Ironwood Forest National Monument: Adventures in the Wild West

 Ironwood Forest National Monument: A Hidden Gem

The Ironwood Forest National Monument, just west of Tucson, is like an exclusive retreat, tucked away in a remote part of the world. But don't let the ‘gated community’ feel fool you—this place isn’t about luxury living; it’s about keeping cows from wandering off!

Mostly the cows stayed away, but occasionally one came by to say Hi to Bailey?

What’s that massive creature outside?

Unexpected Visitors: Music Video Shoot in the Desert

Don & Donna were camped a few miles away, so they stopped by for a short visit one day ...

But the real surprise of the day came when I noticed some unfamiliar vehicles a little ways down the road... They didn't seem to be setting up camp, so I rode my bike over to see what they were up to.  I was mostly curious about the gal in cowboy boots and a guitar, but I never expected what I was about to stumble upon!

  

Well, it turns out they were filming a bit of a music video!

 I couldn’t believe my luck. Not only did I stumble across a music video shoot, but I also got to meet the star of the show, Darien Lane. There she was, guitar in hand, with a backdrop of rugged desert landscape—a perfect fit for her country vibes!

 I took this clip while they were taping this closeup ...

The photo below is from her Instagram that was taken there on location.  My rig is just out of sight in the background.  She seems like an authentic country gal, traveling in a pickup truck with her big black dog!

I'll be watching to see if a full video from that location comes out ...

 When Bailey wasn’t busy perfecting his hunting skills, I found myself shifting gears and exploring the surrounding landscape…

Lots of flat land hiking and biking in that area, so my bike got lots of use.  Found this benchmark type pin on the top of a nearby hilltop.

After a week or so, it was time to move on; and move on we did.  We moved camp down into the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, right along the Mexican border.

While the area has its natural beauty, it’s also marked by the realities of life along the U.S.-Mexico border. You’ll often see signs of undocumented migration, such as discarded water jugs, as well as increased Border Patrol presence

It's nice to find an area with enough convenient trees to enjoy a little hammock time!

 

The refuge has designated camp spots, but unlike a typical campground, they have at least 70-80 sites spread out over many miles of varied terrain.  The nearest ones might be 100m apart, but many are a mile from the nearest neighbour!  Most include a fire circle, and all are free! My kind of campground!

We chose a new-to-us spot this time, on a high point, with views all around.

As usual, I biked over to the Refuge Headquarters for a look around and to see what was new.  The refuge was a bit busier than usual, as there was an organized Safari Club Javelina hunt on at the time.  Other than some increased traffic, that was not an issue.

 

Life Along the Border: Border Patrol and Its Presence

Because of the proximity to the border, there is also some visible Border Patrol action on the ground and in the air.  I use some of my amateur radio skills to monitor some of their radio communications, though most of it is now encrypted.  One night was interesting as they chased a small group quite a while in the dark, until tragically, the 3 they were pursuing took a nasty fall off a substantial cliff and were badly injured.  With no road access anywhere near, they had to call in a Pima county winch equipped helicopter for the extraction.

Photo of the incident from the Tucson Sector BP Facebook page.

 

"USBP BORSTAR agents rushed to the scene after three illegal aliens fell off a cliff in Arizona. One was unresponsive with severe lower extremity injuries, requiring urgent medical extraction. Pinal Air arrived and swiftly deployed agent for a hoist extraction, agents stabilized the injured individual & transported all three to a medical facility for further treatment." 

From my camp spot, I could observe the rescue machine on it's way to the scene, and afterwards, likely transferring patients to a waiting ambulance at a nearby helicopter fuel cache.

Because of the remote location, where even cell service can be a bit questionable, I have never bothered to try picking up any off-air TV signals - till I saw a neighbouring camper with the antenna up.  Much to my surprise, I could get about 30 channels, and most of them in English! 

 Bailey’s Hunting Adventures

With no deer or coyotes to chase, Bailey has had to turn his hunting attention to the local lizard population.

With their amazing camouflage, and lightning quick speed, their population has not been impacted by the great hunter!

As much as Bailey enjoyed the chase, he was wise enough to know when to take a break. Even the best hunter needs their rest.

From the tranquil isolation of the desert to unexpected encounters like a music video shoot, life on the road is full of surprises. As I packed up and prepared to move on, I was reminded once again that the road is unpredictable, but that’s what makes it so special!

 

Disclaimer: For the first time, I used some AI assistance in creating this blog post!