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[DonTom]

Today, I took my 2017 Zero DS ZF 6.5 down the ~20 mile unpaved road to Quitobaquito Springs, which is a few yards from Mexico. On the way there, I saw them working on Trump's new Wall. Here are some photos of the new wall as well as the old fence that it is replacing, and of course, Quitobaquito Springs.  The old fence anybody can simply walk over. In fact, I saw a couple of kids who did that today, but I assume they are not going far.

I also saw a large wolf  cross the road on the way to Q. Springs. A Mexican Gray Wolf (AKA Lobo). Used to be rare, but they are now no longer all that rare around here.

In the way back, I went to Lukeview and tried the new restaurant right on the border with Mexico. It just opened two months ago and is not even on the web yet. It was quite good and not too expensive considering they have no other restaurants in this area. The name of it is "Gastrak Restaurant of Lukeville".

I may consider going into Sonoyta, Mexico before I leave this area. I do have my passport with me.

I leave here on the morning of the 23rd (Monday) and then head for Yuma, AZ.

Perfect riding weather, around 70F here during the day.

See attached photos.

-Don- Organ Pipe Cactus Nat'l Monument, AZ (RV with Zero DS)

[Richard230]

Thanks Don. That report was interesting. That original border fence sure isn't much to look at. You would think that at least they could have used a chain link fence with a little barbed wire on the top, like you see at some U.S. schools to keep the students inside during breaks.  On the other hand, the new wall does seem a bit much.   

[DonTom]

Thanks Don. That report was interesting. That original border fence sure isn't much to look at. You would think that at least they could have used a chain link fence with a little barbed wire on the top, like you see at some U.S. schools to keep the students inside during breaks.  On the other hand, the new wall does seem a bit much.   

I learned a few things today at the OPCNM Visitor Center.

Look at the Short  fence. The horizontal bar  in the middle is strong heavy metal. Its purpose is to stop 4WDs and other vehicles from coming into the USA, illegally.  That was built in 2007, but now they walk across with backpacks  and a lot of water, because it's a very long walk to get anywhere from there. 

Another thing I leaned at the VC today is about the many small fish I saw yesterday  in Quitobaquito Springs.  Those are the Quitobaquito Pup Fish, which are found in that one spring and a few others in Mexico, all  within four miles. Nowhere else in the world. Because  of this, they made  a mini habitat in the visitor center with some of these pupfish so they are not all only at one single spot in the USA.

-Don-  OPCNM, AZ

[Doug S]

https://time.com/5694432/girl-climbs-border-wall-replica/

A man climbed it in under a minute, juggling two tennis balls with one hand.

[DonTom]

https://time.com/5694432/girl-climbs-border-wall-replica/

A man climbed it in under a minute, juggling two tennis balls with one hand.

Means very little.  Even if somebody tries to cross it who can do it in a minute, it greatly increases the odds of them being caught by the boarder guards.

I have been on enough of the broader roads over the years (not just here, but also in Texas) to have an idea how all this will work out.

BTW, I have illegally gone into Mexico a few times.

Here is one place I did such. This is Mexico over the Rio Grande River during a hike I did two years ago  in Texas. I crossed the river at one spot and went into Mexico by about 100 yards or so. Water was only a few inches deep at that spot.

[DonTom]

I  saw something  extra  interesting  early this morning.  I was about a mile north of  Lukeville , I had just finished having my eggs Benedict in the one restaurant in Lukeville. As I was riding north on AZ State Route 85,  I saw what looked like a family or two from Mexico come out from the desert, walking onto the road. About 8 or so Hispanic people, some quite young.  Nobody else around, no traffic, no cars or anything (that I could see!).

I was riding past  them right when they came to the road.  I don't think they noticed my quiet bike at first, and perhaps they assumed it was safe to cross or  use the road for a while and not be seen, as no cars seen around at that time.

I only took a quick glance back in my mirrors and I was thinking about the many signs around here that say to call 9-1-1 when I see something like that in this area.

Then, out from the desert come many boarder control cop vehicles with red lights on. I was only a couple of hundred yards past when I noticed all that in my mirrors. I have no idea where the several cops cars were hiding, but obviously, they were waiting to arrest them when they got to the road.  Those boarder cops seem to be very sneaky and know what they are doing.

I must have ridden right past several boarder patrol cops hiding in the desert that I could not even notice. And neither could those Hispanic people!

-Don-  OPCNM, AZ

[Richard230]

20 years ago I was driving on the 405 freeway (or was it I-5?) in the San Diego area and recall seeing a warning sign on the freeway showing a picture of a Mexican family, consisting of a mother, a father, and two children, holding hands and running across the highway. So that is nothing new.

[DonTom]

20 years ago I was driving on the 405 freeway (or was it I-5?) in the San Diego area and recall seeing a warning sign on the freeway showing a picture of a Mexican family, consisting of a mother, a father, and two children, holding hands and running across the highway. So that is nothing new.

I know, I have seen it here before, in this same park, back in 1971, the very first time I came here (I arrived here at night that time). One of my first long motorcycle rides on my brand new 1971 BMW R75/5.  I saw several Mexican guys near the road carrying backpacks and water. It was well after midnight.

What I found interesting today was how the cops were hiding in the desert waiting for them to get to the road and the fact that I must have driven right past several boarder control cop cars without seeing them.

-Don-  OPCNM, AZ

[DonTom]

Today, (nice 75F day here!) I did the 21 mile Ajo Mountain Loop on my Zero DS (scale in Spot Map for detail). Here are a few photos of that area: