Mar 26 Saturday Wilcox, birthplace of Cowboy film star & singer Rex Allen

Mar 26 Sat Day 68 – clear blue sky, sunny, cool night but warming nice to 70++

Fort Willcox RV park has coffee on in the office and a waffle maker with the batter all measured out, just pour it in & close the lid & we had waffles for breakfast, they even provide butter & syrup as well as plastic plates to take your waffle(s) back to your RV. When I was doing the second one for Sheila she asked if I wanted two for myself. All that with power, water, sewer, free WiFi, free hot showers in the spacious 1 person bathroom and a nice club room with a TV, for $17.00 on our Passport America. We pulled out at 10:10 to go find the Safeway and then explore the town. They have an old town area dating back to early 1900’s. There is a Marty Robbins museum and a Rex Allen museum. Rex Allen was born in Willcox and was related to Roy Rodgers, (Roy Rogers’ father was Rex Allen’s Cousin). Rex Allen, (his birth name), was actually a real cowboy before he became a singer & movie actor. He was an accomplished bronc buster as well as a cowhand on his father’s ranch. For lunch, we went to a BBQ place that was in an old time railway car. They had a large BBQ burner and pile of wood, (hickory?) out back. We both had the ribs, a half rack for under $10 including beans & choice of one side--a great deal! We were full, no room for dessert even. We finally pulled out of Willcox, AZ @ 2:35 pm @ 137423 km heading to a Passport America campground in Deming, NM. Pulled into El Rancho Lobo RV Park @ 5:15 @ 137665 and settled down for the evening. We discovered that we lost an hour as we changed time zones, so it was actually 6:15 when we arrived. After supper, Sheila went to their Rec room to watch TV where she discovered a dried 7-8 ft. Agave tree in a pot in the corner. Beside the tree was a photo book chronicling the Agave tree’s life from when it was a 22” shoot growing out of the round 18” “mother” plant with spear-shaped leaves. It seems the Agave plant grows phenomenally fast. According to notes on the inside cover of the photo book—on Apr. 20 the shoot measured 22”, on the next day it was 26” & on the following day 32 in. One day it was measured am & pm & it grew 6 in.! In a bit less than one month, the stalk grew 8 to 10 ft., and produced short branches of large, bright yellow flowers, which died within a few days.