Monday 4/3
Lyman State Park was a bit breezy. Decided to just head out and forgo the Petroglyphs this morning. On a side note, how do we leave our own history if you can’t “write” on the rocks? I’m no Rembrandt but I know I could do as well as some of these Petroglyphs.
South on US191 thru Springerville. From there to Clifton it is one of those roads for people who like the curves! Over 100 miles of twisting turning up and down curves. The kind of road that allows you to wick it up a second then lean to left, lean to the right. One hundred miles! Signs that say “Slow 10 mph next 11 miles”! The Porsche…(suck my breath in )! Now here I am in “Bill”, as in “Bill the Behemoth”. Oh my gosh, LOTR, Sam’s horse that carried everything( soooo…sixties!!) And Behemoth because look at the pictures! And what’s nice is you can getthis 6 ton behemoth in the flow. Not a fast flow but nice and smooth.
As I came down the last hill there was this HUGH mining operation that the highway went right thru the middle of. Crazy, even signs “15 minute delay for blasting”. It’s like, whoa, whoa, whoa how did I loss the highway and end up in a mining operation? Dude, no more safety. See the vid.
Down off the mountain, the weather is definitely warmer and I make lunch in Clifton. In fact, at the historic railroad station. Great idea Harry, a bloody freight train pulling “molten sulfur” pulls thru at a snail’s pace, hissing and snorting the whole way. Freeport / MaCon///? Copper operation. I load up and continue south.
Just outside Clifton 5-10 miles I blow by “something something Back Country Byway”. I love these roads. I also like that I don’t give up and finally get turned around and head back. Black Hills Back Country Byway, 21 miles. Six or so in Owl Creek Campground. So here I sit in #7 on the bluff above the Gila River. A bit windy, which seems to be the norm. Tomorrow maybe walk up the river bed.
Jake, LOTR what a great idea. I listen every night during dinner and cleanup. I MAKE sure I have my hearing aids in! I turned it off tonight as they heard the first “boom” in Moira just as the fellowship were ready to make their final push to get out. Cool!
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