A ROUGH AND TUMBLE DRIVE AND HIKE IN ARIZONA’S CABEZA PRIETA

Let me first give you a few statistics of the an area we traveled and hiked in today just west of Ajo Arizona.  The CABEZA PRIETA is the 3rd largest Refuge area in the United States outside of Alaska.  It is 60 miles long by 26 miles wide and encloses 860,000 acres.  The Refuge shares a 56 mile border with Mexico.  Temperatures here can reach a hundred degrees for 90 days straight in the summer months.  Hundreds of people and countless animals perished crossing the Cabeza Prieta during the 1849 California Gold Rush.

We set out on the late side this morning arriving at the Cabeza Prieta Visitor Center about 9:40.  Forms had to be filled out before we were issued our permits to travel on the Wildlife Refuge and a 20 minute video was recommended prior to heading out. 

At 10:20 we left the smooth pavement of Rasmussen street in Ajo and headed out on the long dusty 17 mile gravely and rutted road to Charlie Bell’s Pass.  This road is rough with sections of washboard that will scramble your shorts.  Many dry sandy washes are crossed and a few sections of road were partially washed out but navigable.  I was glad we were driving a 4WD Jeep.

FOUND ME A WINDMILL FOR YA MIKE
I would say the first two thirds of the tire bruising road are the best with the last third being very rock infested.  This last section of road will definitely have you leaving some of your vehicles rubber behind in the Prieta.

Lots of Saguaro Cactus and Cholla plants along the way and the drive is scenic but if you want more scenic, less bumpy, and a much shorter drive I would recommend you do the Darby Wells loop drive which also runs out of Ajo and is just south of the Wildlife Refuge.

At times on this road I was in the bottom end of first gear crawling along over the rocks or easing down into or out of rutted dry washes.  It took us one hour and 40 minutes to travel 17 miles to the trailhead at Charlie Bell Pass.

We had not thought this out very well because it was sliding into the hottest part of the day and here we were about to descend on foot down a rough and rugged trail leading a long way below to the floor of Growler Valley between a gap in the Growler Mountains.  It is reported that famed naturalist writer Edward Abbey is buried somewhere in the Growlers just to the south of where we hiked today. 

Our downward trek was a mile and a half of ankle twisting loose gravel, rocks and small boulders.  Very few flat level sections anywhere.  We reached the Valley floor and kept plodding west. We were hoping to eventually reach a windmill and a bunch of nearby Petroglyphs.

THIS IS WHERE WE PARTED WAYS WITH THE JEEP AND BEGAN OUR LONG DESCENT DOWN THAT ROAD AT RIGHT TO THE VALLEY FLOOR BELOW
 
We were told by the Ranger at the Visitor’s Center this is an active area for Mexican illegals moving through the area and if we see any unusual activity around the well we were to turn around immediately and return back up and out of the Valley.  We figured we had gone about a mile and a quarter when our hike came to a halt.

LOOKING ACROSS GROWLER VALLEY TO THE NORTH GROWLER MOUNTAIN RANGE

IT IS SAID THAT WRITER EDWARD ABBEY IS BURIED UP THERE SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH GROWLER MOUNTAIN RANGE
There was Border Patrol personnel and vehicles ahead.  Not wanting to walk into something we shouldn’t be walking into we decided to quietly turn around and return from whence we had come.  We figured Border Patrol activity way out here in the middle of nowhere constituted unusual activity.

A RATHER TREACHEROUS TRAIL TO HIKE
It was a hot exhausting climb back up that rocky trail with the warm mid day sun on our backs and no cooling breezes to cool us off.  Took a short break about two thirds of the way up and then made the hard slog for the top along the steepest and ruggedest part of the trail.  Needless to say we were happy to see the Jeep hove into sight and how great it was to take off the two heavy cameras I was carrying and flop into the soft cushy Jeep seat. 

LAST REST STOP BEFORE THE FINAL AND HARDEST PART OF THE TRAIL TO THE TOP OF THE RIDGE
We didn’t waste any time sight seeing on the way back out of the Refuge and it only took us 50 minutes to reach Ajo.  We had been away from the doggy guys back at the rig longer than anticipated and we were anxious to get back.  It was the longest time we had left Pheebs so far.  We knew Motor would be fine but we were a little concerned about the Pheebs.  Let’s just say we had the desert hammer down and had a fun and super bouncy drive back through the desert to Ajo:))

YEP, WE SCUFFED UP A FEW TIRES TODAY ALRIGHT
Glad to get back to the rig and find the gang just fine.  Pheebs had managed to pull a few potatoes out of a closet but other than that everything was honky-dorry.  It’s always a great big happy and slurpy reunion every time we come home.

A QUICK STOP AT MARCELA’S CAFÉ FOR A QUICK BITE ON THE WAY HOME…BURRITO FOR KELLY AND A BURG FOR AL:))
And, a few words about Monday night’s blog.  It has been brought to my attention that from time to time I get myself just a little too over the top, a little too enthusiastic, and a little too excitedly opinionated about my love of the boon docking lifestyle.  It has been suggested it is a topic I talk about too much.  Reluctantly, I have to agree and it’s a topic I will try to curb my enthusiasm and opinions about in the future.  Sometimes some of us fellers have to have a few things pointed out to us now and again eh:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((     After hearing a speech on motivating employees, the owner of a large business posted signs that read ‘DO IT NOW’ on the wall of every department at the office. It was impossible for the employees not to see them all through the day.
A friend dropped by a week later. Seeing the signs, he asked if the scheme really worked.
Well, says the business owner, not exactly the way I thought it would. The cashier ran off with $20,000, the office manager eloped with my secretary and the rest of the employees asked for raises!
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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their  soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

TEXAS JOHN SLAUGHTER......THE RANCH

THE RESTORED RANCH HOUSE

We were up in good time, organized, & had the Santa Fe wheels rolling by 9:30 for Douglas Arizona & beyond. The Texas John Slaughter Ranch is 15 miles east of Douglas right on the Mexican American border. Road is paved for a few miles but then turns into dusty gravel. John Slaughter's ranch seemed a long way & it was hard to imagine people having to travel by horse & cart through the rough & tumble desert all the way to Bisbee for supplies. They sure were enduring people back in those days. THE ARTESIAN SPRING WAS DAMED TO MAKE THIS POND

Texas John Slaughter
http://www.desertusa.com/mag00/jun/papr/slath.html
http://www.thewildwest.org/cowboys-western/287/Outlaws-Lawmen-of-the-Wild-West.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Horton_Slaughter

The very first thing that impressed me as we approached the ranch was the greenery. The cottonwoods were fully dressed in their shimmering green spring leaves & I couldn't get over the acres of lush green grass. This was a true emerald green oasis in the harsh dry & sometimes bleak looking desert. John Slaughter had chosen this site to build the ranch because of the artesian wells here. He dammed up the springs & made a large pond which is now the water source for all the grass & trees. It has been so long since we have walked on green grass under big green trees & it was that which impressed me more than anything else to-day except for the farm fresh smell coming from the barn. Took me right back to my childhood with memories of barns & cattle.

BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY THE GRAINERY BUT IS NOW A MUSEUM

We were very fortunate to be the only ones there for awhile & it made touring the quiet old ranch house a nicer experience. There are many photographs on all the walls from the life & times of the folks who lived there. The buildings & grounds have been completely & lovingly restored. From the house we walked out around the big pond, under the large cottonwoods to a series of steps leading up to Mesa de la Avanzada. This was the site of the old cavalry encampment just east of the ranch where soldiers watched as Pancho Villa's army made camp before turning to attack Agua Prieta south of Douglas Arizona. This army camp was strategically positioned on this mesa with a clear view to the south for many miles into Mexico. Not much left of the fort anymore except piles of old stone walls. Geronimo, years earlier had used this same valley to travel from the Sierra Madre mountains up into the United States on his raiding parties. THE LAST OLD ORIGINAL BORDER MARKER BETWEEN MEXICO & THE UNITED STATES

Back in December a rare Blue Mockingbird was sighted at the Slaughter ranch & since then thousands of birdwatchers have been pouring into area for a glimpse of the bird. I think we were the only people on the property to-day who were not bird watchers. I saw some pretty fancy cameras & long powerful lenses as people ambled around the grounds searching for the Mockingbird. And then we heard shouts of, "there it is, there it is!!" Walked over to a group of people with binoculars & cameras snapping away at a grove of bare trees & had us a look. Could hardly see the dark colored bird in the branches of the dark colored tree but I finally saw some movement & started firing away with my little 200mm lens. It wasn't until I got home & severally cropped the pictures that I was actually able to pull something resembling a bird out of the photo. You can see my poor results in to-day's web album. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/ The bird people were sure excited though. From there we strolled around the grounds & I stopped to have a nice little chat with some horses. They sure were friendly. In the meantime Kelly got a ride in the staff golf cart to where our car was parked up the hill from the ranch because by this time my hip & right leg were so painful I couldn't make it any further. She brought the car down & picked me up. LOOKING EAST ALONG THE THE BORDER BARRIER

From the ranch we traveled a short distance to a spot one of the staff had told us about where the last old original border marker between the countries of Mexico & the United States was located. Those markers used to be placed a mile apart. A sign said to keep out of the area but Kelly made me drive down the road to the border wall anyway. Those photos are also in the web album. It is mind boggling to think how these Mexican people come through these fences & over these walls & then have hundreds of treacherous & unknown miles & dangers ahead of them. And all they have are what they can carry on their backs. We recently found two backpacks alongside the road near McNeal fully loaded with food & I could hardly lift the one pack because it was so heavy. Can't imagine carrying that on your back in the dead of night through endless miles of unknown desert. The determination of these people is nothing short of totally incredible.AL IS IN NO MAN'S LAND BETWEEN MEXICO ON THE LEFT & AMERICA ON THE RIGHT

We were back in Douglas by 2 & Kelly picked up a few groceries at Wally-World. The pain in my lower back, hip & leg was too much & I didn't get too far in the store. Made it back to the ranch OK so guess I'll have to just back off the hiking & traveling for a few days until this problem corrects itself. Feels like it's probably a pinched nerve because I can feel numbness down my thigh to my knee sometimes. Guess it's just the price you pay for pushing the aging body a little too hard sometimes. But hey, that's what life is all about & I wouldn't want it any other way.............................:)) ANOTHER FINE END TO ANOTHER FINE DAY

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/