Sonoran Desert National Monument, May 4-6

[Tucson T4R]

Meeting Place and Time:

2. It is customary (starting now, anyway) to bestow gifts of strong Mexican drink to the guys who set this up.

If I cook Scott's Tequllia ("drunken tomatoes") tomatoes, does that count for the Mexican drink requirement?? unk03:

(Yes. this is Scott's recipe and I stole it and cook it every chance I get!!) Imitation is the highest form of flattery

If not, you can just put a nipple on the bottle while I cook for the rest of us:friday:

 

[Tucson T4R]

Meeting Place and Time:

3. Wil is checking on the permits needed. An earlier conversation with the BLM indicated that no permit was necessary. That's conflicting information with other sources, so we're going to double check.

Let me know, cause I haven't called yet for my permit. :arabia:

 

[seth_js]

Let me know, cause I haven't called yet for my permit. :arabia:

If you do need it, it is more than a call. You have to go to the BLM office and watch a video. And only a couple of the offices have the video.

 

[Tucson T4R]

If you do need it, it is more than a call. You have to go to the BLM office and watch a video. And only a couple of the offices have the video.

Ouch. OK I'll check in Tucson tomorrow to see what the options are. thanks for the heads up.

 

[flyingwil]

If you do need it, it is more than a call. You have to go to the BLM office and watch a video. And only a couple of the offices have the video.

Yeah... For the Snoring Desert, the BLM guy told me that we do not need anything "just drive around and walk around and have fun..." I told him about the permits needed from our research and he said he had no clue... I am going to try and go in there today and talk to them about the permits needed.

This map is the one that concerns me...

It is found here: http://www.blm.gov/az/sonoran/sdproc.htm

I will keep you posted today on what I find out.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I expect you would need to notify someone if you wanted to cross into the Air Force target range area.

 

[flyingwil]

I expect you would need to notify someone if you wanted to cross into the Air Force target range area.

No we were secretly planning on painting a giant bulls-eye on the King Kamper and watching you squirm! Run Brad... Run!

 

[Tucson T4R]

Kinda like trying to run from your own shadow.:Wow1:

 

[Tucson T4R]

Mark, the weather service is forcasting a low to move into the SW this weekend and bring with it some windy conditions. Based on your windy experience last weekend and now this coming weekend being windy again, your starting to develop a reputation here. :shakin:

 

[articulate]

...your starting to develop a reputation here. :shakin:

Starting? HA! This is actually just another element of my reputation.

I hope like crazy that it's not totally cruddy out there. Storms will be really cool for photography, but lousy for campfire ********-chat and relaxation. What ever wave you get, just ride it.

 

[Tucson T4R]

What ever wave you get, just ride it.

Yep, I'm ready to ride. :jumping:

 

[flyingwil]

Permits Required

Wil is checking on the permits needed. An earlier conversation with the BLM indicated that no permit was necessary. That's conflicting information with other sources, so we're going to double check.

We do indeed need a Barry M. Goldwater Permit. I spoke with three individual BLM employees, and each person and vehicle is required a permit. Each person will have to go in to get their permit to the BLM offices. This will also get us the combination to the pad locks on the gates in the area. The permits are free and require watching a 15 min video. NOTE - ALL vehicles MUST be Registered, Arizona Highway Legal, AND Insured.

I think this is an old application for the permit: http://www.luke.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-061024-033.doc

For PHX members you can get the permits at the BML office on the 8th floor downtown or the Deer Valley location.

Brad and all others can obtain permits from the Gila Bend office.

http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/info/arizona_offices.html

No Permit, No Trip. :yikes:

Mark and I will work on a plan B incase they are using that area for Military activity. We'll keep you all posted. I wouldd load all of Area A into your GPS.

 

[Tucson T4R]

From the maps I have seen it appears the Goldwater Range goes west from White Hills on the west side of the valley. Is there motivation to cross into the range area or is there enough to see and enjoy just staying on the BLM land, East of the range boundary? All of the proposed campsites appear to be outside the range on open BLM land. What cha think?

 

[articulate]

Johnson Well is just a hair inside the range, and it's going to be worth checking out. Our routes just barely bring us inside the range, but in addition to the permits being insurance Uncle Sam provides us with a combination to some locked gates.

 

[Tucson T4R]

Only the Pink and hashed area (Berry Goldwater Range) require permits. I talked with BLM here in Tucson and no permits are required for the Sonoran National Monument BLM land. Looks 90% of what Mark mapped out is outside the permit required area.