Park 177 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument- Ajo Arizona

Set a new personal record for distance to a park today, going about 145 miles from Tucson and back-  Left Lazy Days at 0730, got to the park at about 1045- 
This park, while named for Organ Pipe Cactus, essentally is about the Sonoran Desert- 

This one, as you can see, is called "A Biosphere Reserve" so that Americans can be reminded of "how the earth was" before humans inhabited it and messed it up, or whatever it is we are doing to the planet. 

As I said, you go for a long drive in the primitive desert, with lots of accident shrines along the highway, and a small town here and there.  You also go by Kitts Peak National Observatory, but I opted not to visit it today- next time. 

It's about the desert....  There was a nice 14 minute movie, that explained about the Sonoran Desert, and the various wildlife-  I saw several cyotes along the drive in, and that this is a "young" desert, only 10,000 years old or so. 
Got a park pin, and two hiking staff medallions for the collection. 

There was only one stamp for the park- the 25th was not out.

I went through two Border Patrol stations on the way back, well down too, but didn't have to stop-  Was asked a lot of questions at the first one, where was I born, is this my car, how many passengers do I have? at the second, only asked was I a US citizen.  I did see two different instances of the Patrol detaining what appeared to be illegals on the side of the road, apparently they travel by foot, as this park is within 5 miles of the border.  Also saw tremendous amounts of equipment just sitting in motor pools which seems to be a constant with the Border Patrol-  Lots of stuff not being used.