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Tag: Sonoran Desert

April in southern Arizona

last light Organ pipe cactus ORPI NM AZ

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.

RV cg ORPI NM AZI 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.

desert late light Darby Well Rd BLM Ajo AZ

desert sunset Darby Well Rd BLM Ajo AZBut before that I spent a few days boondocking south of Ajo near a favorite BLM site along the Darby Well Road.

Plaza Ajo AZThen 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.

ring earrings pendant Ajo AZOld 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 Sonoran Desert ORPI MN AZSpace 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.

Saguaro cristate Ajo Mt Dr ORPI NM AZCrested Saguaro

dbl arch Ajo Mt Dr ORPI NM AZDouble Arch

One day we carpooled on the Ajo Mt loop drive making stops along the way.

hawk Saguaro Ajo Mt Dr ORPI NM AZcactus flowers Ajo Mt Dr ORPI NM AZ

Took four hours for the 21 mile drive.  That’s naturalists for you.

Ramsey & Chelsea hands ORPI NM AZThe next day, before the wedding ceremony, we shared food at the group camp area while safely watching 75% of the solar eclipse.

desert eclipse site ORPI NM AZsolar eclipse

I set up camera on tripod and shot about every 5-10 minutes then eventually put together a composite.

RV sunset Darby Well BLM Ajo AZ

desert moon Jupiter Darby Well BLM Ajo AZ

Gaelyn tophat eclipseBrittlebush Ocotillo Darby Well BLM Ajo AZ

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.

Plaza Ajo AZ

RV camp BLM Alley Rd Ajo AZThen back to town for groceries and postcards where a different boondock was recommended along Alley Road.

Organ Pipe cactus spine glow yellow Brittlebush Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZOrgan Pipe cactus spine glow Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

I love that new camp location even better, if that’s possible, because of less traffic and people, and more dense Sonoran desert vegetation.

desert mt Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZNear enough to a tower to successfully work online and load videos.

desert sunset Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

desert Ajo Pk sunset Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

RV reflection sunset clouds Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZdesert sunset Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

Spectacular sunsets.

desert mt moon Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZmt moon rise bird Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

moon rise Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZSaguaro desert mt moon rise Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

Watched the full moon rise.

Coyote Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZAnd had a coyote visitor.

yellow Brittlebush flowers Ajo Mt sunset clouds Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

desert last light Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZ

yellow Brittlebush flowers clouds Alley Rd BLM Ajo AZI spent another week before starting slowly northwards.

RV in carport Yuma AZJoann’s neighbor let me park across the street

Next stop, a visit with Joann in Yuma for a couple days.

red Ocotillo flowers Kofa Mts BLM La Paz Valley AZ

desert Chocolate Mts sunset BLM La Paz Valley AZThen a five day stop, still in southern Arizona, on BLM adjacent to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

flowering Saguaro SR97 to Bagdad AZMay 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?

Ajo, Arizona, Kofa NWR, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Places I've been, United States, Yuma , , 21 Comments

Chasing the moon Kofa to Owl Arizona

Saguaro desert Kofa Mts sunset moon King Rd BLM Kofa AZStayed 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.

desert Kofa Mts moon King Rd BLM Kofa AZI spent four days chasing the moon before it was full, starting at my Kofa camp.

Saguaro moon King Rd BLM Kofa AZ

Saguaro moon King Rd BLM Kofa AZSadly, 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.

Northern Mockingbird in flight cactus King Rd BLM Kofa AZAnd 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.

mt bird moon rise King Rd BLM Kofa AZ

Saguaro desert mt moon rise King Rd BLM Kofa AZI 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.

Saguaro mt moon King Rd BLM Kofa AZAnd still played with the cactus.

sunset clouds King Rd BLM Kofa AZPlus enjoyed a lovely sunset.

Mockingbird Saguaro King Rd BLM Kofa AZThe 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.

Mockingbird Saguaro King Rd BLM Kofa AZAnd 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.

desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds King Rd BLM Kofa AZBummer about clouds obscuring the moon however did bring on a delightful sunset.

Coyote

Sierra in bed King Rd BLM Kofa AZSierra 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.

desert Kofa Mts sunrise clouds King Rd BLM Kofa AZ

bumper rock collection King Rd BLM Kofa AZAnd 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.

RVs BLM-VFW Yuma AZAfter 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.

Sierra cat in bedI 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.

desert Mohawk Mts Owl AZ

purple Phacalia flowers Mohawk Mts Owl AZred flowering Ocotillo Mohawk Mts Owl AZ

                                       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.

camp view E Hist80 & I8 Mohawk Valley Owl AZAnd not a bad place to boondock considering how close to the Interstate and railroad.  You can see that camp in this video.

moon light behind Mohawk Mts Owl AZmoon light clouds behind Mohawk Mts Owl AZ

full moon rising clouds Mohawk Mts Owl AZfull moon rise Mohawk Mts Owl AZ

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.

desert full moon set Mohawk Mts BLM Owl AZ

full moon set bushes Mohawk Mts BLM Owl AZBut 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.

Arizona, full moon, Kofa NWR, photography, Places I've been, Sonoran desert, United States, Yuma , , , , 13 Comments

Headed northward from Yuma Arizona to boondock

01 DSL_1056lewfbr moon clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2I happily headed northward from Yuma returning to a favorite landscape to shoot April’s full moon over Easter weekend and the clouds beckoned me to stay just a little longer.

I’ll be honest, I won’t miss the noisy camp near Yuma, but I will miss Gayle.  She’s slowly recovering from her dental work in Mexico but staying nearby for a while longer.

03 DSL_0906lewfbr Palo Verde tree sunset BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2Palo Verde sunset

After shopping in Yuma I headed northward and less than an hour away to my next camp (where I took a 360° video), a favorite place, the BLM adjacent to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.  Not many people out there so really lots of peace and quiet guaranteed.

04 DSL_0896lecwfbr desert Kofa Mts moon BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ azb g-2I sat outside in the welcomed afternoon shade of the truckcamper.  Set the camera on tripod and the moon snuck up on me faintly and not yet full.

05 DSL_0936lewfbr desert mt wave clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ npfb g-3Unusual Wave clouds

Still struggling with autofocus on the Nikon so after some googling I took the polarizing filter off, not an easy task.  That filter also reduces light so now I have to think differently when shooting in Manual.  Bumping up the shutter speed is a bonus for hand-held shooting as I’m not very steady and usually too lazy to use the tripod.

06a DSL_0994lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-24:53pm

06b DSL_1034lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g6:29pm

Photography is all about the light and I love watching changes on the land throughout the day.

07a DSL_1053lecwfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds moon BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

07b DSL_1050lewfbr Kofa Mts moon BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ fb g-3

07c DSL_1080lecwfbr desert Kofa Mts sunset clouds moon BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ mss g-2I think the focus improved and some of that night’s moon shots were better. Sadly, clouds were low on the horizon so I once again didn’t catch it until above the clouds.

08a DSL_1110lecwfbr Saguaro sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

08b DSL_1105lewfbr Palo Verde tree moon BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ fb g-2I woke at first light to pee and stepped outside with the camera for sunrise and saw the moon setting behind the Palo Verde tree. Score. Then went back to bed.

09 IMG_20220416_160443863lecwfbr truckcamper desert Kofa Mts BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-3After processing photos all morning, I went outside to read and enjoy the view.  Then, about 4pm got a bug to move camp.  Not far, just down the road a bit, to a place I camped this winter.

10a le photopills-ar-8PhotoPills Augmented Reality usually out of calibration

10b DSL_1113lewfbr desert Kofa Mts BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2Would it rise here or…

10c DSL_1126lewfbr Kofa Mts BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2…maybe here

Time for a different moon rise view.  Then I speculated on where the moon would actually rise almost 30 minutes after sunset.

11a DSL_1196lewfbr Kofa Mts full moon rise BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

11b DSL_1210lecwfbr Kofa Mts full moon rise BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2It would be very dark and that’s when I struggle the most shooting the moon, even using the tripod.  That night was no different.

12a IMG_20220417_173737934lewfbr sitting in shade desert Kofa Mts BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-3

12b IMG_20220417_190526009lewfbr Ocotillo Chocolate Mts sunset BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-3Easter Sunday, very quiet and found no eggs.  However, I did wear a summer dress to nature’s cathedral.  That could have had something to do with the 91° day.

13 DSL_1243lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2The next day reached 96° yet the cloudy skies begged me to stay.

14a DSL_1246lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

14b DSL_1249lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2One minute later, changing light

I just can’t resist the light and shadow play across the landscape.  I told myself to get to work on the next blog post, but instead spent a good part of the day outside just taking in the views.

15a DSL_1251lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

15b DSL_1254lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2

15c DSL_1256lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2Five minutes later

Amazing what just a few moments in time will do to change the scene entirely.  Though I took lots of photos, I also wanted to imprint this image on my brain knowing I’d not be back to the Sonoran Desert again until winter or at least fall.

16 DSL_1263lecwfbr desert Kofa Mts reverse sunset anticrepuscular rays BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ g-2As much as I prefer warm to cold I honestly can’t envision living with daily highs consistently over 100° all summer long.  A true bonus of wheelestate.  Don’t like the weather then move.

I spent the evening watching way too many RV-people videos.  So many just record themselves talking and even while driving. Is that interesting? I could talk forever doing that.

18a DSL_1272lewfbr Ocotillo desert Chocolate Mts Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa NWR AZ-Enhanced yt g-2

18b DSL_1273lewfbr desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ gHonestly, after the previous day I was ready for cooler weather. Only supposed to be high 80s in Congress about two hours northward.  So even though the clouds invited me to stay, I hit the road and took video along the way.  Driving this route over 20 years I’ve become familiar with the small towns along the way, so I chatted about that.  The loud Mexican music drew me into Agila’s Tuesday market especially for produce and I found a little treasure.  Also grocery shopped in Wickenburg and had lunch at my favorite fast-food joint before headed northward to camp Congress.

19 DSL_1278lewfbr desert Date Crk Mts sunset clouds Cemetery Rd BLM Congress AZ g-2I planned to spend only a few days before continuing northward again and return to my Skull Valley home.  But the overnight lows still hovered just over freezing further north so I didn’t rush off.

Arizona, Kofa NWR, Places I've been, United States, Yuma , , , , 24 Comments

Lijit

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