OUR SUNDAY SEARCH FOR COCHISE’S COUNCIL ROCKS

HEADING FOR COUNCIL ROCK WHICH IS WAY DOWN THE  DRAGOON MOUNTAIN RANGE TO THE LEFT

Upon reading an email from a lady in Bisbee Sunday morning I decided it was time we got ourselves off our duffs & back into the Jeep again in search of some new adventures.  After sitting around for 5 straight days in a row doing basically nothing I was more than ready for a challenge.

In her email writer Paula mentions Cochise’s Council Rocks & that rang a bell for me.  Kelly & I had been in that very area last winter but we didn’t know anything about the historical significance of Council Rocks.  After reading up a bit on the internet Sunday morning we piled into the Jeep & headed north up the Sulphur Springs Valley. 

  

LATER IN THE DAY WE HAD TO STOP & ASK THESE HORSE LADIES FOR DIRECTIONS

On highway 191 just east of the old ghost town of Pearce the Border Patrol has a permanent checkpoint so here’s a tip for my fellow Canadians.  If your anywhere near the Mexican border, carry your passport with you.  Border Patrol has checkpoints set up on all major highways heading north from the border & this year they are asking to see passports!! I had to show mine Sunday!!

HEADING WEST INTO THE DRAGOON MOUNTAINS ON THE MIDDLEMARCH ROAD

Heading west out of Pearce we hung a left on the Middlemarch Rd road which leads into the Dragoon Mountains.  It was on this road back in the late 1800’s that the majority of people left the town of PEARCE Arizona heading for TOMBSTONE after silver & other valuable minerals were found there.  We had driven over the historic MIDDLEMARCH PASS last winter heading west to east but today we were doing it from east to west.  This is a scenic drive & is doable by any two wheel drive vehicle.  The road has a gravel base, is bumpy in spots & dusty all the way.  I figured it was our shortest route from Elfrida to the Council Rocks area.

THIS CATTLE GUARD MARKS THE SUMMIT OF MIDDLE MARCH PASS AS WE BEGIN OUR DESCENT DOWN THE WEST SIDE OF THE DRAGOON MOUNTAINS

  

IN THE CENTER PHOTO YOU CAN SEE TOMBSTONE NESTLED UNDER THE TOMBSTONE HILLS WITH THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS ON THE DISTANT HORIZON

We turned off the Middlemarch road heading north on a hard packed sandy road called FR687.  This road is doable by car but there are rutted areas & some stony washes to travail.  We did this road with our Hyundai Santa Fe two wheel drive vehicle last year & we were fine.  The Santa Fe does have good clearance though.

THIS IS ONE OF MANY REMOTE CAMPSITES NORTHEAST OF TOMBSTONE ON MIDDLEMARCH ROAD REACHABLE BY 10 MILES OF WIDE BUT WASHBOARDY ROAD 

There are some great remote camping areas along this road but I wouldn’t recommend it for a Motor Home.  Truck Campers, Class B vans & small Class C’s would be fine.  Just have to take it slow in a few spots.   Road #687 heads north winding through sweeping fields of yellow grass dotted with green Mesquite & Arizona White Oak trees along with Prickly Pear Cactus, Desert Spoons, Yucca & Agave plants. A short mile to the east paralleling the road runs the huge monolithic rocks of the Cochise Stronghold.

     

It is about a 35 to 40 minute drive to reach the Council Rocks area but it always takes us longer because I’m always in & out of the Jeep taking pictures & looking at things.  It took us even longer today because we could not find the Council Rocks.  There are no signs to tell you where it is.  Luckily we had brought our Delorme GPS with us so Kelly fired it up & that gave us an idea where we were in relation to our destination but we still could not locate the exact location.   Spotted two ladies on horseback & they were able to tell us to keep heading north up the road a bit & look for a turn off.  Of course we missed the turn off & with more confusion than is really welcome we doubled back & found a small road turn off heading east into huge rock formations.  We had our fingers crossed this is what we were looking for.  A few hundred yards in we saw another Jeep parked nearby so figured we had the right place.

Before heading off up a path leading into the rocks we hauled out our lunch.  Oh oh, some very squushy egg salad sandwich’s again & even more squushier than last time.

   

It’s a short steep climb up into the heart of the Council Rocks & it had me puffing a bit but what a beautiful spot this was.  Huge house sized boulders with curious patterns & indentations.  Clambered our way along a short path & right away found the very things ELAINE SEAVY had written about on her website.  Pictographs, a cave like area formed by uplifted rocks & a historical marker.  And, we found something else or should I say…..somebody else.

    

       

His name was Mark & as it turns out he was the owner of the Jeep we parked beside further back.  Mark was a friendly Indian fellow & told us he comes with his Dad hunting through this area periodically.  He also told us his Dad had traced back their ancestry years ago & it was determined that his Dad’s family are direct descendants of the legendary Chiricahua Apache Indian leader, Geronimo.

  

How coincidental that was to meet someone of Apache Indian descent right there in the Cochise Stronghold.  It was nice meeting him & it added to an already great day.

EXPLORING A PROTECTED CAVE LIKE SETTING WHERE UPTURNED BOULDERS HAD MADE A SHELTER.  NOTE HEAVY ROCK TABLE IN LEFT FOREGROUND & ROCK LEGS UNDERNEATH.  I’M GUESSING THERE WERE MANY COOKING FIRES & GATHERINGS HERE

   

WRITING THE DATE ON THE BACK OF A ‘BAYFIELD BUNCH’ CARD & LEAVING IT ON THE LARGE ROCK TABLE UNDER A SMALLER ROCK

Kelly & I spent nearly 2 hours in that area just following paths here there & reveling in the magnificent beauty all around us.  Man’s presence was not apparent here although far on the distant horizon we could actually see specks of traffic moving along I-10 to the north, Benson to the northwest & Sierra Vista far off in the shadow of the Huachuca Mountains to the southwest.  It was from here at Fort Huachuca where the American Calvary soldiers would ride out in search of Cochise & his band.  From the very towering rocks around us today the Indian lookouts were posted in those days & had no trouble spotting the Calvary coming across the San Pedro Valley stirring up great dust clouds behind them.  It is no wonder the Indians lived in this mountainous area of towering rock formations.  It was indeed a formidable fortress.  It was the Cochise Stronghold.

THIS IS INDEED A FORMIDABLE FORTRESS

The towering rocks were beginning to cast eastward shadows so I knew it was time for us to make our way back to the Jeep.  We descended the steep rocky pathway being careful of the Prickly Pear cactus along the way.  We noticed the curious foot holds Mark had told us the Apaches had carved into the rocks for fast climbs up & away from approaching enemies.

  

   

BACK TO WHERE WE LEFT THE JEEP

It was four o’clock as we headed south back down road 687.  We had us quite a cloud of dust kicking up behind as we reached the Middlemarch road a half hour later & swung west heading for Tombstone.  Thought this might be a quicker way home but I don’t think it was.  It was a long 10 miles on a wide but washboardy road & we were so happy to reach highway 80 running between Tombstone & Benson.   Turned left onto the smooth paved highway & a mile later we were motoring through the historic & legendary town of Tombstone, Arizona.  We have been to Tombstone a few times before & if I could have located my Tombstone pics I would have linked them here.  We dodged the usual hail of gunfighter bullets & headed south out of Tombstone turning left on Davis Road to McNeal then left to Elfrida.  A couple more turns & we were welcomed home with lots of happy barking & wagging tails.  All & all, Sunday turned out to be totally great day.  Now, why can’t every day be like that, eh:))

Yes, yes, I know……way too many pictures again tonight!!

SUNDAY NIGHT’S MOON… 300mm-F5.6-1/1600 OF A SEC SHUTTER SPEED…HAND HELD FROM ELFRIDA AZ.

OK, quick note on today which is Monday.  Flat tire on the Jeep this morning & the day didn’t get much better after that.  Spent my longest time ever in a Wal-Mart store.  Oh woe was me:((  More tomorrow & hopefully that will finally get me caught up.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  What do you call Santa's helpers?       Subordinate clauses.

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EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

IN SEARCH OF COCHISE’S COUNCIL BLUFF ROCK

WE CAME ACROSS SOME GREAT CAMPSITES TODAY IN OUR SEARCH FOR COCHISE’S COUNCIL ROCKS AREA

I just love it when I hear from readers who have stumbled across our blog & recognized a person or place in my photos.  It happened again when an email arrived this morning from Paula, a reader who spends part of her year in Bisbee.  She came across our blog from a link on MARY & KEITH'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE.  Second coincidence is the fact she knows our friend Rosanna from the PAWS & HOOVES ranch & has hiked with her several times.  And, here’s another coincidence…..In part, Paula in Bisbee writes, “You took a picture of my friend Tziganya walking down the street (in your November 2009 Bisbee photos). She's wearing a white sweater and hat.  I recently sent her the link.  She told me it's one of her favorite photos of herself and she's surprised an un-posed photo can look so good.  Last year I met Rosanna on a group hike with the MULETEAM HIKING CLUB and she told us about her ranch and animals.  I never thought I'd see pictures of her ranch, but there they were on your blog!   Something else I was happy to see are your photos of the ranch house where Mary Kidder Rak lived.  I read The Cowman's Wife last year and wondered if the house was still there and where it was.  Now I know!  I hope to try to find it based on your experience.”

 

KELLY PLANS TO TURN THIS AGAVE STOCK INTO A CHRISTMAS TREE

I totally love when our blog leads to these kinds of happenings.   Kind of makes some of them there frustrating days worthwhile.  Had one of those days Saturday & Paula’s email this morning just picked me right back up:))  You can see the photos I took in Bisbee the day she talks about & these pics will give you a very good idea of Bisbee Arizona with it’s many diverse people, places, & things.  Be sure to have a look at BISBEE'S CHARACTERS:)).  A fellow blogger recently referred to me as a ‘character’ & I take that as a huge compliment.  Thank you so much Judy:))

HEADING UP & OVER THE MIDDLEMARCH PASS IN THE DRAGOON MOUNTAINS

Now, as a direct result of Paula’s email this morning, Kelly & I were off on a mission this morning to find Cochise’s Council Rock in the Dragoon Mountains.

WE MEET AN APACHE INDIAN DESCENDENT  ON THE TRAIL

But first, some info on Saturday’s bird photos.  They were  taken at the WHITE WATER DRAW near McNeil Arizona which is about 20 minutes south of where we are presently located. The Hawk was shot at 1/2000 of a second at F5.6 & 200mm.  The Vermillion Flycatcher photo was taken 68 minutes later at the exact same settings.  And, how do I know all those particulars……my camera, like most everybody else’s, records absolutely everything:))

What a difference a day makes & let me just say, what a great day we had today in searching for Cochise’s Council Rocks.  I’m quoting from Elaine Seaveys Website when I say, “It was at Council Rocks where, in 1872, Cochise signed the Broken Arrow Peace Treaty, agreeing to cease waring attacks.  In return, the government granted to the Apaches a vast reservation, including the southeast corner of Arizona, including the Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains near the Mexican border.  However, in 1876, two years after Cochise died, the government broke its promise and moved the Chiricahua Apaches 100 miles north to the San Carlos Reservation on the Gila River.”

MARK TELLS US HE IS A DECSENDENT FROM THE GREAT INDIAN CHIEF, GERONIMO

I will blog tomorrow about todays events because the blog is already too long, the day is late, Al is so tired he probably couldn’t even spell his own first name & I haven’t even begun to edit my 200+ photos yet.  It was a long day trying to find the Council Bluffs.  But, just let me tell you this.  It took the combination of two ladies on horseback, our GPS & an Apache Indian descendent to finally help us find our way to the Cochise Council Rocks area.  I will have that all put together for Monday’s blog……….:))

  

TWO LADIES ON HORSEBACK, A GPS, & A DESCENDANT OF GERONIMO

GROANER’S CORNER:)) 

Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married ...

... and had a little sweet potato, which they called 'Yam.' Of course, they wanted the best for Yam.

When it was time, they told her about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots. Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her! But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either.

She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland. And the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. And when she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Gold's, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.'

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips. But in spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw! Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset. They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw because he's just ....

are you ready?

... A common tater!!

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

BRINGING FOOD ACROSS THE CANADA/US BORDER

KEEP YOUR HEADS DOWN BOYS & MAYBE WE CAN SNEAK PAST HIM

In just a few short weeks there will be a lot of Canadian RV folks heading south for the winter.  Border crossings can be a real pain if you happen to be singled out for an agriculture check.   In our last 5 border crossings into the States we have been singled out 3 of those 5 times.  It all started with a crossing at the Lewiston/Queenston bridge near Niagara Falls in the summer of 07.  We had some oranges in a bowl & that red flagged us for the next 2 years.  Here’s a site that gives you an idea what you can bring across the border & what you can’t.  And remember, these rules have an uncanny way of changing without notice.  Check out BORDER CUSTOMS.  We play it totally safe now & do not take a thing in the way of food anymore.  Nothing, zero,zip, zilch!!  We just stop at our first Wallyworld Supercenter on the States side & stock up on groceries there.

I’M  HOPING THIS IS A VERMILLION FLYCATCHER

I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A HARRIER HAWK 

GROANER’S CORNER:))   Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. However, all the league records were unfortunately destroyed in a fire. Thus we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

ACTUALLY, WE ARE JUST WAY TOO COMFORTABLE

WE HAVE SOME BIG CRITTERS AROUND HERE

The patter of raindrops on our roof Thursday night alerted us to the passing of a small shower.  We have our fingers crossed we will not be having any kind of major rain while we are here.  Our rig is parked in dirt & it’s a nasty glue like dirt.  When water is added to the dirt it will turn into a massive glue like solution which totally sticks & clings to everything.  Especially furry little paws!!

WE HAVE SOME LITTLE CRITTERS AROUND HERE TOO

We are having quite a time with ourselves trying to decide on our future travel plans for the winter.  We had originally planned to stay at the ranch in McNeil until the middle of December but those plans changed while we were on our way west last November.  We really have it nice here at the Elfrida property where we are now.   With all the amenities, including a whole house & large fenced in yard we have become very comfortable.  Actually, too comfortable!!   We don’t have any neighbors & how perfect is that.   And, it’s all free:))   I’m guessing most people would be totally content to stay put in one spot for the whole winter but for us, RVing has always meant much more than that.   Keeping on the move, traveling & exploring different regions & doing different things has always been our idea of the RV lifestyle.  It’s a tough decision for us this time & I have no idea how we will decide what to do.  For sure we will stay put to the end of the month & probably then some, but after that……..who knows.

     

KELLY LIKES TO SEE THE UPS TRUCK ROLL IN

There is always a lot of media hype about the Mexican border problems down here.   It is more of a problem in people’s minds who have never been here or understand life along the border.  Yes, there are areas of violence alright but there are areas of violence in any North American city.  Just as you wouldn’t drive through or hang out in a city’s crime section, you know enough to stay away from the border towns & areas where the trouble is & the drug runners are. 

We have been coming to this area for over 4 years now & aside from one careless mistake we made in the Mexican border town of SONOYTA 3 years ago the Mexican border problem is simply not a big issue for us.  And, it is not a big issue for the majority of folks who live here either.  You just have to use common sense in regards to what you are doing, where you are going & who you chose to hang around with.  Not any different from any large city or town in North America.  Anytime we go to the border town of Douglas we do not feel any different there than in going to the lakeside town of Goderich back home.  The majority of people we see in & around Douglas are Mexican folks but there are no feelings of  threat or unease.  What seems to be the norm these days though is how the ratings starved media highlights & sensationalizes the negative aspect of so many things.  Don’t get me wrong though,  there are major drug problems along the border as well as illegal alien crossings & people have to be careful, just as in many other parts of this country…10-4!!

BUSY LITTLE BIRD HAVING A BATH

Had we done anything remotely exciting today I would have written about it, but we didn’t, so I guess that’s the end of  post number 1,015:))  Maybe tomorrow eh.    

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day his supply of the birds ran out, so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and charged with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.