Monday, February 21, 2022
Dateland, AZ to Darby Wells Road Dispersed, AZ
Yesterday was a moving day. I drove from Yuma to Dateland, AZ to stay overnight in a dirt lot near a small market and gas station. This was certainly not my destination but it was a stop I needed. After working in my RV in Yuma for 7 hours I didn’t feel like driving 3 plus hours to where I am now to arrive in the dark AND still need to find a place to rest my head for a few days.
I left Dateland before sunrise. The weather app said to expect winds near Ajo, Arizona so the earlier I leave the better; winds tend to be stronger in the afternoons here in Arizona.
Plus leaving early means I get to witness the beautiful sunrise on the road! There’s something special about sunrises and sunsets in Arizona. All the pinks, oranges and purples make you feel welcome to travel this beautiful state!!!
A quick stop in Gila Bend to dump my tanks and get gas and I was off down HWY 85 towards Pipe Organ National Monument, my ultimate destination where I’m going to hike, I’ve heard great things about this park!
I have yet to actually stay overnight in a National Park or Monument. If there is free RV camping outside the park I’ll stay there. Plus the campsites at many National Parks require reservations well in advance and are very full. I prefer open space.
Darby Wells Road Dispersed BLM
I arrived at Darby Wells Dispersed around 9AM, super hungry since I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. Anyone that knows me knows I never skip a meal and I usually eat breakfast around 7AM.
With a rumbly stomach I drove back about 2 miles on a washboard road at 10-15 mph. Boy! Does it take patience to drive that slow! Yet if I didn’t I’d rattle the hell out my RV.
I drove down one side dirt road to find nothing but a dead-end. Making a 10 point turn in my 26′ Minnie Winnie I got back to the main road to follow another side dirt road. This road had RVs larger than mine, that’s when I knew Minnie Rambles could handle this. I found a nice little spot overlooking Black Mountain.
The wind was howling outside and I decided to hunker down to work on my blog. Well, I do that when the weather is great too but more so on crappy weather days.
Rain is expected in the next couple of days so it looks like hiking is out of the question. The area where I’m camped shows no hiking trails but there’s a few dirt roads I’ll walk in the morning to get some exercise and fresh air.
I think I’ll cruise into Pipe Organ Nat’l Monument on Thursday. I’d go tomorrow before the rain but I run the risk of losing my cool camping spot. For me, the better decision is to leave this spot after enjoying the quiet for a couple of days, head to the Nat’l Monument, hike then head out to the next destination.
Where? Who knows!!
