Our stay at Organ Pipe is done and we leave early on Good Friday, headed for breakfast at a little Mexican food diner we like in Gila Bend  called Sofia’s.  Satisfying huevos rancheros there.

About 20 miles northwest of Gila Bend is Painted Rock Petroglyphs site and campground.  We drove there to look at a display of petroglyphs.  What can be seen there are LOTS of carvings on a big pile of boulders that have been dated from two different ancient time periods based on the style of drawings.  Coincidentally, the Juan Bautista de Anza trail passes right past these rocks (much later this trail became the route for the Butterfield Stage from St. Louis to San Francisco).  Not really so coincidental—these trails follow the Gila  River through this area, the only reliable source of water and fodder for stock for miles around.  Before the waters of this river were diverted in more recent years for upstream irrigation and dams, the area was lush and verdant, explaining why ancient indigenous peoples lived in the area and utilized the rocks to record special life events.  We didn’t stop to camp there.  Today the area is incredibly stark and lacking in any shade.

Leaving the Gila Bend area, we drove through Tucson to food shop, then headed south on I-19.  I liked the Tucson area.  Clearly they’ve had a wet winter and as Spring is now in full swing, the area is lush and lovely.  I like the rolling terrain.

I had scoped out a Forest Service campground in advance—Bog Springs—in a mountainous area southeast of Tucson.  The near town is called Green Valley.  Gorgeous area of mesquite covered hills, so many trees that it almost looks like orchards,and tall green grass (“Look at the feed!”).  There was a small gathering of snow on the rocky crags as we drove up into a more wooded area.  The sun was setting as we reached our goal, only to see the dreaded sign—“Campground Full”.  What a letdown!  There was nothing to be done but to turn around and look for a wide spot in the road to pull off and spend the night.  We did that, and it was a peaceful night.