Hot Rod Reunion 2013

Car Guys take note.  Last Saturday evening, we went to a Hot Rod Reunion at the Yuma Drag strip.  If this picture of a mid-60’s A/Gas coupe moves your heart to the same beat as mine, you want to click {or Cut & Paste to your browser} the link below which will direct you to my Google+ account.  Most of the pictures are decent quality, the few I took of the action on the drag strip are not as I am camera limited to a snapshot format.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105455385885984006154/posts/bpyXMVtrWeu

This is my 1st attempt at using Google+, please advise if you have problems.

Charlie & Sue Schaffer sent us an e-mail advising that we visit the Kratchner Caverns.  This is a local tourist stop that we would have overlook with out their prodding. 

It never ceases to amaze me how often we find out that we are very close to a surreal Serendipity find and don’t know it.  This is most evident with regards to public domains that have very small advertising budgets.

You may remember that last July we visited the Mammoth in Kentucky which was explored in the late 1800’s.  The major difference between the two is that the Kratchner Cavern were 1st discovered in 1974 by 2 private cavers who realized it’s significance.  It took them {and the property owners, The Kratchner} 14 years to have the State of Arizona assume the responsibility for the development of this site.  I post no pictures as cameras and phones are denied access.

Please Click onto the link above where you will see the story and many professional pictures.

We were attacked by a giant sloth, I gave it a few dog cookies so he left Anne-Marie alone.  Another close call during our journey.

Access to the cavern is made by a 1/2 mile tram ride to the engineered opening in the side of the mountain.  Once inside, you must stay in a walkway which winds about 1/2 mile.

 

I wish I could show you a picture of the floor of the mail room.  It covers about 2 acres in size, it is a mud pond that is thousands of years old.  The 2 explorers (Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts) had no choice but to traverse it in 1974.  They left 1 set of tracks which are the only sign of their trip to this day.

3 hours ago I had a pesky #5 tooth yanked, it has been terrorizing me for several years, already I’m feeling well enough to travel to Tombsone for a Past Master’s meeting at their Lodge, King Solomon #5.

Late news to follow….

Bisbee Wandering Back to the 60’s 2013

 

BisBee, AZ is about 50 miles and 50 years south of here.  A small copper and silver mining town, it was founded in 1880 and hasn’t advanced too far in the it’s 1st hundred years.  We arrived around noontime, a mistake in early summer as it was about 88° with full sun.

We were unable to take the mine tour as it was 47° down there and we were dressed for 90° with t-shirts and shorts.

Down in town we started to wander through the streets that had about 2 miles of store fronts.  Pictures are worth a thousand words they say:

Eclectic doesn’t do it justice.  The restorations and rehabilitations move forward, MANY of the store fronts are 100% solar powered.  The shop owners are friendly and engaging, encouraging you to peruse their antiques, arts and crafts.

A great many places in the deep south west use swamp coolers.  They are only useful in very dry climates as they cool by evaporating water into the air supply and thereby increasing the humidity.  Their primary benefit is that they are very cheap to buy and run as compared to A/C.   When  used you have to use the cooler on one end of the structure and open windows/doors on the other end to make the cool air flow through.

Mine equipment is displayed in several areas.  The Philips-Dodge company ruled the miners with an iron hand in the early 1900’s.  Ruthless?  Read about the time the company in collusion with the railroad Deported over 1,186 miners to Mexico.  Our government did nothing to it’s citizens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 180 steps goes up 3 street level.  Not having nitro with me, I passed!

There is a hearse tour, again I passed as I was feeling quite well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This may be the only pink Masonic I’ve found on this tour.  I’m think the ladies of The Eastern Star supplied the paint.  Yes, It still meets

On the way home, we went through a ‘Hole in the Wall’ which symbolically brought us back to modern times.

7 Miles south of Sargasso CO-op, we found a Benedictine Monastery buried in the woods.  The cross was barely visible from the road. We drove in {sometimes you have to Search for Serendipity} and discovered a very pleasant setting.  The Brothers support themselves in part with a small campground.

 

 

 

 

We had a very pleasing 48th Anniversary dinner in town at the Horse Shoe restaurant where the kind lady mixed me up a batch of homemade ginger ale.  What’s that?  Sprite with a dash of cola.  Close but no cigar, the bourbon masked the taste.

Mom said it wouldn’t last, 48 years Ago!

 

Mom’s wisdoms are usually spot on.  They are allowed a small mistake, mine seems to have missed the mark on this prognostication.  Happy Anniversary to us, we will celebrate today with a short trip to Bisbee, Az for sightseeing and lunch.  Last night’s treat was Strawberry Shortcake with home made warm Biscuits and Local Straw Berries.  Can I hear an AMEN?

We traveled to Tucson to get a quote on some repair work that we will defer due to cost.  I called a usual source in Yuma, his business is closed until Nov.1st due to the 110° daytime temperatures!  It’s a small bit of delamination that I can repair myself when we are back in Texas saving about $2k.

Next we went to Sahuarita, AZ to be hosted by George & Barbra Kotrady where we visited with them and Richard and Ursula Kaminsky who were vacationing with them. We went to lunch at a local Mexican resturant after which we returned to Benson.

This is a ‘56 Metro, reminds me of our ‘54.  Cars seem to last forever out here with no moisture of salt to feed the rust worms.  A truck such as ours (that was originally titled in New England) takes a big hit in it’s value!

 

We are kind of excited about the new Discovery Channel’s Program ‘North America’  that will be aired starting this Sunday evening.  Tune in, the preview was very well done

 

 

 

 

 

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Nature in the Desert 2013

Last week I showed you a picture of these mountains as illuminated by the sunset.  This morning the sun came up at 5:15 and gave us this display.  The Dragoon Mountains are 45 miles east of us.  They are the location of Cochise's Stronghold.  It is a narrow gully surrounded by high rock cliffs where Cochise spent his last 15 years while evading the US Army that pursued his band relentlessly.  The redoubt allowed his band to raid and plunder at will, in the end it became his tomb.

My reading {more like studying}  of Lone Star: A History of Texas and The Texans by TR Fehrenbach caused me to want to see this site.  The Indian Wars are glossed over in our American history classes in the interest of being Politically Correct.  Ruthless and Vicious are the operative adjectives when the Apaches and Cherokees come up as a subject.

So, we took a daytrip and were pleasantly surprised.  Of course before we could enter the area we had to assure that we were carrying potable water and had left out Bow & Arrows at home.

At the end of the road we found a very pleasant wilderness campground.  It had spaces delineated for 25’ campers.  I would not consider bring in anything larger than a pop up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re not sure which of our government’s departments is responsible for stacking boulders, the folks in commend at this location are doing a wonderful job.  These are a few of the orphan rocks we saw on the 5 mile (washboard & dirt} road into the Stronghold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The landscape here matches much of the west as it seems to consist of random stacks of huge boulders.  It will no doubt take a few Bazzilion years before they can build golf courses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Than-you again Arizona for adding about 5% to the cost of your highway program and decorating you bridges and interchanges.

And now, a word from our sponsor.  in the East, you folks have the South of the Border to entertain you as you travel north and south on I-95.  In Arizona, They have 247 billboards admonishing you to visit: ‘THE THING’

I did not buy a Souvenir, T-shirt or any Jewelry.  You will have to let your mind wander as to how great this was.

Couldn’t close without wish a Happy Anniversary to Grace & Wayne Rettburg.  This is a favorite picture from last year’s 25th celebration when they renewed their vows.

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day 2013

What better way to start Mother’s day than a great big kiss from your puppy?

 

Mother’s Day is a favorite holiday of mine.  It reminds me of the great pleasure it was to be involved.

 

 

When we have a small amount of rain out here, the desert celebrates by bursting into flower.  I took a few photos on last evening’s walk.  While they are pretty, be warned that they all have thorns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m thinking if we buy one of these Fiat’s we can save a little on the fuel bill.

 

This evening the Saguaro CO-op is having a Surf & Turf dinner for the ladies.  Steak, Lobster Tail, Baked Spud and side dishes for $10!

We will be there!