Showing posts with label Tombstone Arizona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tombstone Arizona. Show all posts

Sunday, January 01, 2012

TOMBSTONE TERRITORY

DSC_5402
DSC_0130
How nice to hear the sunrise tweeting of our little feathered bird friends right outside the rig’s window every morning.  Mother Nature’s relaxing and soothing way of starting another fine day.
DSC_0112
Managed to get ourselves a couple trips in today.  The Elfrida dump was open till noon so we hauled a couple barrels of garbage over with Jeanie & Ray’s pick up truck.  The day was still early so figured it was a good day to make a run to Sierra Vista.
DSC_5454
Made a trip to Big Bend in Texas back in late December of 04.  Since 06 we have been spending our winters in New Mexico, Arizona and California.  In all that time Kelly has never had a Cowboy hat.  Well, today was the day.  I was in need of a new hat myself so we headed for Spur Western Wear in Sierra Vista.  Never knew there was so much to learn about hats.  Spent nearly half an hour trying them on but in the end they just didn’t have the size I needed and Kelly didn’t find the kind she wanted.  Lady said their Tombstone store had my size.
DSC_5438
Kelly had a little browsing to do in Marshall’s so I fell asleep in the Jeep out in the parking lot.  I kinda like when that happens. 
DSC_0152
Hadn’t had any breakfast so headed ourselves into an eating place near Pet Smart called, ‘My Big Fat Greek Restaurant.  I’m always leery of these kinds of places.  Lotta big strange words on the menu so I stuck with a good old tried and true hamburger.  Kelly got a small pizza.  Kelly likes those kinds of foods but I’m always suspicious of any eating place that doesn’t have gravy on the menu.  Lotta noise coming out of the overhead speakers but Kelly said that was Greek music. Whatever!! I think next time we’ll head back to the Texas Road House.  Lots of good old mashed potatoes and gravy for AL over there…..10-4.
DSC_0038
Rolled out of Sierra Vista for Tombstone somewhere around 2 in search of the Spur Western Ware store.  First time Kelly & I rolled into Tombstone was nearly 5 years to the day in late December 06.  Been there a couple more times since then over the past few years but we were really surprised at the change we saw in Tombstone today.  Maybe because it was a Saturday during the holiday season.  Lots of people on the main street.  Lots of cowboys, horses, stagecoaches, and people dressed up in the old west style.  They had a real active main street going on.
DSC_5433
DSC_5441 DSC_5412
DSC_5444 DSC_5426 DSC_5408 DSC_5414 DSC_0075
DSC_5405 DSC_0049
Made our way to SPUR WESTERN WEAR where a fella by the name of Dave was patient with us trying on hats.  Knew the kind I was looking for but hats for me are never easy to find.  I got a big head!!  No, nothing to do with Ego.  I just got a big head.  Not much in it but it’s still big.  Kinda like an empty air plane hanger.  Fortunately, after half a dozen tries we finally found a 7.5 hat that fit my balloon head.  Gracias.  My hat style is called a ‘Tombstone.’  And, how cool is that to buy a Tombstone hat right in the dusty little historic town of Tombstone Arizona itself.
DSC_0052 DSC_0055
DSC_0066 DSC_0051
DSC_0050
KELLY TRIES ON COWBOY HATS AT SPUR WESTERN WARE
Kelly wasn’t so lucky.  She just couldn’t find a comfortable fit or style she liked.  Dave was good enough to direct us two doors down the boardwalk to RUSSELL'S ROADRUNNER.  Even a bigger selection of Cowboy hats in this store.  Kelly found a hat before I even made it inside.  I was outside running around cracking off pictures of all the interesting looking characters walking around.
DSC_5420 DSC_0041
DSC_5411 DSC_5407
DSC_5403 DSC_5443 DSC_0044
DSC_0114
I failed to get the store proprietors name but everyone in Tombstone looks like they are related to the Earps or McLaurys.  A personable fellow with longer white hair, a sense of humor, a knowledge of hats and a western looking vest type jacket to go with it all.  Gotta love the attitude of the town folks and shop keepers for keeping Tombstone….Tombstone.
DSC_0086DSC_0083 DSC_0084
RUSSELL’S ROADRUNNER STORE…LOTS OF HATS HERE
Back out on the street we heard some hollerin and yellin coming from up the street.  Seems the Earp Brothers were mixin it up with some of the Clanton boys.  The street quickly cleared as the arguing, pushing, and shoving continued down the street toward the OK Corral.  Doc Holliday was looking as wasted as Wyatt was looking dapper.  The McLaurys and Clanton boys made it down to the OK corral at the bottom end of Allen Street.  With the Earp Brothers and Doc in hot pursuit the arguing continued.
DSC_0093
DSC_0096 DSC_0090
We knew there was going to be some serious gunfire soon because them boys sure was mad at each other.  Figured it would be a good time to high tail it out of town before we ended up with bullet holes in our new hats.  We did manage to snag an ice cream cone in our haste though.  Kudos to you Tombstone for keeping your little town and it’s legends alive:))  And, would you believe I never thought to take any pics of our new Cowboy hats today.  Stay tuned……….
DSC_0127
DSC_0137 DSC_0135
DSC_0119
DSC_0122 DSC_0115
Arrived back at the Ranch just in time to get the chickens milked and the dogs fed.  Our sunny day temps could not have been better and how nice to slip out at night now for a look at the stars.

Before I get to the last paragraph let me just wish everyone all the best for the new year.  A big thank you to all readers, friends, commenters, and folks sending emails for hanging in with me for yet another year.  We’ve had a few ups and downs along the way folks but maybe we can smooth out some of those downs in the New Year………..10-4:))         
 DSC_0047       
The Last Paragraph: A year’s review in one paragraph, hmmmm.  The disappointment in not being able to swing a deal on the Lazy W Ranch.  Our days at Joshua State Park and Lone Pine California, Nevada’s Valley of Fire and Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly.  The terrible loss of Max and Checkers in April and the longest boring and most depressing summer I’ve ever had.  Finding Pheebe was a high point in August and getting back on the road again in mid November brought me out of my slump.  Ending the year with some medical issues casts a shadow into 2012.  Summing up…..Worst of the year was losing Max and Checkers:((  Best of the years was finding and bringing home the Pheebs:))  And, there it was…….2011.
DSC_5356
AN AFTER DARK LOOK BACK UP THROUGH OUR WINDSHIELD
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A man walks into a bar and orders a shot then looks into his pocket. he does this over and over again. finally the bartender asks why he orders a shot and after drinking it he looks into his pocket.
The man responded "I have a picture of my wife in there and when she starts to look good…… I'll go home."  (By the way, women have been known to carry photos of their husbands in their purses for the same reason.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-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.

Friday, June 04, 2010

FINALLY.....A NEW CAMERA LENS:))

DSC_0085

THIS WAS THE WAY OF THE OLD WEST

Tonight's photos are a random sampling of pictures from the day we dropped into RATTLESNAKE CRAFTS near Gleason & Tombstone Arizona this past winter.

 DSC_4166

SELF PORTRAIT IN A GLASS BALL

With the exception of some weed whacking this morning I didn't get much done around home today but I did get a few things done a whole bunch of miles away.

DSC_0047

CHATTING IT UP WITH THE RATTLESNAKE MAN HIMSELF..................... JOHN WEBER

I have been thinking for over a year now about trading my 55-200mm  Nikon camera lens in for a new 70-300mm lens.  Been watching the prices on a particular lens for quite awhile & finally it went on sale so it was out the door & off to Henry's Camera Store in Masonville Mall, London Ontario this morning.  I did have an alternative reason for going as well because yesterday I while on the way to & from London with the mobility van I had spotted a Jeep Wrangler for sale in the little town of Hensall.  

DSC_0012 DSC_0011DSC_0009 

MY NEW AF-S VR NIKKOR 70-300 f4.5-5.6 G IF-ED ZOOMERGATOR LENS:)) (fully extended)

DSC_0031

AN ANTIQUE BROWSER'S PARADISE

The Jeep turned out to be a 2001 with a ka-zillion million miles on it plus rust spots so that was the end of that.  Proceeded on to London.  I have blogged before about dealing with some of the 'kids' in retail stores so I didn't go through the door with a lot of optimism going for me.  Computer & camera type stores usually have those young wiz bangs behind the counter who no doubt know their 'technical' stuff but don't seem to have a lot tact when dealing with older folks.  Luckily, this time I dealt with an older fellow by the name of Mike who didn't talk to me like I was some kind of old homeless geezer who just crawled in off the street & didn't know which end of a camera to look through anyway.  I traded in my 55-200 lens plus a 2x Tamron converter.  I didn't expect to get much for them.....and I didn't.  In retrospect I probably should have kept that lens as a spare because there was nothing wrong with it.  It had a lot of miles on it for sure but still worked fine.  Like I've said before.....I'm not the brightest crayon in the package sometimes!!

DSC_0012

IT WAS JUST NICE TO STAND HERE LISTENING TO ALL THESE HANGING ANTIQUES TINKLING IN THE DESERT WIND

The new 70-300 lens is much bigger than I had expected but that's fine.  I'm from the old school where heavier feels better.  I know I'm going to love this lens & I'm hoping to get in a bit closer on those bugs & bird shots now.

DSC_0002

Leaving the camera store I got the brainwave to head on over to a Stratford Ontario auto dealership that had some Wranglers on the lot.  Looked at a couple nice 2007's but the prices were enough to pull your pants down & I could not believe the low ball price the guy offered me for the Caravan.  It was $1,300.00 lower than the lowest offer I have had on the van so far. 

DSC_0106

Headed on back to Bayfield stopping at a few car lots on the way but no Jeeps in sight.  Also stopped in Goderich to take that red 2005 TJ for another run.  It's a 4 cylinder 6 speed & I like it but Kelly is not keen on it.  This is the only place that will take the bike on a trade.  Yes, I could maybe get a few more dollars for the motorcycle if I tried selling it myself but I absolutely hate all that 'bargaining & stupid dickering crap' you have to go through with everybody coming to look at whatever your selling.  Some people enjoy that BS but I am not one of them.  Nothing like haggling over money to bring out the worst in people!!

DSC_0069

The big spring rush is over at our front yard bird feeders for another year.   Activity is way down as the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Red Breasted Grosbeaks, Orioles, Nuthatches, & others have all but disappeared.  Still a few Goldfinches at the feeders, some sparrow type birds & of course the ever present all time front yard scavengers....the squirrels!!

DSC_0096

I unplugged our troublesome external hard drive from the desktop computer & hooked it up to our newer Win 7 Toshiba laptop this afternoon & it worked perfect.  Re-plugged it back into the desktop tonight using a different USB port this time & so far so good.  I'll know when I go to publish this thing in a few minutes.  Maybe it's not the X-drive after all.  Maybe it's just the color of my socks or something.

DSC_0079

NO, THE CACTUS IS NOT FOR SALE!!

I have finally decided to include my SMUG MUG photo gallery on the bottom tag line now.  It is nowhere near done, nor will it probably ever be done because I just have way too many thousands of photos to sort through.  But, it is a work in progress for sure.

DSC_0077

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Suburbia: where they tear out the trees and then name streets after them.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it......

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.