Soaking Up the Ajo Sun Before the Climb
It is one of those quintessentially beautiful days here in Ajo, Arizona. As you can see, Ruby is sound alseep in the sunshine, soaking up every bit of warmth. We’ve moved past that intense heat wave, and the desert has settled back into a perfect seasonal rhythm. With highs in the upper 70s to low 80s and those crisp mornings dipping into the 50s and high 40s, it’s absolutely spectacular—not a cloud in sight.
We’re using these final days to just breathe and relax. We’ve called this place home for nearly a month, but the road is calling again. Our next major destination is the Grand Canyon, with a strategic stop in Flagstaff along the way.
The Scenic Route: Prescott to Flagstaff (Hwy 89a)
I’ve been eyeing a route that takes us through Prescott to Flagstaff on Highway 89a. It’s a legendary stretch of road, often cited as one of the most scenic drives in the state.
There’s a length restriction of 50 feet on this route due to the winding mountain passes. I did a quick measurement of our setup, and we’re sitting right around 48.5 feet, so we are good to go! The plan is to head out early Thursday morning, take our time, and enjoy the climb as we traverse two mountain passes reaching over 7,000 feet.
We’ll stay in Flagstaff for a couple of days to restock and acclimate. It’s going to be a shock to the system—Flagstaff sits at over 6,000 feet, and while we’ve been tolerating 90–100°F days in the desert, we’re looking at highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 20s up there!
Our First Boondocking Adventure
After Flagstaff, we’re heading into Grand Canyon National Park for a brand-new experience. Our friends David and Jill, whom we met here in Ajo, tipped us off to a prime boondocking spot in the National Forest located right inside the park boundaries.
For those following along who aren’t familiar with the term, boondocking is essentially “dry camping.” It means we won’t have any hookups—no power, no water, and no sewer connections. We are relying entirely on our own self-contained systems:
- Power: Our solar setup will keep the lights on and the electronics charged.
- Water: We’re carrying a full 100-gallon freshwater tank.
- Waste: Our gray and black tanks will hold everything until we find a dump station.
It’s our first real attempt at staying off the grid for an extended period, and we couldn’t think of a better place to start than the Grand Canyon. We’re excited to see how the rig performs when we’re truly out on our own!
Until our next stop,
Brian, Lori and Miss Ruby
