Though not one of our original planned destinations when we began this trip, we decided it would be fitting to cross over into Mexico since we would be so close to the border and none of our children had ever been to Mexico before. We decided to cross into Mexico south of Phoenix at a National Monument called “Organ Pipe Cactus” (a place we had never heard of before). We spent two nights at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and learned about how both plants and animals are able to survive in the harsh climates of the desert. There was plenty of cactuses (hence the name of the park), lizards, sunny skies and dry air. It was quiet, peaceful, and not many people around. Mel says the desert has its own kind of beauty and the variety of cactuses were quite fascinating. That about sums it up. And (of course) the kids earned their badges as Jr. Rangers.
The National Monument was only 5 miles away from the Mexican border. We decided not to drive our motor home across since we would have been required by law to purchase Mexican auto insurance. Since the nearest Mexican town, Sonoyta, was two miles from the border, we decided to ride our bikes across (we checked with the border patrol before we did this). The bike ride was relatively uneventful. We rode our bikes two miles into the town and back. We spent about 1.5 hours in Mexico. I would have liked to stay longer but we needed to get back since we weren’t prepared with enough snacks and water to keep us going in the hot sun. If nothing else, the kids, for the first time, got to see a world quite different than the one they live in everyday. It was fun, hot, and well worth the trip.
Short but sweet, another “first” adventure for the Miller family.
Miller's Motor Home Adventure 