Ride in Vekol Valley, AZ

Phyl Barger and Ellen, and a friendly hedgehog cactus

Wow, we had a great ATV ride trailering out of Augie's RV Park, traveling 29 miles east on Hwy 8. Unloading at the Vekol Road exit, a group of 10 ATVs zoomed south to see a few interesting things.

One of which was a white Dodge pickup truck.

Next, what remained of a veal plant. Concrete flooring, sloped for drainage, most of the main building standing.

Then a little back and forth, trying to find the way to some mines even further south. No luck.

We then drove west through some very beautiful cactus groves--lots of saguaro, ocotillo, cholla, and prickly pear.

A stand of saguaros

Finally arriving at Johnson Ranch, the remains of a once thriving old west ranch. Foundations, water tanks, windmill and troughs. A very pretty setting.

What's left of Johnson Ranch

The white pickup? When we got back to the area we unloaded, a marshal drove up and started asking us where we had gone, what we had seen, etc. He asked if we saw any suspicious people or vehicles. Yes, we saw a white Dodge pickup, off the road by some 75 yards, heading north. Well, the marshal relayed that that vehicle was carrying a drug load, and yes they had the vehicle under their possession, and yes, they confiscated some of the drugs, and No, they do not have the suspects in custody. Whew!!!! We saw a drug run!!!