AJO, AZ

Event date: 
Sat, 02/21/2026 - 10:00am

Ajo is an unincorporated community in Pima County.  It is the closest community to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Ajo is located on State Route 85 just 43 miles (69 km) from the Mexican border.

Ajo is the Spanish word for garlic. The Spanish may have named the place using the familiar word in place of the similar-sounding O'odham word for paint. The Tohono O'odham people obtained red paint pigments from the area.

Native Americans, Spaniards, and Americans have all extracted mineral wealth from Ajo's abundant ore deposits. In the early nineteenth century, there was a Spanish mine nicknamed "Old Bat Hole" that was abandoned due to Indian raids. Tom Childs Sr., found the deserted mine complete with a 60-foot (18 m) shaft, mesquite ladders, and rawhide buckets in 1847. He did not stay long at that time, because he was on his way to the silver mines near Magdalena de Kino, Sonora.

Thirty-five years later, Childs and his son returned with a friend and started developing the abandoned mine.  High-grade native copper made Ajo the first copper mine in Arizona.  With the advent of new recovery methods for low-grade ore, Ajo boomed. 

The Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend Railroad was built from Gila Bend to serve the mining industry and was in service from 1916 to 1985. In 1921, Phelps Dodge, the nation's largest copper company, bought New Cornelia and the mine became the New Cornelia Branch of Phelps Dodge. For several decades more than 1,000 employees worked for Phelps Dodge in the open pit mine. In 1983 union-affiliated mine employees went on strike. The mine continued with non-union labor for a short while before stopping production in 1985.

KSU:  10:00 AM from Desert Wind Harley-Davidson

Lunch:  Agave Grill

Road Captain:  Tom White

Event location:
1051 Solana Ave
Ajo AZ 85321

Closed Event: Chapter activities are conducted primarily for the benefit of H.O.G. Chapter members. Closed Events are those events open to Chapter members and one guest per member.  All guests must sign an event release. Be aware, all rides and events are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control.

Impairment Policy: The consumption and use of alcohol is a serious personal responsibility involving the safety of family, riding friends and the individual HOG member. Alcohol consumption before or during a motorcycling activity is not safe, responsible behavior. East Valley Chapter #4507 does not allow the use of alcohol or drugs before or during a riding event* and does not furnish alcohol at Chapter rides. Riders whose skills are observed or suspected to be impaired by alcohol or drugs before riding cannot join the ride. Riders using alcohol or drugs while riding will be asked to leave the ride. It is the responsibility of each Template Chapter member to support the consistent enforcement of this policy

Photography Policy: Photographing, filming, recording and videotaping of activities and events will be occurring East Valley Chapter events. By entering the H.O.G.® event area, you irrevocably grant permission to the Harley-Davidson Motor Company® and its agents to photograph, film, record and/or videotape you and use (and authorize the use of) your name, image, likeness, voice, and/or biographical or other information in any and all media now known or hereinafter developed in perpetuity for any and all purposes.

Event Coordinator: 
Tom W
Assistant Director

[email protected]