Contrast Desert Wildlife and RV Park Dangers

    This Monday morning meant breaking camp after 6 wonderful days in the desert near Tombstone. Our space 64 was a lucky break as it is exceptionally spacious and back right up on the desert filled with so many birds and, as we discovered this morning deer. These spaces are usually reserved on a monthly basis and after our stay we are flirting with a stay next year that is much longer. We watched and identified many birds from our window over the dining table thanks to our neighbor's feeder. Quail, cardinals, many types of sparrows and finches as well as wrens and others we had not been able to ID. This morning as we were hooking up, 4 deer came along the bank behind our space. Our neighbor had mentioned that the family who had been in Space 64 for several months before us had been putting apples out for the critters. So I couldn't resist and put some apple slices on the bank for them. I noticed that one of them had been badly injured at one time and her lower jaw was displaced to the side and her tongue was hanging out in the front so browsing must be difficult. I fed the others since they quickly cleaned up the apples and the little injured one hung around after they left so was able to give her time to eat some apple slices. I fear life is not going to be kind to this little one with this injury.  She is the one in the back. The white you see is actually the bottom or most forward aspect of the lower jaw. She looks from her weight to be managing to get food.

We moved on with a several hour drive to Yuma and for a moment crossed through California in the area were Arizona, Cali and Mexico all come close together. Again we are struck by the number of RV parks and the park we moved into this afternoon is again full of license plates from any number of states to include just some of them, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, and, of course, California and that was just in the two rows next to us in the park. We immediately noticed a terribly damaged big RV and soon learned that last Tuesday a couple had a propane explosion which terribly burned the retired Pastor, spared his wife and two dogs. He had been trying to light his propane furnace about 3:00 am not realizing his newly filled tanks had been leaking into his RV. Somehow his propane sensor did not alert them that they had the leak and go off to tell them to leave the area. He, tragically, died from the 85% burns on his body from the explosion. The explosion did not burn the rest of the RV but completely destroyed it and badly damaged their car parked next to it. 

There was an article on an RV Safety Forum reminding all to double check their sensors and noting that they should be totally replaced about every 5 years. I am sure there will be many investigations and suits following this terrible accident. Many sensors must be working with all the RVs on the road since this is a rare occurrence. 

Bisbee, Lavender Copper Mine and the Fence

      On Saturday, 2/4/17, we continued on from the San Pedro National Conservation Area to Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee was full of artist's shops, restaurants and hilly narrow streets that end in dead ends but an attraction to many people not only from the US but internationally. There was a big group of Chinese tourists enjoying the place while we were there. Parking was at a high premium. We drove through and up into the higher parts of town and found a delightful store-bakery-juice bar-patio to have lunch. We have easily found restaurants that allow dogs on the patio. Rose had the company of two big golden retrievers on the patio. We found restaurants in Tombstone also that were dog friendly.
      Bisbee, like Tombstone, is a mining town. For Tombstone it was silver but for Bisbee the draw was the copper mine, first high grade underground mines but later starting during WWII it was open pit low grade copper mining. The Lavender Copper mine pits were first above the town and around it. Open pit mines that are now reclaimed and replanted. The huge pits just outside of town only stopped working in 1974. They are deep, rutted and metallic smelling ruts which await the huge task of reclamation. Must admit as we were reminded at the story board above the mine overview that it is our telephones, now cellphones, wires and computers that continue demand copper and open pit allows the lower grades to be mined. Ouch!

The pit at the bottom is a red color which didn't show in the picture and this is only on of many such pits in the area. Our technology comes at a big cost but such mines helped us win WWII and make many of the advances we now enjoy. Made me look a bit differently about taxpayers bearing the cost of reclamation. 

After viewing the mining area, we drove on through the desert  to Neco a border town with a port of entry from Mexico. On the trip we saw several border patrol SUVs parked descreetly along the road on small side roads and Border Patrol horse trailers sitting empty while the officers patrols on horse back. We wanted to see the fence which now stands and understand why, other than because Trump promised, we need to spend billions for some Wall of the U.S. 

The Wall we have now at border crossings like Neco is double and at least 20 feet tall. This double fence runs for at least 1 miles beyond the town and continues a single fence with lights along  the fences which I am sure burn all night. The patrols move along the fence in SUVs and horses and probably 4 wheelers. I can't imagine how disruptive a wall would be to both man and beast.

San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area

Lesser Gold Finch at the San Pedro House

    Today, Saturday, February 4th, also Rachel's Birthday, we visited the San Pedro Conservation Area or, I should say, a very small area by the San Pedro house which is a restored ranch house. We met several people who were outfitted for serious bird watching as this 57,000 acre conservation area is a nationally protected flyway and breeding area for over 400 species. Around the San Pedro house were numerous feeders with many species to see. Among them where the Gila woodpeckers, screech owls in the huge Fremont Cottonwoods, and a Northern Cardinal. There were many trails to walk but we took the self-guided nature walk across the flats from the San Pedro house to the river. This area was once farming and grazing until it was overused and the native grasses destroyed. The area was declared a National Conservation Area in 1988 and work was begun to allow the native grasses to return along with the basques or shrubby small trees (velvet mesquite) which are native to the area. These plants with the Yucca and some cacti as well as the towering old Fremont cottonwoods along the river create a rich habitat for birds and animals not only in this area but others since it lies in the flyway for North America.

      The San Pedro River requires the cooperation of both the U.S. and Mexico to protect it against overdraft. I try to have hope that the Trump administration will have the skills to continue the important task of protecting the wild San Pedro and the entire ecosystem which relies on it. The birds are counting on us.

Pencil Cholla in bloom at San Pedro House 

Gila Woodpecker feeding near the San Pedro House

Tombstone Legends

     It looks like my last post was the 30th of January, Mom's Birthday, and I have been quiet till today. Traveling with what, I believe, was the flu, now remitting, I seemed to do the day and then not enjoy my writing. Today I am better.  Cough is hanging on but today we hiked a bit and bird watched so am looking forward to leaving this bad stuff behind! We are so enjoying the Tombstone area and being unabashed tourists with everyone else.
     We arrived on Tuesday, Wednesday was a rest day for me while Jimmy drove into Tombstone and explored the Tombstone Courthouse and walked the streets enjoying the people in period dress. On Thursday we took Dr. Jay's Walking Tour which was delightful. Dr. Jay, a retired dentist, is a history buff who has studied the Tombstone area extensively. Our man Wyatt Earp, according to Dr. Jay, was more opportunist, and less a hero. The famous 28 second gunfight with the Cowboys was about control of the town resources and greed. The Earps and Holliday were in many ways bullies from the East (Kansas) but the "Cowboys" of red sash legend, were in part, also local opportunists who also bullied and rustled cattle to build their wealth. So, it was this gunfight, and the books and movies that followed, which launched the American Western. Improbably, Wyatt Earp moved to Southern California and influenced John Ford and John Wayne in his later years. He was a good storyteller and since he lived until 1929, it was his version that survived. We may never know what actually happened at the OK Corral but since Wyatt Earp's version has endured, his story prevails. Jim and I have read the biographies by Maria Doria Russell one titled Doc (Doc Holliday) and the other, Epitaph (about the life of Wyatt Earp) and were fascinated by the detail. It was these books that brought us to Tombstone on this trip. Russell researched local newspapers and town records in her preparation. She tried to avoid the first biographies written by people who had the story dictated by Wyatt Earp and his last wife, Josephine, after they moved to California. His wife worked to "clean" up his story. Saturday we took in a "Gunfight" which was turned into a comedy if that is possible. In the real gunfight, 3 men died and three were wounded. The only untouched was Wyatt Earp. The guys who do the gunfight reenactment about 3 times a day, walk the streets and hang out along the streets between acts in costume while the stage and the tour wagons and horses move up and down the main street which is off limits to cars. Great fun, beer and food!

Here come the evil Cowboys, time to Boo!

   

Gallows behind the Courthouse. They are placed right behind the Court room.  Seven guys went directly from verdict to hanging. No appeals!

Doc Holliday on left, Virgil Earp in middle, and Wyatt on right. Morgan was way to the right. Crowd was told to cheer when the guys in coats and ties came on stage or left and boo the Cowboys who were beautifully evil. Fun production!

Perhaps this was placed before 1/20/2017.

Our Reverend Dr. Jay walking tour guide.

Cochise County Courthouse Built 1882

Quartzite, another world!

     It is Monday morning, a beautiful day in Quartzite, Arizona. I found some 110 electricity to charge my Mac in the Quartzite Library so I  am back in business finally after several days. We have a great solar array that powers lights, charges our iPads and iPhones on 12V but not my laptop. We decided not to spend the additional $800 on an inverter which would have converted the electricity to 110 so it just means we need, every few days to go to the world and find some 110. Other than that we can dry camp till our tanks fill up which is quite a few days. Lots of RV Wanderers seem to to do the same thing as they are around me using the library WiFi and electricity.

Ocotillo begining to get leaves after rain. 

    We took a walk into the dessert behind us yesterday and found some wonderful cactus of different types. There are also some wonderful specimens of Saguaro cactus in area.

This has been a day we have tried to stay present for the beauty of this desert area but it seems Trump keeps the action high with his continuing unvetted Executive Orders which have caused chaos. As we had dinner the phone dinged with news. He has fired the Legal Official who refused defend the EO due to it's lacking legal merit. No surprise. We need to turn of our internet connection but every hour brings staggering news.

I am slowly coming through this cold/flu but the cough hangs on. Jim does not seem to be getting it thank goodness. The weather gets better every day. No wind the last two days and temperature is rising as we break camp tomorrow morning and go to Tombstone, Arizona for next 4 days. We will return to the Quartzite 3nd week in February and hope to see many of the cactus in bloom. The Ocotillo puts out it's leaves briefly just before it blooms.

Close up of the Ocotillo  leaves which come out protected by spines.

Teddy Bear Cholla about 4 feet tall, new growth is light colored.