DeAnza Springs Resort is in eastern San Diego county. At an elevation of 2,600 feet it’s considered high desert with warm days and cool nights. DeAnza is on 500 acres adjacent to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offering endless miles of remote hiking trails. It was a perfect getaway from the COVID-19 madness.
Ajo is one of the closest communities in Arizona near Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument where we were able to get an RV park reservation. In Spanish, Ajo is the word for garlic. However, the Tohono O’odham Indians have a similar sounding word o’oho which, is their word for paint. The Tohono O’odham people obtained their red paint pigments from the Ajo area. From Tucson it was about a 2.5 hour drive.
Saguaro National Park has been a favorite for many years. Late April to early May is usually a great time to visit because the snow birds have left, the cactus are blooming, and the temperatures are reasonable, except for this year. Typically, the average highs are in the low 80s. Currently, it’s been around 100 everyday, yikes. At least the early mornings have been in the 60s, great for hiking.
Willcox, Arizona is partially known for its wineries. The area produces 74% of the wine grapes in Arizona. We had wine tasted here in the past and were pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, because of the stay at home orders, the wineries were closed and not considered essential. The governor must not be a wine aficionado.
Santa Fe is the capitol of New Mexico and its’ fourth largest city. In 1846 the United States declared war with Mexico. New Mexico officially became part of the United States in 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Some could hardly understand why because the land was barren and the people were poor. Later, artists and writers were attracted to the area because of its dry climate and beautiful landscapes. It’s now considered one of the great art cities in America. It would have been nice to explore all the galleries. We will have to return after the coronavirus pandemic is over.
Eagle Nest is at about 8,300 feet elevation and was a 5 hour drive from Amarillo, Texas. Along the way we had either diesel fuel contamination with water affecting our fuel filter verses changes in altitude causing the engine to run rough under a load. After purging the fuel filter of possible water it ran better, but will still require a trip to Freightliner in Albuquerque.
