Shreveport was our last stop on our way home and the weather was glorious. We noticed as we were getting nearer how green everything was becoming!
Shreveport camping was a relaxing last stop. However, the drive to Shreveport (6 1/2 hours) was longer than our usual and we had a comparable drive the next day because we were driving straight home. We were rather tired and just wanted to get to the campground and chill. A very late lunch while on the road at Weidman’s in Meridian meant that we would not have to go out for dinner.
As soon as we neared the state of Louisiana, It was evident that everything had begun to turn green. We did not really see that in our earlier stops. Also, my allergies kicked in with a vengeance. The official date of the beginning of spring was just around the corner.
We had one tow vehicle issue to address first. Our SUV indicated that the battery on the remote needed to be replaced. We found one at a nearby Wal-Mart and while there, we rented a couple of movies.
Shreveport Camping
We then settled in for the evening at the campground. Our last night on the road was very relaxing and quite comfortable, but we were both ready to be home.
The Shreveport-Bossier KOA was very nice. It had concrete pads and a wrought iron table with chairs. The bathhouse was immaculate and our site was lovely. We had no complaints whatsoever. For those interested, below is a link to the website.
This was our first time to camp in Louisiana, though we have visited several times. Unfortunately, we did not really have an opportunity to any sights. However, I do want to acknowledge the very best rest stop of our trip. According to my phone, the photo below was taken in Choudrant, Louisiana. The facility looks new and is very, very nice. Thanks Louisiana!
Oklahoma City camping included the memorial in Oklahoma City. It was a lovely dedication to the victims of the bombing.
Oklahoma City Camping
Oklahoma City camping was a lot of fun for us. It offered sites to see, good food, and very nice weather. The memorial was one of the main reasons we chose Oklahoma City for this stop. It was a somber reminder of what was for me, the beginning of a heightened awareness of the dangers of terrorism in this country.
The Bombing
The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, shocked the nation. Later, it was incomprehensible to learn that the horrific act was performed by a homegrown terrorist. It marked a profound change in the way most Americans regarded safety. It has been almost twenty-two years since that act occurred; yet, this violent trend has continued.
However, Oklahoma City is so much more than this act of violence. We are aware there is much to see and do in the state. For this trip though, as we were so near Oklahoma City on our return home, the memorial stood out as something we needed to see.
The Memorial
View from rear of monument
The memorial was dedicated exactly five years after the bombing. The photo above was from the rear and is my best overall photo because of the direction of the sun. It was taken from an overlook from the Federal Building.
In the photo above, you are seeing the backs of empty chairs, each one representing a life lost in the bombing. The smallest chairs represent children who died in the bombing. A reflecting pool is beyond the chairs and the building in the background is the museum.
Most noteworthy the chairs and each represents a victim and the floor in which they were on that day. Each chair includes their name of a victim. The photo below shows them from the front.
Empty seat for each person lost
Tragically, the bombing killed 168 people, of which 19 were children. In addition, the bombing injured more than 500 people. Consequently, it was a devastating day for Oklahoma and for our country. The reason so many children died is there was a daycare center in the building. The plaque and lawn pictured below is a memorial to those children.
Children’s playground plaque
The memorial addresses the timing of the blast with what is called “The Gates of Time”. There are doorways and a clock on each side of the reflecting pool, one stopped at 9:01 and the other at 9:03. The 9:01 represents the innocence of the city just before the bombing, which occurred at 9:02. The 9:03 represents the moment that the city began healing. There is also a Survivor’s Wall with each of their names and there is a Survivor Tree.
Below is a link to the website for the memorial and museum.
The museum is very much worth the effort to visit. While the memorial is free, there is a charge for the museum. However, it has a wealth of information about the bombing and the recovery that followed. There were many films with personal accounts of the day and there were artifacts. Most is all, it illustrated how the people in the city came together to help and to heal.
The building was named for Alfred P. Murrah. I have heard that name many times, but knew nothing of the man. I learned that he was orphaned at 13 and was covertly riding the rails before he was booted from a train in Oklahoma. He got a job milking cows and convinced school officials to allow him in classes with other thirteen year olds despite his fourth-grade education. He worked two jobs and graduated with honors. After high school, he continued to distinguish himself academically. Most noteworthy, he was appointed as a Federal District Judge in 1936. He was the youngest to have ever achieved that position at 32 years old. Very impressive!
Other Activities
We like to find a unique local restaurant on our stops. For this Oklahoma City Camping trip, it was Cattleman’s Steakhouse. It is located in historic Stockyard City and has been in business since 1910. We had a delicious steak with all the trimmings and the service was excellent.
There were a couple of large stores with western clothing nearby. They they were calling my husband! Previously on this trip, we have hardly done any shopping. However, in this case, we walked away with a big bag of clothing—mostly jeans.
The KOA Issue
Oklahoma City camping would have been better for us if we had not had a problem at the KOA. The Oklahoma City KOA was pretty nice overall, but I did not like how it managed its bathhouse. It had seven private rooms, each with a toilet and shower, but the campground had reserved one restroom for handicapped. Theoretically, guests are provided access to six non-gender specific rooms.
First, while at the campground, we had two occasions where we were waiting outside for a long time because no bathroom was available. Subsequently, we learned that they were keeping a couple of them locked because the campground was not full.
Consequently, I was quite angry after standing outside for twenty minutes waiting to use the restroom to learn that there were locked rooms. After my husband made a request, they opened a door for me. It is one thing to have inadequate facilities, quite another to not offer what you have. Because of this, it is my least favorite KOA.
Site #C1
In conclusion, we enjoyed our Oklahoma City camping experience, despite the bathhouse wait.
One more stop in Shreveport, Louisiana, and we are home! It has been wonderful to be on the road, but home is sounding pretty good.
A link to our post of the Shreveport stop is below.
Amarillo was only a one-night stop on the way home, but we discovered our favorite KOA, had a great meal, and saw an interesting nearby attraction.
Amarillo Camping
Amarillo camping was for just one night, but it was a wonderful stop for us. The area provided interesting attractions and a unique and wonderful restaurant. We also loved the campground and enjoyed very pleasant weather. Who could ask for more?
Cadillac Ranch
I have heard the name, Cadillac Ranch, a number of times along the years and it is referenced in several songs. I really had no idea what it was. We had the opportunity to see it on our stop in Amarillo. It turns out, it is ten Cadillacs from the years 1948 to 1963 that were buried face down in the ground in 1974. Vandals with spray paint arrived soon after. Eventually, the vandalism was encouraged.
Cadillac Ranch is located on a large field very near Amarillo on historic Route 66. It is visited by tons of people armed with cans of spray paint to add their artistic touch to the graffiti-covered cars.
Cadillac Ranch
Wikipedia describes Cadillac Ranch as “public art” and “sculpture” . To me, it is a perfect example of “if you build it, they will come.” Nonetheless, I am glad we stopped to see it.
Cadillac Ranch entrance
Our Favorite KOA
The Amarillo KOA Was a big reason Amarillo camping was so great for us. We just loved it because it has all kinds of cute southwestern art and the folks who checked us in were wonderful. Also, the facilities were very nice and the cable and WiFi were strong. I asked about nearby restaurants and they offered to have the limo from Big Texan Steak Ranch pick us up at our site and bring us back. We thought this was a great idea, especially after our nighttime driving in Las Vegas.
Amarillo KOASite # 64
Big Texan Steak Ranch
A driver in a limo with big horns on the hood picked us up and drove us approximately five miles to the restaurant. The restaurant also provides this service to several hotels. Our driver was very friendly.
Big Texan Limo
I did not expect much from the food since they were escorting customers to the restaurant and because of the free giant steak deal if you ate it all. Surprisingly, the restaurant was huge and very crowded. We had about a fifteen-minute wait.
We shared a very large ribeye steak and it was excellent! They also had craft beers in big mugs. We each had one as we were not driving nor navigating back to the campground. The Big Texan also has many flavors of gelato, which got my attention. However, my husband saw a piece of carrot cake he really wanted, so we shared a piece. The entire meal was wonderful and totally unexpected. A link to the website follows.
Our enjoyed our stay in Albuquerque. We had planned to visit Santa Fe, but weather concerns changed our route.
Albuquerque Camping
Albuquerque camping was at another KOA because my husband has become a fan. The KOAs do offer consistency in amenities. This one was very nice and we had the added bonus of being near a sweet couple in a T@B for one of the nights. We don’t often see other teardrops, so it was nice talking to Trisha and Jim. We took the opportunity to do a little laundry while there and to connect with a local CVS to get a prescription filled.
KOA Site B11
A Facebook traveler recommended that we have a green chili cheeseburger in New Mexico and we finally did while on the way to Albuquerque at the Blue Moon Diner in Farmington. I cannot say enough good things about this adorable 50’s restaurant with great food, including homemade ice cream. The cheeseburgers were amazing and the service was stellar! I would drive well out of my way for another meal there.
Old Town
We decided to spend our one full day in Albuquerque’s Old Town. We wanted to take a tour with ABQ Trolley, which begins in Old Town and has great reviews. The ABQ Trolly tour is a two-hour scheduled tour in a 14-passenger Mercedes van, despite its name. But, I did not book on line in advance. It was fully booked by the time we arrived. Regrets!
Consequently, we decided to take ourselves on a tour of Old Town. First, we began with lunch at High Noon Restaurant. The restaurant has been in operation since 1974, but the building dates back to 1785. The High Noon building is reputed to have been both a gambling parlor and a brothel. Legend has it that it is also haunted! We did not see any ghosts, but we did have a nice meal. I had a margarita with an added southwestern twist: a chili lime salt rim and cucumber. Quite tasty.
Lunch at the High Noon
Next, we visited the Albuquerque Museum of Art, located in Old Town. It was a very nice museum with many interesting pieces. I highly recommend it.
San Filipe De Neri
We also visited a landmark in Albuquerque, San Filipe De Neri, which is a beautiful church. San Filipe is a site not to be missed while in Old Town. Most noteworthy, it is the oldest church in Albuquerque and has been in continuous use for over three hundred years.
San Felipe
The original building dated back to 1706. The Catholic Church built the current structure in 1793 after the original building collapsed.
San Filipe outside courtyard
A lovely adobe courtyard surrounds the ancient adobe church. The church is beautiful in its simplicity and longstanding history. We sat for quite awhile in the sanctuary taking in its peaceful, calming presence. The church had draped the holy images in purple for Lent.
San Filipe interior
Other Attractions
Lastly, Old Town has many restaurants and shops. We both had frozen yogurt (for dinner) and did a little shopping. I am trying to be less of an acquirer of goods these days, but I did buy some nice handmade soaps. A link to Old Town is below the next photo.
It became much colder on our last night and as we drove out of Albuquerque the next day, there were actual snow flurries, the first of our trip. This confirmed for me that it was a good decision to not stay in the higher elevations of Santa Fe. Albuquerque camping was a great for us.
Next, we will camp in Amarillo as we make our way home. A link to that post follows.
Moab, Utah was the most beautiful stop on this trip. Mere words cannot describe the splendor of Arches National Park!
Arches National Park
Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, is the most amazingly beautiful place I have ever seen. A climate of extreme temperatures coupled with water and ice over an underground salt bed for millions of years created this compelling, otherworldly environment. It continues to change today as erosion creates new arches and destroys others. The park has over 2,000 cataloged arches, but some at the minimum considered an arch, which is three feet. The largest arch is Landscape Arch and it is 306 feet.
Campground
We did not know what to expect for weather in Moab, so we waited for reasonably accurate weather predictions before making reservations. We were very early in the season and were able to stay at Pack Creek Campground. It is just outside the main commerce in Moab. Our site had water and electricity for only $30 a night. The bathhouse was clean and there were laundry facilities as well. https://packcreekcampground.com
Pack Creek Site
Our Visit to the Park
Arches National Park was not very crowded while we were there in early March and we were able to see it at a pace that was comfortable for us. An added bonus, it was a beautiful, warm, and sunny day. The Welcome Center had a very informative orientation film about the how the arches formed and the environment within the park. Most noteworth, there is a surprising amount of biodiversity in this magical place.
So happy to be here!
Amazing Sights
Most of the photos below were taken from the road or from only a short walk. Park Avenue is a very popular stop and only requires minimal walking to see incredible sandstone formations.
Arches National Park
The La Sal Mountains are often in view at the park and add to the gorgeous landscape. There is a place to pull off the road and take photographs.
La Sal Mountains
I took the short hike to see the North and South Windows. It was a pretty easy hike, which enabled me to photograph the two windows and the Turret Arch. Turret is one of the younger arches. While my husband’s bad knee did to allow him to walk that distance, there was still much for him to see. The park map showed the hike to be .7 mile, but most was uphill. However, is worth the hike though, if you are up to it.
North and South WindowsTurret ArchHiking to the windows
A special parking area makes it very easy to view Courthouse Towers, a series of spires that extends to almost 5,000 feet from the desert floor. The Three Gossips and Sheep Rock are also easily seen from this spot. To give you an idea of scale, the Three Gossips are 350 feet tall.
Courthouse TowersThree Gossips and Sheep Rock
Garden of Eden
The Moab Fault, pictured below, is about twenty-eight miles long and runs along the west side of the park. Hence, it is a much studied fault.
View of Moab FaultBalanced RockDesert Floor has organisms that can survive for years without waterBeautiful simplicity
Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch is the most famous in the park and can be viewed a number of ways. Especially relevant, the route that provides the best view is three miles on a difficult trail with an elevation gain of 480 feet. If I had made this hike, I would have been by myself and would also have left my husband waiting for a good bit of time. I passed on this option, but later discovered it was the only way to get a really good view of the arch.
However, the other two options are distant views of the arch. The upper viewpoint is a hike of half a mile and is moderately difficult with a rocky uphill route. I made that hike and it was not a walk in the park. The photo below was from the upper view. The lower viewpoint is even further away, so I was glad I was able to made the upper viewpoint.
Delicate Arch in the center
Below, I centered on the Delicate Arch so you can see it better.
Delicate Arch
The distinctive shape of Delicate Arch has inspired nicknames of “Cowboy Chaps” and “Old Maid Bloomers”.
Wrap-up
In conclusion, our stop in Moab was everything we hoped and Arches National Park is our favorite National Park of this trip. It seemed the stars aligned and everything was fun and easy. My only regret is that we did not make this visit many years ago so we both could have hiked the more difficult trails.
Lastly, after a delicious breakfast at the Moab Diner, we left Moab and were headed in the direction of home for the rest of our trip. Next stop is Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you are interested in how we planned this trip, the following link has that information. Planning That First Long Trip
Zion National Park is a national treasure! We loved our stop in Hurricane, Utah, which is very near Zion National Park.
Zion National Park was high on our list of “must sees”. However, just driving into Utah was also an amazing sight. I expected it to be beautiful and it did not disappoint. Everywhere you look, there are amazing views.
The Campground
We stayed in Hurricane at our first KOA and it offered everything we needed. There was a large day room and we spent an evening in it watching a movie. It was good to have a place to sit comfortably for a couple of hours as it was too cold to be outside once the sun was down.
We liked the KOA. The cable and WiFi were weak, but everything was else was great.
Hurricane Utah KOAView from our campground
Zion National Park
Zion National Park was indeed gorgeous, but not exactly what I expected. There was no Visitor Center or restrooms inside the Park. However, there were a couple of porta potties at one spot. We did not go into the campground, so don’t know what it was like.
Zion National Park
We discovered the Visitor Center is in Springdale, just outside the park. They were widening the road in Springdale and construction was everywhere with delays in being able to continue on the road. Interestingly, the website for Zion National Park showed lodging information with an average cost for a three star hotel room of $283. The hotels did not look impressive. Our campground site was $51 a night and quite close to the park. We certainly didn’t have the amenities of a hotel, but I am feeling that we are being quite economical!
Zion offers camping, canoeing, and hiking. My husband’s bad knee makes any significant walking a problem; so for us, it was the scenic drive through the park. There are many amazing sites that cannot be seen from the drive, but we waited too long to make this trip. Nonetheless, it was a gorgeous drive. Lastly, a link to the park follows. https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm
Amazing Sights
Blue skies and gorgeous mountainsLady MountainAmazing colors
There is a tunnel on the scenic drive that is 1.1 mile straight through the mountain. It was dark and a little creepy. I was happy when we made it to the other side. The photo below is not very good, but will give you an idea of how it was inside.
Tunnel over 1 mile through mountainInside the tunnel
An interesting fact, as you look down from higher elevations, the road does not contrast with the surrounding canyons because of its unique color.
My big guy in an amazing spotGreat colors in this landscapeA stop along the way
It would have been great to do some strategic hiking in Zion, but absent that, it was wonderful just to be able to see it. My photos turned out well, but to actually be there was so much more beautiful.
Pipe Spring National Monument
We actually just stumbled upon Pipe Spring after visiting Zion and did not want to go back through the park and all the construction in Springdale, so we went through Kanab. We had been driving through the Kaibab-Palute Reservation for awhile and when we saw the monument, were curious.
It turned out to be very interesting. In the late 1800s, the Mormons were settling the area and the fort was an outpost. The fortified ranch house was called Windsor Castle after Anson Windsor, the first ranch manager. There was two-story housing was on both sides of the fort and Ranger Bennjamin Pikyavit gave a guided tour. He showed everyone the rooms in the fort and explained how they were used.
Pipe Spring FortUpper level of fort
Ranger Ben was an impressive man and he made the times come alive for me. He is a Vietnam veteran who has worked tirelessly to preserve the culture of his people. His tour and the film in the museum highlighted the culture clash that occurred between the Mormons, the United States Government, and the Native Americans in the area. There were also lots of exhibits and artifacts from earlier times.
Ranger Ben
The Fort was very interesting. It covered the main spring in the area and was the site of significant butter and cheese production. There were bi-monthly deliveries to St. George for the workers who were building the new Mormon temple. The Mormons also had large amounts of cattle. Unfortunately, the land became overgrazed.
Ranger Ben in regalia
The visit to Pipe Spring was a vivid history lesson about this part of the country, how it was settled, and the impact on the Native Americans. It was well worth the visit. If you are old like me, it can be totally free with the National Parks Senior Pass.
In Closing
Hurricane was a great leg of our journey. The town was very close to Zion National Park with a good assortment of restaurants and shopping. We took the opportunity to get our oil changed while there. We have put so many miles on our SUV that it was needed.
Next stop, my most anticipated place, Moab! If you are interested in how we planned our trip, this link explains our process. Planning That First Long Trip
I share our good times, but want to also share our challenges. This is a stop we wish we had not made. Things were just not going our way.
It was surprising just how frustrating our stop in Las Vegas was for us. We planned to go to Laughlin, Nevada, but changed our mind after experiencing a prior night without electricity and having concerns about the availability of hookups in Laughlin. Instead, we made reservations at the Oasis RV Resort in Las Vegas.
The Resort was huge and inside the city. Our site was #909, if that gives you any idea of its size. We setup our site and headed to a nearby casino for dinner.
To understand my account of our experience at this stop, there are a few
things it would be helpful to know about us. Neither of us has a good sense of direction, nor do we see well at night. Lastly, we have been to Vegas before, but are not gamblers, so the city did not have a special appeal to us. We just wanted a good meal and the opportunity to do some laundry before getting back on the road the next morning.
First Frustrating Occurrence
Three negative things occurred during this stay. The first was great difficulty navigating the area.
Dinner was okay, nothing special. We used our GPS to get there and it was not particularly difficult. It was still daylight then.
Upon leaving the casino, it was quite dark. We did not program the GPS to get back because it seemed it would be a couple of right turns. That did not work and we found ourselves on the network of roads directly above the big casinos on the strip. We did a turnaround as soon as we could and were headed back in the direction of the campground.
I had GPS going then and there were a series of close interstate maneuvers needed for the return. At one point you were to go right and then a very quick left. I was not able to communicate the left in time and we found ourselves back at the casino.
Though we had GPS going, we did not make it back to the campground from the casino. I have no idea what went wrong, but we both were very frustrated. Again, we were at the big casinos. I was wondering if we were in a permanent loop, never to see our little camper again.
I am happy to say that we made it the next time back to the campground. We did our laundry and turned in early, just grateful to be back.
Second Frustrating Occurance
The second negative about this stop was that most of the guests at this campground were quite unfriendly. We would speak or wave and many would just look at you. We have stayed at other RV Resorts where most of the people were friendly, but at this one, the opposite was true. Most of them were in enormous motorhomes. I don’t think the unfriendliness was just our tiny trailer because it was often not around for the encounters.
Third Frustrating Occurance
The third negative was minor damage to our SUV. We were driving down one of the roads in the campground when we encountered a couple working to install a big fifth wheel into a site. It looked like it would be a good while before the road would be cleared and my husband tried to turn around in an open site. He could not see a big round garbage can and it dinged the side of the car. He is an excellent driver and this really upset him.
Lessons Learned
This was such a frustrating stop, I did not take a single photo. It likely would have been much better if we had went to Laughlin. If we had brought solar panels and perhaps sleeping bags to keep warm, this stop would have been Laughlin instead of Las Vegas.
In the big picture, this was not a major problem. Under better circumstances and only daytime driving, this stop could have been okay.
At least we did not lose a boatload of money.
Next stop is Hurricane, Utah. We are so happy that the weather is allowing us to make Utah a part of our trip. If you are interested in how we planned this trip, this link outlines the process. Planning That First Long Trip
Agua Caliente State Park is in a very remote desert area about 30 miles from the town of Julian, which is at a much higher elevation. The area surrounding the campground was desolate, but beautiful.
Agua Caliente County Park
Agua Caliente is a very special campground and we were very fortunate to get a spot. The weather prediction for the time of our visit was for colder and more wet conditions than what actually occurred. This probably worked to our advantage in obtaining our site because we only booked a couple of days ahead. Below is a link to Agua Caliente.
Site #47 had electricity and water. Most of all, it was just across the street from the very nice bathhouse. The campground also offers fullhookups.
Water conservation is a big deal there and you must have quarters for the showers. I believe 50 cents gets you three minutes. It is not a big deal, but if going there, quarters should be a part of your plan.
The campground area is beautiful and the sunsets were a sight to behold.
CampgroundBathhouseAt twilightSunset at Agua Caliente
In addition to jaw-dropping views, the park offers three heated pools. Agua Caliente, which means “hot water”, has natural hot springs. One of the pools is a large indoor spa. It is 3-4 feet deep and the water is 101 degrees. But, children under 14 are not allowed in the large pool.
The spa is a very relaxing place and we spent several hours there. I have been having shoulder issues that were getting progressively worse. After a couple of days in the spa, my shoulder was noticeably better.
The Town of Julian
We drove up the mountain to the town of Julian. The road was quite steep and winding. Julian is at a much higher elevation than the State Park below. It must’ve been at least fifteen degrees cooler, plus it was raining. This was the coldest we had been during our entire trip.
We were surprised by all the people who had come to see the snow in Julian from a few days ago. They were in line at several restaurants.
Julian is known for its apples and its pies. Hence, the line for The Julian Pie Company was especially long. So, we were in that line for an hour.
The line for Julian Pie Company
Most noteworthy, my husband says the pie was worth the wait. I had the Dutch Apple and he had the Apple Peach. We also had ice cream. If you wait that long, you must indulge!
My big guy is getting some pie!
A Couple of Issues
First of all, there was a rowdy group of young people about 300 yards from us. Drinking, cursing, and arguing. In the middle of the night, they woke up pretty much everyone near them. Someone told me the next day, the rangers asked them to leave. We have been in at least twenty campgrounds and this is the first time we have been aware of something like this. I am sure that it could happen anywhere. All the other people in the campground were great!
Also, a sudden gust of very high wind damaged our awning. One of the poles at the back was bent and I am hoping we can find a replacement for it. We took it down and secured our campsite for what was becoming a very windy night. In addition, the wind that night actually shook our camper. My husband did not feel secure and suggested we hook up the car, so it could be an anchor. After that, it was pretty rocky, but we felt fairly safe.
However, the next morning, the winds were calm. I spoke with a ranger and she said that the winds were about 40-45 mph. A little drama for our first California camping!
In conclusion, this was a very good stop for us, except for the damage to our awning. If you are interested in how we planned this trip covering over 5,000 miles with seventeen stops, it is covered in the following link. Planning That First Long Trip
Next, we will be heading to Nevada and in the general direction of home.
Yuma was wonderful! Perfect weather, great campground, interesting sights, and delicious food.
In Yuma, we had reservations at Desert Paradise RV Resort. It was perfect for this juncture because in addition to full hookups, it had showers and a large laundry room we were very ready to use. We liked our site, #100, which was right across the street from the facilities. There was also a pool and hot tub. The residents were very friendly and curious about our teardrop. A link to the website for the RV Resort is below.
One of the main attractions in the area is the Yuma Territorial Prison. We decided to check it out, but I was not very excited about it. However, we found the prision very interesting!
Yuma succeeded in getting the territorial prison in 1876 because the mayor of Yuma at the time changed the city name on the bill to Yuma while everyone was at lunch. The legislators came back and signed it without noticing the change. He sneaked that by them and likely changed Yuma forever.
The prison housed approximately 300 prisoners at a time and about 3,000 over the 33 years it was in operation. Twenty-seven women were prisoners there and one had a baby during her stay. She was eventually pardoned and everyone hated to see the baby leave, but were happy to see her go. She was evidently not well-liked.
Yuma Territorial Prison
The grounds and area around the prison are attractive today. In the photo below, you can see the Colorado River that separates Arizona and California. The land beyond the river is Winterhaven, California.
View from the prison
The Prison housed most prisoners in the main cell block, pictured below.
Main cell block
The next photo shows one of the cells, which housed six prisoners. It was very close quarters.
Cells
The wife of one of the wardens was very progressive. She set up a library and arranged for the prisoners to be taught to read and write. The townspeople came to the prison to access books as the town did not have a library. There was some resentment about that. There was also a doctor/barber at the prison.
Barber and physician chair
There was a guided tour, a short film, and a great little museum. Mug shots were also provided.
I am innocent!
Other Activities
Sanguinetti House was another stop. It was the home of a successful Yuma businessman. A docent provided nice information about river boat captains and how life was during the time the house was occupied. That attraction was nice too, but the prison was the best—hands down!
There was an antique car event, Midnight at the Oasis, while we were there and we spent some time checking them out. My husband really enjoyed it. The ‘57 Chevy below was his favorite.
Midnight at the Oasis car
Best Meal
A family member who formerly lived in Yuma recommended Tacos El Cositas and we absolutely loved it. It is basically a food truck with a permanent location with shaded seating provided.
Great food to be found here
In Conclusion
Yuma was fantastic in all respects. We would love to return. This stop was one of seventeen stops on a 5,000 mile trip. If you are interested in how we planned for such a long trip in a teardrop, the following link describes our process.
We had a bit of a problem getting a campsite, but it worked out okay. There is so much to see in Tucson!
We actually stayed at two different campgrounds in Tucson, which was definitely not planned. We booked our early stops well in advance, but none past Big Bend. However, Tuscon was quite booked by the time we were looking for a spot.
Campground 1, Desert Trails RV Park
First, we stayed at Desert Trails. I preferred it because of many great reviews. However, they did not have a spot for us anywhere except overflow, which did not have electric or water. We took it because it offered an opportunity if a spot opened up. It has a day room, TV room, laundry and a nice bathhouse. The big thing we were missing was electricity, but it was not supposed to be very cold that night. We decided to give it a try without our electric blanket for heat.
The campground was nice and the guests were the friendliest we have ever encountered. We would have loved to stay there—with electricity.
We have not yet invested in solar panels or a generator, so all we had was our battery and I began to worry that the cooler would drain it. I turned the cooler off at around midnight. It was also a bit cold overnight and we were not fully comfortable. We decided to find a campground with power for the next night or leave early. We really need solar panels!
Campground 2, Gilbert Ray County Park
We also stayed at Gilbert Ray County Park. One of our neighbors at Desert Trails told us about Gilbert Ray County Park Campground. It cannot reserved in advance; you just show up. So we got there early that morning and were fortunate to get a spot. It was good we arrived early because it was fully booked later in the day. It offers gorgeous views, electric, water, and restrooms, but no showers.
Gilbert Ray CampgroundSunset at Gilbert Ray Campground
We dropped our camper early that morning and headed out to see the sights.
Old Tucson
We went to Old Tuscon Studios on our first day in Tuscon. There are live shows with stuntmen and a musical show in the saloon. Countless movies and television shows have used these sets.
It was a relaxing afternoon and pretty inexpensive entertainment.
Old TucsonOld Tucson Mission
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Most noteworthy was the desert museum. It has desert wildlife in their natural habitat. It is also a botanical garden that features many desert plants. Visitors walk along a large loop to see wolves, cougars, jackrabbits, javalinas and porcupines. There is a large reptile area with snakes and lizards. Hence, the museum is a Tuscon “must see”. A link to the museum follows.
First of all, this park is all about the saguaro cactus. My husband has been pretty much indifferent to plants in the many years we have been together. Somehow, this cactus spoke to him and he has become a fan of cacti. I never would have predicted it! So we drove the five mile scenic dirt road and saw many, many cacti. The one below was a little unusual.
Saguaro cactus
Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe
I don’t often post about restaurants, but we had an outstanding meal in Tuscon at Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe. But, the meal was actually breakfast. I had the huevos rancheros, which was featured on one of the food network shows and it was wonderful! It is a cool place with interesting decor and great service.
Hurricane Rancheros
Overall, Tuscon was an excellent stop for us. Next, we visit Yuma!
