It annoyed me to read about this. We tried doing the same thing, but riding from the other direction on our way from Sonoita to Tombstone. It doesn’t work though. You need a permit, and you can only get them at the east gate. When we were turned back, we had to backtrack half way to Sonoita and then bike around the north side of the fort. Very long day.

Yes, it was for sale when we came through there also. It is a great place, and a real haven in the middle of nowhere. It looks like your group has followed nearly the same itinerary we did for the first half of our ride, but after the Dreamcatcher we started taking a roundabout way East to New Mexico.

The helmet request was a joke by the way, so you must have missed that day of our tour. The helmet is out in the desert about twenty miles north of Benson, after I threw it out into the cactus in frustration when the strap broke. Folks made me feel guilty about being a litterbug, so I thought you could wade out into the cactus and bring it back for me.

I should have known you have already met these two and stayed at the Dream-Catcher. What a neat place. They do have it for sale but I think Chris said it was for sale three years ago when he brought a group in! We didn't go through Benson so I didn't get a chance to look for your helmet! Surely someone will ride through there for you!

That is an Agave. Possibly Parry's Agave.

https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/agavoideae/agave-parryi.html

Oh, drat! I’m really sorry I’ve gotten behind on this. We stayed at the Dreamcatcher four years ago on our ride from Tucson to Silver City. I’d have asked you to say hello to John and Julia for us. Glad to see they’re still there. That’s an amazing story about the flood!

Copper ore is generally blue/green.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_copper_ores

Fruits, actually. Here is a search link to prickly pear flowers.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAPPDO_enUS799US803&sxsrf=ALeKk01V6Vg59MmN4azTa1TZddJgtj3P7A:1583506795913&q=Opuntia+flowers&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjjhsfAjoboAhXOXM0KHSsuDMwQiR56BAgIEAw&biw=1366&bih=609

Prickly pear cactus of some species, possibly pancake prickly pear. There are a number of prickly pear species in southern Arizona that are difficult to differentiate, so my internet search ID is not absolute!

https://www.opuntiads.com/opuntia-chlorotica/

Verbena/vervain. Possibly Gooding's Mock Vervain.

http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3096

Cane cholla.

https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/cacti/cylindropuntia-spinosior.html

I see brittlebush is blooming!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encelia

Front center is cow's tongue cactus.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/prickly-pear/cows-tongue-prickly-pear.htm

Slightly to its right is beavertail cactus.
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/opuntia_basilaris.shtml

Behind are several light colored spined cacti: chain fruit/juping cholla.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida

And of course, bringing up the rear are giant saguaros.

Nice! Looks like a fishhook barrel cactus with some ripe fruits. Nope not any good eating. I tried. Once.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferocactus_wislizeni
I see someone placed a few chainfruit cholla sections on top
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cylindropuntia_fulgida

Hi Jeanna and Kerry!
I'll be looking for your journal. We will watch while you close in on our neck of the woods! Kerry, the new brake pads are working great! Thanks for your help with that.

I have been happily on Medicare for a little over a year now. It sure takes the sting out of that big birthday number to have the security of decent health insurance.
Enjoy your trip. We're leaving on April 5 to ride to Bellingham and back. I'll have my journal up soon.