Tuesday, January 10, 2012

WE ARE AT THE RANCH….BUT OUR JEEP IS 63 MILES AWAY:((

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FORT RUCKER IN THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

(This is Monday’s blog despite Tuesday’s date)

There is something about the crowing of a Rooster in the early morning hours that just kind of puts a nice spin on the beginning of any day.

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HEADING FOR LESLIE CANYON

Late getting to the computer tonight so I am going to try and make this short or I will fall asleep before I finish it for sure.

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From reading my blog over the years Aunt Jean had a few places in the area she wanted to see this week and one of the them was Mary Kidder Rak’s home in the Chiricahua Mountain’s Rucker Canyon.  Decided to take the Jeep in case we got into a little ‘off roading.’  Of course that meant Kelly having to ride in the back again but she was able to catch up on a bunch of her reading.

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BEAUTIFUL LESLIE CANYON

The Ranch is on the west side of the Swiss Helm Mountains so we decided to take the Leslie Canyon route to Rucker which swings around the southern end of the Swiss Helms through the beautiful sweeping grasslands of Leslie Canyon.  With big white puffy clouds in the deep blue Arizona sky we had a perfect morning’s drive.  Air was on the cool side but warm in the Jeep.

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SCENIC RUCKER CANYON

Jean was anxious the see the tall green mountain forests I have often described in my posts and you can bet I was anxious to show them to her.

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LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THOSE ARIZONA MOOSE BUFFALOS 

With long lazy cloud shadows playing across the distant mountain sides around us we finally made the swing out of Leslie Canyon eastwards into the higher altitudes of Rucker Canyon.  As soon as we began our ascent from the Valley floor the landscape began to give way to taller trees and early signs of green forests to come.  Tall Sycamore and Cottonwood trees began appearing.  Agave and Prickly Pear Cactus were abundant as were taller Mesquite trees, Juniper, and scrub Pines and Junipers.  Crossed a trickling mountain stream, dodged a few cows on the road and just kept climbing our way further up the Canyon. 

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LOVE THESE MOUNTAIN FORESTS

It was apparent Jean was really enjoying herself as we skipped along the winding dirt road leaving a huge trail of dust in our wake.  She had many questions and I had many answers.  It is a part of Arizona I love and have spent time in these past 5 winters.   I have done a fair bit of reading about the areas history.

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SPLASHING THROUGH SOME MOUNTAIN STREAMS

We arrived at the parking area where old Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak’s house remain hidden from view in a line of green Mesquite trees a short distance from the road.  Anyone typing Fort Rucker or Mary Kidder Rak into my search bar will find my posts from half a dozen previous visits to this historic spot.  Mary Kidder Rak wrote several books over the years and it was A COWMAN'S WIFE that so impressed me a few years ago.

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ON THE GROUNDS OF OLD FORT RUCKER

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The silence at old Fort Rucker is overpowering if you take the time to listen.  The beauty here is also overpowering if you take the time to see and appreciate it.  How nice to be here with my Aunt Jean.  And how nice to be able to show her such a special tranquil and peaceful place.

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OUTSIDE THE OFFICER’S QUARTERS

We walked the short lane to the dry creek bed and gingerly made our way across the scattered rocks and sandy bottom.  The old barn and original wooden corrals were before us as we headed left onto the grounds of what once was a bustling military camp back in the 1800’s.  Hard to imagine all the soldiers bustling about on these very grounds we were walking.  A few reader boards had been installed years ago so we stopped to read each one as we made our way along old and long forgotten grown over pathways.  The camp’s Bakery building is still standing as well as a section of wall from the army commissary.  An old water tank and a small adobe officers quarters bear silent reminders of the way things were a hundred and thirty years or so ago.  Indian Chief Geronimo had been through here and captured east of the Chiricahua mountains in Skeleton Canyon. The troops who captured him had left from here.

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THESE READER BOARDS TELL THE FORT’S HISTORY

Despite the cool winds blowing we made our way to the old wooden poll barn near the Mary Kidder Rak house.  Having read Mary’s book about her life and hard times at this very spot it was easy for me to imagine all the things I had read about.  I could see the many Indians, cowboys and drifters who had come to her door.   I could imagine their old car sitting by the barn.  The many cattle they had, their horses, and so much more.  It was all once right here.  

Made our way along a warn path from the barn and entered the silent and slowly crumbling house through an open front door.  I am always struck by the tiny rooms with their different levels.  I could see the warm kitchen with Mary’s cooling pies sitting on the window ledge.  The fireplace where she once set the walls afire.  The root cellar outside where she kept supplies not only for her and husband Charlie, but other passing strangers as well.   And then there is the impressive big blue room with a fireplace at one end.

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MARY KIDDER RAK’S HOUSE

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IN MARY’S KITCHEN LOOKING AT THE WINDOWS WHERE APPLE PIES WERE COOLED

How nice it was for me to be back to a place I have read so much about.  How nice to see the adventuress spirit of my Aunt Jean taking everything in and enjoying it all.  Like myself, Jean is a history buff as well with a spirit of the old West in her.  A determined lady with a will and persistence much akin to Mary Kidder Rak herself.

From the house we were soon making our way back around the old barn through tall dried grass.  Jean remarked it has been years since she has enjoyed walking through tall grass like that.  That made me feel good:))

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CHECKING OUT SOME GOURD LIKE THINGS FOUND GROWING ON THE GROUND

After walking the short distance back to the Jeep I always take a last glance back with the same thought in my mind each time I leave this area of many memories .  I wonder if I will ever be back here again.

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WALKING BACK TO THE JEEP

Before leaving Rucker Canyon we slipped up one other road where I knew the tall Ponderosa Pine trees lived right next to a bubbling mountain stream.  This was the area of mountain forest Jean had been wanting to see and we all marveled at the beauty as we turned off the Jeep’s engine and listened to the melting snow waters of a small stream.  Gurgling and bubbling along it tumbled it’s way over rocks and boulders from tall snow capped mountains to the North.

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STOPPED IN A MOUNTAIN STREAM CHECKING OUT SOME CATTLE

The afternoon was getting on so we pointed the Jeeps nose down the mountain and headed for the Valley floor below.  Crossed a few more mountain streams, waved at some cows along the roadside, slowed for a few curves, kicked up a lot of dust and eventually we made it out to the center of Sulphur Springs Valley where we finally reached highway 191 about 5 miles north of Elfrida.  And, then our day’s fun activities abruptly changed.

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SAY, HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE ARIZONA:))

As soon as I pulled away from the dirt road’s stop sign making a left hand turn onto the pavement I knew something was wrong from not only the sound coming from the Jeep but by the way the Jeep was suddenly handling.  I knew instantly……flat tire!!!!

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Managed to quickly get the Jeep pulled over on the flat shoulder of the opposite side of the road.  Yep, the rear passenger side tire was flatter than a pancake.  Oh well, no problem I thought because I had changed this very same tire a year ago when we had a flat.  Kelly located the bottle jack and tire iron while a swore a bit under my breath.  Couldn’t swear too darned loud you know because my Aunt was there.

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Slipped the bottle jack under the axle and loosened all the tires normal studs….except one.  All our wheels have one locking nut on each wheel to prevent theft supposedly.  It requires a special tool to unlock that one nut and remove it.  No problem, I had that special tool but when I went to use it the locking nut was totally immovable.  It had obviously been put on way too tight by an inexperienced tire person.  I wrenched and wrenched at that stubborn nut with the tire iron until eventually I stripped the the cheaply made mechanism.  That was it….we were dead in the water with no way to get the tire off.

A helpful Forest Service worker stopped and tried his luck but the nut was toast.  Had a compressor in his work truck so he tried pumping up the tire that but it would not hold air.  In the meantime Kelly and Jean were outside the Jeep with Kelly working her cell phone contacting our roadside service provider, COACHNET.  Took awhile to get the girl on the other end to understand exactly where we were but eventually things got figured out and a tow truck was dispatched from Bisbee.  Kelly also called a Jeep dealership in Sierra Vista for advice.

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NICE OF THIS FELLOW TO STOP AND TRY TO HELP…WE HAD SEEN HIM WORKING ABOUT AN HOUR EARLIER IN RUCKER CANYON

The winds were picking up and it was cold there beside the road so Kelly also phoned a neighbor of Jeanie & Ray’s wondering if he could come out and pick them up.  Doug was immediately in his truck heading the 14 miles to our location arriving about 20 minutes after Kelly called.  Aunt Jean and Kelly went with Doug back to the Ranch and I stayed with the Jeep to await the big flat bed truck which arrived about 20 minutes after the girls had left.

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THIS FLAT BED DRIVER AND I WERE BORN THE SAME MONTH OF THE SAME YEAR BUT I GOT 23 DAYS ON HIM:)) 

Didn’t take the fellow long to lower his flat bed, hook onto the Jeep and pull it up onto the truck, level it out and snug it down.  We had some paper work to do in the cab of the truck and then it was off to the Ranch where the driver dropped me off.  Because of the stripped lockable lug nut on the wheel the Jeep had to stay on the truck and be taken to the Jeep dealer in Sierra Vista some 63 miles away.  The garage said that lock and tire would have to be taken off by a technician.  Kelly had made all the arrangements with the garage via phone so needless to say we are going to have them replace all 5 of those ridiculously stupid locking nuts with ordinary tire bolts.  We will head to Sierra Vista with Jeanie & Ray’s truck in the morning to pick up the Jeep as soon as things are repaired.

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THE FLAT BED DRIVER DROPS ME OFF AT THE RANCH

While in Sierra Vista Tuesday we hope to continue our sight seeing to Ramsey Canyon and CORONADO PEAK.  Been some talk about popping into the Texas Road House for some good old mashed potatoes and gravy for AL too:))

Well, for starting out to do a short post I sure have run off at the fingertips again:((  Wish us luck at the Jeep dealer Tuesday.

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OUR LITTLE JEEP HEADS TO SIERRA VISTA WITHOUT US:((

The Last Paragraph: Some posts roll off my keyboard with ease while others turn out be a real grind.  If I write my blog as a simple diary or journal of the day’s events I consider that an easy and reasonably safe uncontroversial post.  If I throw some creativity and humor into it I consider the post a fun challenge.  If I include personal thoughts, feelings and opinions, I consider it a post of substance. Those ‘substance’ posts can be difficult to write for obvious reasons.  It is always an everyday challenge as a daily blogger to come up with something new, something different, something interesting and sometimes, something exciting.  For me, repetition is an arch enemy and always a concern every time I sit down at the computer.  Some folks consider Jigsaw or Crossword puzzles a challenge, others a game of Solitaire.  For me, it’s the daily challenge of putting an interesting post together in a manner readers will enjoy reading.  And, for me, that is what blogging is all about and why each and every day I sit myself down at my keyboard……….10-4:))     

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Middle age is when you are warned to slow down by a doctor instead of a policeman.

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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

25 comments:

  1. WHOA!!! What stories Aunt Jean will have to tell back home...You sure do know how to show your family a good time and lots of excitement..Seriously, We know how car trouble can make your stomach drop...especially far from any town..And since you weren't out there in a desert monsoon, I'd say it ended up pretty good...come'on...smiles all around!!

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  2. ....and you do the blogging so well...Thank you for another good read.

    Just BS! (Bob and Sue)

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  3. that was quite the adventure!!..felt like we were right along with you all..a little crowded in the 'jeep' though..sorry to hear all about the flat tire!..geesh!!..hope it is fixed today and you are back making the dust on the trails again soon!!

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  4. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for bringing Aunt Jean up to Fort Rucker! I read over your post and gazed at the pictures at least five times before even commenting here.

    What a wonderful re-visit to the place, since you turned it onto us last year during our visit. After reading the books, it brings it all to life in the eyes! And seeing the pics again, it looks just like it did when we wandered around.

    LOVE the idea of Aunt Jean enjoying the walk in the tall grass. How sweet....

    Bad luck on the Jeep, but good luck on the nice neighbors and tow truck and handling it all for you.

    Just a little bump on the road of life, right?

    ps I think those cows on Leslie Canyon Road are the ones our Duchess sooo enjoyed barking at!!!

    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/

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  5. Al, your posts are always so interesting. They could easily become a book that tons of people would love to read. You have a real knack for telling the story and then even illustrating it perfectly.

    http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com

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  6. Boy you been lucky that the flat didn't happen up in that wilderness area. You'd have to hire a chopper to get you and the Jeep out.
    Beautiful pics, like always.

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  7. We remember that ranch very well. Thanks for the picture revisit.

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  8. Another wonderful day exploring and a little tire problem just to make the story more interesting. Good luck with the jeep today!

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  9. What a fine day ... until it went flat (pun intended). Aunt Jean will remember this day the rest of her days. And you have once again lit a fire under our wheels -- I'm sure the Suzuki could follow those roads, as long as I can see where to turn. We'll need to go back and re-read those earlier posts, so maybe we can make a composite of information to lead us into the same area.

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  10. We have yet to see this wonderful place but definitely plan to do so the next time we are in that part of Arizona. I'mm glad that you had decent service and good friends to let your day turn out better than a cold lonely night in the Arizona mountains! I also appreciate your daily blogging efforts. I could never manage it, so don't even try. I know how much you put into it, and again, Thanks.

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  11. Such a crummy ending for a glorious day. You really don't need to add that kind of excitement for Aunt Jeans' visit, you know. Loved the visit to Fort Rucker.

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  12. Sorry to hear about your flat, I and one of those security nuts on a tire on the back of a van we had, sure enough the first time I needed it the same thing happened. I was lucky to have a small pipe wrench and hammer in my box and tapped it off.Just put the regular ones back on and nobody ever bothered it. Hope it isn't a big expense to get it all straightened out. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

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  13. You've introduced another place on my 'places to see' list - and I have got to read those books by Mary Kidder Rak. I was just thinking Aunt Jean sounds like her, and then you wrote that as well. :)
    Okay, and I have come to the conclusion that all of us who travel MUST have a Kelly onboard with us. With cellphone.
    --Jool

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  14. Keep up the good work! Your blog is one that I read every day and "The Bayfield Bunch" is common knowledge in our home. How wonderful that your aunt is able to spend time with you. Take care of your health and continue to enjoy all there is to enjoy in this wonderful part of the country.

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  15. Thank goodness you were back out to the hard surface road. The guy from Bisbee might not have ever found you in Rucker Canyon.

    Perhaps you need a steel roof rack with a couple of spare tires on it if you continue to off road to these remote places.......

    Even if you never used the tires, you'd look the part of a true jeepster!!! LOL

    Rod

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  16. As always..I enjoyed reading your posts. If only I could write like you. I love seeing old places that have a rich history and my mind wonders to what it was like "back when". I spent time in the Laguna Mts in California. My husband worked for a rancher out there for a time. He would help move the cattle from the ranch (Campo)in the valley to the Laguna Mts for part of the year. Then there was the ranch in Pine Valley, CA. Spent many hours walking the meadows...where my imagination takes me back in history to thought of events long before my time. I find it so interesting to read of the history of places and then visit them. So you can see how enjoyable it is for me to be able to read how well you can put thoughts on paper. My thoughts and imagination has always been rich, but I've never been able to put them into words. And now.....even my thoughts get confused. I can imagine how wonderful it was for your Aunt to have you take her around the area and be able to tell and show her the history. And then...to be able to take we readers along. Thanks you so much! Hope everything goes well with getting the jeep fixed. So glad you at least got to the road before she konked out on you. You certainly are blessed to have Kelley. Never let her cell phone die.. always have it fully charged. And she always seems to know who to call...and have the right numbers too. You all take care. Hope you are managing ok with the kidney thing until you get back to Canada. Thinking of you...Tricia

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  17. butterbean carpenterTuesday, January 10, 2012

    Howdy Kelly & Al,

    Thank you, for a very nice day!!!
    Kelly has a nice little cubby-hole & is lucky to be small enough to fit in it!!!

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  18. One again, thank you for sharing your day. It's always an adventure.

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  19. 35 years ago I spent January in Sierra Vista, helping teach a course at Fort Huachuca. The thing I remember most was this small town that had been moved three times, whenever the local copper mine had run out of yield. (Might have been Bisbee.) Many of the stores sold turquoise and jewelry, but the one I remember was run by the town's former judge and mayor.

    He had almost died during a medical procedure, and as I recall he had (one of?) the first out-of-body white-light-tunnel experiences. The man could tell a story better than anyone else I can recall, and we stood in his store for an hour or two, egging him on to talk more. Surely he's long gone by now, but it's funny what one remembers!

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  20. Your Aunt Jean is certainly getting the royal tour of that part of Arizona, including being stranded in the middle of nowhere (figuratively speaking, of ourse). She is a great sport.

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  21. We are so glad it was just a flat tire and not a moving kidney stone that kept you from posting Monday's blog! We only have one of those locking nuts on our spare tire and Michael says he is going out to check and see if he can get it off after reading about your problems. Hope the jeep is ready soon!

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  22. I learned a long time ago, NO locking lug nuts. If it makes a thief mad he just puts a knife in your tire.

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  23. Thanks for the memories....

    Aunt Jean

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  24. You keep on bloggin and I'll keep on readin 10-4!

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  25. Al, your pictures are so CLEAR. I feel like I could just walk out into the area.
    I agree with jeffinillinoize--
    I look forward to your blog everyday!
    donna

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