composite while enjoying the southern Arizona Sonoran desert outside my door.
Then back to town for groceries and postcards where a different boondock was recommended along Alley Road.
I love that new camp location even better, if that’s possible, because of less traffic and people, and more dense Sonoran desert vegetation.
Near enough to a tower to successfully work online and load videos.
Spectacular sunsets.
Watched the full moon rise.
And had a coyote visitor.
I spent another week before starting slowly northwards.
Joann’s neighbor let me park across the street
Next stop, a visit with Joann in Yuma for a couple days.
Then a five day stop, still in southern Arizona, on BLM adjacent to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.
May 1st I arrived in Congress where something special happened.
Yes, there are a lot of photos here. But there’s even more good ones laced into the linked videos. I believe some of these will be contenders for the Geogypsy 2025 calendar. Have any favorites?
I so enjoy your travels.
I am sad that bloggers are dropping off. I travel and live vicariously. Happy trails.
Thanks for coming along. I don’t want to stop blogging, but am having fun with the videos and it takes a lot of time. I’ve met so many wonderful folks, including you, through blogging.
Six weeks between blog postings and then it is a Photo posting with limited text. I followed a blog some years ago that died a slow death from being a blog to being a photo blog to being nothing but photos and then it went away.
Have fun with you videos.
Thanks for stopping by Ed. I shared my stories and will continue to do blog and video. Be well.
I love “traveling along with you” through your blogging. Also sad blogging is dropping off.
Thanks for coming along. I’ve enjoyed blogging for 17 years starting with daily posts. Now I can barely keep up with monthly. Filming tickled a new challenge for me though I don’t plan to stop taking stills and include many in my YouTube videos.
Ah well. Good to read a post from you. As old people often say, it’s all changing too quickly. Wears me out. I find myself pulling in mentally and spiritually. Daughters family local friends dog flowers. The beach the kayak and Mo. Shifts and changes for sure.
Thanks for the inspiration! I often dislike but embrace change. You are surrounded by beauty and love. Thanks for being my friend. Not sure I’ll make it to the PNW this summer. Only time, and changes, will tell.
Great to read from you! Yep, stages and transitions, all good. My faves are your eclipse composite and sunset! And crested saguaro. I know you’ve shown before and I learned, but sure like to see the atypical, different nature. Was the orange color on saguaro spines from light? I also smiled of the tight “Yuma squeeze” there:) I should, saying WILL, soon be doing some tripping also:)) Keep on movin and groovin.
Thanks. Glad we got to visit this Spring. Maybe again somewhere along the road? Yes the spines were shining in the light. Eclipse composite is most definetely a contender for 2025 calendar.
Loved this happy post! I have great memories of the Ajo area when we were full-timers. So beautiful where you are now too. How hot? …. If you are counting, I joined your YouTube site, but much prefer blogging. (Just an old-fashioned girl I guess … which is hilarious to say since I remember a time before we even dreamed of having computers at our fingertips and in our pockets). ….. I love the moonrise picture but all of the cactus and mountains and skies brought back wonderful memories. And love that you got to see most of the eclipse. That was quite a wedding your friends had!! Thanks for all the beauty and for keeping us updated this was too. Salllie
Thank you Sallie. I’m worse at reading blogs than writing these days. Facebook picks up the slack on that. I do love that Sonoran desert, until it gets too hot.
So many stunning photos of that beautiful area – glad you included so many here! I especially love the capture of the sunlit cactus needles. Having an outdoor wedding coincide with the eclipse event is really special – I love it!
Thanks. It’s such a beautiful place.
Hi Gaelyn, my blogging has slowed down as well though I try to do at least one a month. The nine weeks we were away WiFi was so bad I struggled to blog anything, and since we have been home I have been trying to catch up with the garden but the weather has been awful. Midway through June now and I am still wearing a jersey!! I did do a blog a week ago but I am still trying to go through Namibian photos – You would love that place, so much of it is desert and very beautiful.
Love all your photos here and I love the turtle earrings, unique. As for the solar eclipse, well done a fabulous job done. Hard to pick favourites as they are all favourite material.
Take care, hugs from us both D & N
Not only has my writing gone downhill, my reading of blogs is nil. Will have to go look for your last post. Videos take even more time so there’s that along with a lot of playing. I’m sure Namibia would capture my heart. Gardening takes a lot of time but so worth it for you. So thanks for taking the time to read here. Hugs to you both.
Nice post, I love seeing you enjoy your retirement.
Mom and Dad’s social activity both when he worked and after he retired centered around his fellow Forest Service employees supplemented with some BLM folks. They always had a good time. I imagine your group of Park Service people are similar. Us oil and gas people are not near as social with each other.
Thanks. I’m loving retirement! That’s too bad that your work people aren’t more social. Yet I’ll bet you have other friends living in the neighborhood, and you have family. I’m always open for a visit in AZ,
Trying to comment on my laptop since my phone won’t work.
Not sure how it’s possible that your photographs get better and better but it’s true.
The sunsets, moon shots and the composite of the eclipse are fantastic.
Seeing how wonderful your site looks I wish I could teleport Winnona and I out there to park a polite distance away. I remember being so upset over your fire and Sierra and the loss of all your beautiful jewelry. Glad to see you finding more. I so admire the way you have rolled back from such devastation.
Thanks for your persistence Sherry, and the wonderful compliment. Practice makes better. I do seem to find some fantastic boondock sites, but there’s lots of them out here in the west. I think of losses frequently but life goes on and so must we.