Montezuma Castle National Monument, Montezuma Well, Jerome, Arizona Copper Art Museum

We spent 5 days in Camp Verde Arizona.  Above the Verde Valley sits the town of Jerome.  To the north is Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.

Montezuma Castle
Southern Sinagua farmers built this five story, 20-room dwelling sometime between 1100 and 1300. It occupies a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley.  This area is referred to as the Verde Valley.

Montezuma Well has all the surprise of a lake and lush vegetation in the midst of desert. It is a limestone sink formed long ago, still fed by continuously flowing springs. The Southern Sinagua irrigated crops with its waters. The pit house on view dates from about 1050.

Above the water is the Pit house.

As we walked around the lake we came upon
another  door leading into another dwelling. The Rothrock Graffiti was done as advertising from the late 1800's.
 

High above the Verde Valley is an old copper mining town named Jerome.  In 1899 Jerome was the fourth largest town in Arizona.
1929 Jerome population reaches 15,000.

Much of the town has crumbled down the mountain.  Behind the facade of this building was a glass blowing shop.  Population in 2013 was 451. This is a tourist destination south of Sedona,a really fun place to visit.    

Looking from Jerome across the mine. 
We toured the Douglas Mansion, it is now
the museum at the Jerome State
Historic Park.

Deck and I are in this picture it was taken with our taleidescope.

Arizona Copper Art Museum.
Mentioned in the museum was the
copper mines in Michigan.  

These copper bathtubs were made for two
people to talk while bathing.

There were so many beautiful copper pieces from jewelry, cups, vases, decorative pieces, tin ceilings, and so much more.  These copper and brass pieces were called "Trench Art" made by soldiers from the shell casing during war.

Cibola Vista Spa & Resort ,Peoria AZ,

Were on Vacation! 

We were able to park the Moose across the street from the Blue/
Green resort.  The weather was sunny and in the 80's. 
We enjoyed hanging out at the pool and just relaxing for 3 days.

It was a beautiful place.
The barbecue area and one of the pools
was on the other side of the fence.
We didn't really take many pictures we were
on vacation from the road and had all ready
made to many trips back and forth
to Moose grabbing stuff.

Organ Pipe National Monument

This park is located in southern Arizona along the Mexican border.

The organ pipe cactus are the ones on the left of the picture.

We toured the Ajo Mountain Scenic Loop, a 21 mile
round-trip dirt road.  We stopped and enjoyed a picnic
with a family from Canada on the drive.

An organ pipe cactus.  Just before and during the summer rains, the
organ pipe fruit ripens and splits open to reveal its red pulpy flesh.  An organ pipe
cactus produces its first flowers at around 35 years.  The bat pollinated flowers
blossom at night and are closed by mid-morning the next day.

We considered taking a 6-8 hour drive but after reading this sign at the entrance
 to the one-way road we decided to heed this warning.  This is what the
sign says on it.

Travel Caution
Smuggling and illegal immigration maybe encountered in this area
Do Not travel alone
Avoid encounters with suspicious groups
Avoid traveling at night
Dial 911 to report illegal activity

Our campsite at  Hickiwan Trails Rv Park which was the closest
campground to Organ Pipe NP.

We had a full hook up and it was very well kept with a mountain view.

Wild Flowers, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona

From the high desert of Texas in late February to the desert of Arizona in March the landscape sprouted with color.

Arizona has received snow and rain in 2019 that is a rare occurrence.  This has allowed the flowers to bloom early, usually this takes place during July/August when the monsoon season arrives.

Driving along route 86 west towards
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
late in March.

A beautiful palette of purple, oranges and greens.

The landscaping at the visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
The cactus you see here are the organ pipe cactus only found
in the park.  This park borders the Mexican border.

I would have liked to identify these flowers for the posting but decided against buying
a wild flower book because of our limited storage in the "moose".
I can always edit this posting if they get identified, so if you know their name
let me know and I'll update this posting.

This was taken in Big Bend National Park in Texas.

Early March driving in south east Arizona on Apache Pass returning from
Chiricahua National Monument.

As we entered New Mexico north of El Paso Texas we were able to stop at a
Rest Area to take this picture and learn that these flowers are Mexican Poppies.

Kitt Peak National Observatory

The largest collection of telescopes on Kitt Peak is located high above the Sonoran Desert under some of the finest night skies in the world, on the Tohono O'odham nation.

We were able to park The Moose at the bottom of the mountain and drive the jeep up to the observatory.  It was 12 miles to the top where 26 various telescopes are positioned.  We took the quick self guided tour of the mountain, guided tours are available.  I would love to go back to participate in this program. "Nightly Observing Program."  The evening begins with a light supper, followed by a dramatic sunset viewing.  The guides then show you how to use star charts to navigate the sky and lead you on a binocular tour of the heavens.  Then, you take turns viewing through one of the telescopes at several objects.  Next time around we are doing this.

On top of the mountain with the telescopes was a visitor center, dormitories and services to maintain the facility.

Deck playing with the plasma display.

Spectacular view from the solar scope looking back at the observatory.

McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope.  

Looking out from the top of the mountain.

It was amazing to be able to look in any direction and see so far away.

Being so high up in the mountains was awesome, the sights were breathtaking.  

Deck took this panoramic shot. It is a 180 degree view from the observatory to the mountain ridge.

Some of the roads had drop offs like this one sure
wouldn't want to test that guard rail.