Mileage: 69,440

Wilcox/Cochise KOA Wilcox, Arizona

I followed Tim this morning until the road was a little smoother and then we hitched the Jeep to the RV and traveled on. It was a lovely morning. Very chilly…but lovely. The sky was streaked with feathery clouds which made the whole desert look softer.

We drove from the Dragoon Mountains across the Sulfur Springs Valley to the Chiricahua Mountains.

Lots of wineries…we actually bought a bottle of Sirah from Pearce!

Chiricahua National Monument is a Sky Island. The Chiricahua Apache Indians lived here from the early 1400’s . When the Spanish arrived in the 1500’s, the Apaches rejected attempts of the newcomers to colonize the native people. The Apaches were nomads, prolific hunters, and fierce warriors. In 1886, the Apaches were badly outnumbered and finally surrendered. The tribe was moved onto reservation land in Oklahoma and New Mexico. The Apaches called this area “the land of standing up rocks.”

Columns, pillars, and balanced rocks!

Mexican Jay.

The Chiricahua Mountains are in the foreground. The Sulfur Springs Valley we crossed this morning from the Dragoon Mountains in the distance.

Cochise Head…can you see him laying on his back looking at the sky? His prominent forehead and long hooked nose…

After completing the 6 mile scenic drive, we decided to take the Pinery Canyon Road, a primitive, unimproved road, and find our lunch spot.

We found our lunch spot at an old abandoned mine…I was too chicken to even put my head in the door…too many creepy things might live in there!

We drove on to Wilcox, Arizona to a nice KOA campground.

Wilcox was recommended by Claudia. This is the wintering home for about 30,000 sandhill cranes. The birds begin to arrive in September. There are several viewing spots. Tim was tired but I couldn’t miss an opportunity to go out and look for the birds.

The Cochise Lake had lots of ducks floating around…ordinarily I would have been happy to look at the ducks but today was about the sandhill cranes!

There were none in the water…but I saw the large birds flying overhead. I probably saw a couple of hundred flying in formation and bugling their unique and crude song!

Sunset back at the campground.

Tim got to watch the final game of the World Series. I got to see the cranes…everybody is happy! It’s supposed to be chilly tonight…in the 30’s…we need to head east and maybe south to find someplace warmer!

Mileage:  69,354

Cochise Stronghold Campground Pearce, Arizona

We started driving early this morning. It has been a weeks since we were on a major interstate for any length of time and it felt odd to us!

We had heard that Cochise Stronghold was an interesting place to visit.  The only campground in the area, was several miles down a dirt road.  We made our way very slowly and arrived around noon. 

After lunch, we set out to explore the area.  Cochise was an Apache Indian Chief from the Chiricahua Clan.  Cochise chose this canyon as a place for his people because there is only one way to access the canyon.  He was able to guard the entrance with Indians on horseback.  They lived here from 1852-1872.  During those years, the Apaches were frequently involved in violent struggles with the neighboring settlers. We are in the Dragoon Mountains.

Our second reason for staying in this area was to see the town of Pearce, Arizona.  This is an abandoned historic ghost town.  It was a mining town.  The town was named for James Pearce who found gold here in 1894.  In the 1940’s the mine was closed.  There is a Pearce Society dedicated to the preservation of the old town.  It was neat to see this place. 

The Pearce Jail.

The Old Store.

The Post Office.

There is an elementary school here and the Miners are their mascot.

On our way out of Pearce, Tim saw a snake in the road.  He circled back and he could see that it was a Mojave rattlesnake.  He circled around again so that I could get pictures from the Jeep window.  He was coiled and rattling!  I know that he can only strike 2/3 of his body length.  He was about 3 feet long…and I was COMPLETELY safe Mom!

We took Middlemarch Road, an easy gravel road, up to Middlemarch Pass.  The views were very pretty.

We took another road to a Soren Pass. 

We saw lots of hawks today and lots of deer.  The Arizona whitetail deer or Coues are a different variety of whitetail than we have at home.  They are much smaller and rarer…though we have seen several every day. 

The mine at Soren Pass.

It was getting dark as we returned to our campsite.

We had an easy dinner of rotisserie chicken and salads. It gets dark so early…we can’t even stay up until 9pm!

Day 6

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

It was another great morning for a bike ride.

There is an equestrian camping area here as well.

We parked our bikes and hiked an easy trail.

There was a rock in the sandy trail that I did not see. I must have tread on it just the wrong way. I twisted my ankle and I went down. It took me several minutes to gather myself but I was able to hobble back to my bike and ride back to the RV. I can bear weight…though gingerly! So, I spent most of the day resting and elevating and icing…a forced day of relaxation!

While I rested, I watched this gila woodpecker. It was digging pulp out of the hole in the tree and throwing it out. It reappeared every minute or so and then at last, flew off.

By late afternoon, with Advil and ice and lots of TLC, my ankle was feeling better. We had an appointment at 4WP for new sturdier differential covers. When the Jeep was ready, we drove back toward the campground, stopping at Olive Garden for wine and dinner.

Last night, we got back to the campground at around 9:30. We decided to ride through to see if we could see any nocturnal wildlife. We saw a skunk and a jackrabbit. Tonight after dinner, we rode through again. This time I had my camera ready. We saw 3 jackrabbits but they were too fast and too far away.

We also saw 3 skunks. Trust me…these are all pictures of skunks!

Tomorrow it is time to move on!

Day 5

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

One of the best things about staying at Catalina State Park has been our morning bike rides!

The rest of the day was devoted to getting caught up on laundry, groceries, and other errands.

Tim was able to watch NASCAR this afternoon.

Tonight, we were invited to spend the evening with Lee and Claudia. It was the last time we will see them for awhile. We are so thankful for this new friendship, for time together, for gracious and generous hospitality, for sockeye salmon, BBQ, coffee, wine and conversation! Until we meet again…

Day 4

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

Today was a good day!! We met Lee and Claudia at 9 am and drove to the Catalina Highway. We followed their “Little Green Toad!”

The road is a twisting, winding road up to the top of Mount Lemmon. We started at about 2,500 feet of elevation in Tucson. We were in the desert.

We all stopped for lunch at Sawmill Run. We sat on the patio and enjoyed nice salads and sandwiches.

As we ascended we passed through aspen trees, and finally ponderosa pines. We were at almost 10,000 feet. The views were stunning and it was a perfect weather day.

On the way down the mountain, we took the back-road, a gravel road…no 4WD necessary…just a nice country ride!

The very best part of today was that we were able to share something we enjoy with two people whom we have come to love! Lee and Claudia, thanks for a beautiful day!

We stopped to check out the local laundromat for laundry fun tomorrow and we got some BBQ for a quick and easy dinner.

The light was already changing as we got back to the campground, dusty and happy!

Day 3

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLE!!

We began our day with a nice bike ride in the state park.  After breakfast, we went to Biosphere 2.  The earth has a geosphere which is the hard surface of our planet.  There is a hydrosphere which is the water.  There is an atmosphere which is our weather and the air surrounding the earth.  Lastly, there is the biosphere…all of the living things on the planet.  Biosphere 2 is an elaborate research facility affiliated with the University of Arizona. 

The original mission of this facility was to create a simulation of the earth that would be closed, sealed and self-containing.  In the early 90’s, in this environment, 8 people lived for 2 years and then a second crew for 7 months. The enclosure supplied its own oxygen, recycled its own water, and the crew was responsible for cultivating their own crops to feed themselves. 

The buildings have been used to recreate some of earth’s biomes.  There is an ocean, a rainforest, a desert, a marsh and a savanna biome.  All of the biomes work together to provide oxygen, light, water, and other things necessary for life.  This is an incredibly complex experimental arena.  The different biomes can be sealed off from one another and the temperature, humidity, and even rainfall can be controlled. 

As you can imagine…it is difficult to replicate the earth in a controlled setting!

Research was conducted here on the effects of increased carbon dioxide on the ocean.  The scientists were able to accurately predict that as acidity levels rose in the sea water, the shellfish and coral would have a harder time absorbing calcium carbonate from the water.  As a consequence, coral grows much slower. 

There is also a lot of work here being done regarding aquaponics.  This system uses koi.  The koi are fed and their waste and the water is cycled through a bed of lava rock.  The nutrients from the fish waste, feed the plants and the plants and rocks filter the water.  The plants wrap their roots around the rock and take hold.  Fruits and vegetables are produced.  In other systems, sustainable, edible fishes are used.  This system uses far less water than traditional farming.  When you water an open field all the water showered on the crops is lost.  In this closed system, 90% of the water is retained for re-use.  The fruits and vegetables that are produced are nutritionally comparable to food grown in soil…but because no soil is used…the vegetables do not taste quite the same.

Other research is being conducted about the use of solar panels to shelter crops.  The solar panels improve the efficiency of the growing food.  They also allow for the water that would evaporate, to be conserved and to provide moisture for the seedlings.  The solar panels also become more effective at harvesting energy because the plants emit a cooling effect.  The idea is that if this could be used in large agricultural areas, laborers working in the fields could also be sheltered by the panels from the blistering Arizona sun.  

The research possibilities are endless.  The idea though is that the scientists continue to work to find ways to make the earth’s resources more sustainable.

To make all of this work requires an extensive underground system of controls.  The large white barrels are called clouds.  They house the water to make the project work. 

The most amazing thing was “The Lung.”  When the original facility was built, engineers realized that because the system was closed, the heat from the Arizona sun would expand inside.  If there was not a method for dealing with this expanding air, the whole place could explode.  Similarly, on a cold desert night, the air would contract.  All of this air flow had to have a place to go.  This giant metal diaphragm was constructed.  The rubber ring around the metal plate allows the dome to raise to accommodate high pressure or warm air, and to contract again as the air gets cooler…so amazing!

This is Project LEO. Each of the three enclosures is comprised of basalt hillsides. The research is to determine how water flows through a slope and how rock is broken down to make soil.

A wood scorpion. Tiny…only an inch or so long…and poisonous…enough to sting and hurt!

There were other environmental message as well.

And…some cool mineral samples.

There is so much more to see at this amazing place. If you are in Tucson and you like science stuff…go!

This evening we went to Lee and Claudia’s for a sockeye salmon dinner.  Lee and Claudia caught the fish while spending this summer in Alaska. We spent the evening feasting and sharing travel stories. 

Day 2

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

After yesterday’s ordeal, we did not want to take a Jeep trail! We decided to cycle on the Canada Del Oro Riverfront Bike Trail.

This was a lovely paved, safe place to ride. It was kind of windy. We always prefer to ride into the wind first and use the tailwind on the way back!

This wildlife connection post was erected by a local girl scout troop. I love the messages!

Our lunch spot.

We had a delightful tailwind, we hardly had to pedal! We were enjoying just coasting along and missed our turn…which meant we had to bike back into the headwind to get back on track. No worries…it was good work and a perfect day to be riding!

The highlight of our day was reconnecting with Lee and Claudia! We were invited for wine before dinner. We enjoyed dinner at The Views. We went back to their house for coffee after dinner. It is so nice to spend time with them,we have so much in common!

Mileage:  69,230

Catalina State Park Tucson, Arizona

We heard the coyotes again last night…first in the distance and then they sounded so close…like maybe they were in the campground!

We had a short drive today.  We stopped for our breakfast at this Tom Mix rest area.  Tom Mix was the very first American cowboy movie star.  He and his horse, Tony, did 291 films, all but 9 were silent, from 1909-1935.  This was the beginning of the western genre of film.  Tom Mix was killed at this site in a car accident when he crashed his flashy yellow Cord into a construction barrier and rolled into a wash. 

We drove to Catalina Sate Park just north of Tucson.  We were lucky to get a spot here for the next 4 nights.  The view from our campsite.

We took our bikes out to explore the park.

We have seen lots of roadrunners and I had been trying to capture a good picture…Roadrunner, the Coyote’s after you…Roadrunner, if he catches you, you’re through!

After lunch, Tim wanted to go for a Jeep ride.  We had heard about the Charouleau Gap Trail from our friend, Lee, in Tucson.  We also read about it in our guidebook and the ranger here at the park recommended it as a wild ride.  It is a 19-mile trail into a very isolated and remote area.  The book called it a hard-core Jeep trail, difficult and challenging…but we have done other difficult and challenging trails!  It began in a dense thicket of agave, yucca, saguaro, prickly pear, creosote, mesquite, cholla, and lots of other scrubby stuff.  The trail was a gentle undulating ride in sandstone and on sand.

We made it to the Charouleau Gap where the views were very pretty. 

There was a steep climb where we decided to air down the tires even further.

After the gap, the trail got incredibly dicey.  We had come too far to turn around and go back the other way. 

NO KIDDING!!

The first time I thought we were going to roll over…I knew we were in pretty deep.  Tim and I built a ramp out of rock to get the Jeep up and over the tough part.  The tough parts just kept on coming.  

The second VERY difficult portion was extremely steep and long with large rock obstacles.  Tim had me climb out of the Jeep and stand on top of the hill.  As he tried to maneuver up the hill and it was tipping badly, I knew he had sent me up the hill, not to watch for rocks…but rather to keep me safe.  Tim was patient and methodical and determined to get us up and out of there and with perseverance, he and the Jeep climbed that hill.   It is amazing what that man and that machine can do together.  My heart was pounding as I watched as one of the front tires rose two feet off the ground.  It wasn’t fun.  It was still an adventure and between the two of us…we were going to get home safely!

The third terrible obstacle had Tim plenty worried…and he really doesn’t ruffle too easily.  Once again slowly and surely, he climbed his way up the sharp steep rocks.

When we got to the part with the 2-foot climb onto the trail, I almost cried.  By now, it was getting dark…I got out while Tim drove that Jeep right up and over the obstacle. 

It was still pretty…just hard to notice!

At twilight we caught sight of a coati running across the trail. She was followed by a baby coati. Too fast to get a picture…but here’s one I googled!

The trail was tight and narrow and the limbs of all of those scratchy trees scraped at the sides of the Jeep.  That almost didn’t matter somewhere in the middle of the trip…we just wanted OUT!  Thankfully, by the time it really got dark, we were over the worst parts.  The Elevator Shaft, steep and loose rock, seemed relatively easy!  Did I mention that the trail was difficult to navigate???  As we drove, I kept watching for any kind of marker that showed we were headed in the right direction…just when I would get worried, we would find another landmark.  At the end though, we really were not sure.  I was so grateful to find that GPS was finally showing that we were on a real road that led to a paved road that led to the campground.

I didn’t take too many pictures because we were just trying to survive!  If you want to see what craziness we really endured…look up Charouleau Gap Trail and watch the YouTube videos!!

If you are thinking of taking this ride…think carefully!  Take a buddy! 

We stopped at Lupe’s for dinner.  It was almost 7:00. 

It will be a very long time before Tim can convince me to go on a hard-core Jeep trail!  This was a very INTENSE experience and we are quite lucky that we made out as well as we did.  The Jeep has some scrapes and scratches…but it’s okay and we are okay!

Day 3

Ranch Sonora RV Resort Florence, Arizona

For the last two nights we have heard the coyotes howling in the middle of the night.  We saw this one this morning on the road to Casa Grande.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument preserves the ancient ruins of the Ancestral People of the Sonoran Desert.

We watched the video which was well done and helped to give the site context.  We were very fortunate to be able to take a tour with Dick Fox, a volunteer at the park.  He was fun and knowledgeable!  He clearly enjoys what he does!

This structure was 4 stories high.  It was fashioned out of mud or a primitive form of concrete.  It took 3,000 tons of “caliche” to form the walls.  There were no tools with the exception of stones and wooden digging bars.  The walls were layered and allowed to dry before additional layers were added.  The walls were reinforced with wooden beams of juniper, fir, and pine.   The wood was hand carried or floated down the river from 60 miles away to this site.  Casa Grande was built around AD 1350.  The walls each face the four compass points.  There is a circular hole in the upper west wall that aligns directly with the setting sun at summer solstice.  There is a hole directly in the center of the west wall that receives the prevailing western winds to cool and ventilate the building.  There is a hole on the upper right-hand corner that aligns with the great moon…the position of the moon when it is closest to the earth.  This occurs every 18.6 years…but these people were able to ascertain the correct placement of the aperture.

We often think of ancient people as being primitive.  This society established a system of canals that diverted water from the Gila River.  This enabled them to irrigate crops so that farming yields were increased and reliable.

This site is considered sacred to the Ancestors of the Sonoran Desert People.  There are festivals and celebrations here.  There is a pair of great horned owls that nest in the old structure.  The native people consider the birds sacred also.

Remnants from breakfast?!?

We rode our bikes around the town of Coolidge.  There are a lot of empty buildings here but the town is clean and well cared for.  We stopped at Tags Café for omelets.

Tim got a haircut for $10.00 while I did some shopping. 

We stopped on the way back to the campground and took our bikes off the Jeep and cycled on some country farm roads.  It was flat, easy riding and even though it was almost 90 degrees, it was a nice day to be on bikes. 

There are 400,000 acres of cotton growing in this area.  It is time for harvest. 

Tim had just said that the mice probably like the cotton for their nests…look what I found…see the cotton stuffed into the hole?

We stopped to take pictures of the life of cotton…from blossom to cotton ball!

We grilled chicken quesadillas and pineapple and Tim watched Game 1 of the World Series.  Such a pleasant evening!!!

Day 2

Rancho Sonora RV Resort Florence, Arizona

We decided to stay another night at Rancho Sonora

Our Jeep trail today was into Box Canyon. We had to drive several miles on a dirt and gravel road before we got to the good part!

Breakfast spot.

We had fun passing through the narrow canyon. There were some big boulders to negotiate but nothing serious!

Take a ride with us…

We saw cactus wrens and hawks perched on saguaro cacti. We saw ground squirrels and a huge stag. We saw a jack rabbit with its comically large ears bounding across the road and into the safety of the underbrush. We saw a roadrunner and some quails. Then we saw these ladies…thankfully we did not meet them in the canyon!

Enjoying the ride!

This ledge was on the main route…we decided to take the alternate bypass!

On our way back to civilization…we got a little befuddled. The directions we had did not match the roads we were on…but no worries…from the top of the ridge we could see clearly that we were headed in the right direction…and we could always have turned back…but Tim DOES NOT turn back!!

The sun cast long shadows.

We watched the sun set as we grilled chicken feta burgers.

Tim watched Monday Night Football.

I took my black-light and searched the campground for scorpions. There are all kinds of small holes in the ground and I thought I might see something…but no luck tonight!