Blog#7-From Arizona to New Mexico
Day 9
I spent a few hours today in the Saguaro National Park.
Saguaro National Park
The cacti are phenomenal. It was like driving through a giant size Ethel M’s garden at the candy factory in Henderson, Nevada. (That garden is free to prowl around in and it is wonderful, by the way. And Ethel M–thats the M in M&M).
Brian–I’m clueless
I stopped on the road when a coyote crossed in front of my car, and a car behind me honked and whipped around me, the driver yelling as she passed, “Pull Out!!” I immediately thought, “Bitch”, and then I remembered that I shouldn’t carry that with me.
I continued on to where I am camped tonight in Lordsburg, New Mexico. Another quiet campground, catering to RVs. I am the only one in the tent sites, even though I have no tent. I went out to eat at a restaurant recommended by the campground host, who must get a kickback from them or else has had his taste destroyed. Being in New Mexico, I ordered a taco salad. BIG mistake. How someone can screw up a taco salad, I can’t figure. The tortilla shell would not break off in pieces—It just bent. I think it may have been fried for Cinco de Mayo 2015. The spiced beef was possibly sprinkled with salt, but I could taste nothing resembling chili, garlic, onion or any other commonly used spice in a taco salad. I should have eaten the soggy sandwich in my ice chest.
The drive here was very pleasant scenery. Leaving Arizona, I passed through more desert with distant mountains. 
I stopped at a rest area and was surprised to see that the driveway to a private home was accessed through the rest area parking lot. Wouldn’t that suck. Strangers coming and going all day and night, semis gearing down and up. The good news is that relatives probably wouldn’t visit for long. And you could stash your trash in the state’s dumpsters, or run a brothel. Or both. Always a bright side…. and there are birds in the rest area.
I know one! Western Bluebird
Maybe a black-throated sparrow?
I think a Canyon something
When you drive across this area of Arizona and New Mexico on Hwy 10, there are vast areas of flat dirt, sprinkled with some short-growing cacti and palo verde bushes. Along the freeway in many areas, there are signs warning of low or no visibility from dust storms and these signs are then followed by step by step instructions on what to do if you are caught in such a storm. The instructions are to pull off the road, turn off lights, turn off engine, feet off brakes, stay buckled and wait for storm to pass. This begs the question: Why would I want to sit buckled with my lights off and feet off brakes? I’m guessing the reason is that when the semi truck behind you, also driving in low or no visibility, follows these instructions and plows into the back of your invisible CRV, you won’t go flying through the front window. And if your feet are off the brakes, your CRV can be pushed ahead of the semi, rather than it going over the top of you. Makes perfect sense. Another option for me is A). Don’t drive at night, or B). If I see a huge brown cloud down the road—visibility here is miles when you’re NOT in a dust storm—GET OFF THE FREEWAY and go get an ice cream. Hey, but I’m just a Clever American Woman.
