Ajo

It was less than an hours drive to Ajo and we checked into Shadow Ridge RV resort for two nights. Ajo is still in Prima County and the Sonoran desert. We did a scenic drive to observe where RVers “bare camp”. Ajo is an historic town originating in about 1847 when those in search of silver ore found a lode here. Eventually a huge copper mine was formed and lasted till it closed in 1984. The deep pit that resulted from the mining is now about 1 ½ miles across and is a local tourist sight. There are vast mounds of tailings east of the Ajo townsite. The picturesque plaza was designed in 1914 to keep its miners happy and productive. There are a lot of “snowbirds” here who enjoy many local activities. There is an excellent bookstore in the same building as the “Ajo Copper News” that has been publishing since 1916. There is also a very well stocked Prima County public library with excellent high speed internet! At the campsite we hear Coyotes in the early morning and Javelinas (wild pigs) wander through the camp site.

Two stories heard in a coffee shop discussion. One woman and her husband (snowbirds from Northern California) told us they were involved in bereavement for Mexican’s who die in the desert – they connect with relatives in Mexico after a body has been found. They said last year there were 900 dead Mexican’s found along I think the whole of the US-Mexican border.

A couple from Calgary – down here for four months – she 75 and he 84 both with pre-existing health conditions paid $8000 CDN for their health insurance for the four months.  She did extensive research and got the insurance through Medipac – the Canadian Snowbird organisation’s insurance. It makes the extra premium we have had to pay for staying two months not seem so bad!