WHY ME? Nah, WHY AZ

[Sparkle]

We are in Why, AZ for a week. Not our original plan. We paid for one night - 16.00. With nice wide sites, full hook ups, laundry room, book exchange, clean showers AND there will be a Turkey Dinner tomorrow. Just need to bring a side dish. So we enquired about a weekly rate. 12.00 a night, and he prorated what we had already paid. Monthly rate goes down to about 10.00 a day, that includes electricity. The population of Why is 113. The name came about because 85 and 86 used to intersect in a Y. When the Post Office came in they said that all towns must have at least 3 letters, so it became Why. A quote from Larry McMurty..."Most people, finding themselves in Why, will be likely to question the fact that they are here."


After we blinked and Why was gone, we went to Ajo, 10 miles on. Ajo is the big town, close to 4000 people, many of them working as Border Patrol. Ajo means Garlic in Spanish. It's believed it got its name from the Tohono O'odham word for red paint, au'auho. To the Spanish it was so close in pronoucation that it became Ajo. It has a beautiful square. I hope Beth has a better picture than wot I took, because these arches go all the way round and I only got one side. Under the arches were a movie theatre, still in operation, the Post Office, various busineses, including a restaurant.


There was a beautiful church there. It was open to the public. Very plain inside, compared to some we have seen. but the pristine white against the intense blue sky was neat. I'm not giving it a name because Beth and I are fighting about what it's called. (So many people ask if we are sisters because we're always squabbling) No doubt she will post and prove her point.


The High School was built in 1919. Took us forever to figure out the Latin numbers. It is closed as a school, but you can rent loft apartments with big arched windows from 250.00 to 350 a month. It would be a great place to live.


We took a side trip up to mine (copper, with a little silver and gold) A prospector found the old Indian Mines when he was on his way to prospect in California. He didn't have much success so he returned. The mines still had "chicken ladder" posts. They are just posts with wedges cut out for your feet. If you look at the steps of this mine, keep in mind that each step is forty feet across. Trains ran on them.


This building contained the Museum. Mostly mining stuff.


The only photo I took inside. This is a wedding dress from the 1920's. It was so elegant.


I had to get Beth to send me this one. She took Peaches out for a walk and luckily she had her camera with her. These Burros are decendants of the burros who worked in the mines. I bet they are happier now than then.

[carold]

I remember WHY Went thru there on the WAY to hmmm, can't remember WHY.carold

[snowball]

Interesting Sparkles thanks for the post
sheila

[Cedar518]

Thanks for the pics,.... what beautiful old buildings. And fantastic rates!

[Nasoosie]

Another beautiful place to explore! I love the looks of that place, and the price is amazing! Deserts are ok, I have decided, if they have some mountains around them, as this place appears to have. I would feel so exposed and vulnerable in a desert that is wide open and flat, with no place to find shadows and places to take refuge against the relentless sun....that would scare me.

Thanks again for the great photo travels!

[oregontocal]

Another beautiful place to explore! I love the looks of that place, and the price is amazing! Deserts are ok, I have decided, if they have some mountains around them, as this place appears to have. I would feel so exposed and vulnerable in a desert that is wide open and flat, with no place to find shadows and places to take refuge against the relentless sun....that would scare me.

Thanks again for the great photo travels!

On the drive north from Blythe to Midland yesterday, Steven and I both commented to each other that we were almost entirely surrounded by mountains. Of course, they're not at all like the forest-covered mountains of the Pacific Northwest or back East. So, I'm not sure how much refuge they'd provide against the sun. However, they do provide a kind of frame around the desert here. There's still that constant sense of vulnerability, and people would be crazy to venture out in the middle of a hot summer day without knowing exactly what they were doing and being prepared. However, if you sit still long enough and just wait, not too much remains hidden. Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, nights are usually cool, and late afternoon shadows make everything almost glow.





It looks like a quick trip to Ajo is in order. Wonderful pictures and commentary.

[avalen]

very interesting, great pictures too, I especially like the one of the cute little burros.
I've heard of other areas in the desert that have wild burros living in the area. Oatman
comes to mind, but its somewhere up near Laughlin NV.

[retiredhappy]

People's reaction to deserts is always interesting. Soos feels they're too open and that's what I love about them - the feel of wide open spaces that don't crowd me. As much as I love the smell of a forest I feel crowded, like the trees are closing in on me. Guess that's why I seem to prefer traveling in the west.

[Bethers]

Hahahahaha - yes we argued, and loved doing it. There are two white churches on the square - and I had both names, but we had to figure which name belonged to which church. Normally I can tell by the order of my pictures, but in this case, it was mixed up. We did figure it out and come to an agreement, but Sparkle liked the argument so much, she continued it here.

More about Ajo - when the mine closed the town dropped in size by about 1/2 from a population of around 9,000 to 4,000+. And the school age children were the biggest drop - about 2/3rds left. That is what caused the closing of that beautiful old school. Which is still so well maintained, it's amazing. One correction on the rents - they have 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in there now - starting at $350. I was actually a little surprised at the prices of some of the homes, etc in Ajo - but it is a very clean, well-maintained town. I like it a lot.

I will, hopefully, get my blog post done later today (if I have any energy after the big feast) with lots more pictures. My pictures of the square aren't nearly what I'd like, either tho - but will go through and see what more I can.

I've had my camera with the last 2 mornings when Peaches and I do our first walk (about an hour) and have more burro pics today - so look to the blog for more of those, also. As well as more pics about the mine and info on the man who started the town booming - I found the info on him and his wife fascinating. (The picture Sparkle posted of the wedding dress - the dress was his wifes and it was from 1910.) I'd still wear that dress today in a heartbeat - love it.

[snowball]

That was a really pretty dress..........if it would fit but it won't would love it as well
Chris there is a road that goes from 95 over to now I can't remember but it was an interesting road up in those mt. and have you check out
the wild life conservation place south of Blythe neat place
sheila