I’m staying at the Molina basin campground outside of Tuscon. It’s a lot more primitive than the last place. No signal at all so I’m composing the text as a note and I’ll have to make a post tomorrow. I also can’t look for my next spot so I guess I’ll be taking a long lunch in town tomorrow. I like the campsite, nice tent spot, toilet but no water etc. Glad I filled both platys.
So last night wasn’t too late a night. Got up, Pete made me a latte and after a breakfast of cold pizza we chatted a bit and I took off as an electrician was arriving.
Ok I have way too much food so my plan this morning was to just head to the campsite and make lunch from my supplies. But then I see rooster’s ostrich ranch. Shit. I have to stop. So it was cool, the lady at the counter was friendly and this is a place you get to feed everything. The fallow deer were very sweet and pretty. The stag was just gorgeous with his rack. They had chickens and Boer goats and bunnies. Which frankly it seemed silly to pet. I mean I’ve raised and bred all of those animals. But it was still way cool.
Then at the back they had Nigerian dwarves and my heart stopped. I fed them too. But there was this fat little caramel beast with light blue eyes, so much like Anejo but without the white mottled ears. I choked back tears, even more happy there was only one other set of guests at the moment. Since these were petting zoo goats they were disturbingly doing their little goat lip thing and crawling over each other for food. It made it easier to remember these weren’t my girls I fed a couple more and moved on to the bunnies and ducks. At camp while I write this, some tears do come. Of everything I’ve lost this year, I still really haven’t grieved for my goats.
The larakeets were the most awesome part if the exhibit. Really I’ll have to let video and pictures tell the story. But I had at least 5 of them on me at one point, and over little guy hung out in my shoulder for about 5 minutes, climbing across my neck from shoulder to shoulder. It also seemed convinced I had something to eat in my ears. It was really cool.
The stingrays were also fun if anti climactic after the larakeets. Their mouths are so freaking cool.
I still skipped lunch in the road, but stopped at a tourist trap gas station and got some prickly pear candy. I got chatted up for longer than I’d have liked as i was getting hungry and instead of getting to camp at 1 it was looking like 3. So hauled ass through Tuscon and made my way here.
Made a late lunch of chicken rice mushrooms and spinach. This time granulated garlic, Italian herb blend, salt pepper. It was good. I’ll be wanting a late dinner tonight. Despite the late lunch I’m going to need three meals. It turns out riding all day does leave me almost as hungry as hiking.
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So I had time and light so took a short hike in my sneakers. I saw prickly pear and running water. So I could survive our here a few days in a pinch. The desert mountains are heart achingly beautiful.
I just heard some rustling and found what might be kangaroos mice. A good reminder to keep everything bagged up and closed
One of the nearby campsites had cut some of the brush for a fire and left a bunch out to. It pissed me off, so much for leave no trace. But I also want going to waste it. So I have myself a nice little campfire and then I’ll make dinner.
Had a visitor once I was cleaned up and about to go to bed. Heard something turned in the headlamp and saw a skunk like thing. Spotted and the tail seemed different. Will have to Google in town.