Road Trip Route Recap

Here's the Road Trip Route by "driving days".  Total mileage was 1218. Captions are below each photo. We were out for a total of 16 nights. There were 8 major driving days.  We camped at Roosevelt a total of 4 nights, Tubac 3 nights, Parker Canyon Lake 2 nights and Cave Creek Canyon 5 nights.  We spent one night each in Catalina and Douglas.  Total camp costs were $160 or $10 a night.  We have not yet tallied exact gas costs but are fairly sure it was about $175.

February 24, we drove from Rimrock to Lake Roosevelt.

February 26, we drove from Roosevelt, AZ to Oro Valley, AZ and backtracked to camp in Catalina, AZ

February 27, we drove from Catalina, AZ, through Tucson to San Xavier Mission and then on to Tubac, AZ

March 1st, we drove from Tubac, AZ, to Nogales and then to Sonoita and on to Parker Canyon Lake.

March 3rd was a big driving day: Parker Canyon Lake to Sonoita, Tombstone, Whitewater Draw near McNeal, Bisbee and then Douglas, AZ.

March 4th, we drove from Douglas through Apache to Rodeo, New Mexico and then on past Portal.

March 9th, we drove from Cave Creek Canyon to Road Forks, NM, then through Bowie to the Hwy 191 intersection at I-10.  From there we drove up to Safford and then east to Geronimo, AZ, and on through the San Carlos Rez to Globe.  After a brief stop in Globe, we drove on to Roosevelt.

March 10, we drove from Roosevelt back into Globe.  On March 11, we drove from Roosevelt back to Rimrock via Payson, Pine and Strawberry.

Channeling Gene Autry

Well, here we are camped beside Lake Roosevelt once again.  Somehow last night, we realized we could morph the famous "Back In The Saddle Again" to "Back In The Tonto Again."  With apologies to Gene Autry, here's our adaptation of his legendary lyrics. The original lyrics are below in italic.

I`m back in the Tonto again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the Tonto again

Ridin` the range once more
Totin` my old Toyota
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the Tonto again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin` to and fro
Back in the Tonto again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the Tonto again

I`m back in the Tonto again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the Tonto again

Ridin` the range once more
Totin` my old Toyota
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the Tonto again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin` to and fro
Back in the Tonto again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the Tonto again

-------original lyrics------

I`m back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin` the range once more
Totin` my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin` to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

I`m back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin` the range once more
Totin` my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin` to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

Here's a video of Autry singing a portion of the song:

https://youtu.be/80NoPLp-Zl0

Going Global

The San Carlos Braves basketball team is The Talk Of The  Town after winning the Tribe's very first-in-history championship.  The Tribe organized  huge parade for them and their photos and overtime victory story are all over the local newspapers.  (Links at end of this blog post.)

Going Global...

We're Back In The Tonto Again. After two brief drive-by visits to Globe, it's time today to spend few hours visiting this historic and active mining area.

Globe got its name back in the 70's (that's the eighteen seventies) when some itinerate prospectors found a large sphere of pure silver. Legend has it that the giant chunk of metal had the rough shape of the continents etched onto its surface. So, what's any ol' prospector to do? Why name the place Globe. Honest, that's truly how Globe got its name.

I spent a lot of time in Globe in the 80's. (that's the nineteen eighties). I started passing through Globe in the spring of 1980 when traveling with Tucson's Whitewater Explorers Club to kayak the Salt River Canyon's locally famous rapids up yonder toward Showlow.

Eventually, I wound up working as a rafting guide on The Salt. Then a Flagstaff outfitter hired me to spend a lot of time hanging around Globe for two reasons.

First, he wanted me to help create a better image of whitewater rafting. Believe it or not, back in the 80's the local folks in Gila County had a real negative image of whitewater rafting. Basically, I spent time giving slide shows about The Salt and meeting with local leaders to smile and say nice things.

Second, the outfitter paid me to record oral histories of local folks—real sons of the pioneers kind of people. That was truly the highlight of my long association with Globe. My interview with third-generation rancher Lloyd Hicks was the most memorable of those oral history interviews. Lloyd died shortly after I recorded his stories. His family asked if they could use my video in his Memorial Service. The things they said afterwards about the power of that video will forever be a part of my Global Experience here.

So many Globe stories! It would take me a long time and a LOT of words to even scratch the surface of why Globe will always be a big part of my Arizona Life & Times.

Today, we have a very busy schedule in Globe. Lots of mundane shopping and errands but also a much-hoped-for visit with Don and/or Cindy and maybe a glimpse of their B&B “The Roost.” Don and Cindy have invested a big chunk of their life in creating a first class B&B in Globe-Miami. It's such a nice place that the Frank Lloyd Wright folks stay there when they visit Globe.

Why would the Frank Lloyd Wright folks be visiting Globe? Well, believe it or not, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture has taken a serious, professional interest in the area. So much so that the school now has a formal project involving the local area. As this week's newspaper says, “They will help us paint our own blank canvas.” Three community open house meetings are scheduled this month to kick off the active portion of the project. Chances are good that the Wright People will be once again staying at Cindy and Don's Place when they visit Globe.

It's a short drive to Globe from our camp at Site #111 in the Jack Rabbit Loop of Windy Hill campground beside Roosevelt Lake. In fact, it's the same driving time and distance as it is to go from our Rimrock home to Cottonwood, only a whole lot more scenic with a whole lot less traffic.

There's a lot going on in the Greater Global Area this weekend. First, Tonto National Monument is staging their annual Heritage Days this weekend. It's the Tonto NM's biggest event of their yearly calendar. It's also the only time you can visit the Upper Cliff Dwelling without a reservation. You can simply show up and take the hike and see the place for yourself. At all other times of the year, you must make a reservation and those reservations can be mighty hard to get.

Meanwhile at the San Carlos Apache Tribe's Apache Gold Casino 7 miles east of Globe, there's going to be a huge Pow-Wow with a $32,500 pot of prize money. Big Pow-Wow prize money always draws some of the nation's best Pow-Wow participants.

And then, if that's not enough, nearby Superior is staging the community's biggest annual event—The Apache Leap Mining Festival. One of the many highlights of this 28^th annual event is the wildly popular Chihuahua Races that begin at 11 AM Saturday on Main Street in front of Besich Park. While Chihuahuas can't run as fast as greyhounds, the little dogs have a whole lot more class and style when they get their race game faces on.

Plus, if that's not enough, the bass are biting big time at Roosevelt. Yes, the annual massacre of the lrge mouth bass has begun. Roosevelt's campgrounds are bulging with the big rigs and fancy boats of fishermen seemingly from everywhere. You see, when the bass begin to spawn even the dumbest fisherman can look like a fishing genius. The bass will bite anything, practically anywhere any time. The number of fish caught in Roosevelt in the next 2-3 weeks will easily number in the 1000's. 

Plus, if that's not enough, Spring Break starts tomorrow for Arizona State University and most all of The Valley's school systems.  That means the Roosevelt campgrounds will be even fuller with youthful partiers.

This is High Spring in The Greater Global Area. We're enjoying our Tonto Time here. It's a fine and fitting way to wind down our Road Trip and stage to return to Rimrock.

Here's links to the San Carlos basketball story.  Sounds like something right out of the movie "Hoosiers."

http://navajotimes.com/rezsports/basketball/san-carlos-wins-first-state-boys-basketball-crown/

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/02/27/san-carlos-wins-division-v-boys-basketball-state-title-overtime/80816172/

Technological Marvels

Technology never ceases to amaze us.  Susun has been having trouble getting here smartphone to make and receive phone calls.  However, as we hiked high up on The Silver Peak Trail this morning, Susun was able to call Dear Daughter Stasea and carry on a fun and loving conversation.  We're putting up these photos so Stasea can see where Susun was actually located while they were talking.

Silver Peak Trail

Some scenes from The Silver Peak Trail, Monday, March 7, 2016.

100 Years Ago

Back in 1916, my Dad's Dad was in the US Army as a buck private.  Robert Parsons  was a US Army cavalryman.  He road a horse and carried a rifle and a pistol.  He was under the command of General Black Jack Pershing.

Back then 100 years ago, Grand Dad was stationed at Camp Jones just outside Douglas, Arizona.  Luckily, we were able to find the long-lat for the Camp's entrance.  There's no trace of the camp and no historical marker either.  So, we just stood there at the GPS coordinates and thought about my Grand Dad being there 100 years ago.

Douglas was MUCH more developed in 1916 than we had ever thought.  Actually, Douglas was quite a very cosmopolitan community back then.  All my life, I had  assumed Douglas was a God-forsaken desert outpost with nothing but snakes, scorpions and choking dust.  Wrong!  Douglas was fully and well developed back then.  The location of the camp 1.5 miles east of the Post Office was certainly chosen so it wouldn't not be too close to town.

Grand Dad was a member of The Punitive Expedition wherein Gen. Pershing and his troops attempted to chase and capture Pancho Villa and his troops in Sonora, Mexico.  It's all far too long a story to tell here.  But at least we found the location of where Grand Dad was camped during those historic times 100 years ago.

The Flu Favor

A Flu Favor...

Usually, “flu” is a dreaded word. However, a flu fluke found a fine campsite Friday. We woke up early in the Douglas Visitor Center parking lot. We had a full agenda for spending Friday in Douglas, including a walking visit to Agua Prieta in Sonora, Mexico.

After 6 AM morning coffee Mickey D's, we went to Wally World for some shopping. As we walked into Wally, the headline screamed: FLU HITS COUNTY

Naturally, seeing the headline and reading the story sent a streak of flu fear through our nerves. The story indicated the flu in Cochise County was so widesread that the county's flu cases catapulted Arizona to the top of the US list of states hit by the flu. Getting the flu is bad enough but getting the flu on a Road Trip is exponentially worst than getting the flu at home.

We immediately canceled our cross border walk and began looking warily for anyone coughing or sneezing. We decided to skee-daddle out of Douglas ASAP Friday morning. And that's why we arrived so early at the Cave Creek Visitor Center. The volunteers there told us to hurry to Sunny Flat campground as there “might” be one spot left. Luckily, the volunteers were correct—Site #6 was open and we snagged it right away. Within mere minutes another camper drove through Sunny Flat looking for an open spot. That's how close we came to coming up empty handed in the Friday scramble for a campsite.

Without doubt, we would not have left Douglas so early if we had not read the scary headline. And, so there ya go, that's how the flu did us a huge favor.

Geronimo

Why were we so excited to meet some of the Geronimo Hot Shots on Saturday? Well, it's a long story, so pull up a chair.

As most of our Dear Friends know, we closely follow the wild fire season each year. Ever since we moveed to Flagstaff in October 1980, we've had a special affinity for Hot Shot crews. Our first roomie in Flag was a member of The Happy Jack Hot Shots. Oh, the stories he told. In early 1981, Mark even helped me get a temporary job with a the Blue Ridge Hot Shot crew. The 1980-81 Winter was a drought. Fire crews set fire to slash piles in late fall expecting winter snows to extinguish those fires. Well, there wasn't enough winter snow to do the job. So, we rode a Hot Shot bus around Mogollon Rim Country putting out slash pile fires. The job didn't last long and, back then, I had no interest in becoming a seasonal forest fire fighter. But those experiences laid the foundation of my interest and affinity for all-things-Hot-Shot. These days Hot Shots are formally known as IHC's. The acronym means “Interagency Hot Shot Crew.”

A few years back, I began following the “fire season” much more closely. And then came The Yarnell Hill Tragedy. The loss of The Arizona 19 greatly affected my emotions. After that sad, heart-rending incident, I began to follow the IHC's with much more interest, even becoming a “fan” of a few of them.

The IHC I began to follow most closely was The Geronimo Hot Shots based in San Carlos, Arizona. Somehow, the all Native IHC crew really captured my attention. It's so tough for a Native man to avoid drugs, alcohol and the other common pitfalls of life on a reservation. Following the exploits of the Geronimo IHC filled my heart with pride and respect for those 20 men.

As we began planning our Southeast Arizona Road Trip, I realized that we would be going right through The San Carlos Reservation. I immediately made plans to detour into San Carlos, Arizona, to attempt to find and meet one or more of the Geronimo IHC. Then we had to change our plans because of the on-going NPS fiasco with the closed road in Chiricahua National Monument. I admit to be saddened that we wouldn't be going through San Carlos.

Fast forward to Friday, March 4^th. We left Douglas, Arizona, heading north on Old US 80 to Rodeo, New Mexico, and the renowned Cave Creek Canyon beyond. We eagerly anticipated passing the 1934 Geronimo Monument and pulled over in Apache, Arizona, to stand and reflect on the surrender of Geronimo at Skeleton Canyon in the nearby Peloncillo Mountains. Somehow standing there at that odd, lonely monument we had a flood of thoughts about America's Natives both past and present. Of course, we thought of the Geronimo IHC and wondered if they had ever visited the area of their namesake's surrender.  We also thought of Wayne Ranney.  Wayne was here on September 6th, 1986 for the Geronimo Surrender Centennial.  Wayne invited us to go along and we didn't.  It's something we've regretted ever since.

As we left the Geronimo Monument, we noticed a distant smoke plume in the Peloncillos. We assumed it was a managed burn and didn't give it any thought. Little did we know the smoke was from the 6,500 acre Guadalupe Pass Fire, a human-caused incident in the Peloncillo Mountains near Skeleton Canyon that began March 2^nd.

We set up our base in the Sunny Flat Campground and then went back down to Rodeo the following day. While buying ice in the Rodeo Grocery and Cafe, we learned the gracious owners provided free WIFI. So we set up our laptop and settled in for a long stay. We ate a leisurely lunch and began posting to various social media.

And then, out of the clear blue sky, who should walk into the grocery store but the Geronimo Hot Shots! My Heroes! I admit to being stunned by their arrival. However, it didn't take long for me to begin talking with them and telling them that I actually had planned to go to San Carlos to try to meet one or more of then.

The crew boss introduced me to Squad Leader Mario Dia. He's the guy who makes videos of The Geronimo Hot Shots exploits. One of the guys helped find Mario's latest video and bookmarked it on my laptop. 

Here's the link to the video of the Geronimo Hot Shots 2015 season:

https://youtu.be/7_iseukkMNU

Several of them reluctantly posed for a photo by Susun and then, poof, they were gone. What are the odds that this amazing coincidence would happen?

We were so happy that we finally, actually got to meet some of the Geronimo Hot Shots, most especially Video Master Mario Dia. It was a great vignette of Road Trip Karma.

Here are two links:

The Geronimo Hot Shots website:

http://forestry.scat-nsn.gov/publicweb/geronimo.html

The Guadalupe Pass Fire Inciweb Site:

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4664

Road Trip Report #2

Typing away here in the Douglas Mickey's D's.  (AKA: McDonalds).  No time this morning to process and post photos.  The connection here is very slow.

Here's the chronology without much commentary:

We really enjoyed the Tubac Trailer Tether and is was a little sad to leave Tuesday morning.   We spent most of the day in Nogales.  Luckily, all the US shopping stops were grouped together to we didn't have to navigate too many time spots with the trailer.

The Pimaria Alta Museum was a real hoot.  (See post about Able & Willing.) Very helpful Staff who told us about the pedestrian entry to Mexico.  We also learned how to find the historic obelisk,  Spent quiet a long time walking around the Mexican side looking for the elusive galvanized buckets.  Came up empty handed and were probably the only tourists to enter and leave with spending so much as a dime.

Made a short shop in Patagonia and then on to Sonoita.  Took an hour to drive out to Parker Canyon Lake.   Very sweet spot.   Only one other RV rig there.  Witnessed a Search & Rescue incident. (See post about the Air Show.) Did the 5-mile hike around the lake on Wednesday.  This part of Arizona feels and somewhat looks like a militarized zone.  The campground was very nice.

Thursday it was time to go once again.  We arrived in Tombstone about mid-morning and took in all the typical sights and sounds of a town seemingly frozen in time. Even though the OK Corral shootout only took a maximum of 20 seconds it continues to define the place.

Afterwards, it was on to Whitewater Draw to see thousands of sandhill cranes.  Luckily, we arrived as hundreds of them were returning from their morning feed.  Then we drove to Bisbee and felt fortunate to pay $5 for a suitable, safe parking spot for the trailer. We will write a long post about Bisbee someday.

And then it was on to Douglas.  After  gawking at the Gadsden Hotel, we went to the Police Station to inquire as to where it might be legal to park overnight.  That's how we wound up spending Thursday night in the Visitor Center parking lot.

We got up at 6 AM and headed to Mickey D's for coffee and WIFI.

Today we will spend at least half a day in Douglas before heading to Portal via Rodeo.  Next WIFI will probably be in Bowie a few days from now.

Able and Willing

(Editor's Note: The narrative below is a verbatim transcription of an information sheet provided by The Pimaria Alta Museum, including all the dubious grammar and run on sentences.)

As a post office was being established in Nogales in 1882, a fire-fighting organization or 'bucket brigade,” known as the Independent Hose Company, who equipment consisted of a few ladders, axes and buckets, was already in existence.

In 1895, The Arizona Territorial Legislature pass an act providing for organization of volunteer fire departments in cities and towns of Arizona. Shortly after this legislation, Captain L.W. Mix, R.H. Clarke and W.W. Flewelling committee themselves to organize a fire department for the town of Nogales. Due to the aggressiveness of the officers and members, the department grew rapidly. In the same month of March, 1895, they contracted to purchase all the fire fighting equipment from the town of Tombstone. The old hand pumper “Able and Willing” and other fire-fighting equipment including a hand drawn hook and ladder wagon and a hand drawn hose cart was purchased from the Tombstone Fire Department for $150, paid in monthly installments of $25. The equipment, along with Able and Willing” was brought to Nogales free of charge, courtesy of the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad and became an important part of Papago Engine #1, later Papago Engine and Hose Co. #1. Tombstone was a boom town in those days and money was plentiful so Tombstone had no further use for this equipment as they had just installed a complete new water system.

The date which Tombstone purchased “Able and Willing” is not known. What is known is that Tombstone suffered two very serious fires during its early history. The first was June 22, 1881, and another on May 26, 1882. According to the dates of the fires and the manufacture date of 1881 on “Able and Willing,” we can only speculate that the old hand pumper was purchased after the first fire and might have played a role in fighting the second fire in 1882.

“Able and Willing” was manufactured by L. Button and Sons of Waterford, New York in 1881. When a fire occurred, “Able and Willing,” probably the oldest and only existing hand-drawn fire apparatus in the entire southwest, was used to draw water out of the many cisterns and shallow wells that existed all over town at the time, and to pump the water through hoses attached to its outlets. It is noted in an old department record that on one occasion when “Able and Willing” was put to work, the fire chief ordered a member of the department to cease lending a hand at the pump handled because he had not paid his dues. (City legend has it that each man promptly paid his dues for the privilege of soiling his clothes fighting fires.)

An interesting fact about “Able and Willing” is that it had to be pulled by the firemen because of a construction design flaw in the rod or shaft, which wasn't properly situated to mount to horses. It is not known if “Able and Willing” was actually the name given to the apparatus by the company. Some say it may have been the motto or logo adopted by the volunteers themselves and later painted onto the apparatus.

In 1917, Nogales purchased its first motorized pie e of fire apparatus. It was a new American La France hose and ladder truck with a four-cylinder engine, solid rubber tires on wooden spoke wheels with a chain driven rear axle. “Able and Willing” then occupied one of the two bays of the new fire house alongside the new truck, but was seldom used except in parades and fire department festivities.

“Able and Willing” served its time until 1923, when it was laid to rest in Mayor L.W. Mix's barn. In 1937, the fire engine was brought out for a parade and was then displayed in the city park. However, serious weathering hurt the old pumper and it was placed back into storage in the civic building. In 1948, the pumper was displayed in the city park for the second time, but had to be put away because of vandalism. “Able and Willing” was again stored in the civic building until 1970, at which point it was loaned to the Tuscon Rodeo Parade Association. In 1980, “Able and Willing” was brought back to Nogales for display at the Pimaria Alta Historical Society, where it is now retired permanently.

The Air Show

Cochise County Search & Rescue (SAR) at Parker Lake.

Minute after we pulled into Site #3 at the USF Parker Lake campground, a Choice County Sheriff's helicopter began buzzing the area, flying repeatedly low overhead. At first, we thought it might be a training exercise. But not long afterwards, Cochise County Sheriff's Deputies and SAR Staff began staging at the Parker Lake Store parking lot.

Occasionally, the county helicopter would land in the parking area and we could see officials conferring with each other. By and by the county helicopter departed toward the Huachuca Mountains and, CHA-ZAAM, the legendary DP Bell Jet Ranger arrived on the scene.

Boy-Oh-Boy, that's when The Air Show began. The county pilot had been very conservative, flying at a safe high altitude and also doing very slow turns and maneuvers. All that safety stuff went right out the window with the DPS pilot. It was a truly breathtaking display of aerial daring. We couldn't even believe how incredibly fast the DPS helicopter flew so daringly low over the tops of the trees. At times it appeared as if the DPS chopper' skids were touching the top branches of the trees. The chopper flew into impossibly tight turns and dips. It was often so low, it stirred up large swirling dust clouds. The one time it passed right over our campsite, it was probably less than 50 feet overhead.

The DPS acrobatics rivaled anything we've seen in old Vietnam movies. That DPS pilot did practically ever tricky maneuver possible with his chopper. It wouldn't surprise me if he was actually pushing the cockpit plexiglass into the vegetation! Some of his low passes were so close to the trees and rocks, it seemed impossible that he could somehow avoid either collision or having his rotors ripped up by the trees. Finally, the light level dropped down to near darkness and the DPS chopper wisely headed back toward home bae in Tucson.

A SAR volunteer patrolled through the campground and he told us a local woman went out for walk in the morning and never returned. Her husband called in a “missing report.” Not long after we chatted with the SAR volunteer, all the Deputies and SAR Staff abruptly packed up and left. POOF, just like that.

We spent the evening discussing what kind of various scenarios could have unfolded. There were no indications whatsoever of a recovery having taken place. Nor was there any sign that the “missing person” had been found and brought back by SAR Staff or the DPS chopper. We surmised the “missing person” must have been found alive and well someplace else other than where she was thought to be missing.

Susun talked to a Sierra Vista fisherman the following day and he said he hadn't heard anything on the morning news before departing for Parker Lake. We also encountered a local couple who saw the same scenes we saw. They had not heard anything either. We will most likely never know what happened. However, regardless of the outcome of the SAR activity at Park Lake, we witnessed some of the wildest helicopter aerial acrobatics and daring-do we've ever seen.

We apologize that some of the photos are blurry. We lucky ANY of the photos are in focus—that pilot was flying so fast it made our heads spin!