Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Okay, so after getting things set up last Friday, I spent the weekend relaxing and taking care of chores like laundry and grocery shopping.  Then yesterday, Kurt took me to his dentist so I could set up an appointment to take care of a few minor things.  I went in style to the dentists office.  Kurt has a 1995 dark green Corvette.  I’ll get a picture of it for you car fans one of these days.

I’ve never ridden in a Corvette before.  Never even knew anyone that owned one.  Kurt has always been a car guy, and I guess my neighbors at the park are too.  The wife stopped by last night to let me know how much they admired my Corvette.  Ha!  I did let her know that I’m just a lowly Ford Focus owner…

By this morning I was tired of ‘relaxing’, and decided to go out touring.  My first choice was Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.

I visited here probably 30 years ago while visiting my parents in Apache Junction in the 1980’s.  I didn’t remember much about that visit, and I didn’t have a National Parks Passport Book at that time.

No time like the present to get my book stamped, and appreciate these ruins.  Not many folks were visiting today, so I almost had the whole place to myself.  I started out reading everything in the visitors center, and watching the 20 minute movie about its history.  It’s hard to comprehend that the Casa Grande was built in the 1300’s and most of it still remains to be viewed.  Even the steel and concrete canopy has been protecting the Great House since 1932.

Built of caliche that was found underfoot, it had to have been a massive undertaking to build this structure.  There were no metal tools like shovels or anything.  What an accomplishment this was.  I certainly appreciated this monument much more than I did 30 some years ago.

The original entrance sign now stands outside the visitors center with a view of the Great House in the background.

As I made my way back to the rig, some storm clouds were moving through.  It appeared the rain was poring down, but my guess is it evaporated before hitting the ground.

It’s been seven years since I’ve been in Arizona and the drive let me drink in the essence of this desert land.  To me, the saguaro cactus epitomizes the grandeur of the Sonoran desert.

They are like military sentinels standing watch over the landscape.  I never tire of seeing them.  You may tire of seeing my pictures of them though over the next months. 

There’s some possible rain in the forecast for tomorrow, but I’ve persuaded Kurt to join me on an excursion to see another one of those Roadside America type things.  He hasn’t stopped there, but has the opinion that it’s a rip off.  I don’t care.  It beats just sitting here in the rig.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

P.S.  Some people think there are no mosquitoes in Arizona.  I’m here to say that isn’t so.  I’ve already had three mosquito bites.  I’ve always said that if there’s a mosquito in the county, it will find me; and they have.