Zig-zagging Arizona, revisiting McCarrell Ranch
After leaving the Granite Gap BLM area I traveled south-west into Douglas, AZ where I restocked and stayed the night at the local Walmart. As I was nearing town it was clear as day to see that invisible line that is drawn across the desert. One side Douglas Arizona with it’s 18,000 residents, and the other Agua Prieta Mexico which dwarfs Douglas with 3 times more people. The Walmart itself was only a few hundred yards north of the border itself with nothing but open ground between. There was a lot of foot traffic, and after a few hours of ‘heightened senses’ I slept well.
Open pit lavender mine… complete destruction of the landscape was the norm.
The next morning I got moving early to visit Bisbee before my afternoon workload…
Stroll its sidewalks and find delight in the many art galleries, gourmet restaurants, coffee houses, book stores and specialty shops. Visit the charmingly restored neighborhoods of Victorian and European-style homes perched miraculously on the hillsides. Unwind…relax…and find soothing respite from your everyday world.
What they neglect to tell you is that the town is just another hippie village, and while I have nothing against hippies, it is not what you would expect traveling into an area where cowboy shootouts and and brothels are the topic of historical discussion. I apparently arrived before all the hippies woke up as almost none of the shops are open before noon and the one place I did get to stroll around had a $15 minimum purchase if using a debit card. I tried for an hour to find $15 of trinkets to buy, but ended up leaving empty handed. A lack of public restrooms and three cups of coffee that morning forced me back to the van where I went ahead and took my cue to head towards Sierra Vista.
Kumori at a safe distance
After spending a few hours in town to work and get a much needed haircut I rolled a few miles out of town to meetup with Patrick & Nancy for our first time meeting each other. They allowed me my first opportunity to boondock back in 2011, right there on their land outside of Sierra Vista. How it has changed since I last saw it, now with an off-grid house occupying the exact spot I parked the van for a week just two years prior. Hours of talking, a hot shower, a superb meal of ribs and fries, and a safe place to camp for the night was much more than I was expecting! I was more concerned about not over-staying my welcome than anything but Patrick and Nancy made me feel at home instantly.
Expecting a full on slobber-attack any second.
Kumori, the only sumo wrestling dog I know of, loves to suck on entire hands and believes he is a 15 pound lap-dog. He is hard to be around without smiling and wanting to act like a kid yourself. Ironically, he seems very much at home in the desert though snow and ice may better suit him.
Kumori gives a parting hug before I leave
Before leaving Pat fixed me up with a nice list of places to visit before leaving the area. From ghost towns to missile museums, I had a week’s worth of attractions lined up already.
