Sherry spent time in the Yuma Prison

Historical Photo:
 Olive Oatman survivor and captive after her family was massacred. She was ransomed many years later,  chin marks indicated Prisoner.

We spent most of a winter one year in AZ. We stayed a Gila Bend Walked in the Desert until we found the site of the Oatman Massacre. We also visited the Indian Nation where a Hero of mine, Ira Hayes died. He was one of the Marines that raised the Flag over Iwo Jima.

We spent a lot of time in and around Yuma. I visited Sherry in the infamous Yuma Prison. Once, over in Havasu City we drove over the London Bridge!
 
A side note, I had no idea that the ‘Sons of the Pioneers’ were still singing. One evening a neighbor in the RV Park told me about them having a Chuck wagon dinner and entertainment evening in Tucson, so we drove down to see and hear them. Another high light of the trip for us. We drove to Phoenix for groceries. Drove thru a town called Surprise.

  I have mentioned many times we also spent a couple weeks in Quartsite, AZ. The population is now about 3,600, but in the winter the population rises to a whopping 2 million due to RV’rs living in the BLM lands (Bureau of Land management.) You can stay for free on Government lands, but there are costs for water and dumping sewerage. If you stay more than two weeks.

                          


 
Quartsite’s claim to fame is the grave of Hi-Jolly. The most famous Camel driver with the Calvary. 
 
     (The Grave of Hi Jolly)
 The experiment to use Camels in our deserts was a failure. Not necessarily because it did not work, but we were accustomed to Horse and Mule.

There is no way to cover this colorful state in a few Blog entries. I loved it. I never thought I would enjoy walking in the desert, but I was mistaken. BTW the desert is not ‘sand’ as we Easterner see sand, but it is hard and humans and varmints must be tough to live there. 
(Animal paths to water)
 
Nite Shipslog
Arizona Facts:

1.  The state's most popular natural wonders include the Grand Canyon, Havasu Canyon, Grand Canyon Caves, Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge, Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Monument Valley, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater, Sedona Oak Creek Canyon, Salt River Canyon, Superstition Mountains, Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Chihuahua National Monument, and the Colorado River.

2.  The original London Bridge was shipped stone-by-stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City.

3.  The capital of the Navajo Reservation is Window Rock.

4.  The state's precipitation varies. At Flagstaff the annual average is 18.31 inches; Phoenix averages 7.64 inches; and Yuma's annual average is 3.27 inches.

5.  Four Corners is noted as the spot in the United States where a person can stand in four states at the same time. 

 

6.  The age of a saguaro cactus is determined by its height. &0 yrs it is 6 ft tall.  200 years 45' tall

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