Days #485-491 of Our Epic Trip

3-1-2025
H: 70ºF L: 54ºF
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

It’s a travel day! We drove south to boondock on BLM land near Ajo, AZ in the area of Darby Wells. We found a site known as “the slab” because of the cement slab on a small hill. We like that’s its elevated for a nice view and the cement will help keep dirt from being tracked into the camper. After setting up camp, we enjoyed a crescent moon over the mountains and it was dark enough to see the Milky Way.

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3-2-2025
H: 75°F L: 48°F
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

We woke up in the beautiful desert. I love how quiet it is and that we have space from other people. There are some flowers blooming on plants that otherwise look dead.

We dropped the truck off in town for charging. It’s a slow charger so it will take all day but the rate is really good (compared to a supercharger) at 21¢ a kilowatt hour. We spent the day sitting outside just relaxing. The boys are loving being in the desert because they can be off-leash.

We also cleaned up broken glass in the area the boys have chosen to go potty. It looks like people shoot guns at glass bottles up here. We filled up a grocery bag full of mostly broken glass and some garbage. I wish people would be more respectful of our public land.

Then we took the boys for a walk to see some of the abandoned mines. There are mining holes all over, some fenced off and some not. This area was big for copper mining.

We ended the evening with a gorgeous sunset. There is nothing like an Arizona sunset.

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3-3-2025
H: 61ºF L: 43ºF
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

We took a walk in the desert and climbed the hills near our campsite. Peter and Marcel helped us find our way to the top where we enjoyed seeing how spacious the area is.

We drove to Organ Pipe National Monument but there really weren’t that many organ pipe cacti compared to where we are camping. On the way there, we were in the middle of a high speed chase by border patrol. It seemed like a lot of resources being expended with about six vehicles and a helicopter used to chase one person. I hope this person was being chased for more than just illegal border crossing. We drove to the gas station parking lot where they caught the guy and watched border patrol officers high-five each other and take selfies.

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3-4-2025
H: 69ºF L: 43ºF
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

Every morning we have seen this little bird hop very close to us. We put out some water and a little food because he seemed to be asking.

I have been doing some research on the copper mining in the area which spurred Ajo, AZ into existence. The cement slab our camper is parked on has the incomplete name of “…an Copper Compa…” but I can’t find any info which fits. There were a lot of mining claims in this area according to the historical records I’ve found.

We took the boys for a walk in the desert and had fun noticing the saguaro cactus which look human-like.

And we enjoyed another Arizona sunset.

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3-5-2025
H: 74ºF L: 47ºF
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

We got up to watch the sunrise. Every morning and night the sky is full of color. It feels magical.

We went to the New Cornelia Mine, a copper mining pit, which put Ajo, AZ on the map. The mining company built the downtown area and homes for the workers and their families. The mine closed in 1985 due to a local union strike and declining copper prices.

We went to the downtown area of Ajo, AZ which was built by the mining company and was recently restored to revitalize the area. There were a good amount of people there and we have noticed that the town square seems to be the hub of activity for the town.

The Curley School Artisan Apartments are another result of the restoration efforts. We didn’t see a lot of art on display but it was neat to wander the halls of the old school.

We also stopped at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. We learned about the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert and the El Camino Del Diablo (The Devil’s Highway) which is a historic 250 mile long road which has been used for thousands of years. Many beings have lost their lives due to dehydration and heat stroke while traveling this road.

When we got home, we enjoyed another amazing Arizona sunset.

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3-6-2025
H: 67°F L: 51°F
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

We drove part of the El Camino Del Diablo road which goes through both the Organ Pipe National Monument and the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. It goes 130 miles through these parks. It is recommended you have a high-clearance vehicle and all wheel drive. We turned around once the road became too sandy and we were afraid we’d get stuck.

Located on the El Camino Del Diablo is the Bates Well Ranch, a former ranch with a contentious past. It was located on National Park Service land but the cows and ranching activities destroyed the natural landscape until 1976 when the last rancher died and the land became part of the park.

We also drove past help stations where you push a button to call for help if you find yourself in trouble while in the desert. This area is very close to the Mexico border so I believe these stations are set up for people trying to illegally immigrate into the United States. The instructions say to wait patiently and help will arrive shortly; however, the pictures show the sun moving across the horizon as the person waits. I found that quite humorous. We also passed water stations and a border patrol post and lots of signs telling us not to pick up hitchhikers.

Next, we went to the Ajo Historical Society Museum and talked with long time resident and former mine worker, Mike. He said the cement slab where we are camped is approximately 100 years old and was the site of the office for Cardigan Copper Company. Mystery solved! An internet search revealed more info: “Some 1,000 tons of hand-picked copper ore were produced intermittently from 1917 through 1926” by this company. (Citation)

The museum is in an old church and had a lot of interesting artifacts and documented history. The museum is free and definitely worth a visit.

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3-7-2025
H: 56ºF L: 45ºF
Boondocking, Darby Wells, Ajo, Arizona

We took the boys for a walk around the BLM land. It seems for many years people have thrown garbage in the surrounding desert. We have found a lot of broken glass, rusted cans, and metal parts from equipment. I have enjoyed finding old intact glass bottles and trying to date them. Some are from the 60s and 70s. I found a Norwich triangle glass bottle made by Brockway. It’s probably an old Pepto Bismol bottle according to my research.

We ended our day with a vegan potluck in Ajo, AZ. It was in a building with a mural of angry rabbits. Apparently, the movie Night of the Lepus was filmed in Ajo. We really enjoyed meeting the people at the potluck. Some are full-time travelers like us and others are snowbirds who live in Ajo during the winter. The food was great and we had engaging conversation at our table. We met Skyler and his dad, Tom. Skyler is a musician and videographer and is in Ajo to do a film for the Ajo Chamber of Commerce. Skyler travels in his van with is wonderful dog and has not paid for a campground in three years. How cool is that?

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Stats

Expenses:

• Tesla Cybertruck fuel: $31.38
• Tesla Model X fuel: $23.28
• Campsite: $0
• Camping memberships: $38.26
• Food: $0

Tesla Cybertruck miles driven: 152 (115 kWh)

Tesla Model X miles driven: 339.6 (104.5 kWh)

Number of people asking about the Tesla pulling the camper: 3

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