February 26, 2005

February 26, 2005

Deming, New Mexico to Benson, Arizona

DAY 253

 

Welcome to Arizona. Today was a day of changing weather. This morning when we started out in Deming, New Mexico, it was cool and cloudy. As we drove across the southwest corner of New Mexico, and crossed into Arizona, it alternated between bouts of sunshine, and occasional little bursts of rain. The rain clouds seem to build up around the mountains, so every time we'd get close to one of the many mountains we're passing over, or going around, we'd get rain for short periods of time.

We had a bit of a scare with Bo this morning. Yesterday when Joanne took the truck to go to Wal-Mart in Deming, she discarded a small package of silica beads in the little garbage bin in the truck. You know, the kind of little package that comes inside every box of electronic equipment, to absorb moisture. This morning we put Bo in the truck a few minutes before we were ready to pull out, and while we finished our hitch up procedures, Bo ate the package of silica beads. I was really worried about whether or not it was poisonous, and how would it affect him. We watched him very closely for the next few hours, worrying, and hoping no harm would come to him. He seems okay. It's now late in the evening, so if it was going to have an effect on him, I guess it already would have. Close call ! And a lesson learned !

We drove west on I-10 from Deming, to the Arizona border, and on to Benson, where we are now at Saguaro SKP Park. It's another SKP Co-op, so the only sites available for travellers are those sites that are not currently being occupied by their owners. The Co-op's 15th birthday is very soon, so the park's owners / residents are mostly here. As a result, the park is filled to capacity. We are spending the night in their boondock / dry camp area. There's a waiting list of about 3 days to get a serviced site. We weren't planning to spend any more than a few days here anyways, so since it's full, we'll probably leave tomorrow, and head for the historic old town of Tombstone. You know ... Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, O.K. Corral, Boot Hill Graveyard !

When we passed from New Mexico to Arizona the topography changed again. The mountains, which appear to be made of gravel in New Mexico, seem to made of huge boulders in Arizona. I mean boulders the size of houses ! The desert plants changed again, also. Now we're seeing Barrel Cacti and Organ Pipe Cacti. No Saguaro yet, though. I'm eager to see Saguaro Cacti growing naturally. We must be getting close. This SKP Park is named Saguaro Co-op, and the Saguaro National Park is nearby.

We just returned from today’s social activity in the park. This is a large park, with about 350 sites, so it has a pretty active social calendar. Tonight was a toga party and dance, with live music. It’s rather amusing to see a couple of hundred old folks all dressed up in togas, looking like something out of Animal House, dancing away to hits of the 70’s.

DSK