IN SEARCH OF OLD FORT RUCKER

RUINS OF OLD FORT RUCKER


No improvement in the back & leg this morning but it was a nice day & I didn't want to sit around again. Kelly picked up a cane at the Thrift Store awhile back so I threw that in the car & we headed off for Rucker Canyon in search of old Fort Rucker. THIS WAS THE COMMISSARY


While at the Coronado National Park a few days I got to talking with a ranger who told me where the ruins of old Fort Rucker (formally Camp Supply) were in the Rucker Canyon. We had been through that area a week ago but didn't know about the Fort then. From the ranch we headed east about 9:30 through McNeal to Leslie Canyon. Skirted around the south end of the Swisshelm mountains into the sweeping picturesque hills of Leslie Canyon. The flat dirt road led us north until we intersected with Rucker Canyon road. We swung northeast into the Chiricahua mountains & drove until we reached the junction with Tex Canyon road. This is where we began our search. Parked the car beside a rock & boulder strewn creek bed & headed up the creek for a hundred yards or so then headed left through an area of trees & shrubs. I was glad I had the cane with me. Continued through the brush until we came to a road but still no sign of the fort. Kelly walked back to the car & brought it around to the road. We drove up a rocky narrow path into a grassy tree lined area but still no Fort. Drove back down to theTex Canyon road junction & headed south for a bit when I spotted what looked like an old adobe wall through a bunch of trees on the east side of a dry creek bed. Saw a clearing ahead & pulled over. There on a barbed wire fence hung a small faded sign that said, Camp Rucker U.S. Army 1872-1880. We had found the Fort!!

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jarucker.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Rucker
http://forums.ghosttowns.com/showthread.php?t=16136
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/camprucker.html
FORT RUCKER'S BAKERY

It was about a quarter mile walk from the road to the first building. An old log pole barn....with a new roof. There were cattle here as well. We could see some old adobe ruins farther on so we headed in that direction. I was surprised when we came across our first reader board. It was obvious no one had been here for a long time but I remembered the Ranger telling me there are plans afoot to restore this old Fort so I am assuming the reader boards are maybe the first step. Noticed later that a couple old buildings had new roofs on them to protect against further weather deterioration. Fort Rucker is actually in better shape than Fort Bowie because it has some buildings with actual walls still standing. One building like the officer's quarters still has glass in the windows & wooden doors . When Fort Bowie was decommissioned people came in & basically ripped the Fort to pieces for it's lumber, etc. That didn't happen here at Fort Rucker but Fort Rucker is only about a quarter the size of Fort Bowie. A much smaller outpost.

REAR ENTRANCE OF THE OFFICER'S QUARTERS

We spent the best part of a couple hours wandering around the grounds looking at the ruins. Once again, with the help of the reader boards I was able to take a lot of photos & you can follow the story of Fort Rucker through the story boards & my pictures in the web album. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/ Standing there on the grounds it's hard to imagine what the day in a life of a trooper was like 135 years ago. There is an old water tank still standing, a bake shop, & officer's quarters still intact. Looking at the open door of the bakeshop I tried to imagine the soldiers coming & going through there. The smell of fresh bread baking in what's left of the large oven at one end of the old adobe building. Ruins of the original commissary are there & another adobe building with two rooms but no roof. No idea what that building was. The officer's quarters building is still in remarkably good shape & a person could move right in there. The tin roof has saved it from decay & the floor felt solid. A couple closet doors hung open where officer's uniforms once hung. A raised platform for the wood stove looked like it was waiting for another stove to be placed on it. It was as if the officer's had just stepped out for a moment. CATTLE BARN & CORRAL

But, the strangest building of all was the house. You will have to go to the web album & see the pictures because it's a bit hard to describe. It's an old adobe house but the interior looks like it's from about the 1930's or earlier. No reader board anywhere to tell anything about it. Might have been part of Fort Rucker & then renovated in the early 1900's or something. After the Fort was decommissioned the land was used for ranching so maybe it was built as a ranch house. Many small rooms inside & on different levels. Best have a look at the pictures. STRANGE OLD HOUSE

The temperature had dropped while we were there & a cloud cover moved in as we departed old Fort Rucker & headed back down the long dusty road through Rucker Canyon to civilization. I took a few pictures from the car window as the dark clouds moved in & before long it was raining. It was good to get back to the rig, crack on some heat, & grab ourselves a bite to eat. It had been another good day....sort of.
My leg had given me a lot of trouble for about the first 40 minutes of our hike but then the pain went away while we were walking around the old Fort's grounds. Felt so good I was bouncing around like a ping pong ball but by the time we got home & I tried to get out of the car, the pain was back full force on the outside thigh of my right leg. Seems that sitting bothers it the most. Oh well, not much I can do about it until that nerve decides to unpinch itself I guess. Maybe to-morrow I'll take Roger Miller's advice & try rollerskating in a Buffalo herd................................

RAIN MOVING IN

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SEARCHING THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS FOR OLD FORT RUCKER

OFFICER'S QUARTERS AT FORT RUCKER

Our beautiful warm sunny weather continues here in southwestern Ontario & what a treat that is for everyone as we head into the finest time of the year. A month from now we should be peaking with our splendid autumn colors. Two months from now it will probably be dull, depressing, drizzly, wet, & cold, with long gray days back to back. Three months from now Christmas will be just around the corner so who cares & four months from now if you go outside without being all bundled up.......you will probably freeze up & die!! Some of you may remember this past winter that we had ourselves a cushy little 7 week ranch sitting job in southeastern Arizona. We were located in a great area rich with western history & were able to take many interesting day trips in the car. Located just a couple short miles from McNeal, Arizona we were about twenty minutes to Bisbee or 25 to Douglas. Tombstone was about half an hour & another 15 minutes took us to Sierra Vista. The Chiricahua Mountain range started about a half hour's drive to the northeast of the ranch & that's where we headed off one sunny wild west morning in search of the elusive & hard to find old Fort/Camp Rucker. BUILDING RUINS

Before we had ever heard anything of a Fort Rucker though we had taken a drive one day along a scenic winding road up into RUCKER CANYON. We told some folks later about that drive & they said, "did you find the Fort??" We were lucky to find our way back to the main road let alone a Fort but our interest was peaked at the thoughts of finding an old army camp somewhere in the Chiricahuas. Looked on the internet for information regarding Fort Rucker's location but it was vague. FRONT DOOR TO FORT RUCKER'S BAKERY

It was a couple weeks later while touring around Coronado National Memorial (OUR CORONADO BLOG) (OUR CORONADO PHOTOS) south of Sierra Vista on the Mexican border that a chance encounter with a park ranger shed some light on the exact whereabouts of old Fort Rucker. RUINS OF THE COMMISSARY WITH BAKERY BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND

Click on this FORT RUCKER BLOG for our search in the Chiricahua Mountains & FORT RUCKER PHOTOS for our web album of pictures that day. OLD BARN IS STILL USED TO HOUSE CATTLE

Shortly we'll have us a look at the ghost towns of Gleeson, Pearce, & Fairbank.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A woman is like a tea bag......you don't know how strong she is until you put her in hot water!!

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

ANOTHER FINE DAY IN THE CHIRICAHUA’S RUCKER CANYON

LAURA WATCHES AS PAULA CHECKS OUT THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN THE MOUNTAIN STREAM

Some of you may remember a couple weeks ago when Kelly & I met one of our blog reader’s in Bisbee.  Her name is Paula & she is a member of the Muleteam Hiking Club.  Paula expressed an interest in seeing old Fort Rucker & possibly leading a hike there sometime with her hiking club.   Fort Rucker is not easy to find so rather than email her directions I suggested she round up a few friends & Kelly & I would be happy to show them where Fort Rucker is.  Paula is currently reading ‘The Cowman’s Wife’ so was also interested in seeing the old ranch house where the author, Mary Kidder Rak lived.

We met Paula & fellow hikers Gretchen & Gary, Laura, plus John & his dog Jazz, out front of the Elfrida Post Office Wednesday morning at nine.  A few quick introductions & we were headed north on 191.  Minutes  later our 2 car convoy was kicking up big swirls of dust after turning east on Rucker Road.  The Chiricahua Mountains were dead ahead. 

What a great feeling to be out on a beautiful morning with not a cloud in the sky & perfect exploring & hiking temperatures.  The road meanders it’s way across a flat grassland plain before entering into the long rolling yellow grass hills of Rucker Canyon.  Soon we are into the green tree line as our altitude slowly increased.  Forests of Mesquite, Sycamore, Juniper & Pines soon lined the gravel road.  We are now in the land of deer, bear, cougars & many mountain birds.  We are also in the ranch land of cattle on & alongside the road in places.  Every time I am in this type of setting I just want to stay there forever.  This is my favorite kind of country:))

About 45 minutes after leaving Elfrida we pulled off the winding gravel road & rolled up to an unassuming gate.  There was nothing here that would indicate any past civilization except a laneway heading across a short field into a tree line.  The surrounding mountains stood magically against the deep blue Arizona sky.  At the time Kelly & were here just a short 3 weeks ago I never figured I would be back at this very spot again.  Not this year anyway.

HEADING DOWN THE LANEWAY THAT LEADS TO FORT RUCKER & MARY KIDDER RAK’S HOUSE IN THAT TREE LINE AHEAD

We were soon out of our cars & heading down the laneway towards the trees.  Still no indication that a sizeable military force once had constructed a Fort here complete with a bakery, a commissary, hospital, blacksmith shop, officers barracks, a water tank, parade ground & large horse barn complete with corrals.  No indication of the history that took place on this ground.  We walked through the rock strewn dry creek where the drowning of  Lieutenant John A. Rucker & a fellow officer took place.  The surrounding mountains were witness to the abandonment of the Fort a short couple years after it was established.  The Fort fell into disrepair & was taken over by a family & made into a ranch in the later 1800’s.  Many travelers stopped at the house of John Plesent Gray including Geronimo & many Apache war parties.  The Indians respected the Grays & never harmed them.  And, as we crossed the creek there still was no indication of the small ranch house ahead where Mary Kidder Rak lived & ranched with her husband Charlie.  

 

APPROACHING THE RANCH HOUSE

First thing visible is the old barn & it’s red steel roof.  And there is the old original wooden corral fencing.  To the left of the barn in the tree lined field of long yellow grass lay the remains of old Fort Rucker.  To the right of & just beyond the barn in a copse of trees is the little adobe ranch house where Mary Kidder Rak wrote, ‘A Cowman’s Wife’ along with her other books.  This was our destination today & for me it felt good once again to be back in the place I have read so much about in the past few months.

 

IN MARY KIDDER RAK’S RANCH HOUSE 

I won’t give you a blow by blow account of our walk through the house & around the grounds of the Fort because the blog would end up being even longer than what it will be now.  Let me just say that from the comments & conversations I overheard from the Muleteam hiking folks I could tell they really enjoyed being there & what they were seeing was more than they had expected to see.  Paula is currently reading ‘A Cowman’s Wife’ & if any of the other folks happen to read that book plus the old Fort Rucker section in the book, ‘When All Roads Led To Tombstone’ I’m sure they will all return to this spot just as I have, with a special feeling for all the history that has happened here so many years ago. 

PAULA, GARY, LAURA, JOHN, GRETCHEN

 

GARY & GRETCHEN ARE FROM MICHIGAN BUT COME TO BISBEE FOR THE WINTER….PAULA’S FROM NEW ENGLAND & SPENDS A FEW WINTER MONTHS IN BISBEE…. LAURA & HER HUSBAND (NOT HERE) LIVE 6 MONTHS IN BISBEE & 6 MONTHS IN CANADA’S QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS….  JOHN & HIS DOG JAZZ ARE FROM SIERRA VISTA.

Our leaving old Fort Rucker today allowed these historic grounds to once again return to the serenity of their very nature.  It is now the surrounding mountain guardians who alone hold the secrets of old Fort Rucker & those many inhabitants who once journeyed here.   If there are spirits, I am sure they walk these grounds.  I like to think Mary & Charlie are still here watching over their little adobe ranch house. 

PAUL & GRETCHEN IN THE RUINS OF THE FORT’S COMMISSARY & MARY KIDDER RAK’S & HUSBAND CHARLIE’S FIRST HOME AT RUCKER.  THE HOUSE BURNED & MARY & CHARLIE MOVED A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY TO THE LITTLE ADOBE HOUSE

Paula & the Muleteam hiking folks were interested in scouting out some new trails in the area so we all drove up a winding forested road a little higher into the mountains.  Kelly & I had been up this scenic dead end road a couple years ago & knew it had an old camp ground at the end with some possible trail heads.  And it did.  This is such a beautiful land with it’s quiet forest trails & running brooks.  Most people think of Arizona as rocks & desert & few know of it’s many forests, lakes & streams. 

PAULA, JAZZ & JOHN CHECK OUT THE FORESTED ROAD AHEAD

A MOUNTAIN STREAM RUNS BESIDE A SMALL CAMPGROUND

We parked our cars at the roads end & headed out on one of the hiking trails with Gary & John blazing the way ahead through the forest alongside a running stream.  These folks are all true hikers & I knew they were itching to crack on some speed.  It wasn’t long before the guys were out of sight so Kelly & I only went about half a mile before saying our good-byes to Paula, Gretchen & Laura before heading back to the Jeep.  We both came away with a warm feeling that we had made some new friends today.  And we felt a personal satisfaction in knowing we had been instrumental in making the hiking group’s day:))

CHATTING ALONG A QUIET FOREST TRAIL

  

SAYING GOODBYE TO PAULA, GRETCHEN & LAURA

We Jeeped our way back down the road stopping to scout out a campground & maintenance area called Rucker Station.  Saw an interesting bumpity looking road with a sign pointing to Red Rock Canyon & were soon into 1rst gear 4 wheel drive fording dry creek beds & clambering over rocks along a narrow forested road.  These kinds of roads can go on for endless miles so we didn’t go too far before turning back to the main road & home.  Forty minutes later we were back at the rig & greeted with happy barking dogs & wagging tails.  All & all, just another great Arizona day for The Bayfield Bunch:)))))))))))))))))))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Did you know that tears are the hydraulic force by which masculine will-power is defeated by feminine water power & that a yawn may be the only time some married men ever get to open their mouths……hey, I don’t make these up, somebody else does:))

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EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
 
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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Rucker Canyon,Muleshoe Hiking Club,Mary Kidder Rak,Geronimo,Fort Rucker,Rucker Station,Elfrida Arizona,Rucker Canyon Road

NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE TODAY BUT CLIMB ABOARD ANYWAY FOR A TRIP TO OLD FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTANS

Had I not had a blast of energy by mid morning the day would have been a bust.  Short Jeep ride around Bayfield earlier today and we were home again almost before we knew we had even left.  Only took myself four photos and two of them were bridge construction shots.  Temps were up a couple degrees from Tuesday and I found myself with our leaf blower blowing out the carport plus front porch and deck.  Ran an outside extension cord for more Christmas lights in the front yard then headed inside where I kept the pace going .  Had a lot of camera and computer stuff piled up in drawers in the sunroom so I spent a fair bit time organizing going through everything, tossing this and keeping that.  I think some of the stuff dated back to the 1800's.  Amazing how things accumulate over the years.  Tore through my clothes closet like a hurricane on fire and hauled shirts out I hadn't worn for the last five years.  A lot of those shirts I've been hanging on to in case I lose weight.  Geeezzzz, who am I trying to kid.  This ain't high school no more.

MORE STEEL GOING IN FOR THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE

Thursday we are off to London's University Hospital where Kelly has a 2 p.m. consultation appointment with her Hepatology Gastroenterology Doctor.  While she's there I will zip over to Henry's Camera Store and pick myself up a protective lens hood and filter for my Nikon CP900.

::Memory Lane:: In tonight's Memory Lane post we go back to March 14th 2009 when Kelly and I went back into the Chiricahua Mountains for the second time in search of Old Fort Rucker and this time we found it.  No easy feat.  Not only did we find old Fort Rucker but we were to find out the old house on the property once belonged to Mary Kidder Rak and her husband Charlie.  It is the house you will see in my Photo Album as well as Old Fort Rucker.  She wrote a book called The Cowman's Wife which chronicles her and her husband Charlie's lives in the very house I have in my photo album.  I really recommend this book.  The hard struggles they endured, the good times, and the in between times.  This was the true west many years ago when endurance was a common factor.  Kelly and I visited Old Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak's homestead a number of times during our ranch sitting days and what I think I will do is keep the whole Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak story together and feature some of those trips over the next few posts.  

OFFICER'S QUARTERS AT FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

MARY KIDDER RAK'S HOMESTEAD

CHARLIE'S BARN

<<< Fort Rucker's bakery door
GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

Office Holiday Memo

To: All Employees
From: Management
Subject: Office conduct during the Christmas season

Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council).

• - Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged.
• - Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill)
• - Work requests are not to be filed under “Bah humbug.”
• - Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house.
• - All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25.
• Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines.
• 
  
• In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Holiday.
• ---------------------------------
• Q: Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
  A: Because he had low elf esteem.
• ====================

A RETURN TO OLD FORT RUCKER & MEMORIES OF AN OLD RANCH HOUSE

INSIDE THE OLD ORIGINAL BARN FROM MARY KIDDER RAK’S BOOK, ‘A COWMAN’S WIFE.’

I remember the working days when TGIF actually meant something, but nowadays Friday is just another ordinary day.   No weekends to look forward to anymore but no stressful work weeks to worry about on Sunday nights either.  Glad that whole era is finally behind me.  It was a loooong time coming!!

ON THE WAY TO RUCKER CANYON

Always great to see that big warming sun creeping up over the Swisshelms Mountains.  It poured through our windows at precisely 7:49 this morning.  So nice to feel those warming rays.  WOWZERS:))  Night time temps bottomed out at 33F & today climbed to a very pleasant 70F under a big blue Arizona sky.

Since reading the book, A Cowman’s Wife’ by Mary Kidder Rak, I have had it in my mind to return once again to Rucker Canyon & Old Fort Rucker.  It was here that Mary lived with her husband Charlie & operated a struggling cattle ranch back in the early part of the 1900’s.  We had found the old abandoned ranch house last year but didn’t know the story behind it at the time.  Thanks to a blog reader we found out the lady who once lived in that house had actually written a book about her life & times there.

HEADING FOR RUCKER CANYON IN YONDER CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

We had the Jeep rolling by 10:15.  Gassed up in Elfrida & headed north up highway 191 a few miles before turning east on Rucker Canyon Road.  Within seconds we had great volumes of billowing dust rising high into the Arizona sky behind us.  We set our sites dead ahead on the Chiricahua Mountains.  It was just another totally gorgeous morning in Cochise County.  Have I ever told you how beautiful the American Southwest is & how much I love it:))

We passed the Iraqi tank column off to our left & moments later actually saw 2 A-10 Thunderbolt Warthogs make an electronic bombing run on them.  IRAQI TANKS??  WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT!!

THREE TANKS IN SINGLE FILE SPOTTED ABOUT A MILE AWAY 

We often veer off our destination when things of interest are seen along the way & today was no exception as we followed a gravely road leading into the heart of the Swiss Helm mountains.  No idea where it was going but the further we went the more beautiful it became.  Finally reached a cattle guard with a no trespassing sign.  Before us lay a beautiful valley with what appeared to be a ranch at the far end tucked up against the Swisshelm Mountains.  I could tell from the peaks that our Motor Home was on the other side of the mountain & if we could have ran fast enough with a big stick we could have poll vaulted right over those mountain tops & landed in the yard right beside our rig.  If I ever win a big lottery I’m going to come right back here & make this valley ranch owner an offer he can’t refuse!!

  

AT THE FAR SIDE OF THIS VALLEY WE COULD SEE THE ROOF TOPS OF A RANCH….IF I WIN A LOTTERY I’M GONNA COME  BACK HERE & BUY THIS PLACE

Turned around & made our way back to Rucker Canyon Road & then to Leslie Canyon Road where we made a left turn & headed up into Rucker Canyon.  Say, have I told you how much I love this…..well, you know. 

Passed a couple ranches that I figure were the same one’s mentioned in the book, ‘A Cowman’s Wife.’   Before long we were gaining some altitude into the tree line & came upon a few skiffs of snow along the road side.  I tried to imagine Mary & her husband Charlie nearly a hundred years ago coming & going on this very same road with their horses, wagons & later an old rickety car.  They had to come this way to make the 5 hour journey to Douglas for supplies or transport cattle to market.  My mind was in nostalgia overload for the next few hours as pages of the book passed by reminding me of things I had read. 

 

Old Fort Rucker is not an easy place to find & had we not known exactly where it was we would have driven right by it just as we had the first time coming up into the canyon looking for it a couple years ago.  Upon reaching a fork in the road we knew enough to keep right along the tree lined road.  Reaching a second fork a couple miles later we again stayed to the right along the now snow covered road.  Our eyes began scanning the tree line to our left as we followed along a dry creek bed.  This is White creek which will lead us up the road about mile to Fort Rucker. 

 

As per usual we totally forgot to take our GPS along a few days ago on our Fort Rucker drive.  I am just going to have to staple that thing on my arm & that’s all there is to it.  I went to Google Earth this morning & zeroed in to the exact spot of Mary Kidder Rak’s ranch house in the trees.  The numbers are… 31*45’12.89”N by 109*21’28.84”W.  You will see the large barn near the house.  The sun is casting a shadow at the top end of the barn & that arrowhead like shadow points directly to the visible foundation of the original house (burned down) a hundred yards away which before that was the Forts Commissary.  Also visible is the brown roof of the Fort’s Bakery just up from that foundation. (added this Google Earth location later)

Just an ordinary gate with room enough to park half a dozen cars marks the location of Fort Rucker.  The small weathered sign with the words, ‘Camp Rucker’ is now gone from the gate.  On the other side nothing is visible except fields of grass, trees, rocks & the surrounding mountain ridge lines.  Nothing visible, that is unless a very keen eye happens to notice a small plaque sticking out of the tall yellow grass about 3 or 4 hundred yards off to the left.  The gravely laneway on the other side of the gate leads in about a hundred yards or so then disappears into a tree line.  In those trees lay old Fort Rucker, the ranch house, barn, cattle pens & all the marvelous memories of Mary Kidder Rak’s book, ‘A Cowman’s Wife:))’

    

BARN IS ORIGINAL BUT ROOF IS NEW

We spent about an hour re-walking the grounds of the fort just as we had done a year ago.  The old barn & small ranch house hadn’t changed as we walked quietly towards the silent house in the trees.

MARY KIDDER RAK’S LITTLE RANCH HOUSE AMONGST THE TREES

  

My mind was awhirl with memories of what I had just read about all the happenings within these very walls   The fireplace where Mary lost control of a fire & nearly burned the house down.  The narrow spot in the bedroom where she physically wedged the bed into place.  The now crumbling kitchen where she made so many meals & the wooden ledge outside the kitchen window where pies were left to cool.  

      

Outside, more memories as I imagined Mary & Charlie heading out to the barn in the frosty pre-dawn morning air to tend their cattle day after day,  year after year.  The old wooden corral fencing is still in place as are the old concrete watering troughs.  The barn is as it was back then except for a new roof.

  

We saw evidence today that an effort is now underway to preserve the house.  A roof has been built over the original roof to protect the original shakes.  New lumber is in place to shore up sagging roof lines.  A fireplace chimney has been rebuilt from the outside & we noticed shiny new galvanized gutters now in place to handle water coming off the roof.  Several skids of bricks are stacked nearby to possibly rebuild a second fireplace.  I am happy to see the house is going to be restored & preserved but I am also happy that we had the opportunity to see this house in it’s original state as well.  The restoration people certainly have their work cut out for them & I bet Mary & Charlie will be there looking over the worker’s shoulders making sure things are being done right.  Mary was kind of like that:))

  

NEW TIMBERS IN THE COVERING ROOF & GUTTERS ON THE OUTSIDE

The walk back to the Jeep was sad for me as I looked back at the house for the last time remembering the many memories Mary has left in my mind.  The book has already gone back to the Cochise County Library but as soon as we got home I had Kelly searching the internet for, ‘A Cowman’s Wife.’  I wanted my own copy!!  As I have blogged about before…..some books are like old friends & I felt right from the beginning of Mary Kidder Rak’s book  that I had just met & wanted to keep a good old friend nearby.  You can read a couple book reviews here at, READER'S REVIEWS.  And yes, I have already ordered the book:))  And, just in case anyone does read the book & is interested in seeing pics of the house I am going to work on putting an album together of the grounds & house & will post the album online for anyone to see.  There, I have just added a commitment to myself:))

  

Nice drive back out of Rucker Canyon to Leslie Canyon Road with more photos along the way.  What a beautiful day it was as we made our way south through Leslie Canyon & then up & over a small pass through the Swisshelms to McNeal, Elfrida & Home. 

Say, have I told you lately how much I love the great American Southwest……….:))  And that little bit about lettuce on a wafer in last night’s bog…….just a joke folks, just a joke.

FORT RUCKER & THE RANCH HOUSE ARE JUST BEYOND THAT RANGE OF DARK HILLS COMING IN FROM THE RIGHT

GROANER’S CORNER:((   An elephant was drinking out of a river one day, when he spotted a turtle asleep on a log.

So, he ambled on over and kicked it clear across the river.
"What did you do that for?" Asked a passing giraffe.
"Because I recognized it as the same turtle that took a nip out of my trunk 53 years ago."
"Wow, what a memory" commented the giraffe.
"Yes," said the elephant, "turtle recall".

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.