Much to my delight I went into the Ajo, AZ Chamber of Commerce office to see if they could suggest who might be computer savvy enough to let me use their computer to do an FTP transfer. After explaining to the lady she said, "I think I can help you here." She let me use her computer and everything worked fine. I will go back to put this on the web. Hopefully, she will let me use it in the future. We seemed to have a good rapport and I think once a week will not wear her patience out.

Wed 03-01-08 13:21:53

It has been abnormally dry here in the desert South West for better than a year. Last night it rained enough that there are puddles of water everywhere. I would guess it has to have been at least 1/2 inch, and when I came out of the Chamber of Commerce building it was raining again. Hopefully, this will be enough to get the cactus to bloom this spring.

I am here in the Ajo Library because I don't want to go out to the BLM camp area until things have dried out a bit. I will go check around 5 PM.

My plans are to see if I can take a few cactus photos and possibly get them on the web.

Mon 03-01-20 17:04:17

A couple days ago I decided to get the instructions out for the Digital Camera and see if I couldn't at least take some picture of a few of the cactus around here. Actually, the camera was easier to handle than I had remembered, and I took about 30 photos. The are all about 175 Kbytes, and I don't have either the software or the know-how to reduce their size. I will probably add links to a couple and see if I can get them on the web. When I went hiking I was alone and didn't want to bother with a tripod and try to get myself into the photos. So they are more of a botanical study of cactus than anything else. I have to see what ones I want to try to upload.

I wanted to see how the branches start on the Saguaro Cactus. According to a paper I picked up a Saguaro that is three feet high is 50 years old, and one that is 43 feet high is 232 years old. So, I wanted to have something in the picture that would give something to judge the size by, but I had no ruler or person to stand by the cactus. My solution might bring a chuckle or a raised eyebrow, but it worked. Check out the following, they are all of the same Saguaro:
A Saguaro with new branches and,
closer view of very small buds and finally,
Look at the diameter of the cactus.
Yes, if you were wondering that is all I had to put in the picture! I was quite proud of my inventiveness, and there was no one else around.

Sun 03-01-26 08:48:21

If arms on a Saguaro are a sign of age or accomplishment, this must be a Stately Saguaro. I should add another picture I took the same day (Jan 17th) of an Un-friendly cactus.

I have a couple photos of Cactus I camped by with my van in the background.

I have been asked how I showered etc. in the desert. Here is a photo my solar water heater with my slippers. A photo of my my shower tree with my van and camp. You can see the shower hanging, just to the right of the van. Yes, although it doesn't look that way, the shower is hanging up as high as I could reach.

About 3 days ago I went into Ajo Chamber of Commerce to see if I could upload this. But, the lady said her computer was busy running Norton Utilities, and she had to leave as soon as it was done. Effectively, I got a mild rejection. So as of today I have not been able to update what is on my web site. Hopefully, I will be able to do it at some computer store here in Tucson.

I left Ajo two days ago and spent the first night about 30 miles north of Tucson, at a Tom Mix memorial site along the road. (He died there in 1940. I have a photo of the marker, but it is still in the camera and I have not looked at it.) I left there and went to see the Biosphere II, but just went to the gate and decided it was a bit of a rip-off. I was not the only ones who left without paying their $22.50 plus a general entrance fee. Apparently it was a boondoggle of Columbia University and they are trying to capitalize off those who have heard of it and are curious.

I drove on and essentially past Tucson, and decided to stay in a motel. It seems rather nice to have a good bed, shower, and wash out a few clothes. I think I will stay here another night and hopefully, Monday I will be able to get this on the internet.