Day 29 Heading east from Phoenix to New Mexico

Day 29 Heading back from Phoenix to New Mexico
An average sunset from NE Phoenix
There is some time lapse in here, but we will cover that in today’s writing. There is also a two hour time change from MST to CDT. (See below) (Do they still call it writing, when we don’t really write?)

This is written on the Thursday that we left Phoenix and stopped for the night in Las Cruces NM. It was a long driving and riding day and considering there were two hour time differences between AZ and NM it got past supper time in a hurry. We took care of that by eating at a nearby “cracker Barrel” with the trailer still hitched. (Arizona does not change time)
Downtown Phoenix ( And sports centers) Round tailed Ground Squirrel

But let’s go back to Wednesday when the five of us (Andy, Gerri the baby, Ruth and I) took a tour of the Hohokam ruins at Coolidge AZ. It lies about 60 miles south of Phoenix. These ruins have been there many thousands of years and represent the culture of some four major groups of natives that have been on this Salt River and Gila River “oasis” for 7,000 years. It has been an amazing existence and just before the explorers came there was a 100 year drought which exterminated almost all of them and little remains today of the culture. (The Navajos and Apaches and Hopi are remnants of that earlier culture. They are tied to the Anasazi and others, in the later years.) Originally a nomadic people, they found like many cultures, as the population got larger, they had to find ways to adapt. This group used a large canal system along the two rivers (above) and became farmers until that too was not enough. At one time it was estimated that there were over 250,000 of them living in the area from Colorado to Mexico and from the Colorado River to The Rio Grande. Some settlements had 10,000 people. This went on for thousands of years. Note the three story house.

Ruth’s sister and bro in-law caught the early flight for Oklahoma City where they will meet friends for a few days and then fly home. We, on the other hand set out from Phoenix at 8:15 during rush hour and anticipating the worst, sailed down

Hohokam ruins 3 story building It is Lupine

I-17 and out of town in less than 45 minutes. That was a TRAVEL MIRACLE! We were amazed but grateful. The day stayed partly cloudy at 74 F but the bonus for the day was, we HAD A TAILWIND and got the best mileage of the whole trip. It is amazing what a 35 mph wind can do from behind. We anticipate the same tomorrow only 5 mph faster as we had for Riodoso Downs,and Clovis, NM, then Amarillo, TX where will be spend the second night.

The first noticeable town "out there" in the middle of the desert south of Phoenix was Casa Grande a suburban town with 25,000 residents. It is a truly a “desert town” amid the Saguaro cactus in mostly flat land. The saguaro grows in the Sonoran Desert and receives about 10 inches of rain a year. There are five biomes in that desert.

Water? Where does that come from? Water issues are severe here in Arizona and there has not been sufficient surveys to determine even, IF, there is sufficient ground water for the rapid growth to come in the years ahead. This is especially true in the Gila, ad Verde river systems and Pinal (agricultural) lands. The first Saguaro cactus as you drive from east to west is found at Picacho as the rise in elevation seems to be the needed ingredient

Along the way today we passed the Conex cement Plant just outside Tucson. It makes expanding cement that is used worldwide.

We passed Willcox, Benson, and Deming on the way to Las Cruces. Maybe the Sandhill Cranes are still there? A short rest at the “rocks” at the Continental divide which is at about 4,000 feet elevation at that point.

The day ends quietly in the same campground we were in a week or so ago, the one that had the breakfast in the morning for all the guests, so we are well taken care of. Wish we had time for the exercise room and pool. Hope to catch you tomorrow. - Love, Jim and Ruth