March 7, 2005

March 7, 2005

Usery Mountain Park, Mesa, Arizona

Day 262

 

Today was perfect from a weather perspective. The sky was clear. The sun shone brightly. The humidity was low. The desert sun was hot. The cool breeze and altitude up high here in the mountains tempered it.

Joanne's favourite campground was Rondeau Provincial Park in Southwestern Ontario. I think this place is my favourite. Well ... I'm talking favourites on this trip. Nothing can ever supplant Rushing River Provincial Park as my all time favourite.

We got up early this morning, for a few reasons. First of all, we went to bed early, to conserve power, since we were dry camped. Secondly, we had to be at the campground registration station at 8:00 A.M. to see if a site was available for us today. If not there at 8:00 A.M., people on the waiting list for a campsite stay on the waiting list. Thirdly, we need to get back onto a "normal person schedule" to participate in the upcoming rallies, here, and at Escapade in California. We did get a site, to be available by noon. We got the rig ready to move. I took some great pictures in the overflow camping area we were in. We hiked over from the overflow campground to the main campground, to find our site and see if it had been vacated yet. It was empty, so we hiked back to the overflow campground. The scenery / landscape in this park is astounding. We're high on a mountain, in the desert, overlooking Phoenix. Saguaro Cacti are all around us. The wildflowers are blooming. The birds are singing loudly. Spring rains seem to make the desert happy. We drove over to the dump station to dump the holding tanks. We set up in our campsite. I set out the folding chairs. I opened the trailer awning. I hooked Bo up to his chain outside. I poured myself a Diet Cola. I sat down in my chair, put my feet up, and ... ZZZZZ ! ! ! There went the morning !

After lunch, just to balance things out, I took a nap ! HA HA HA ! After Bo and I had a nap, we went on a hike. Around the campground, and into the desert, following a marked hiking trail. Well ... Joanne and I followed the trail. Bo didn't !

I'm typing this at the picnic table in our campsite, as I barbecue supper, and watch the most magnificent sunset. The sun is positioned between two large Saguaros. The Cacti are in silhouette in front of the red horizon. WOW ! A song bird is sitting on the Ocotilla in front of me, singing very loudly at the setting sun.

I really like this part of the Sonoran Desert ! It's much more vivid than the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas and New Mexico.

DSK