ROOSEVELT LAKE 2

30 March 2013:  Hiked into some old ruins near our campsite from last year – they are old and it is a bush whacking type of hike with no trail.  After that we hiked over to some old cottonwoods and found the spring the Indians must have used for their water source.  We were all pretty tired and hot when we got back.  Saw lots of flowers and a gila monster on the hike.  The blog put the pictures out of order from what I had set up and in no particular order.

This is what we looked like when we got back.  

Lots of these flying around.

 Almost back to the jeep.

Zeph still likes to climb on rocks.

This is a cous deer that are around here according to Gary.  Look like a whitetail but are smaller.

Rock walls of the ruins.  There are big and small rooms.

The highest  point of the ruins.  

The poppies are really starting to bloom.

No trails and lots of round rocks keep you looking where you step.

A gila monster.  We have seen quite a few in this area.

The spring where the Indians got their water we presume.  It is really over grown now.

What is left when a barrel cactus dies.

The desert in her glory.

 Zeph is scheming with the girls against Gary and I.

ROOSEVELT LAKE 1

29 March 2013:  We are now in Roosevelt Lake area staying in a campsite we first stayed in back in 2005 with Gary and Georgine.  This is one of Gary’s old hunting camps.  Weather is good – cool at night and warm in the day.  We have been here 3 days and have seen 4 snakes.  This seems to be the year for them.  We are lucky that no person or no dog has been bitten.  Zeph came real close the first day and G & GB’s dogs today.  GB has also seen some javelins and there are lots of birds in the area.  As this is getting close to Easter, there are a lot of people around down by the lake.  And the lake is really low.  It is only 50% of full so our kayaking will be limited this year.  We have been doing some hiking to some old ruins and down to a spring.  Will do the same tomorrow. 

One of the rattlers.  Click to enlarge.

Even Zeph sees what Gary is pointing at.

Best friends.

GB & G

Shards.

What a smile.

The  hedgehogs are starting to bloom.

More poppies than last year by far.

GB & G use century plant stalks for walking sticks.

Lake Roosevelt in the background.

Zeph drinking out of his portable bowl.

Moon shot.

A couple of pics of Zeph catching his ball.

Sitting around the campfire.

Lots of flowers this year.  This is a nightshade we think and below a Mariposa poppy.

THE AJO AREA PICTURES.

26 March 2013:  Left the Ajo area and are right now in the Gila Bend Air Force Station Fam Camp.  Had to dump our campers, get water, and get rid of trash.  We did some great hikes and even went out into the Barry M. Goldwater Gunnery and Bombing Range north of Ajo to look at some large saguaros.   And we had some real excitement at our campsite at 0430 this morning.  Gary was awakened by noise of someone taking things out of the back of his pickup.  When he opened their camp trailer door, one of their dogs ran out barking.  He yelled at her to get back and that is what woke me up.  I thought she was chasing a coyote and when I heard Gary go off running, I got up to try and assist him finding the dog.  Well it wasn’t the dog he was running after, it was some illegal aliens.  I jumped up and put on some clothes still thinking he was chasing his dog.  By the time I caught up with him, he had one of the illegals carrying his cooler back towards camp at gun point.  There were 25 of them according to the one Gary caught.  I called 911 and a couple of Sheriff Deputies came out and took the guy off our hands.  After having some tea and coffee and watching the sunrise, we went searching the area for some missing things.  We found all of our stuff and they had left some of theirs which we cleaned up.  So it was a pretty exciting way to start our morning.  We had planned to leave that campsite this morning anyway as we are now headed to the Roosevelt Lake area, but it gave us a little more incentive.  It is very hot here in Gila Bend – still in the 90’s after 1700.

Gary and Georgine's kayak awaiting water!

Sunrise at our campsite at Ajo.

Lots of bees this year.

The top of an Organ Pipe cactus.

 A very tall saguaro.

 G & GB with their dogs.

A desert lily.

Nice hiking in the Goldwater Range.

The girls on a dry water fall area.

G & GB with some of the things from the illegals.

Sunset from Gila Bend Air Force Station Fam camp.

The Fam camp with a full moon in the background.