Noticing I had only 2 jars of peanut better left this morning I felt a slight shiver of panic so knew I had better make a run to Safeway in Wickenburg. Didn’t waste any time loading up the little Scoobers & off we went. Peanut butter, honey, cranberry juice, a gallon of milk, a pkg of flat bread, some double AA batteries & I was out of there right quick.
TEDDY BEAR CHOLLA
Next stop was McDonalds for an Egg McMuffin & a small coffee to go. I noticed Wickenburg was not nearly as busy as it have been the last couple of weeks. Without further ado Pheebs & hustled ourselves right out of town on an old familiar route of ours out Constellation Road.
THAT IS CONSTELLATION ROAD CURVING THROUGH THE WASH I AM STANDING IN
TURNING AROUND LOOKING UP THE WASH A NARROW BUT SMALL ROCKY CANYON CAN BE SEEN….WE PARKED LIBBY & WALKED UP THERE
About 3 miles out of Wickenburg the curving road dips down into a wash & I’ve always been curious about all the tire tracks heading up that sandy wash. From the road it looked like the wash headed into a rocky area so we parked the Jeep & headed off up the dry creek bed to have us a look.
NARROW ENTRANCE INTO THE ROCKS LEADS IN AT BOTTOM LEFT
WATER CURRENTS & EDDYS HAVE CARVED HOLES INTO THE ROCK
Beautiful Arizona morning as we walked a few hundred yards in soft gravely sand. Just the kind one can get a vehicle stuck in pretty quick. Reached a tall rocky area where it was easy to see how over the centuries water had cut a narrow canyon down through the rocks. Sides weren’t steep or close enough together to make it a slot canyon but it’s three or four hundred yard length did remind of a slot.
All tire tracks ended abruptly at the little canyons south end. Just too many big rocks in the way to get a vehicle through, not even an ATV & yet the walking was fairly easy with only a few rocks & boulders to clamber over. Could see small holes & shallow caves in the rocky walls made by eons of fast flowing water as it relentlessly cut into the hardened rock digging out softer sections.
CAN YOU IMAGINE TONS & TONS OF WATER STAMPEDING THROUGH THIS NARROW CANYON GAP
We were soon on the other side of the small canyon & I could see the land gradually rising but flattening out a bit. It would be a great place to stand atop the canyons walls during a Monsoon rain watching tons of water thundering through the narrow channel 40 feet below.
Walked back to the Jeep & we continued on our way along Constellation Road turning left onto Blue Tank Road just slow poking our way along. Stopped & checked out a couple boon-docking sites & one narrow Jeep road for a short distance before it turned into more of an ATV trail.
NOT OFTEN ONE FINDS A PERFECTLY SMOOTH & LEVEL SLAB OF CEMENT IN THE DESERT RIGHT NEXT TO A ROAD….NOTICED A TRUCK & 5TH WHEEL BOON-DOCKED HERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO
EVEN A HORSE CORRAL CLOSE TO THE CONCRETE SLAB….LIBBY IS TO THE LEFT
WICKENBURG IS ACTUALLY VISIBLE JUST BELOW THE HORIZON BEYOND THOSE GREEN HILLS
THIS JEEP ROAD SOON TURNED INTO A ROCKY ATV TRAIL
ONE HAS TO ALWAYS KEEP A WARY EYE FOR ROAD WASH-OUTS
On one of our drives last week I had found myself in a reflective mood thinking back to all the great memories we have had here but this morning with a twinge of excitement I found myself already looking forward to our travels next winter. Since finally making up our indecisive minds regarding our house sale a few weeks ago we are both finding ourselves anxious now to sell the house & get on with the next phase of our lives. So far today we have had one solid offer on the house which we turned down, one phone call from a fellow in California thinking about coming to see the house this week-end, one reasonably serious email offer from a fellow in Cottonwood Az. & as I am typing this tonight Kelly is showing a nice younger couple around. It is the fellow’s second tour of our house today. He owns a house in Morristown south of Wickenburg & landscaping is his thing. First thing he wanted to see when he dropped in this afternoon was the property itself & he loved what he saw. I would sure be happy if whoever buys our place would continue on with what I have started.
My mind is already way ahead of itself thinking about things like what kind of better ‘off-road’ tires to put on Libby next Fall before returning to the Southwest. I’m so far ahead of myself I’m already lost in a long tumbling cloud of desert dust kicked up by my over active impatient imagination.
LOVE THESE DESERT FAIREY DUSTERS
Been a awhile since my often felt gnawing ‘hitch-itch’ has been stirred but I can already feel it gearing up as my mind buzzed along this morning thinking of places to go & routes to follow next season. Maybe pop down to the Big Bend area in Texas again. Maybe spend more time in New Mexico. And just think of all the great new photo opportunities. Nice to feel my ever present restless long range travel urges being challenged once again. And by golly I’d say that alone deserves a ‘YAHOOIE LOUIE’……..:))
A HIDDEN AWAY LITTLE STONE CABIN
Probably been last summer sometime since it’s been warm enough for me to be outside after dark with a short sleeve shirt on but the last few night’s have been mild enough here in Congress for me to do just that. Makes taking a few night photos more pleasant.
ALL THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN USING ONLY MOONLIGHT
THE CONSTELLATION ORION
STRING OF LIGHTS IS AN AIRLINER PASSING OVERHEAD
GROANER’S CORNER:(( Two fellers were in desperate need of cash, but admittedly were a bit cowardly. So the one suggested they break into the Amish market. The logic being that since the Amish were non-resistant, even if they were caught, no harm could befall them. Thus they carried out their plot. However, just as they were breaking into the cash register, the owner turned on the lights and confronted them, a shotgun pointed directly at them. Calmly, the Amishman said, Boys, I would never do thee any harm yet you are standing where I am about to shoot.
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Two snakes were slithering through a field. One snake turned to the other and asked, " Do you suppose we are poisonous snakes?" “I don't know", replied the other, "Why?" "Well", said the first, "I just bit my lip".
