While Organ Pike cactus give the National Monument its name, Multi-limbed Saguaro give it character. The power lines in the background are headed for the Visitors’ Center.
Organ Pipe National Monument had been on my bucket list for a long time. I liked its remote feel, how it hugged the Mexican Border, and how the only way to get there was via a small, rural road.
What surprised me were the number of Border Patrol police and their extensive network of roadblocks. I felt like I had left the US and entered a police state. People with guns to shoot you, dogs to sniff out your innermost secrets, and X-ray machines to probe your car make me nervous. It didn’t matter if I was innocent, I felt guilty.
On top of the national paranoia over illegal immigrants, there was Arizona’s unique twist on the issue. Mexican-Americans and Mexicans were guilty until proved innocent.
As an aside, Peggy and I were on a bus to the small Mexican town of San Sebastian in the Sierra Madre Mountains last week. Our guide asked where we were all from and one couple announced they were from Arizona.
“Aha!” the guide proclaimed to the couple, “You must show me your passports.” He was joking and we all laughed, including the couple. But his point was made. What if people from Arizona had to carry special papers when they traveled in Mexico and were regularly stopped by police?
Politics aside, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was, um, filled with cacti. There were mighty Saguaro, whip-like Ocotillo, Barrel Cactus, Organ Pipe Cactus, Cholla, and round Prickly Pears that something with a large mouth had been eating. We got up early in the morning to miss the midday heat and followed a winding trail out into the desert. Dark clouds hung over the mountains; birds were busy announcing the day. Curiosity pulled us off the trail but sharp thorns required that we walk with care. The dark of early morning gradually gave way to bright sun.
Early morning sun broke through the dark clouds and provided enough light to walk by. Sort of. Running into cactus thorns is not fun.
An Organ Pipe Cactus grows between two Saguaros.
I loved this photo of the misty, almost mystical mountains.
Whip-like Ocotillo Cactus grows behind fuzzy Cholla.
The “bones” of a Saguaro.
A cactus garden with an Organ Pipe Cactus on the left. It’s easy to see why care is required when walking off trail.
A mature Organ Pipe Cactus. Note the small holes in the top where birds nest.
I’ll close today’s blog with a Saguaro who didn’t quite know what to do with its arms.
NEXT BLOG: We are off to Dinosaur National Monument where the big lizards roamed.
Wandering through Time and Place 
Happy Thanksgiving to you both. 🙂
And to you as well. –Curt and Peggy
Yikes, backed into a prickly pear on a lawnmower once and have had a healthy respect for cacti ever since. Don’t envy you the police state experience but the land, cacti and mountains look wonderful.
It is beautiful, and hopefully we will solve the problems of illegal immigration in a humane way that benefits everyone. –Curt
What magnificent cacti! Love the name! Gorgeous photographs. Here’s wishing you and Peggy a Happy Thanksgiving! Sharon
And a happy holiday season to you, Sharon.
I have prickly pear memories too (living in Gibraltar aged 4-5-6), they were delicious if you could only get in. Love the atmosphere in the photos, but chilled by the feel of Mexican border. Thank you for the laugh at the end.
I pre-posted my blogs since I am playing in Mexico. Yesterday I realized that I had posted the immigration problem on Thanksgiving (and Peggy and my Anniversary). It’s an important issue but I would have saved for another day… –Curt
I don’t know why I feel such affection for Saguaro. I suppose it’s the gangly limbs. Well, and the funny video that explains their role in the propagation of tumbleweeds.
I don’t know if I’d have the whatever to make a trip down there to see them, now. It’s a little rough, even away from the border.
I, too, love Saguaros, Linda… it’s like they have a sense of humor. I pre posted the blog as I explained to Hilary, not realizing it would fall on Turkey Day. Otherwise I would have posted photos of turkeys in love. (grin) –Curt
Wow, you do visit some fascinating places Curt. The cacti here are magnificent, it looks like a gorgeous place. What a shame that there is such a strong police presence – I totally relate to the notion of feeling guilty even if you’re innocent. It is very intimidating isn’t it.
Yes it is Jayde. Every time I go through a checkpoint, I am nervous until I get beyond it. –Curt
As long as I live, I will never understand why we have borders within this world.. Last time I checked, us humans did not create this planet therefore why are we allowed to regulate who goes where.. insanity..
off my soap box now… Cacti and I had a run in a few years back hence I only get as close to them in pictures now. 😉
Happy belated Thanksgiving to you and Peggy!
We can only hope that our children of the future will get beyond extreme nationalism, and the other isms. I suspect that the future of humanity will be tied into that capability.
–Curt
I don’t think off-trail six-inch cacti needles are a match for Curt and Peggy, our intrepid outdoors folks and photographers.
Beautiful photos.
You are right Bruce. Peggy and I rarely let things like cactus keep us on the trail. 🙂 –Curt
Hi Curt, I’ve always loved the Saguaros, and now I’m enthralled with the Organ Pipes, too. Beautiful photos. You made an interesting observation about exploring the Arizona-Mexico border. I guess as travelers we’re used to always having our documents with us, but you don’t think about it when you’re home. ~Terri
Actually, I’ve often run into checkpoints and men with guns in other countries, as I am sure you have Terri. It goes with the territory. But it doesn’t fit my concept of the US. –Curt
Hi, now that I’ve lived in Arizona I’ve begun to realize just how problematic bordering Mexico is. It shouldn’t be and for the most part I fault Congress for avoiding its duties, but I also know a lot, lot, lot of drugs come up through there which is an ugly business. While the border patrol is out there unafraid to use force, it also has rescued half dead poor souls only trying to make a living. What’s supremely self-righteous, in my opinion, is now that Mexico is developing a middle class and economics are better Arizona has suddenly wondered why it doesn’t get it’s share of international trade compared to other states. If I were a Mexican consul I’d tell us to shape up our act first. Well, I could go on….and I so love the cactus, too. They are a poet’s muse and a dying, thirsty man’s last sight.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I know the issue is complex. The drug business is ugly… ugly for what it does to Mexico and ugly for what it does to us. I certainly don’t know the solution but what we have done so far doesn’t seem to work. A start might be to legalize Marijuana, tax the heck out of it, and use the money raised for prevention. I put together a tobacco tax in California in 1986 known as Proposition 99 and made sure that a significant proportion of the money went into discouraging tobacco use. California went from having one of the highest incidents of tobacco use to one of the lowest in America. The California Health Department figures it has saved over a million lives since and saved the tax payers billions of dollars. I bring this up simply because I believe there can be solutions to difficult, drug related problems. –Curt
I agree with you Curt.
And by the way…you put together the proposition? That was pivotal I know. Impressive. If I remember correctly, a lot of states followed your lead.
It was a fascinating process that I will write about one of these days. We had to battle just about everyone to get in the prevention piece, including the medical community who wanted the revenues to go into medical care. –Curt