Training and Field Trips

Weather station in the desert. 

We are questioning Ranger Ken about the area.

The corral and loading dock of the ranch.  This land was used for ranching from 1916 to 1977 if I have my dates correct.

This ranch house is a bit small for my taste and it was used in the 1970's

Canyon view from the trail

The desert floor start into Alamo Canyon. 

We have been in our second week of training.  Yesterday we had a talk about reptiles and the indangered Sonoran Pronghorn project and we went out with rangers seeing one of the weather stations in the park.  Today we took a guided trip to Alamo Canyon and an old ranch there.  I failed to take pictures the last time John and I were there so I have some today.  Tomorrow is our last training day and we are starting research for talks.  John picked the Pronghorn for a talk before he knew about the release project and I am painting so I picked the Ajo Mountains and Bull Pasture.  What's the "bull" about Bull Pasture is my talks name.  On the Ajo Mountains there is a a shape like a longhorn steer head complete with horns and skull eyes which has a high pasture at its base.  We hiked a few weeks ago and missed the summit to the pasture. It has history associated with ranching and Poncho Villa.   Next week John is going to help with the pronghorn project - captive animals they are releasing.  Several years ago the Sonoran Pronghorn population was at about 22 animals in ORPI, the only place these animals exist in the US.  Now the population is in the 100's because of a captive breeding program.  They are releasing animals back into the wild with the help of volunteers, including John.  I will help in the visitor center to cover the many helping out with the project.  Vets, helicopters, and plain old physical dirty work is required to release.  We will see if he comes home sore, wet, and limping.

Ajo Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 2011

Santa came to Ajo led by cheer leading elves on Christmas Eve in a parade

Santa's float had problems and in the end was pushed to the plaza stop



John waiting for our dinner guests.


Christmas Eve we traveled to Ajo to see Santa arrive in the plaza and light the tree.  Children received oranges, candy and books.  We then went to Ajo Federated Church for Scripture and Carols right across from the plaza.  On Christmas day the three couples left in the park had a pot luck ham dinner together.  Our center piece was sent as a present so we had a festive table and enjoyed the meal together.  Merry Christmas to Everyone! 

Ajo Drive with Rangers

 On day 5 of our instruction we all piled into a 15 passenger van and drove the 21 mile Ajo Mt. Drive loop in the park with our 2 ranger instructors.  Ranger Ken and Ranger Viv have been our instructors for this course.  It was unusually cold (low 30's to 50's) and windy so everyone was bundled.  Viv is giving us a talk on the ecosystem of the Sonaran Desert.

Ranger Ken is talking about the Organ Pipe Cactus and the cristate inside this large cactus.

John looking at me proving he was there.

Diablo Wash where long ago the Tohono O'Odham ancestors farmed squash, beans, and corn.  Every year they dammed this wash and irrigated their crops here after harvesting the cactus fruit in this region. 

A spire in the mountains as we climbed the 800 feet elevation into the mountains on the drive.

Back on the desert floor.

This is a  packrat nest in the prickly pear.  They like to nest in peoples vehicles and chew wires, etc.  We have lights around our motor home and under the engine of our Scion.  Either it works (we have not had problems) or we are making it easy for them to see where they are going and are just lucky they have not stopped by our place.  Hoods of the vehicles are also open at all times.

This is Mt Ajo from the visitor center walk.  We made it back in one piece (students drove the 15 passenger van) and are now ready to warm up back in our rigs. After the holidays we will be back in the classroom and end next week with another field trip.

MERRY CHRISTMAS
May everyone be bathed in love and warmth this holiday.

Cristate Hike

View from the first cristate location

 

The cristate in an Organ Pipe Cactus



The cristate near our RV



This afternoon we went searching for unusual cactus, called cristates.  The campground host offered to show us the cristate he found near the Twin Peaks Campground.  We traveled the short trail up above the campground and found it at the top of a hill.  On the way back we saw a rainbow, the third we have seen since we have been here but alas, no picture.  It is cold today with a few showers but sooo green! 

Sunsets, Sunrises, and Birds

Sunrise from Child Mountain

Just another desert afternoon at ORPI

Sunset at ORPI

Orpi volunteers at NWR visitor center, Ajo

Phainopepla on Saguaro

I was up a 5:30 and birding by 7:30 at Child's Mtn just above Ajo.  We (fellow ORPI volunteers) were lucky enough to be with the NWR ranger so she opened the gate to the top of the mountain.  We traveled in the NWR vehicle.  What a view!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Phainopepla and Red Tailed Hawks were the birds of the day. We did spot others but we did not really encounter as many as I had hoped and we were done by noon. A good time was had anyway.  Another day in the desert!

Bird Count

    Tomorrow I am traveling to Ajo with 2 other volunteers to do the Christmas Bird Count. It is done nationally on a certain day every year.  None of us know what we are doing but we will learn tomorrow.  This week has been spent at the visitor center with almost no visitors.  BORING!  The upcoming holiday must be keeping them away.  Next week we start our formal interp training and the schedule seems like fun.  We are going on field trips and listening to talks and we have a pot luck and a Christmas luncheon.  I have been approved to paint on the patio or walkway and talk to visitors so I am thrilled.  Painting and volunteering at the same time is terrific.  I have been hard at work on an oil of Alamo Canyon in ORPI.
    Yesterday John and I traveled to Ajo and went to the local museum and mining overlook.  Ajo was one of the largest open pit copper mines in the world. It closed around 1984.  Two mountians are no longer there,  just a huge colored pile of tailings now.  The mine hole is 1 1/2 miles across and 1200 feet deep.  The town was moved during the hay day to accomodate the mining pit. Now we know a little more about the area. And yes, I forgot to take pictures again!

Estes Canyon & Bull Pasture

 With a new volunteer, Hilda, John and I hiked a trail today.  Borrowing an ORPI van we traveled the 21 mile gravel drive hiking a trail through Estes Canyon and up and around missing the sign to Bull Pasture which was the highest point of the hike.  We found our error after decending but did not turn around.  It was a morning well spent in beautiful country anyway.  Next time we will go all the way up to Bull Pasture.  On the way home we passed an Occotillo in bloom.  It is supposed to bloom in the spring but with all the rain it was in bloom now.  What great red and green color for the holidays.




John & Hilda with back lit cholla on trail

 















Occotillo in Blossom

 


 





  

Harris Hawks at Visitor Center

Harris Hawk

We were treated to a visit from 3 Harris Hawks on the patio of the visitor center.  They stayed around for about a half hour and disappeared.  They hunt in groups but did not fill their stomachs with a patio picnic.

Christmas comes to the desert

New England snow came with us

I have a lite wreath on the front windshield and the neighbor across the way has a small lighted tree in the window.  Next door I can see a string of colored lights inside.  Christmas has come to the desert.  Our visitor center has a lite night sky/star tree and next Saturday an open house is planned with food and an Ajo art guild exhibit.  We are starting to be in the holiday mode.

Visitor Center - John's turn



John & volunteers inside Visitor Center



--Map in Visitor Center.  We are in between Mt Ajo (highest on right) and Twin Peaks (center) in those lower mountains.  The line which you can see in the lower bottom is the border. The first 1/3 of the mountains and lower plain on the left of the picture are closed because of border issues.

Another beautiful sunrise

VIP Campground Sign

This was in the Twin Peaks Campground.  The car and tent are from Germany.  A single ritired lady is traveling by herself and uses the ladder to climb up to her tent.  It is so unique.

Either John or I volunteer four days a week in the visitor center.  Starting the week before Christmas we are both in 8 days of Interpretive Training.  After that we will be doing??? but we will know a lot more about the park.  Note the map in the visitor center and the mountains that surround us.  Now you can see why cell service is so spotty.  It is raining gently today, our day off. It should be a wonderful wild flower year in the spring.

Civilization

Saturday we traveled to Buckeye, 114 miles away to one of the nearest Walmarts and shopping centers.  After RX, food and other items we traveled right back to our desert home.  It was over a 2 hour drive one way.  Things we packed, frozen and cold stuff, traveled back well.  Once a month I will plan an all day trip for shopping,  Gas is so much cheaper there - $3.14 in Buckeye and $3.47 in Why.  Ajo IGA will do for in between every other week fresh items.  We're glad we have the Scion because it gets 40 miles a gallon - the price we pay for the privilege of living in this desert!

Alamo Canyon & Victoria Mine

Imagine having a cattle station here!

Victoria Mine ruins of a home

One of the mines at Victoria

John finding partial shade

Today was hiking day.  In the am we hiked to ruins of a corral and adobe brick line shack.  I was so interested in the ruins I forgot to take pictures.  It was in a remote canyon with beautiful views.  After lunch we hiked 4.5 miles round trip to an abandoned mine.  That trail was deep wash upon deep wash up and down ending at the base of a mountain very near the border.  I remembered the pictures there.  You could see the Mexican town of Sonoyta in the distance.  I came home begging for dinner out in the border crossing of Lukeville, 4 miles away.  I just could not face cooking after the walking.  John even ate Mexican cuisine.  The end of another interesting day in the desert!

Thanksgiving

The table set before the big feast.  The far end is our pot luck dinner table.



We are thankful our family is always with us everywhere we go.

 Yesterday 5 couples got together at the VIP building to have a turkey dinner together.  We gathered in good fellowship to enjoy a great pot luck turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  It is amazing what everyone can come up with to make it a festive and complete affair.  The table decor was thanks to yours truly, all 10 coordinated napkins provided by a full timer - amazing she packed away enough for a dinner party that large.  I had only 4 and I thought I was good!  Today we hike and tomorrow go to civilization to shop.  It will take all day. Sunday is back to our work schedule.

Goaty neighbor

Metal sculpture next door

Our campground neighbor owns 3 goats outside of Portland, OR so this was sent to Organ Pipe as a joke.  It is quite an eye catcher in this desert.  As you can see it eats cactus or like Emma he put his nose where it should not be.  Emma met a Desert Tarantula when we were walking.  I read they are quite calm but it reared up and Emma was about to sniff it when I pulled her away.  It was walking right on the road in the campground.  I did not have my camera at the time!

Tohono O'odham Nation Cultural Center & Museum



Where we will be working 2 days each - Organ Pipe Visitor Center



Views of the trailhead of Alamo Canyon

John looking at maps

Walk outside of Visitor Center showing the Organ Pipe and Saguaro

Still no picture of John and I in uniform!  I can show the visitor center.  Today we traveled roundtrip 190 long desert miles on AZ 85 and 86 to the heart of the reservation, Sells, AZ. There is a very nice place in Sells that has excellent lunch fare, native style.  We both enjoyed lunch.  The salsa was fantastic in the prickly pear cactus chicken wrap plate and John had a bean soup with a corn/chili muffin.  He never eats beans or chilis but he did and it was great.  After a full meal we found the museum and cultural center of the Tohono O'odham Nation.  It is a very modern building in the center of nowhere.  There was a free museum and other buildings. Great find!!!  We shopped in the reservation food store which I found to be quite good.  We can now wait until after Thanksgiving to shop in civilization.  After traveling back onto ORPI land we went 3 miles offroad on a washed gravel road to the start of Alamo Canyon hiking trailhead and campground, a primitive 4 spot campground.  It is very beautiful and pictures just cannot capture the beauty.  I can see why people use these sites.  It is only for tents and has no water and only one modern out house but the view!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We will be hiking this great trail to old ranch ruins in the canyon soon.

Visitor Center Day in ORPI

Our campsite in the VIP(volunteers in parks) campground



The VIP center with laundry, freezers, showers, ironing board, etc.
  Note the beautiful mountains in the early morning hours.




Early morning fog in the desert

 This morning when walking Emma I expected to hear fog horns.  It was so foggy you could not see the next campsite but it cleared to be a beautiful day in the Sonoran Desert. John worked the morning shift and I the afternoon.  I learned to use the cash register and even checked a "Not so Jr. Ranger" book of a woman who had earned a badge which I presented to her.  I completed the workbook myself yesterday so I was familiar with the answers.  Tomorrow John and I, along with a new volunteer couple who arrived today, are traveling the 20 mile Ajo Drive loop within the park.  It is one of the most traveled routes.  We will get familar with the views, plants, etc. so we can talk intellegently about the drive with visitors. (maybe!!!) I hope to show the visitor center and our uniforms with next pictures.