Take A Picture!

               Last week we all ventured to the Dragoon area once again, for some rock climbing fun.  Although we left the dogs behind this time around.  On this day we stopped at the rest area, just past the Dragoon exit and just before the exit to The Thing!  Both areas I have posted about before.  As I have mentioned before, this picture filled blog is all about Exploring Arizona and all it has to offer in fun and sights.  But our funding is very minimal at the moment, so many of the hikes focus around our new home town of Benson, Arizona.  This will change.  In the mean time I hope you enjoy each post.   This is a very new page, so please share the word and the links -so we can gain readers and comments from across this amazing state, and beyond.   Each comment -good, bad, or ugly, helps me make this a better sight for all!  

    

              
        

This area is about 12 miles from us but offers some great Exploring and lots of rock jumping fun

to quickly wear out the kiddos. 

The rest area also offers lots of benches, bathrooms, and even vending machines if you do not wish to

join in on the fun.

Plus there is always lots of people watching here to enjoy. 

Rocks like the above line the parking area.

And are just begging to be climbed!

A very rare picture of both of our boys together-AND looking happy.

The oldest was trying to hide behind his brother.

After I looked at this picture more-- I believe they both look more "evil" than happy.

As if happily plotting to push the other one off the rocks first.
But maybe that is just the parent in my thinking to much.

    Just  down from many of the rocks is the rest areas workers residence.  And a few heavily fenced ponds.  This is also a water treatment area.   And yes the water above is green.  A very slime mutant sludge green.  Although it is still kind of pretty.  The entire area is fenced off, around both rest areas and you have to walk a bit to get around the fences to the cooler rock formations and the open desert. 

Staying hydrated and ready to Explore!

Like here!!

The larger formations form almost cave like areas.

That are full of fun echoes. 

   The writing on the wall says "love!"   As in most places we Explore---vandals have come and gone.  Some of the art work is actually pretty neat.   If this was painted darker it might make for a nifty post card.  Although in this area de-facing the rocks is illegal.   I am not sure how one enforces this, but with all of the art work, I would say the enforcer is not to strict or crafty.

As in every hike  in this area--- magnificent mountains surround us in the distant horizon.

Each formation in this whole area is completely different and breath taking in it's own way.

Just across the way was a much taller set of hills that was calling to us. 

On this portion also very rocky   but the further to the right you look, the

easier the climb appears.  Although it still spends a lot of time going up.

Reaching the top--is far easier said than done.

For one thing from our stop-- four lanes of I-10 highway and several fences stand in the way!

I was not into playing Frogger with big rigs on this day--so we quickly loaded into our truck

and set off for the very next exit, crossed over the highway, and

turned back toward Benson.  Pulling back off at the rest area on the other side.

I have a long list of places to Explore next

But were do you think we should Explore??

Were have you been on a hike lately?

Please share your thoughts and pictures. 

The best will make it in future blog posts---giving you credit of course.

Please share on this pages comment section or at the links just below!

All new picture filled -all local blog post in the works!

Please tell your friends.  :)

Until next time

As always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**

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                                         And is nearing 27,000 views!   Come see what all the fuss is about!
                                    www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com  


           **My second blog series has some of my best personal pictures and lots of                     Exploring!**                                      Please take a look around.

http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/


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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

More From Dragoon

   Greetings readers!   Yesterday the boys, Butch, and I took a break from all of the work we have been doing this week, and returned to Dragoon to Explore.  Much of the hike was on private property, so I will not explain our location in much detail.  But we started very near the off ramp for the big town of Dragoon. 
    We did resist going further into private property at the above pictured point.  Although getting to the top of this mountain looks very appealing to me on a later date.  Maybe when I do not have the kiddos with me.  Also greatly appealing is to be out this way, when the sun sets.  Arizona sun sets are always amazing, and so different every time.  But with all of the surrounding very large rocks, it would make for a great back drop.   On this day all the large rocks provided training grounds for the kids to practice there Ninja skillz.   I refrained from to much rock climbing, but soon found myself sweating.  Making it hard to wrap my mind around the fact that it was still only early January.  One really does have to enjoy living in the desert.  Especially one that grew up in Wyoming.  Were it is cold, and than really cold, and than summer for about two months.   If you are lucky!   Although here it just means that the really hot temperatures are just lying in wait. 

The rock formations in this whole area are amazing.

And fun to climb.

Near the start of our adventure.

We started in a river run off that was very sheltered.

But it was still impressive to me how many leaves remained on the trees in this area.

Another great natural picture frame.

This old tree kept becoming the focus of my attention.

Until bigger and better rock formations became part of the landscape.

                       A natural playground for sure.  Or just a great place to play king of the hill! 

At about this point I saw a work truck in the distance.   So we took off further away from civilization.

Just in case.  I know for sure I can not out run bullets.

You can just make out Butch, above doing his own Exploring.

There he goes again!

This time he found some shade to hang in.

I enjoyed all the rocks

Give me a break.

So in the above picture I was attempting to show our youngest climbing up this hill, in a close up shot.

But he feel down right before I snapped the shot.

You can just make him out, in the weeds to the right, going down.

Here I attempted again, but got the shot while he was still getting up instead of actually looking at the camera.

Butch is a young pup still, but he was even dragging butt from the adventure and the heat.

So we soon decided it was time to start heading back to the truck.

Near were we had parked, was these pathways that lead clear under the highway AKA I-10.

This one blessed us!  Look at the top.  

And they were both amazingly long. 

So much so, that by the middle of the tunnel it was very dark and very hard to see anything.

On the other side we found many more great rock formations and this old car section. 

Another quality day of slacking and Exploring.

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          ** Check out were this all started and were I have been with my first blog series**     Full of random rambling, Exploring, pictures, deep quotes, and lots of coffee love!  
                 http://wyomingjack.blogspot.com/


           **My second blog series has some of my best personal pictures and lots of                     Exploring!**     
                                Please take a look around.

http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/


             **Tell me what  you really think about all of my thoughts!**
             This page gets updated first.     
Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

Family Time & A Blast In Tombstone.

         I wish to continue to thank everyone for there support of this page!   It is my third such blog page-and although I would like to say I have learned some things along the way--you can't always teach old dogs new tricks.   My mother and past English teachers cringe collectively every time I publish a new blog post I am sure.   At some point this page will continue to take us and than you the reader across this entire great state.   But our funding at the moment hardly allows us to actually eat some weeks.  We have lived and Explored many areas of the state in the past, including Sedona and Flagstaff, but I wish to keep my posts as new and fresh as possible.   So I do not add this trips here.  Years ago we lived in Florence, Queen Creek, Flagstaff, and Kingman.  But again I really do not want these older trips in my new page.   Many of these areas I hope to visit again-with the exception of Kingman.   I have lived a lot of places, and consider this the worse place we/I have ever lived.  In fact we now call the area -the Devil's Crotch.  If you do not understand, you have never lived or been through the area.  In fact while we lived there my sister was going on a major hike in nearby Sedona--and would not come to visit us in Kingman, just because of all the bad things she had heard about the area.   I had said none of these bad things.   So as I have said before--the trips and Exploring for now are very local to were we now live.  If you would like to read something more thrilling and would like to increase our finances---please contact me today!  ;)

                                       Myself at the first Starbucks ever in Seattle, WA

      Today I ventured clear up to the Benson McDonald's for coffee and free Wi-Fi.   I believe I have complained about this before, but the area has no good coffee joints and basically no places  with free Internet.   We have Wi-Fi through our whole house, and a laptop that greatly enjoys the hanging out on the couch on our front car port.  But a greater part of my past blogs have been written while out, and guzzling coffee.   Maybe I am just spoiled from living in Washington for so long.   Were there is a new --great coffee joint about every five feet.   Littearly.   Several of my entire past blogs, were just ranking local coffee joints in Washington.  And I must say it was a ruff job!   I have passed a few nearby--in Bisbee and such that look great, but have not had the time to stop on those days.  So far at least in Benson, and Tucson AZ I have been majorly disappointed.   One Starbucks worker did not even know what a "drip" coffee was!   Anyways I hope a full post comes soon of decent local places to have coffee--but not today.    I will stop rambling and or complaining for today--and git on with the actual post!   Which finds us once again in Tombstone, AZ. 

Tombstone, AZ

I have not yet tried the coffee or atmosphere here-but how could one go wrong!??

Coffee, beer, Wyatt Earp, AND Tombstone!



I have said it before-but this town has one of the best slogans, EVER!

    We find ourselves in Tombstone quite a bit.   And it is always a blast!   The town is close and if you plan things right, it does not cost to much to visit.  We have already done all the touristy expensive stuff.  PLEASE roam through my old posts on this very page for much more on Tombstone!!   Just after Christmas my sister came through for a visit.   She had never meet my beautiful wife or our children before.   I live in a very close family-for sure, in writing.   We all seem to constantly circle the globe --always keeping several miles and states apart.   A few summers ago was the first time myself and my two brothers were in the same location in 20+ years!   We quickly decided on Tombstone being a great place for her to sight see. 

My cool sister & I.

     The town was still decked out in it's Christmas best.  And just down from this spot-many free events were going on.   From public hangings to gun fights. 

Even the wild life was in the spirit!

I have many pictures of this great building.

The old courthouse and the smallest national park in the US.

Every time we go to the town I snap more pictures of the landmark. 



   On this visit the kids found an indoor shooting range of sorts.   I would rather be out shooting glass bottles -but that is not an option at the moment for us.  I think the oldest two had fun-although I kept trying to get them to aim for the ceiling lights. 

Such concentration.

Than it was time again to visit Boot Hill and the cemetery. 

Again I have several past posts from this amazing little town.

Please check them out and share the links!!

After all of that shooting and Exploring it was time for a big meal

back in Benson  at Denny's!

Group shot after we ate--and had overly full bellies!

Food is good!

Today's un-official official spotlight local business goes to Denny's

Each post I try to pick a business that goes above and beyond in customer service.

The place does not sponsor or pay me to promote them--and probably does not even know about my recommendations.  

It seems that finding even good service is so rare---that I wish to promote any great service we see.

This does not just go to the local Denny's   but every one we have visited in our travels.   When most places cut back food portions--they always give you a full plate of food--quickly and across the country it consistly tastes the same.  Plus there building makes for a great back drop for pictures!

**If you live in the Benson area---all kiddos go back to school tomorrow--Monday --morning!

Just in case your kids destroyed that memo

And all the local parents rejoice!**

 =================================================================================

                                                                        **Your ad could be here!!**                                                                    Very low prices--Large readership.

**

          ** Check out were this all started and were I have been with my first blog series**     Full of random rambling, Exploring, pictures, deep quotes, and lots of coffee love!  
                 http://wyomingjack.blogspot.com/


           **My second blog series has some of my best personal pictures and lots of                     Exploring!**     
                                Please take a look around.

http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/


             **Tell me what  you really think about all of my thoughts!**
             This page gets updated first.     
Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head