Thursday, November 18, 2010

TUNA SALAD SANDWICHES IN THE OLD GHOST TOWN OF GLEESON, ARIZONA

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Our temps have been warming up a bit & I wasn’t as worried this morning about Jack Frost nipping at my nose.  Our early doggy walks aren’t as long any more as they once were.  Just too hard on Max, so it was a shorter walk on the road today.  Checkers didn’t come Monday morning because it was obvious by the gunshots that hunting season had just opened & Checkers hates gun shots. 

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Decided to take a run further up that road we were on yesterday.  It had some nice dips, swirls & gully whompers but we took our time in 4 wheel drive & we all did just fine.  Road didn’t go as far as I thought it would before ending.  Scenic little canyon ahead so pulled over figuring we would go the rest of the way on foot.  Well, that was until a blue pick up truck pulled in behind us.  We had seen it a few minutes before & suspected hunters.  We were right, so that effectively ended our hike.  Walking in an area where people are hunting is never wise.  These two guys were very friendly but that can be taken two ways.  Either some good old genuine western hospitality or…….you just never know.  I did see a gun on the front seat of their truck.  They both exited their vehicle, approached, and we had about a 10 minute chat.  Kelly was nervous about them & I must admit, I was too.  All the time talking to these guys I was thinking of all the TV shows I’ve seen where people mysteriously disappear…or worse!!  Anyway, I did manage to get a picture of the guys, we did get out of there, & they were probably just a couple of friendly locals.

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Didn’t want to go back to the Motor Home yet so scooted straight across the valley to the little ghost town of GLEESON. Thought we would try out some dusty roads to nowhere in that area.  Nice idea but most of the roads we ventured out on, were just that, nowhere roads!!  Most of them dead ended at a locked gate with a ranch somewhere on the other side.

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WE KNEW WHERE WE WERE BUT OUR GPS DIDN’T

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NOT LOOKING LIKE GLEESON HAS A BIG FUTURE:((

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A FEW PICS FROM AROUND GLEESON

This was probably our 4th or 5th time through Gleeson so decided to go eat our picnic snacks on the steps of what used to be an old dance hall & school.  And, if I haven’t got that right I’m sure I’ll hear from Ray in Gleeson.  So, today at exactly high noon Arizona time, Kelly & I were sitting on the old cement steps of what used to be a very large building in Gleeson, eating our tuna salad sandwiches & zesty pickles.  Yep, that’s what the label on the pickle jar said all right…….zesty!!

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(click on pics to enlarge)

Gleeson was a rootin tootin wild west mining town in it’s hay day, with a main street, saloon, shops & the usual cast of nefarious western characters I’m sure.  Tombstone’s (only 15 miles west of Gleeson) infamous gun fighter Johnny Ringo was last seen drinking at a saloon in Gleeson. You can see that Saloon plus more pics & read my take on Gleeson at, GLEESON, ARIZONA.   For the day we found Johnny Ringo’s gravesite at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains further north, check out our blog for,  JOHN RINGO'S FINAL RESTING PLACE.  I have pics of Johnny Ringo’s grave plus some interior photos of the old saloon in Gleeson.

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I’M SURE THE RUINS OF GLEESON’S HOSPITAL LOWER LEFT TENDED TO MANY INJURED & DYING MINERS FROM THE MINE SITE IN THE BACKGROUND.

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MINE SHAFTS ARE VISIBLE THROUGHOUT THIS REGION & GLEESON HAS IT’S FAIR SHARE OF THEM

An hour after our tuna salad sandwiches we were back at the Motor Home.  Kelly had some phone calls to make & some emails to check regarding work.  I had to check on my afternoon snooze program and that just about sums up our whole day.  Weather is great, sun is hot & until we are face to face with our next dilemma……….life is good:))

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WHEN WE FEEL THE NEED FOR TREES….WE HAVE A PECAN ORCHARD JUST DOWN THE ROAD

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AND WHEN WE NEED A CACTUS FIX….WE HAVE THEM JUST DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  There are 2 cowboys in the kitchen. Which one is the real cowboy?   The one on the range.

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10 comments:

  1. Great pictures! That blue sky and sunshine--I can feel the warmth (high in the 30's today here!)Please keep them coming--they really help me get through the winter!

    Thanks!!
    donna

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  2. I guess we'll have to visit Gleeson again some time. We saw only a ittle of it the day we passed through. You can be our guide, either in person or by your blogs. Do you know of any place down in that area where an RVer who needs water and electric, or at least electric, can stay a night or two? There is, I believe, some kind of an "RV park" in Elfrida, but we haven't looked at it. And we have stayed at Double Adobe, but we'd rather be in the heart of things.

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  3. The numbers on that population sign aren't going in a good direction! I always wonder what people in towns like that do for employment. Drive to the nearest large city? Run the local gas station?

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  4. The numbers on that population sign don't seem to be heading in the right direction!

    I always wonder what people in tiny towns like Gleeson do for a living. Run the local gas station? Commute to the nearest big city?

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  5. just some friendly 'hunters'..they looked harmless!..but so did 'ted bundy'..I would be with Kelly on that one..a tad nervous!..you just never know these days.!..what?..no egg salad?..I am so disapointed! :)

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  6. Sketchy looking hunters for sure! I'd get a bit nervous too if I saw a gun on the front seat!!

    Nice pictures of the dirt roads and that blue sky - it seems endless!

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  7. Those two hombres looked okay but you have to trust your gut feeling, and if they made you a bit uneasy, you were wise to "vamoose"!

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  8. YIKES! Please be very safe..and don't trust ANYONE out there...I know, it's really sad we have to be that way, but things in the South Arizona desert are NOT the same as they use to be!!! Maybe Kelly should carry a can of mace...No, I'm NOT kidding!!

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  9. Don't know how we missed Gleeson when we were in the area, but enjoyed the visit via your blog. We really like those kind of places.

    I could see those hunters on America's most wanted :)

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  10. Enjoyed reading about your new situation. Sounds like a good area to explore. I look forward to reading more about it.
    John Rosasco

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