Walts Travelogue

[WalterB]

Well, back in Arizona til Monday or Tuesday. Worked 16 hours yesterday for the Elections Dept, then left this morning to come out here. Traffic was really light. Last trip out here it was pretty heavy both coming and going. Today was a nice drive. Weather is nice and no time zone change, that is nice. For the winter, Arizona is on the same time as El Paso.

Still pretty tired, tho. I got home last night about 10, but I didn't go to sleep until somewhere around 11:30. So I think I'll sleep good tonight. Looking forward to that.

[TheShaft]

Well, back in Arizona til Monday or Tuesday. Worked 16 hours yesterday for the Elections Dept, then left this morning to come out here. Traffic was really light. Last trip out here it was pretty heavy both coming and going. Today was a nice drive. Weather is nice and no time zone change, that is nice. For the winter, Arizona is on the same time as El Paso.

Still pretty tired, tho. I got home last night about 10, but I didn't go to sleep until somewhere around 11:30. So I think I'll sleep good tonight. Looking forward to that.

No wonder it rained here a couple days ago…

[WalterB]

I ordered up a special rain shower via my friend April Madison once I heard you were here. Wanted some fresh air, lol.

[WalterB]

Well, I'm finally off again. Heading back to Arizona tomorrow. Will be about 2 weeks, dog-sitting for my son again.

Also some friends are coming down from Washington, so we'll do the tourist thing. I'll drive out to meet them in Willcox. We'll drive over to Bowie, then take the Apache Pass route. From there, we'll hit Johnny Ringo's gravesite, then head back to Willcox. Lyda wants to eat at The Dining Car again. It's an old railroad car repurposed as a restaurant. Then we'll head on down to Sierra Vista. Next day we'll probably eat breakfast at Papa's 50s Diner, then head on out to Tombstone. Maybe we'll eat lunch at the Longhorn Cafe. Or maybe have a cool drink at the Crystal Palace, which is where Wyatt Earp was having breakfast the morning of the Gunfight.

Then maybe we'll head on down to Bisbee. That's quite a picturesque little town sandwiched between a couple mountain ridges. The buildings are all painted different colors. There was once a large copper mine there. Now it's just a big hole in the ground, lol.

Then they want to go to the border, so we'll drive on down to Douglas and take a picture of the crossing, lol.

There's a few other things to see. They're going to stay 4 days. I'll be out there for 2 weeks. I love the West, and like Tombstone. I go over there most every trip. This time, we'll take a couple of those "Old Timey" pictures. They also want to take a stagecoach ride, so we'll do that.

Other than that, it's pretty much like here, sitting around playing on my laptop or watching naked ladies on the VNA, lol.

[WalterB]

Well, made it to Arizona ok. Just as I left the freeway at Benson, there were 6 cops and one pick-up. My guess is illegals. Before my son left, we talked about what all he is going through out there. Right now he's on the ATV patrol. They have 4-wheelers they run around the desert on, catching the illegals. He always gives some really good insights into, not what you hear on the news, but what is actually going on out there.

[lance_s]

Well, made it to Arizona ok. Just as I left the freeway at Benson, there were 6 cops and one pick-up. My guess is illegals. Before my son left, we talked about what all he is going through out there. Right now he's on the ATV patrol. They have 4-wheelers they run around the desert on, catching the illegals. He always gives some really good insights into, not what you hear on the news, but what is actually going on out there.

All this talk of Arizona makes me think I'm overdue for a visit to Tucson.

I didn't know there was a Crystal Palace in Tombstone. The only Crystal Palace I know of is the one built in London in the 19th century for an exhibition. I did find the graveyard in Tombstone interesting... Here lies Lester Moore. 4 slugs from a 44. No les, no more.

[WalterB]

When I first went to Tombstone with my son in about '92 or so, there were cars all over the place. Allen street was open to traffic. We met and talked to a couple of the show performers (they do a re-enactment of the shootout.) I mentioned that I felt the the cars ruined the atmosphere, and asked why thry didn't close the street off. He said that they had been trying to get the city council to do that for years. The next tine I went back (couple years?) the street had been blocked off for the three main blocks of Allen.
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The Crystal Palace is at the corner of 5th and Allen. The OK Corral is 2 blocks to the left. Pic is from Google Earth.
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[lance_s]

When I first went to Tombstone with my son in about '92 or so, there were cars all over the place. Allen street was open to traffic. We met and talked to a couple of the show performers (they do a re-enactment of the shootout.) I mentioned that I felt the the cars ruined the atmosphere, and asked why thry didn't close the street off. He said that they had been trying to get the city council to do that for years. The next tine I went back (couple years?) the street had been blocked off for the three main blocks of Allen.
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The Crystal Palace is at the corner of 5th and Allen. The OK Corral is 2 blocks to the left. Pic is from Google Earth.
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Tombstone - Crystal Palace Saloon.jpg

Not till 92? I was there LONG before you... somewhere in the early 80's I think - when my first marriage was cratering. I don't remember seeing Crystal Palace; there is another bar or club - Bird something. And I did visit the OK Corral. And the biggest rose plant on the planet.

[WalterB]

You're thinking of the Bird Cage theater. Oh, and I was first there when I was about maybe 10. I can't remember specifically, That would have been about 1955. '92 was probably the first time I went on my own. Every simmer, when my son came out for his summer vacation, I liked to take him to historic places. So we visited a number of them. Places like Donner Pass, Tombstone, The Little Big Horn. We camped out a lot.

But I do remember The Petrified Forest. Used to have a picture of me sitting on top of a fallen petrified log, big one. It was 2, maybe 3 feet thick and I looked to be about 5.. I remember that we went on lots of vacations as a family. I don't remember how we got around, I DO remember that we had a '49 Chevrolet Fastback. The next I remember was a '56 Ford Ranch Wagon. Sometimes Dad would fold down the back seat and put a mattress back there. That's where my sisters and I hung out.

[lance_s]

I've always been intrigued by the petrified forest.

I'll have to make a list of places to see before I make my next trip to Tucson.

[WalterB]

Well, I get out here enough, I've researched the general area and have now been to most of what I want to see. If you want some ideas, let me know. I've mentioned Johnny Ringo's gravesite 40 miles from anywhere, lol. Then, there's that old Clanton homestead. Nothing left except some foundations and rocks and stuff. Seems like I posted some pics here. I'll look. One thing about this one, It's just over a mile from the parking area. Easy to find, but you should be able to walk a couple miles.

Like I said, if you'd like some ideas, let me know. You can also probably google something like "Tombstone history" and come up with lots of links.

[WalterB]

Well, today was nice. We probably drove maybe a couple hundred miles. I mentioned I'm meeting up with Lyda and her daughter and a friend. They came down from Washington, then headed east to visit The Petrified Forest and The Painted Desert. Then they drove on down to Willcox yesterday and spent the night. I drove there from Sierra Vista this morning, maybe 70 miles. From there we drove another 30 - 40 miles to Bowie. We went up Apache Pass road to Ft. Bowie. Probably there maybe an hour. It's about 20 miles through Apache Pass. We left the Fort and headed on west.

Once we reached pavement, we went maybe 50 - 60 miles to Johnny Ringo's grave site. then we headed back to Willcox. We ate there at The Dining Car. It started out as a railroad car, and now has quite a nice restaurant built onto it. So, of course, we ate in the Railroad car part. Quite nice food. I got the Brisket and smoked sausage plate.

From there we headed on back to Sierra Vista and I got the girls to their hotel, then came on home. Tomorrow they want to do Tombstone, Bisbee for lunch, then on down to Douglas to the border crossing. From there, we'll head on back to SV. Another full day.

[WalterB]

Well, today's adventure will take us to Tombstone, Bisbee, and down to Douglas to the border crossing. We'll try to not get arrested, lol. Bisbee is a cool and quite pretty little town sandwiched between 2 mountain ridges. The streets are narrow and the buildings are all painted different colors. The ladies want to eat there, so we'll do that. Bisbee was home to a large copper mine. Now it's just a big hole in the ground, lol.

Then, tonight, the ladies want to go to the Landmark Café Friday Night Fish Fry. So, we'll do that around 6 P.M., 9 P.M. Eastern. I may get to drop in for Julia, just not sure at the moment.

[lance_s]

Lance's itinerary (hope you don't mind my temporarily borrowing your thread, Walt)

Ottawa Vancouver 4+ hours
Vancouver Sydney 15+ hours
Sydney Merimbula 1+ hour

Camera, mobile phone, headphones, watch, ipad, toothbrush all packed, And each one needs a different charging cord!!

Not sure if I'll be able to log on while I'm away. Should have some pictures when I'm back if anyone is interested.

Cheerio for now.

[WalterB]

Please post your adventures, Lance.

Hint: Different charging cords. I found some small attachable cord labels. Then, when you wrap them up, put them all in a gallon zip-lock bag. I also found some Velcro cable ties that are excellent. The large end has a slit in it. You wrap the strap around your cable to 'permanently' attach it (yes, they're easily removable, lol.) Then, you wrap up your cable however you like and wrap the strap around the whole bundle. They work great. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/120PCS-Reusable- ... RydWU&th=1

Good luck on your trip, safe travels and yes, post your pics, whenever you can.

[lance_s]

Please post your adventures, Lance.

Hint: Different charging cords. I found some small attachable cord labels. Then, when you wrap them up, put them all in a gallon zip-lock bag. I also found some Velcro cable ties that are excellent. The large end has a slit in it. You wrap the strap around your cable to 'permanently' attach it (yes, they're easily removable, lol.) Then, you wrap up your cable however you like and wrap the strap around the whole bundle. They work great. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/120PCS-Reusable- ... RydWU&th=1

Good luck on your trip, safe travels and yes, post your pics, whenever you can.

Back. It was an interesting trip. Not too many good photos, unfortunately. The new camera I got turned out to be a piece of junk. I'll probably trash it, too embarrassed to even sell it.

Basically, its like Canada, but with different animals.

[WalterB]

Sorry about the camera. I’ve gotten to where I use my phone for pretty much all my pictures, then try to transfer them as I need to.

I’ve got 2 good digital SLR cameras here, but I’ve never been a big picture taker. But these two are good, lots of adjustments. Problem is, phones have gotten so good that most don’t need a stand-alone camera. I would use them more if I had more incentive. You know, if, for example, I had a pretty blonde goddess living with me. LOL

[lance_s]

Sorry about the camera. I’ve gotten to where I use my phone for pretty much all my pictures, then try to transfer them as I need to.

I’ve got 2 good digital SLR cameras here, but I’ve never been a big picture taker. But these two are good, lots of adjustments. Problem is, phones have gotten so good that most don’t need a stand-alone camera. I would use them more if I had more incentive. You know, if, for example, I had a pretty blonde goddess living with me. LOL

I've never had a DSLR. I have an SLR from before the days of D (a Nikon F I picked up in Nairobi). I do have a pansonic point and shoot that takes great pictures, but for this trip I though I'd get a waterproof camera. Big mistake!

Now I'm considering a Sony RX100 vii. However, it was released about 4 years so, so there make be a mark 8 in the offing so I'll hold off for a bit. I don't have any more trips planned in the near future.

[lance_s]

I think what surprised me the most was that Australians were much more aloof than I expected. They have this reputation for being friendly and gregarious, but I did not find that. Polite and helpful - always, but somehow aloof. I find I'm not as excited about a follow up visit as I thought I would be. Next trip, I might suggest we meet in New Zealand instead.

[WalterB]

Well, I'm setting up a nice trip back east for sometime in July, at least after the 4th. I'm going to follow I-10 into Florida. I'll drive around the big cities, depending on the time of day I get there. I'll visit a few friends in Florida, then head north up to I-40. I want to visit a friend in Shreveport, then head up to Tulsa to visit my sister.

Once she throws me out, I'll take I-40 west to Santa Rosa, NM, then south on U.S. 54 to home. Gonna try to camp overnight at least twice. I've got a nice tent, sleeping bag and air mattress. Got a single-burner stove and coffee pot, too, so I may try to make my morning coffee. But I don't cook breakfast anymore. Plenty of restaurants out there. All that depends on the weather, I guess. I expect to take somewhere around 3 weeks. I'll miss some cam shows, but will check in when I can.