MORNING DRIVE ON BUCKHORN ROAD IN THE WICKENBURG MOUNTAINS

_{A NICE MORNING’S DRIVE ON BUCKHORN ROAD}

I knew if I didn’t get myself out the door early chances were I wouldn’t get myself out the door at all so with that thought in mind Pheebs & I were in the Jeep & off down the road before 9 a.m.

HERE’S KELLY ON BOXING DAY SKYPING WITH HER DAUGHTER REBECCA & GRAND DAUGHTER ELLA

Without all the small towns & endless miles of criss-crossing country roads like we have back home in Bayfield’s Huron County it’s always a challange for me to think of places to go.  My thinking carried us all the way to Wickenburg’s McDonald’s where we slipped through the drive-thru & picked up 1 burrito & 1 small coffee.  I had already pre-loaded a Blueberry muffin from home so we were good to go.  But go where??

BUCKHORN ROAD WANDERS THROUGH THE WICKENBURG MOUNTAINS

Again it was out Constellation Road we went into the desert only this time instead of turning left on Blue Tank Road we stayed right on Constellation & kept on going until we came to a fork in the road.  We had been this way several times before with Jim & Bev leading the way in their Jeep.  Straight through Constellation Road went to the Williams Ranch & to the right it branched off onto Buckhorn Road. 

THESE HILLS & MOUNTAINS ARE POCKED WITH OLD ABANDONED MINE SHAFTS

We opted for Buckhorn Road & it wasn’t long & I thought I began recognizing a few things along the way.  This might have been one of the roads we convoyed with Jim & Bev a couple years ago but problem was my memory banks would not return the information as to where the road actually went.  We did follow it for maybe 6 or 7 miles before deciding on turning back.  I really must spend more time on Google Earth researching where these desert roads lead to then try to imprint that info into my mind.  Well good luck with that AL.

THE DESERT HAS IT’S WAYS…JIM & BEV, THIS IS THE EXACT SPOT WHERE WE ALL STOPPED TO EAT OUR LUNCH ON THE WAY TO CASTLE HOT SPRINGS WHEN PETER & LESLIE WERE WITH US 2 YEARS AGO…..HERE IS THAT DAY GUYS

RATHER THAN CARRYING ON ANY FURTHER ALONG BUCKHORN IT WAS AT THIS POINT WE TURNED AROUND

FROM A HIGH VANTAGE POINT I SPOTTED THESE FELLAS ON AN ATV COMING UP THE ROAD

Again today we just poked along enjoying Arizona’s endless scenery rolling by.  So many hills & dales, so many mountains & canyons.  Had ourselves half a dozen leg stretches along the way & it was a good thing I was dressed warm.  Air was really cold but at least no wind to make that air even colder.  Pheebs likes her window down so she can stick her snout out & partake of the fine mountain air.  I like to have the Jeep’s heater on to keep myself toasty.

HARQUAHALA MOUNTAIN IS ON THE DISTANT HORIZON IN THESE 3 PHOTOS

After turning around on Buckhorn Road & heading back towards Wickenburg I debated with myself whether to head into Wickenburg for a Whopper or turn off onto Blue Tank Road & take the slow track back to Congress.  Deciding to save myself some money I opted for the latter so hung a right onto Blue Tank following that to Rincon Road where we again turned right following Rincom to Scenic Loop road.  A left onto Scenic led us west to highway 93 where a right turn soon swung us around the Big Spurs round-a-bout.  Half a minute later we exited 93 angling off to the right & Congress Arizona.  Half a dozen minutes later we were home & that pretty much wrapped up the day.

WICKENBURG LIES OUT THERE ON THE VALLEY FLOOR TO THE RIGHT

HARQUAHALA MOUNTAIN ON THE HORIZON WITH WICKENBURG IN THE FOREGROUND

WICKENBURG’S AIRPOT RUNWAY

SEE THE 2 TINY WHITE DOTS IN THE CENTER OF THE PHOTO….THOSE ARE THE 2 BIG WATER TANKS A BLOCK FROM OUR HOUSE & I FIGURE THEY ARE ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE I AM

THAT LINE OF WHITE DOTS UPPER RIGHT IS THE ESCAPEE CLUB’S NORTH RANCH   

In part, a question from Jeff in our Shout Box asks, “Can you tell us exactly the tools you use to host, create and publish your blog for those of us who are thinking about starting our own”. ----- The program I use to host my blog is called Blogger & here’s the link to help you get started, BLOGGER....Getting Started  I would say Blogger is probably the most widely used by Bloggers I know.  It was Blogger I used to set up my template & configure my blog the way I wanted it. (colors, font size, etc)  You can write posts in Blogger as well as insert photos but many of us chose to use a program called Open Live Writer to compose our words & photos within Blogger.   WordPress is another favorite blogging format with many folks as well.  I’ve never tried WordPress & have always used Blogger & Open Live Writer combined & for the most part they have worked well together for me these past 6 or 7 years.

VULTURE PEAK ON THE HORIZON

IT’S A WILD UNTAMED COUNTRY OUT HERE & THAT’S WHY I LIKE IT SO MUCH

Sure wish it would warm up a bit down here in Arizona.  Not hot, just warm.  Compared to last winter’s nice temperatures it’s kinda like spending part of each day in a refrigerator here.  Water still freezes up in the bird bath each night & by 4 in the afternoon we’re adding layers of clothing.  I’m not complaining, just wishing it would warm up that’s all…………… 

VULTURE PEAK RISES OUT OF THE SONORAN DESERT MIST

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Doctor Ryan tells his patient, Muriel, 'Well I have good news and bad news...'Muriel responds, 'Tell me Doc. What's the bad news?' You have Alzheimer's disease.' 'Good heavens!' exclaims Muriel, ' So, what's the good news?' 'You can go home and forget about it.' Says Dr Ryan.

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Betty is aged 94 and she is angry and so she 'phones the newspaper office in Manchester, loudly demanding to know where her Sunday edition was.  'Ma'am,' said the employee, 'today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until Sunday.'  There was a long pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray of recognition from Betty. 'I'll bet that's why no one was in church today too.'

TODAY WAS FOR THE BIRDS

Our Saturday winds reached a fever pitch around mid evening & so much so it was coming down our chimney & rattling the closed heavy iron damper in the fireplace. Good thing we didn’t have a fire going or those winds would have filled our house with smoke, soot, & burning embers.  A few heavy gusts seemed to shudder the house.  Sometime in the night those seemingly relentless winds diminished down to a stiff breeze & when I took Pheebs out around 6 it didn’t even blow my housecoat over my head.  Within a few hours that cool breeze was barely a whisper leaving our wind sock hanging limp.  Clear skies with temperatures coming back up made for a mighty fine Arizona day.

For whatever reason I couldn’t seem to get myself interested in a Jeep ride this morning.  It’s not that I didn’t try.  Pheebs & I did head out but only went a couple miles before I turned around & headed back home.  Couldn’t make up my wind where to go & didn’t seem to have the energy required for going anywhere anyway.

Plopped myself in a comfy chair on our front porch & sat in the warm sun reading for a bit.  Maybe I was just needing one of those kinds of days for a change.  Hadn’t taken any bird photos for awhile so I set up my chair near the feeder & tilted myself back & ……………..dozed off.  A small Sparrow alit on my shoe as if to say, “wake up Mr. Cameraman we’re ready for our pictures now”.

 

I THINK THAT’S BATBIRD COMING TO GET ME

THIS WAY, NO THIS WAY, NO NO THIS WAY………..

We watched a movie this afternoon called, ‘Out Of Africa’.  Kelly picked it up the Library after I expressed an interest in seeing it.  Based on a true story I was familiar with some of the real life characters this movie portrayed as I am currently reading Straight On Till Morning which is the biography of aviatrix/horse trainer extraordinaire Beryl Markham.

 

I learned something about Rock House Road at the Clark Dry Lake Bed near Borrego Springs this morning.  Ed in a comment said in part,”Rockhouse Rd. turns into Rockhouse Trail as it skirts the actual dry lake further north”.   And Ivan sent this in an email, “I see that Google Earth has Rockhouse labeled as trail rather than road, thus the confusion”? …………. Thanks for clearing that up guys.  And Stephen you might be interested in a drive we took down Rockhouse Road almost a year ago to the day.  If you click on this Clark Dry Lake Bed link you will see photos of 2 cement structures I took that day & I also have additional info on the history of what was once down there.  Interesting area for sure.

  

Well I’m hoping my energy levels come back up over night & Pheebs & I can get ourselves out for a morning desert walk.  Weather forecast is looking good with warmer temperatures, clear skies, & no winds.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A bus load of politicians were driving down a country road one afternoon, when all of a sudden, the bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree in an old farmer's field.  Seeing what happened, the old farmer went over to investigate. He then proceeded to dig a hole and bury the politicians.
A few days later, the local sheriff came out, saw the crashed bus, and asked the old farmer, "Were they all dead?"  The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them said they weren't, but you know how them politicians lie."

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A New York City yuppie moved to the country and bought a piece of land. He went to the local feed and livestock store and talked to the proprietor about how he was going to take up chicken farming. He then asked to buy 100 chicks.
"That's a lot of chicks," commented the proprietor. "I mean business," the city slicker replied.  A week later the yuppie was back again. "I need another 100 chicks," he said. "Boy, you are serious about this chicken farming," the man told him.  "Yeah," the yuppie replied. "If I can iron out a few problems." "Problems?" asked the proprietor. "Yeah," replied the yuppie, "I think I planted that last batch too close together."