CRESTED SAGUARO, STANTON, OLD STAGE COACH ROAD, & YARNELL AZ.

SUSIE SPOTTED THIS DEER ALONG THE OLD STAGE COACH ROAD THIS MORNING

Under sunny & warmer Arizona skies we were all piled into the Jeep about 9:30 this morning including Pheebs.  First time we’ve had 4 people in our Jeep Liberty & the additional space behind the back seat worked out perfectly for Pheebs.  In the Wrangler with 4 people there was never any room for her & that extra Pheeber space was one of the big reasons we switched from a Jeep Wrangler to a Jeep Liberty.

AND THERE’S THAT HAPPY LITTLE PHEEBS NOW:))

Headed on up the dusty Stanton road turning left onto an old mining road complete with a mine at the end of it.  We also knew the whereabouts of a crested Saguaro Cactus at the end of this road as well.  A bit rough & tumbly reaching the Saguaro but we made it without bottoming out anywhere.  It was the first time for George & Suzy to see a crested Saguaro Cactus.

WE FOUND OUR CRESTED SAGUARO THIS MORNING

WE ARE IN GOLD MINE COUNTRY SO I TOLD GEORGE TO KEEP HIS EYE ON THE GROUND FOR BIG SHINY NUGGETS

HE’S STILL LOOKIN:))

HEADING BACK TO THE JEEP

Continuing along a rocky road towards the old mine we stopped just short of where we had gone before with the Wrangler.  Road was washed out too bad & with it only being a short walk I didn’t want to take a chance on the rough section with the Liberty.  Was able to point out a mine shaft going straight into the hillside.  Also checked out an old cement mixer once powered by a 6 cylinder engine.

DECIDED NOT TO TAKE LIBBY UP THIS STRETCH

BY GOLLY I THINK GEORGE IS GOING TO FIND HIMSELF SOME GOLD NUGGETS SOONER OR LATER

JUST UP FROM CENTER A BIT IS THE ENTRANCE TO AN OLD MINE SHAFT

LOOKING AT AN OLD 6 CYLINDER MOTOR WHICH ONCE POWERED THIS CEMENT MIXER

HEY GEORGE ANY SIGN OF JIMMY HOFFA IN THAT CEMENT MIXER??

ONE HAS TO WATCH THEIR FOOTING IN THIS KIND OF TERRAIN

From the old mine area we made our way back down the rocky mine road & resumed our drive to Stanton.  Probably a couple dozen RVing gold miners in camp as we drove through what is left of a once thriving gold mining town.  Just a few people milling about here & there.  Imagine most of the folks were up in the surrounding hills working their mining claims.  We didn’t stop in Stanton because they want anyone entering the camp to come in & register.  We were soon on the old Stagecoach Road beginning our climb up the Weaver Mountains to Yarnell.  Saw a couple rough rocky roads off to the right which might have led to ‘Rich Hill’ where in the late 1800’s gold nuggets were first found supposedly lying about on the ground.  About halfway along we stopped for a leg stretch at an old cowboy corral. 

SUZIE SPOTTED A COUPLE DEER ALONG THE WAY

GEORGE TAKES A FEW PHOTOS OF THE DEER

SUZIE ALSO SPOTTED THIS JAVELINA FAMILY ALONG OLD STAGE COAST ROAD AS WELL

ONCE THE JAVELINAS SENSED OUR PRESENCE THEY SCURRIED OFF INTO THE UNDERBRUSH

Fifteen minutes later we were in the small western town of Yarnell driving around one of the areas where the Yarnell fire occurred back in June of 2013.  Nineteen young firefighters tragically lost their lives in that fire.  A stop at the Corner Stone bakery netted us 4 cinnamon doughnuts.  From there we took a drive to The Shrine Of St. Joseph Of The Mountains.  The 2013 fire had come over the ridge at the shrine & burned down a gift shop.  I had heard some of the statues had also been damaged but as we walked & climbed the pathway around the 7 stations of the cross everything looked fine except for some burnt trees.  I later read some of the fire damage has been repaired.

BURNT TREES SHOW WHERE THE FIRE SWEPT THROUGH THE SHRINE AREA

 

WALKING BETWEEN THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

  

From the shrine we retraced our steps back through Yarnell & headed on down the winding Yarnell Hill.  Minutes later we pulled into our Congress driveway.  Don’t think it was quite 1 o’clock yet & a good time had been had by all.  George & Suzy are easy people to hang out with.  We have many of the same likes, dislikes, & interests.  

LOOKS LIKE A QUIET AFTERNOON OVER THERE AT THE OLD YATES HOMESTEAD

“HEY WHO YOU CALLIN OLD OVER HERE”

Think it was around 4:45 when we all met up again for supper.  George did the delicious pork loin roast, carrots, baked potatoes, & cinnamon apples on his Weber Q & I think we contributed the potatoes.  Figured maybe it had been awhile since George & Suzie sat at big old wooden table in a dining room so we decided to eat in the house.  I contributed to the supper by carrying a tray full of food over from their rig without tripping & dropping everything on the ground.  Had us an ‘around the table’ chat for awhile & called it an early night.  Oh ya & Suzie brought over a scrumptious batch of short bread cookies with icing & sprinkles of which I managed to demolish 4 before Kelly went & hid them on me.  I was sure I heard Suzie say they were just for me……………..:((

THANKS FOR THAT BIG OLD WOODEN TABLE SARGE:))

HERE’S THE MASTER CHEF CARVING UP THE PORK LOIN ROAST NOW

SUZIE’S DIGGIN IN

GREAT SUPPER GEORGE

In the morning we’ll all pile into the Jeep again & head out into the desert behind our place to House Rock.  Always one of my favorite little walking areas.  In the afternoon we’ll probably head on over to the Congress Depot for look around at a bunch of neat stuff.  And tomorrow night…….Pizza:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( I had a dream the other night. I was in the Old West riding in a stagecoach.  Suddenly, a man riding a horse pulled up to the left side of the stagecoach, and a riderless horse pulled up on the right.  The man leaned down, pulled open the door, and jumped off his horse into the stagecoach. Then he opened the other door and jumped onto the other horse.  Just before he rode off, I yelled out, "What was all that about?  "Nothing” he replied. “It was just a stage I was going through."