Southwest 2020 Part 3

 

 

Where were we----oh yeah---still at Poncho Villa state park.
Me and Deb walk to breakfast.

 

 

 

 

After that I couldn't stand not getting to the border wall construction we saw in the motor
home on the way to Columbus, New Mexico.What you see here is the old wall that is
getting ripped right out of the ground and sold for scrap by the wall builders.
Just over the hill in front of my bike is the 30 ft. tall new wall coming this way.
It wasn't wise for me to get around the construction equipment.

 

 

Here is where they are stock piling it.

 

 

Me and my son Marty have been trying to get Debi into Mexico.....she doesn't have a passport.
So----I got down to the border and talk to the border people and they assured me they'd let
her back in with just her regular old drivers license. We rode the bike down to the Palomas,
Mexico border and you can see..............she's not so sure.
Don't try this anywhere else--------it probably won't work.

 

 

 

You just can't make this stuff up................here is what happend as soon as she stepped one foot
into Mexico.
A guy jumped in front of us and chewed me out for taking a picture----he no sooner got that out of
his mouth when sirens started going off all over. Then the same guy thru a barrier in front of us
and told us not to move.........................OK........remember this is Debi's first time in Mexico.
A huge fire truck pulled up a hundred feet in front of us and fireman are running everywhere
and pulling out fire hose. Then an ambulance wheels in with the loudest sired I ever heard and
I have to put my fingers in my ears.....remember this Debi's first 15 seconds into Mexico.
Then they wheel what looks like a dead body on a stretcher by us.............no picture........remember
I already got chewed out for that. I look down---------Debi hasn't pissed in her pants.
Remember this is her first one minute in Mexico.
20 minutes can't go by---you can't go back across the border here--you have to go to the
other side to do that. She ain't got no passport remember.
As quick as it all started they all left----and we rambled over to the "Pink" store for
marguaritas, lunch, dancing, music and food.
Debi has to have a cigarette...............................NOW.

R

 

 

 

All is good----I told Debi to buy whatever she wanted and I'd pay for it and off she went.
We were on a motorcycle and I thought this would not break the bank....then remembered
expensive things come in small packages.

 

 

And the band played on--I luv traditional Mexican music---their harmonies were awesome.

 

 

 

 

"El ..................Perro Grande" is BACK !!!!!

 

 

The free first round Marguaritas were very strong.

 

 

 

Something is going on here. The drink is just half gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sorrrrrryy occifer.............eh......whaat did you say..................hic. up............

 

 

 

 

 

 

So.......we had so much fun here we couldn't believe it.
And when we left someone took our picture.
What had happened to us while in the 'Pink" store ...??????
We were different.........we were on Mexican time.

 

 

 

Back in America Debi celebrates.

 

 

I'm a world traveler !!!!!!!

 

A little video to catch up.

And before you get your "Mexico Scares Me" panties in a wad----all the excitement
we saw as we crossed the border was a drill we found out later.
Driving thru St. Louis is what scares me.

 

After quite a few days at Poncho Villa state park in Columbus, New Mexico
we moved on West to Rodeo, Mexico which is right on the Arizona border.
Our friends Hank and Brijette were there camping in their motorhome and we
met up with them there. We enjoy each others company as both of us don't
sit around in our motor homes and watch TV-----we spend most of our time out
of it.............doing stuff.

Today we were going to do a very big hike up in the Chiracahua National Forest.
We did 2 seperate hikes.....I sent Hank and Brijette on a 7 mile hike I had done here years ago.
It was a very extreme hike that I barely got finished----I was alone.........story on my website.
Me and Debi did a shorter hike of about 4.5 miles. It was tuff to...but the scenery was just awesome.
I was 40 miles thru the frozen mtn. roads to get to the start of the hike.

 

 

We started together.

 

 

We hiked together for a bit but would go our seperate hikes about a half mile down the trail.
I was much slower hiking than every one else----so I told Hank and Brijette to go on ahead.

 

 

So me and Debi are on our own going a different way----we ended up almost hiking as far as
Hank and Brijette.

 

 

I think these rock formations are called Grottos...........??????????

 

 

We crossed several creeks.......we brought snacks and water and rested a lot.
The hiking was tuff.....for me anyway. But I truly enjoyed it and the time spent with my
wife Debi doing stuff like this.

 

 

For a good 2 miles we did nothing but up on big rocks.

 

 

 

The terrain was just awesome............and unbelievable.

 

 

 

Can you imagine what even the slightest earthquake would do to this place ????

 

 

 

 

Finished the hike.
We were what I call..........knackered.
But still a smile.
We all went out to a big dinner after this in Wilcox, AZ and didn't get back to camp
till way after dark------------a full day no doubt.

 

 

 

 

 

Well.........a new day........we all slept so well after all the hiking.
5AM me and Hank were plotting what to do today.
Hank hasn't ridden a motorcycle in 51 years..............that's 51 years if you didn't hear me right.
He really wants to go for a ride----I figure myHimalyan would be a better fit for this newby
to offroad riding as my Honda rally is very, very tall.
So what could go wrong????? Let's see...no riding experience, no motorcycle license, No riding gear
(Debi loaned him here helmet), definitely no offroad experience. He was more than a bit nervous
I think........I think both of us were hoping his bicycling background would pull him thru.

 

 

 

 

Right off the bat I throw a major creek crossing at him.......this road is what is known as
the Geronimo trail on maps. It encompasses both New Mexico and Arizona.
I've ridden it before.........boy was my memory bad as I don't remember these creek crossings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We've been dealing with stuff close to the border for weeks so I thought nothing of this.
I see 2 hikers up ahead and said "we should give these fellows a ride"
Hank says "good idea" !!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We crossed at least 40 creeks today........mostly easy......about 5 of them we approached with caution.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile back at the ranch (campground) we score up some chiks.....in the hot tub no less.
Hanks butt is really sore from the ride--------maybe he can't get a butt rub ?????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hikin', biking, chicks, pizza, hot tub.........were in heaven man !!!!!

Video 8

 

 

 

 

This day I went riding by myself back up into the mountains West of Rodeo, Mexico.
Debi had things to do at camp and my other friends went hiking.

 

 

Crossing this creek puts you into Rucker Canyon Campground.
I saw a herd of Javelinas as I crossed it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I headed East down this dead end road---I have been down this road before but never went
to the end of it up in those mountains.

 

 

 

Johnny Ringo..........the fastest pistolero in the West in buried on private property beyond this gate.
I visited the grave probably 10 years ago.............legend has it that Johnny was shot maybe by
Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday-------------nobody knows for sure.

 

 

 

The highlight to day was meeting the guy in the gator. He owns all this property and is a real cowboy.
He's 78 years old and can no longer ride a horse but maintains his ranch on the gator.
I thanked him for letting me and others access to his ranch and Johnny's grave.
He told me so many things---we talked for at least a half hour.
He said some of the stars in the movie Tombstone have come here to visit the grave...big stars.

for

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then rode another 6 miles to the end of the road........bear country and kind of spooky
back in here. It was a bit after this some law officer was trying to show his authority.
Didn't have the common sense to know the difference between an old man trying to
see the beautiful country side and an asshole on a 4-wheeler tearing up the countryside
and tearing up stuff. Wasn't a pleasant conversation. Blabbing something about me needing some
kind of OHV sticker on my bike while riding on public roads.
Would like to see what happens when he tries to pull that bullshit on the cowboy I met on the gator
who's owns all the land around and his family has been ranching all this property for generations.

Video 9

 

 

 

 

There is so much to do here in Rodeo and the surrounding area.

 

 

We go for about a 30 mile ride to the tiny town of Portal and back for lunch.
This town is right up against the mountains.........a beautiful place to live.
Population maybe 50 or so ??????

 

 

Hank and Brijette ride recumbent bicycles. Debi on the left.
If I hadn't said they are extreme bicyclists and Hank has ridden all the way across the U.S.

 

 

Me............I'm just a lolly gagger.
It was pretty chilly out with some powerful winds.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset------my camera skills suck in low light conditions.

 

 

 

I made a great fire that nite and we all stayed up to the wee hours of the evening---probably 8PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we rould leave Rodeo, New Mexico. This is a special town to me----I've done 2 big
rides out of here----leaving my tow vehicle here riding all the way to Canada and back on
one of those rides.

Bicycling Video

 

 

 

So...........next camp spot........for a month........Patagonia, Arizona.
Patagonia is way out there in the valley----first thing I did was go for a 5 mile hike to the top
of a small mountain---I came from down in the valley and climbed the mountain (OK a big hill)
and came thru the gate you see. A cool old cemetery was up here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at camp it was Debi's birthday.
I had went to town and ordered a birthday cake for her and picked up some ice cream.
It wasn't fancy decorated cake----but was very good and she really appreciated it.
I sang happy birthday to her...............remember I can't carry a tune. It was the thought that counted.
And she loves me !!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Me and Debi went for many rides in the area and I went alone a lot too.
This is entering the famous "Empire Ranch" North of Patagonia.
The Himilayan was so happy to be out and about.

 

 

The empire ranch with a back drop of cottonwood trees.

 

 

The Arizona Back Country Discovery route goes right thru here.
There is one spot where the sand is deep and brutal and the bdr guys recommend you go
around it.

 

 

 

I head back to camp on Canello Pass road (on the BDR) and pass this familiar air mail box I
remember riding by on other rides. I've ridden around here a whole lot over the years---sometimes with my
buddy Dingweeds.

 

 

 

The riding around here is by no means boring. When I left camp that morning I knew a big
rain storm was coming and I made it back on these impassable when wet roads just before it hit.
Patagonia is just about 10 miles away in this picture........so you can see just how awesome this
area is.

A Short Video

 

Click---For Part 4
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