On our way – AZ & NM

We left home at the end of December expecting it would take about 2 weeks to drive our RV straight to Florida. We only drive about 3-5 hours per day (why rush, we’re retired and have time). Our plan is to attend the Tampa RV Show which runs between Jan. 17-21, 2024, so that determined our start date.

Our first stop was in Wickenburg, AZ. We have a Harvest Host membership, which gives us unlimited overnight stays at wineries, farms, breweries, museums, and, we just upgraded our membership to include golf courses. So, our first night was spent at the Wickenburg Country Club. It was a great first night. We enjoyed live music along with dinner and drinks that night (no cooking!). I didn’t take any pictures of our parking spot but here is one from another Harvest Host member. We stayed in the exact same spot right next to the golf course.

The next morning we walked about two miles (3.2 km) through the neighborhood. It was beautiful.

Our second day we drove a few hours south to the Catalina State Park in Tucson, AZ. We have never been to this park but the reviews were great and they had a spot available for New Years Eve. The reviews were absolutely right – with was great! There were so many walking trails right near our camping spot. And it is in a great location just north of the city. We’ve already decided that we’ll be back at some point.

We arrived early enough to go for an afternoon hike. We decided to follow a trail over to the Nature Hike trail. It was a nice easy trail to start us off.

The Nature Trail was a bit more challenging. It required hiking up a steep incline to the top of the mesa. But up top there were all sorts of trail signs featuring local plants and animals.

We have seen javelinas on other trips to Tucson and southwester Texas, but never saw or heard them this time. They are wild boars that are usually in herds and we’ve really never wanted to see them while walking around.

We have always been amazed to see so many birds making their home in saguaro cactus trees. This sign gave us more information about how they do it.

Here is a picture of one of the saguaro trees in the park. Notice all the holes used by birds. It’s like a bird hotel!

For several nights, beginning on our first night in Wickenburg, we heard coyotes yipping nearby at night. Yipping does not sound quite like barking or howling, more high-pitched, like puppies trying to bark and howl. Here is a website with recordings of the sounds that coyotes make.

Our third night on this trip we stayed at another Harvest Host golf course. This time at New Mexico State University Golf Course in Las Cruces, NM.

Their clubhouse has a great burger, beers on draft, and we were able to watch the Rose Bowl football game with people who were rooting for their teams. It was a fun night. The next morning a couple pulled up next to us and began hiking with their dogs. We thought, why not? So we headed out for a morning hike.

At one point Joel decided to take a short cut off the trail. And I decided to follow him. Not our wisest move. Soooo many stickers in the brush.

We learned there had been a large mural (1/2 acre) on the side of the dam we were hiking along. The dam is slatted for reconstruction and the artist was given a year to move it.

NMSU offered her a 1/2 acre of space to rebuild the mural across from the clubhouse entrance. We had a chance to meet the artist, Kathy Murrow, and talk to her about the project.

Kathy told us that the project is expected to take at least another year (2 years total) to dismantle and rebuild. She also said she is always looking for volunteers to help. Here is a link to her website with contact information if you would like to be part of rebuilding this mural.

We’ve only just begun this trip. Our next stop is Texas Hill Country with more adventures to come in the next couple of months.