Category: Kofa NWR

Stayed at my Kofa camp and shot the pre-full moon for a few nights before clouds settled in.  Then left, chasing the moon first to cloudy Yuma followed by clear skies in *Owl, Arizona.

I spent four days chasing the moon before it was full, starting at my Kofa camp.

Sadly, I wasn’t always paying enough attention to see it break over the horizon during a cloudless afternoon.  But I did have fun shooting the moon with the big Saguaro cactus next to my camp.

And I tried for birds.  They’re so fast, this Mockingbird didn’t pose for long.  Would have been really cool to catch a bird on the cactus with the moon nearby.  I’ll have to work on that.

I was way more prepared the following day and under clear sky found myself chasing the moon up over the horizon of the rugged Kofa Mountains, not for the first time.

And still played with the cactus.

Plus enjoyed a lovely sunset.

The next day’s clouds didn’t forebode well for chasing the moon.  Yet a bland gray sky makes a nice background for shooting birds.  And when I’m inside editing video, like this one about safe boondocking in bad desert weather, the camper acts like a bird-hide.

And if the windows are clean enough some shots come out pretty good among the scores of lousy ones.  Bonus is listening to the elaborate song of the Mockingbird, named for their ability to mimic everything from sirens to other bird species.  I don’t talk to them for fear of them sharing my secrets.

Bummer about clouds obscuring the moon however did bring on a delightful sunset.

Sierra when I tell her “We’re going to roll.”

In the morning I discovered the trail-cam caught a coyote after dark, and that the camper was out of propane.  The later meaning I have no choice but to move to a town for a refill.

And being clouds were predicted through the day and into the night my decision sent me toddling south to Yuma.  So I said a sad goodbye to the Kofa Mountains and my lovely rock collection and hit the road.

After filling both propane tanks and getting a few groceries I ended up back at the BLM-VFW camp just north of town.  Thank goodness for just one night, with cloud cover there was no chasing the moon.

I left that crazy camp by 9am, rather early for me, to visit Joann plus shower, laundry, fill water bottles, and she fed me.  We talked about improving ourselves, looking for the right words, and so far like “evolving” meaning change and growth.  I love our mind expanding conversations.  Left her place to dump tanks and drop off garbage bags for free at the Speedway.  Then hopped on Interstate 8 east to continue chasing the moon from my next camp.

                                       Phacelia                                                                Ocotillo

Exit Mohawk Valley, where I didn’t actually go.  Years ago I tripped on a little piece of BLM land in the Mohawk Mountains with many small drainages that offered wildflowers at this time of year.  Sadly, not as many this year but still a pretty place.

And not a bad place to boondock considering how close to the Interstate and railroad.  You can see that camp in this video.

Even with some clouds I did watch the moon rise over the Mohawk Mountains well after dark but was too lazy to set up the tripod so handheld doesn’t come out very good.

But the following morning came out much better as the moon set and ended March’s time for chasing the moon.

Next stop Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and here’s the road trip to get there.

*Owl, Arizona was established as a water station at Mohawk Mountain pass in 1870.  Later a garage and dance hall was built and people came from 50 miles away to dance.  The town burned in the early 1960s and is now privately owned by J.L. Foraker.