Create your own Arizona day trip experience!.Whether you wish to plan a trip to see nature and wildlife, learn about the history of the southwest or just want to get away from it all Arizona has a variety of places to see and things to do that will interest any recreational adventurer.Day trips make a refreshing break from the chaos of the daily routine. They can also be cheap, since many of the areas are distant from the city.Arizona features a surprising range of terrain that includes desert, grassy lowlands and vegetated mountain regions.
The climate found across the state also shows much variety. And you don't have to travel far to appreciate this assortment of scenery. In the summer you can take a break in the cool, nearby hills, while the lower lying areas are more popular in the winter months.Ajo was settled long ago as a mining community, but the days when pack mules carried copper ore to Yuma have long since ended.
An easily forgotten fact is that Ajo is supposed to have been the first copper mine in Arizona. Ajo is a community of several thousand residents that is located in the southwestern Arizona. This puts it in the southwest of the southwest; just the place you want to be if desert living- with all its wonder and excitement- is what interests you.The name of this town is thought to be either from the Spanish word garlic or is an Indian word for paint, because the Indians collected copper minerals to make the paint for their bodies.The landscape is fantastic, and the saguaro cactus pictured there are famous for their fine posture and condition. Firm and full, you can hear rustling of the wildlife as they cluster about these "red-stone redwoods".
The area was famous for mining, and a small downtown was built in 1917 for the miners. But the mine closed in 1986.Evidence of these operations can be seen in the abandoned "pit mines" that can be found all about the area. These mines are dangerous, but they are an interesting part of the western past and you can hear the miner's lonely cry in the hot gusty breeze that occasionally visits the dusty plain.
Like most of the old southwest much of the charm here is found among the empty relics of yesterday. There is the abandoned airfield that was Luke Auxiliary Field #9 in another time. There is no better way to take in the sense of what this place must have been like than to travel the road that cuts across the field. But it would probably be wise to search the skies carefully before you make this trek because it is said that military craft at Luke still use this area as a target and firing range.So if you head out there good luck and be careful!.The community is modest in terms of income and expenses.
If there is nay nightlife there it is, like the thoughts of the long-gone Indians who lived there countless years ago, a well kept secret. This is not to say that the area is bland and uninteresting. Many retirees have chosen to reside there and this is just the lifestyle that they prefer. Slow and steady as the days slip away quietly.As recently as 2000 the average income was about 28,000 and the average dwelling about 50,000. You can adjust this information to reflect the current market- or perhaps this is another aspect of the area that has resisted the changes of time.
It is interesting to note that most folks reportedly travel about 14 minutes to their work and this is good to know if you plan on being employed there.The climate and wide open highways make the area popular with all types of cyclists- motorized and not.There is also a wildlife refuge where you can to and see the preserved habitat of the animal life. This is a good way to spend the day and to learn about many of the desert dwelling animals that populate the area.This remote place is also a favorite for recreational vehicle owners and many campgrounds conveniently dot the vast desert stretches for the outdoorsman.See which features of this community appeal to you the most.
History, nature, and memorable experiences are all a part of what Arizona offers those who live, work, and visit. So consider the things this area has to offer the next time you take off to discover Arizona.
.R.Steven Thomas Yacono is a legal scholar, educator and writer who has traveled extensively over the course past decade. From Beijing to Barstow and Xiamen to Sedona, his journeys have provided a wealth of experiences about fascinating people and places to share with interested readers. You can find out more about Arizona at http://www.arizonan.com; and to plan your next trip visit http://www.
on-holiday.com Your comments are welcomed. Please direct correspondence to R.
Steven Thomas Yacono at aztreking@hotmail.com.
By: R. Steven Thomas Yacono
