Tombstone, AZ

Well we just had to include Tombstone, AZ in our travels since we were in the area. There were several "stage coaches" around the historic part of town that you could ride in.

The area really isn't that big but I suppose you get a nice history lesson during the ride.

We saw these "gunslingers" coming up the alley. They were getting ready for a "gun fight".

Of course we stopped at Boot Hill. It's really little. A lot of the grave sites have "unknown" on their markers.

Then there's the interesting ones you've seen before

My favorite.

There's a gift shop where I saw this plaque on the wall.

There were many t-shirts available for purchase.

Coronado National Memorial

You may have heard of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in your school day history classes but I bet you can't remember what he did, or didn't do. It all started when four shipwrecked Spaniards aimlessly wandered through the Southwest for eight years. The castaways finally stumbled into Mexico and reported seeing Cities of Gold.

That's quite a trip they made!

We elected to drive up to the top of Montezuma Pass. It's a narrow, unpaved, windy road to the top.

Only part of the way up but you can see the road we've already traveled on down below.

We went real slow on those one lane turns!

Still not quite at the top. If you enlarge this photo by double clicking it, you can see a dark, straight line that goes from the hill on the right then off toward the middle of the photo. That's the US/Mexican border. Yep this park is right on the border.

We drove to the parking lot then climbed some of the way up the peak before coming back down.

The trip down the road was as exciting as the trip up. It's the same road but this photo shows how it twists and turns.

Fort Huachuca

Huachuca (wa-chu-ca) is generally thought to be the Apache work meaning "place of thunder". At the post flag pole the elevation is one mile high.

The building that houses the museum was built in 1892 as a bachelor officers quarters. It was the 54th and final building in the construction of the Old Post at Fort Huachuca which was started 10 years earlier.

There was an exhibit of the Buffalo Soldiers because many black soldiers were trained at the fort. "Black Jack" Pershing, the general that led the army into Mexico after Pancho Villa, worked at the fort and got the name "Black Jack" because he promoted the enlistment of blacks into the army.

Interesting, eh?

Read the exhibit for the explanation of how Tombstone, AZ got its name. There's much more in the museum but you'll just have to visit yourself.

Miscellaneous Southern Arizona

We took a trip further south and east in Arizona and we came across this area of grazing land. Where are the cacti?
Just saw this VW Bug in a parking lot and had to take a photo.
You think they are into VW Bugs?

We stopped at the Lavender Mine Pit just outside of Bisbee. That's one big hole.

Then we passed through this tunnel on Hwy 80 between Bisbee and Tombstone

North of Tombstone it looks like the old section of the road ran on the other side of this mound. Looked real interesting.

36th Street Trailhead

We headed off to go hike in Tucson Mountain park but we went a different way and ended up finding a different trailhead.

From the parking lot we could see this interesting building on top the hill.

Course that's where we wanted to go. The trails in this area of the park are for vehicles.

This last part of the climb to the bulding was steep and rocky.

The stairs going to the second story were in fine shape but most of the roof was gone. It had a nice fireplace.
Nolan found this door step concrete that said the site was homesteaded on April 21, 1928 with a signature that we couldn't read.

From here we could see the parking lot and our little red car.

Then we climbed a higher hill and looked down at the little home on the first hill.

See how wide the trail is?

Nolan wanted to climb this hill but we don't have any mountain climbing equipment.

We were appalled at the amount of trash and broken glass that covered the ground.

Just look at all the glass around this prickly pear cactus!

Rainbows and Plant

The sun came out while it was still raining on us and we got a good double rainbow.
It's hard to see the faint top one but it's complete! This is only the second complete double rainbow I can remember seeing.

And where does the rainbow end? Well that building is the county jail. LOL
This is the only plant we have kept since hitting the road. Nolan got it out of a dumpster at least 5 years ago. But it was pot-bound and had to be thinned.

I got a friend to take some of it. All I have left is about one third if the plant. It'll grow.