h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Puerto Penasco, Mexico – January 5, 2006

We spent a couple of days in the desert in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Organ Pipe cactus, unlike Saguaro, is rare in the U.S. They’re cold sensitive and grow here only on the Mexican border on the south slope of the mountains. These cacti, like Saguaro, have hard woody skeletons, like whale penis bones, which remain behind after they die of old age. Their waxy surfaces hold in water during the day. At night they open their pores to breath and bloom. Long-nose bats dart from flower to flower spreading pollen.

Most of the scenic roads close to the border have been closed in the monument. Drug smugglers and “coyotes”, who smuggle people, use Organ Pipe extensively on runs North, creating new roads and litter. A few park rangers and border patrol agents have been killed here in skirmishes so they try to keep the tourists and the smugglers separated in a balancing act. The park rangers are more offended by litter than by smuggling.

We cross the border and drive 60 miles though the sandy desert to the northern tip of the Sea of Cortez at Puerto Penasco. There are $2 margaritas at the resort next door during Happy Hour. We drink some and dance a little.

The sea is tranquil and very blue in the hot Mexican sun. I expect a big tide since the sea is shaped like the Bay of Fundy in Maine and like Cook’s Inlet in Alaska. At low tide a big expanse of white sand appears. John from Montreal catches me trying to photograph a “green flash” at sunset and stays to help and offer advice. He’s an old diver too with a French accent. He likes to spearfish. He thinks the water is too cold at 60 F.

We have some Coronas with lime slices placed in the bottleneck at a restaurant built on pilings in the Old Port. Corona is pronounced properly with a rolled “R”. The beaches here are lined with new million dollar condos built for American boomers from California.

Black dogs run in packs on the beach in the morning. They have adapted to life here. They forage on the beach for food washed in by the tide. I see a few going though garbage cans that they can knock over. As the sunlight comes the dogs change color from black to brown and white.

The whales from Alaska winter here. At dawn the reflections on the wet sand beach are golden.

Lovely word picture, Phred. I can almost taste the Corona, with a rolled "r".

John just came back over to bum some cigarettes. We spent two hours talking about diving. He's sailed his 33 foot sailboat to South America, the Azores and along the coast of Europe...he's 69 now...drifting south though Mexico until Montreal warms up...he shot himself, like Hemingway, with a "boom-stick" hunting a big Bull shark near Cat Island in the Bahamas...brike his leg in 4 places with the 44 magnum...he shows me the scars...

Webshots has done some nice changes to slideshow formats....

My rank for roadtrip views this week is #1 of 32,756 members...persistence pays...Competitive? Who? Me?

Here are some shots of Puerto Penasco....

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/556850960BlflJq?&track_pagetag=/page/album/goodtimes/roadtrips/&track_action=/Owner/ActionsBox/Slideshow

And organ pipe....Warning...cactus are boring

http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/556849892SQCZLs?&track_pagetag=/page/album/goodtimes/roadtrips/&track_action=/Owner/ActionsBox/Slideshow

So this is where you are PhredFirecloud! Sent you a New Year's card which was funny, but was returned because they could not find you!
I was wondering where are you? E-mail did not get to you.
I planned to go to AZ this winter, but there is no winter and was afraid from the rattle snakes anyway!

I just don't know how can you do this traveling so long? I went to Mexico to get a divorce. Other than that I don't think I am missing something.
But some of your photos are really great with the sun and sky stuff!

How now brown cow? Are you turning North to beautiful CA where I used to be in winters.
Or are you going further South what ever it is there to see?
But I am enjoying my double bed with big, long nights sleep.
Stay put and just enjoying the comfort in my little cozy house!
See the Sun rise every morning from my Galileo Galilei bedroom window!
Oh, yes! The moon is coming up on the East, but in a diffent location!Some times it is so bright that don't know if it day or night!
Blue bird

Hi Bluebird,

I got your card late, but thank you very much...we are homeless people now so we must travel all the time.

Maybe we will go to California later to see The Joshua Tree National Monument and Desth Valley...or mot.

No Phred: you did not get the card I was referring to. I guess I did not sent it to you. Because I did not find the address at that moment when the card was ready to go
Any way: It was about Happy New Year! You have it all.

I am involved to plant trees in deserts, like AZ, and the Gobi desert etc. Unfortunately: too many deserts after the human invasion of the Earth! Add to it more disasters by the angry Mother Nature with forest fires.... Yeah, why don't you give some info about that horrible fires what was raging in South CA couple of months ago????????

Just an idea, but not pleasant Sorry! My staff will get there eventually. We make documentaries. We deal with harsh reality!
We have no dreams ( like the French! is a good one)----we sleep too deep after the work of the days!

Never mind! Enjoy and keep sharing the good stuff!
I got a DVD today: "Howard Hughes the real aviator." Well done documentary. Sad. The humans just ruin everything!
I better go
now, take a shower and go to read. Good night! Say Hello to the Stars and in the morning to Godess Sun. ( She is a beautiful female, did you know?) Blue bird

Did you manage to see/capture the green flash then Phred?
Never seen it myself.

John claimed to have seen the green flash lots of times...I've looked a lot, but never seen it...

Good fireclouds!

Judging by the upper fringe of the sun in a couple of those shots, I can easily imagine the green-flash potential.