Southwest 2020 Part 4

 

 

Me and my buddy Jeff Fletcher went for a big ride today Southeast of Patagonia, AZ
He rode my Royal Enfield and fell in love with this bike.
He graciously offered to let me ride his Honda XR650R but those things are a beast
and kickstart only-------so I rode my Honda 250 Rally.

 

 

We rode down to the border in the little town of Lochiel, Arizona.
It used to be a border crossing but isn't anymore.
Looks like maybe a dozen people live here.
The big Trump new border wall has not made it here yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and Debi got the bicycles out and went for a 15 mile ride out Harsaw road.
Southeast of Patagonia, AZ
The tree in this picture had a diameter of what looked like 8 feet.

 

 

 

 

I think that is a cottonwood--lots of those down here.

 

 

 

Back at camp it was time for dinner.
Besides Jeff 2 more of my riding buddies showed up.
Allan Anderson and Casey---both on KTM 350 EXC's.
We've ridden quite a bit together in Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

 

 

We went for a short "introductory" ride.

 

 

I sent Allan and Casey up a gnarly trail to the top of a mountain where there were towers on the top.
We could see these towers from our campsite. Me and Jeff didn't go. I had tried to get up there last
year by myself-----it was extremely tuff and I didn't make it all the way. I wasn't on a dirt bike
and that is what you need to ride up there. They are returning in this picture.

 

 

 

 

So the next day I take them on a big ride.
Jeff's bike was a bit cranky getting it started.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right out of Patagonia we head up into the mountains on Selaro Canyon Road and
find what looks like just and old Adobe House---my research says it is a ghost town.
It had water---I think that pipe is a suction pipe for a hand pump.

 

 

 

 

 

This place was amazing.....look closely in those trees at the stone wall.
It went all around the place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the mountain pass and down the other side.
The town of Avado is down there somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

I had big plans today---one was to ride up to an observatory. I had no idea if we could ride up that
mountain to get to it-------------but we did.

 

 

The actual observatory was gated.....we didn't care we just wanted to ride up and down the mountain.

 

 

Going Down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One road I had picked to ride towards Medora canyon didn't work out as we ran up to
private property...........so I quicky re-routed.

 

 

This windmill is sort of special to me. I've seen only 2 in my travels...the SAMSON windmill.
The other one is just North of Lochiel AZ---------but it is gone now.
These were made in a small town in Illinois nost far from my house............I went to this
town once and there was
a museum of sorts with all kinds of windmills on display.

 

 

 

We didn't go 4 miles and came across this windmill.........I've never seen anything like it.
A windmill on top of a cell tower.

 

 

We then rode thru the famous Empire Ranch.
The Arizona Back Country Discovery route goes thru here.

 

 

A Short Video

 

 

 

 

Ok ..........a new day......where you taking us today BigDog my buddies asked me over breakfast ???
My usual answer...............follow my tailight..........but not to close unless you want dog bit..!!!!

 

 

Allan can't wait.
I'm remember him sayin'.......boy you know how to pick-em BigDog.

 

 

 

 

So far the best road of the whole trip......what a hoot. Just barely out of Patagonia, AZ.
The video really says it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then West of Nogales we head up into the mountains-------it was awesome.
Rain was forecast for the day later----do we make it back dry ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only calamity of the day....Casey took an un-athorized pee stop that put us all out of sync for pee stops
the rest of the day............it's a difficult thing out here I tell you.
But hey.......we are all retired............we don't care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ghost town of Ruby---hid way off the main road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We blew into the really tiny town of Arivica, AZ.
Hey this gas station was even before goobers gas station in Mayberry.

 

 

 

 

All 3 of us normally don't eat lunch.........just breakfast.........then snacks......then dinner.
But for some reason we were all hungry and ate here.
Big Juicy hamburger for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We eventually got back North of Nogales and the rain looked like it was moving in.
I thought it best to ride pavement back to camp.......Allan pulled one of his gadgets and proclaimed
it wasn't going to rain till 9PM (his gadget was wront)..............so off we went out into impassable
when wet territory..I was terrified of that stuff-------we all are.
The Kansas mine.

 

 

 

Looky what I found I proclaimed.............what ????.........they said ??????

 

 

 

 

 

I had previously said I knew of only 2 "SAMSON" windmills.
Well looky here .............I found another...........marked it with my gps of course.
Made near my hometown.
About 10 miles from camp it started to rain.......we barely hit a road that would be passable
if wet.........and made it back............just a little damp. Back at camp the rain started in and
I loved the pitter patter of it......comfy in my motorhome bed !!!!!!
Casey however is one tuff dude..........slept in a tent........seems Allan has a history of snoring.

Short Video

 

 

 

 

Ok...........bear with me. I love old black and white westerns. On of my favorites is the 1957
version of "3:10 To Yuma".
I've tried 5 times to get to the extremely remote ghost town of Contention, AZ which is a town
that is the center of the movie. Silly of me ???? Well maybe.
I tried first in 2005 and also about 2 weeks ago which I told about previously in this story.
The more I failed the more I was determined to get there. So with the help of my good friends
Allan and Casey------we teamed up and rode our mountain bikes to the ghost town.
It's a tuff place to get to. We start at the trailhead below very near the other ghost town of
Fairbanks...........just West of Thombstone, AZ.

 

 

My 5th attempt-------it had rained alot the previous day and I feared it would be way to muddy
to attempt this........I also feared of flat tires that I had on an attempt 2 years ago from
cactus thorns.

 

 

 

Of we go and cross 2 old railroad beds on the way.

 

 

 

We arrive at the San Pedro river............what is left of Contention is on the other side.

 

 

 

Here we have crossed the river on our bicycles and look back at the huge beautiful tree
on the other side.

 

 

We walk further East looking for town remains.

 

 

This foundation remains is one of the few things remaining of this once thriving mining town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some more hiking we find the remains of the old stamp mill.

 

 

 

 

 

We poked around for an hour----after all---------we'd come all this way.
We rode back across the river and ate some wraps my wife Debi had made us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture dictates just how beautiful it is here.........this is why I go to these out of the way places.

 

 

We sadly head back to the trailhead. It's a few miles riding slightly up hill all the way.

 

 

I have a flat and we quickly fix it by putting a new tube in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at Allans van----we load up............the temperature had really dropped.
I was still estatic we had accomplished our mission today.
I just felt it was never meant to be for me to get to Contention.
Thanks guys--------they enjoyed the adventure as much as I did.

A short Video

 

 

Click.....To Part 5..The last Part