Thursday, November 29, 2012

IT'S OVER!!.....0 miles to go!

 
OH NO!!!...........IT'S OVER!!!
 
 
 
 
Now south of Phoenix  - This is Tucson - Much nicer!
Getting greener...more water available!
Who would have guessed?
 

Darrell's view of  'Bioshpere 2'  from above.
...an attempt to simulate living on Mars for two years....
.....Didn't work!
 

Hiking up a 'Wash' - mixed blessing - easier hiking
...also easier to get lost!

Ranch land ...just north of Sonoita...very pretty!

Hitting snow during a local storm - approx 7000'
 
Snow on the ground just before descending back to the dessert
'Suguaro National Park'
These things are HUGE!
 

A Ranchers 'cabin' - could not stay - to early in the day!

No water here ... out of order!

No water here...wouldn't trust it!


No water here...Think I'll drink Coke instead!

This guy looked back and turned to 'salt'
"....told him not to...".

Got pretty excited until I realised they were plastic!...Damn!


final descent to the Mexican Border!...Yahoo!!

 

"Time to Celebrate!!"




 
COACHES CORNER:


Our view of  'Biosphere2'
Outside....
and Inside

The road up to 'Summerhaven' - 7000'
.....to rendezvous with Darrell
 
The cabin at 'Summerhaven......Very nice!
 
Darrell tickles the ivories
.....Sporting a new toupee.....

(inspired by Whinnie the Pooh)




This is still the land of things with 'prickly things' on them
These guys came over at the trot to check Darrel  out!

And this guy you could barely see....
Sandy saw him/her/it  only because he/she/it moved
 
Checked out the Titan2 Missile
 

These things can be launched in 58 sec.
...From phone call to out the hatch!

The sophistecated control room.....

The VERY UNSOPHISTICATED launch key system!
....A Walmart file cabinet and two Home Depot combination locks!!!
....Go figure....
 
The PIMA military boneyard
4000 planes either mothballed or being scrapped!
 
 
Surplus engines.....Out in thte open= scrap.....Still in the container= possible re-use!

Getting close to the border.....
This is big brother with 24/7 surveilance cameras

Joining Darrell in a toast!!!
(We all stuck a foot through the fence so we could
say we were in Mexico!! ...LOL)

(P.S.....Sandy's first time in Mexico!!)




It can be Lonely on the trial when you see no one for months at a time...
 
Darrell finds to his horror that the phrase
 
"Use it or Lose it"
 
 ..... is true!!





 
 


Homeward Bound

Next Stop 'Hawaii'
 
 
See you next Post
 
 





Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Three-quarters done - 200 Miles to go!

 

Heading for the Phoenix and Tuscon area!

 
 
 
An infinite variety of trail signs!
 
 
Fairly easy going (as long as you can find the trail!)


And rough going -( even if you're on the trail )

This gets used a lot!! (GPS)

Even then it doesn't always works......

Sometimes they simply move the trail on you!
 

'Arlo Guthrie' must have come this way!!

 
 
" And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles..."
 
Darrell's first  ' Siguaro'.......Awesome!!
 
Even in death the 'Agave' give it's all...

It only flowers after 25 years....
...and then dies...
What a life!

 
"Alright!!.... a non-dessert fruit!!.... an apple!!......something I dare to eat!!
 
 
 
 
One source of water.... OK .... as long as you don't mind sharing!!

 
A better source.....as long as you get the water
before it dribbles into the scuzzy tank!!
 

 
They provide everything for you on this trail!!
(Not complaining.... but it could be softer!)
 

"Not taking any chances with water tonight!!"



Gorgeous evening!

 
And moon!
 
 
It's well known that nobody gets lost on the Arizona trail..
 
Until they do....that is!....
 
Like this guy...! 


Had it all !!....maps....compass......gps........Go Figure!?

 


On the plus side......You don't get poked, scratched or torn up at all on this trail....

Nope..... Not at all!!


 

COACHES CORNER:


We had lots of visitors in camp and on the trail!



A Tarantula

.....Apparently it's just the males that come out to play....
 - females stay in the den
Tons of skunks .... They come right up to you.....
You need to shoo them away.. very.... carefully....
.....unless you feel like buying a lot of tomato juice....


"Umm....excuse me!.....You're in my way!"

 
 
 

" I'm prettier than he is!!"

This guy was  2.5" to 3" in length
(And too heavy to hop much!)

This is a 'stick bug'

Very hard to see unless someone points them out to you!!

You really do think it's just a twig hanging on the wall!





'Give me hug' takes on a whole new meaning with these guys
(Centipedes)

I think these guys were giving a 'special hug'!!
("Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?")
 
 
 
Javalino -  a sort of wild pig
(But not really a pig)

A whole 'herd' of them - very noisy - eating all
 the walnuts in camp!
 
Lots of these guys....just walking around...
You'd think they'd know better !!
(considering the time of year)


 


 
 
 



As usual ... we do the pretty stuff!

And the 'dangerous' stuff....
'Poison Ivy' .. Rubbed it all over... no reaction at all!!

Same thing happened with poison Oak..

(Damm!!)

Our first ' Siguaro'........Awesomer!!
 
 


 

Evolution is a wonderful thing!

 
These 'Arizona Sycamour' trees have developed a camouflage
bark so the 'rape and pillage crowd' (loggers) can't find them!



 
 
 

And in retaliation.....

 
The 'rape and pillage crowd' (loggers)
have developed a tree of their own:
 
The  ....' Turritus Celulae Pinus'
 
 
"Hello?....Hello?"
 




A little culture......

The cliff houses at Tonto
'Montezuma Castle'
By Roosevelt lake





Looks like graffiti..... It's actually a very accurate planting calender!!


 
 



Darrell and John attacking the bottle......
......Darrell still going strong...
.....John's already fading fast...

Sandy does NOT approve!!

 
 
Till next post!
 
Cheers!!