Up the backside, over the top, down the front.

Three guys in the RV Park and I had plans to take the Jeep and go up the backside of Mount Lemon today.
Well, yesterday they decided they would rather drive up the front in a car, and this morning they were worried about the 9,700 foot altitude and cancelled. So ,,,,,
Jimmy and I chose to go alone, which quite honestly, I prefer.
I havent done that trip in 25 years so had no idea what to expect. Had they improved the road, how far was it again, supposedly there was snow up there, etc. etc.
I filled the Jeep with gas and took an extra 10 gal. just in case, took additional water, just in case, sodas and sandwiches just in ,,,,, well you get the picture.

I had to drive to Oracle to catch the road to Mt. Lemon. The first 20 or so miles was graded dirt so not bad at all. Passed lots of hobby ranches and some old places. Was actually a nice beginning. Stopped at Peppersauce Canyon and hiked around a little.

Then the road narrowed and got more , ummm, exciting. There were lots of areas where the roadway was washed out from runoff during the rains. There was a Forest Fire a few years back and a lot of the vegetation hasnt returned yet.

I passed a mine, couldn't go up to it but did see the tailings. Then the road got more ,,,, ummmm ,,,, exciting LOL

The road narrow yet again, we had gotten up into the trees, and they were growing close to the road at times. But still looking for that elusive snow that I originally drove up to enjoy. 4 wheel drive and 10 mph now and a lot of bouncing. LOL

I dont know if I waited to long after the predicted 6 - 12" on Monday or if this is snow. Rather disappointing though. The mud looks better up close and in real life. The driving was getting ,,,,, ummmm, you know. LOL With the "snow" on the shady side of the road and melting across the road it made for some nice slushy driving along some very narrow and steep areas. It was right around here that a guy on a bicycle came round the corner heading down the mountain. Surprised me, and I would think him too since there wasnt much room. But he was staring at the drop off on hi side so hard and gripping the handlbars so tightly I couldn't tell if he was scared or just really concentrating. He didnt wave though.

I finally made the top. Here in Ski Valley which is advertised as the Southernmost ski destination in the country the snow was, again, disappointing. I was being nice and framing the pic to show all snow and not the large bare spots at the bottom of the lift. I was gonna ride the lift up but didnt. Still think I should have and not sure why I didnt. Here and especially in Summerhaven you could really tell the effects of the fire. There were more new cabins than old having been rebuilt after total loss and they were all on bare hillsides. Kinda sad in a way.

Heading down was fun. The road was paved and the gas mileage was great. There were a lot of bicyclists riding the 25 mile / 8,000 foot climb the further down I got the more refreshed they looked.

There was a guy about 23 miles up that looked like he first started and his friends looked like they were about dead. They probably didnt like biking with him a lot. LOL

Another guy heading down was doing about 20 mph and riding the center line. He refused to move over for traffic and would give me a dirty look if I tapped the horn. I had a line of cars behind me and kept having to ride the brakes until I finally got a spot where I could pass. He actually moved across the center line, I think to block me but on page 2 of the biking hadbook it says dont play chicken with cars. I got around, he was safely in my rearview, then everyone else decided to do it as well.

This picture was taken at about the 6,000 foot level. It shows some really nice rock formations. The idea was to show Gods handiwork up front shadowed in the rear by Mans. Thats Tucson below the smog.

I arrived at Molino Basin Campground where I had lived when I was 12. I had a bunch of pictures but cant find them. I know I e-mailed them from the phone but ,,,,

Towards the end of 1963 my Dad was laid off from his job as a presure vessel welder in Texas. They were beginning to build the missle silos in Southern Arizona so we moved to Tucson to find a job. I remember that trip well. There were my parents and my brother Randy (lives in Douglas Arizona now. I parked my RV there last winter when I went back home to Alaska) 

We were traveling in a Black 2-door 1949 Ford. Since it was quite hot we traveled most of the trip with the A/C on which consisted of all windows down. It was called 4 at 65. Meaning all 4 windows down and driving 65 mph. Now my Dad only hit 65 twice during every part of the trip, once speeding up and once again slowing down. West texas was HOT and I can empathize with my folks. 2 boys just over 10 in a hot car for a few days.

Anyway we made Tucson in Spring of 1964 and was camping in a tent at Molino Basin. There was a family near us that had a deaf daughter my age and we became inseparable. Where I was so was she and vice versa. My Dad wasnt finding the job he wanted because of an old injury to his shoulder preventing him from passing the physical so on July 5, 1964 we were packing up to head for Denver to look for work. A Mr. Miller came by to see my Dad. Seems the Forest Rangers who knew our situation had sent him and he owned a 40 acre mining claim across the road and up the canyon. My folks worked out a deal for us to live there while we continued to look for work.

It was a fantastic place for 2 young boys 11 and 12 to live. The rules in those days were to be home for dinner so we hiked, climbed, and roamed the mountains, canyons, and really everywhere within literally miles of the cabin. No close supervision, heck other than on the mountain our Mom had no idea where we were. We had our chores of course like finding and chopping wood, milking the goats, getting water, etc

The cabin had a wood cookstove and it was 10 miles down the mountain to school. I remember one trip where it had snowed really good and we drove down to go into school. At the bottom there was one of those "sandwich board" signs sitting in the road. My Mom said Bruce, see what that sign says. I told her it said road closed due to snow. We all laughed but after dropping us off for school she wasnt allowed to go back because the road was closed. no amount of argueing or saying the one set of tracks coming down were ours would work and she had to stay in town all day.

I had a teacher that would whack us on the knuckles with the metal edge of a ruler when we misbehaved which I tended to do with some regularity. I remember my Dad coming to school and in front of the class telling her I had a butt to spank if I mis-behaved but if she ever hit me with that ruler again ,,,,,,, I was sent to the office. Didnt seem fair 8(

I called my Mom to get some of this story and she told me this one. One of my little brothers (George) was born on the mountain. When he was a couple months old my Mom realized she needed to get the car ready for winter and had forgotten to. I guess my Dad was somewhere looking for work. Anyway she had Randy and Iget some extra wood in, made a few bottles of breast milk, etc. and told me that she had to head down the mountain to get the car done and if she wasnt back in two days we were to take the baby and hike the 4 miles over the ridge to the prison camp and they would know what to do. I guess I stood at the door and very solemly said Mom, please come back Im to young to be a Dad. 8)

Anyway, I digress, there are many stories from that mountain but I am talking about today. I stopped at Molina basin and decided to hike the 1/2 mile up the creek bed to see what I could see. I remembered there was a huge tree Randy and I use to play under (I honestly believe if I dug around under that big tree I would find some of the Hot Wheels my brother and I played with under the shading branches of that huge Pinion Tree.) so that was my goal, to find it.

Eventually I found the tree, and though still not really sure started walking the creek itself looking for remnants of a dam we had built across it to catch water and save my brother and I a mile walk to the campground to fill jugs. After walking the creek a short bit with a bunch of maybe here, no maybe there's, I came out and found a piece of the old slab from the floor of the cabin. (In fact the Arizona Trail crosses right over it) from there I saw that I had in fact found the correct tree and with these guiding points found some pieces from the dam we had built 50 years ago when I was 12.

I was looking around thinking, I remeber climbing those cliffs, Randy and I had a couple forts up in those rocks, I remember crossing that washout way up there once when we were trying to get above the falls (where we were NOT supposed to be) at the end of the canyon. I remember when that rattler cornered me on that cliff and I had to stand my ground against him. I looked down the creekbed and here was a group of people hiking and they were letting thier dogs and kids cool off in a couple of small pools of water.

One guy was walking on upstream away from the others and I said Hey, you want a little story from long ago about this place? he said sure and I began to tell him the tale of two young men who lived there 50 long years ago. he listened politely then said your hat.

Where's the bamboo Room. I said Haines Alaska why. he said I live in Skagway. I said go figure here we are 4,000+ miles from there, 1/2 mile from a road in a desert mountain streambed, whats the chances. WOW !!

So, he continued saying yeah, I spent many a day there drinking coffee with Layton Bennett.

I know Layton I said

to which he commented I use to fly for L.A.B. 

No ____ (Ashleigh wont let me say that word) my daughter use to be thier head dispatcher

Whats her name he asked

to which I said Amanda Hale

he said no kidding, I know her and her daughter Samantha, your her Dad?

I said yup.

He said I flew you all over the place up there your Bruce right?

Wow, whats your name? I asked

Francious he said

I remember you, wow, what are the chances.

We talked a little, I met his wife and daughter, tried to call Amanda but had no signal.

Coincedence, or guidance. You choose i just know that the chances of meeting someone from close to home out there and then to know them blah, blah, blah, Pretty cool in the grand scheme of coincidences or guidances. Either way it was cool

I had to stop for some dinner on the way home so with Dan in mind I had a burger and fries and a nice cup of ice water.

I have a sign in Box II that reads "Home is where I park" with that in mind I am home again. Tired but a great day, even better when I went over and told the wimps I did it anyway. Of course they all said they would have gone but ,,,,,,,,,, LOL

Homeboys homesick. 8)

And as a special treat he was rewarded with a Juneau Day, weatherwise at least.

It is cold, wet, rainy, and a bit of snow in then thar hills today. Reminds me so much of Juneau I just had to get out in it. Went for a walk before heading to church.

Kids Mom called on the way home just to talk, she was doing her taxes, and I guess she needed a distraction for a bit. Invited her to lunch but she wasn't interested. Guess she'd already eaten her small bird amount of food for the day, so I came home. Was actually going to finish the CB antenna wiring I began yesterday but got distracted and watched a movie and ate some Nutella. (Dang stuff is addicting even on wheat pretzel sticks) My friend Nick called and invited me out there with his girl friend to have dinner. So, Iitaliano Macaroni is on tap for dinner. His cooking is really good but he doesnt like leftovers so since I'm already fat i guess theres no harm in insisting I finish it off. Good thing his girlfriend moved in, that helps in my wieght issue. LOL

The last time I saw Judy (girls Mom) she gave me this camper for my camper. It sits at the edge of my table. I was thinking of modifying it and add front wheels, remove the tongue, and add a windshield but dont want to mess it up. Besides its cute as is.

The other day I went to Walmart to get something important (dont remember, thats how important it was) when i reutrned the guy behind me (Dale) was talking to a guy and pointing at me, so I walked over there and heard Dale say this is Bruce he'll but your last box. turns out the guy was selling meat (or as someone (Mick) pointed out meat'ish stuff). I hate, hate, hate high pressure salesmen. I usually throw up my hands and say fine, whatever, do your thing just leave me alone. Bad choice of words as you can see my freezer is full of Beef and chicken (by products LOL). I'll still be eating this stuff when I get back to Arizona. And when I return i'm not parking anywhere near Dale.

Jessica called the other morning (which was strange since I usually call her) I was worried fearing something was wrong with her or Ashleigh, Ruby, or Dan. After the normal greetings of how are you etc. She said I need a favor (which was doubly strange because i usually need the favor. Besides what can I do down here) As anyone that knows Jessica knows she is obsessed with a game called W.O.W. (I call it War of Withcraft, but she constantly reminds me it is called World of Warcraft). Seems she found out that AM/PM (a local convienance market) was selling novelty cups for WOW. 4 different scenes and she wanted some since they were only available at that store and certainly not in Juneau. So I found one about 20 miles away and headed that way, the plan being when I got there I'd call her and we'd see how many they had and how much they were.She decided she wanted 16 of the each 4 scenes for a total of 64 for which whe had to pay full price as if they were filled with the extra large, gigantic, soda they were meant for. Then she insisted they needed to be mailed right then, priority mail, insured, certified, like they were gold. Of course to her and all her WOW buddies they probably were. Another 20 miles in another direction and there's the box of cups I sent her. I've been obsessed with things and needed it now, now, now, so I understand but then mine were usually cars.

I have a friend from High School here in Tucson and her and I usually get together every couple weeks to hang out. She usually takes me places interesting to help "class me up" LOL

Last Fridays trip was to a miniature museum. (I guess that would be a Museum of Miniatures otherwise it'd sound like I fell down that rabbit hole with Alice) At first I thought ok, at least its air conditioned. But seeing the exibits and the detail was simply amazing. Pictures of that excursion follows. They do not do the exibits justice. These were in a scale of 1:144 or 1:12. and while some of the pictures may look like a room or hallway in real life they are usually only 6 inches tall.

Enjoy !!

Shoeing a donkey.

The top of the ladder was about 18 inches from the base.

All handcarved and the metalwork was all done to scale by hand as well.

A baby store called from Heaven to Seven

The three bears awaken goldilocks

What happened next.

See Ssammie I told you there were Unicorns.

Everything is handcarved, made, and fabricated. Even the shelves and what is on them.

a little reflection from the glass front.

Not a painting but a carving about 6 inches in diameter

A violin of violins

I have about two more weeks then heading Northeast. Philladelphia is first stop where Nick is going to give me a personalized tour. This is his childhood and young adult home so he knows it well and all the spots, besides, he says, with handicap plates you can park anywhere and he has handicap plates LOL

Then he is going to show me New England which will be fun. A pesonal guided tour, who can do better. And with his knowledge and memory it should be very nice.

Till next time.



Aravaipa Canyon, the land of NO !!!

Jimmy, and I got up early for a day of "Jeepin". Here he is saying bye to BTM, JTM, and the little lego RV Sammy made for us on our last visit.

We spent awhile trying to figure out where we wanted to go, lets see there is the trip to Mammoth, Az. then south along the San Pedro River, to return to Tucson via reddington then back here.
Or, up the 4 wheel drive road up the backside of Mt. Lemon. But I've done that one long ago and as exciting as it was we decided we wanted new.
Or, Aravaipa Canyon. It's a beautiful canyon where an oasis is in the desert supported by the year round creek called Araviapa. It's claim to fame is the sheer linestone cliffs running along either side of the canyon and the river at the bottom where there are trees, and lush fields. There was a sign that said "Government Property, No parking, standing, picnicking, camping, or going offroad. Advance permits are required to hike the trails" Should have been followed by enjoy your park or something. That sign was followed by another that said there is a lot of private property along the road, and within the park, no dust, do not leave roadway, 15 mph, unmaintained road. Just a bunch of No's.

My phone died early on so the pics were retireved from the internet though Jimmy and I did see the sites. Jessica was kind enough to point out there were a lot of caves if Iwas into that. I said I was, she followed with but you wouldn't fit there is one south of tucson called Collosal Cave that would be more your size. Yuk, Yuk, Yuk  ,,,,,,,, Brat !!!!!  Good thing she's my kid LOL

We figured on an adventure like this we'd better get some provisions. So while I topped of the tank (2 gal) and filled the extra can Jimmy got the food. While I was there pumping my $3.52 gas a guy came out and changed the price to $3.60. I asked what I paid, he said I had started pumping before he made the change. woot, woot, as someone says on instagram.

I looked towards the store and here comes the Jimster lugging two plastic bags. I said he little elf dude what the heck did you buy, the store? I took the ice and put it in the cooler then the crush strawberry soda, the crush grape soda, the root beer, the pepsi, the breakfast sandwich's, the lunch cheeseburger's, and the chips. Jeez Jimmy ya get enough? He said it was hot and we'd be out in the desert and the mountains. What if we got stranded? I asked about water and he produced a to-go plastic cup and said the ice will melt. LOL So, off we go headed east on hwy 77.

As we were driving we came to the Biosphere II sign and I looked at Jimmy and said I remeber when Biosphere 1 was built. I heard it didnt work out so lets go check out Biosphere II (this is where my phone/camera died so the next pics are coutesy of the internet) The $20 each admission didnt stop us. In fact we made a circle without stopping and headed back to the Jeep. We did see 4 Alaska plates in the parking lot.

Bioshere II is owned and operated by the University of Arizona to study the flow of water. ie; evaporation, cloud, rain, lake, evaporation. It is a complete eco system as you can see if you look inside the glass at the big trees.

Here's a view inside,

 now is time to move on. We left Bioshere II $20 richer (each) and headed for San Manuel which is an old open pit copper mining town. It closed years ago about the time copper prices sank, causing Phelps Dodge to close San Manuel, Bisbee, Copper Hill, Kayenta, and other mining operations including the associated smelting of the ore at smelters in Douglas, Winkleman, and over by Safford. Then Mammmoth another severely depressed town. Finally we found the road to Aravaipa Canyon. A dirt road which eventually got very fun to drive. We were following the Araviapa Creek and saw some amazingly large crops, as well as homes etc. on the ranches. The following pictures are again from the internet. I didnt hike into the canyon because you had to pre-purchase your permit at least 14 days in advance. And for you doubters who may think I couldn't hike it anyways. Well I'll have you know the first 1/2 mile was downhill and I roll very well. probrably get up enough momentum to do the whole 3 miles.

We got to the trail head and I said lets break out lunch Jimbo. He handed me my cup, opened the cooler which had quite a bit of good cold water sloshing around in it and nothing else but wrappers, and empty bottles. I said lunch huh? He smiled LOL

We then drove awhile in the mountains enjoying 4 wheeling and the dust. Finally coming out to pavement we went on up to Winkleman where we drove around looking at the town. Then home where we are resting, to tired to empty the Jeep right now. So ,,,,

A fun day , now some relaxing time and then planning tomorrow.

Til then 8)