Hello readers! I have been straying from this page for several reasons. Although I love posting on this page the most --I also love doing the Exploring and picture taking. If it is by myself as it is much of the time lately or with any or all of my three kiddos. I find the blog writing, Exploring, and picture taking very calming. And through the years have got some good adventures in--although my to do list of hikes and such, just locally has not even really been started. When we drive as a family--I greatly enjoy seeing peaks and points that I have hiked around or to the top of. My family does not enjoy hearing about it. Anyways life has kept me very busy and not posting on any of my pages. My computer also recently had a run in with the ground--and now my laptop resembles a PC more--taking up a full desk with a plugged in keyboard and monitor. I just got it up and running again, until we see our tax money and a new laptop might be in my future. And lastly I have been pausing on telling this adventure because it kind of quickly went south for me. Although I managed to get some needed alone time and lots of great pictures. My road trip just did not have much road in it on this day. I had planned on staying the night in Casa Grande -- and checking out the area in the following day light. I ended up staying in Tucson, but I am getting ahead of myself. My next phase -after posting and updating much, is to gain more readers to this fine sight. So Please share the links if you like what you see here.
I have been to Picacho Peak before --there is a blog about it on this very page! But it was a quick stop on my way to a very long hike in The Grand Canyon just over a year ago. Feel free to browse at those pictures. On this day I actually paid to go into the park and got a hike in.
By the time I got on the road it was a great day outside. This was several months back now, and already to warm to have the car windows rolled up. I started taking the lonely back roads just off the highway once I passed the new outlet shopping centers. Still paved-but a slower pace and better to Explore. It is very hard to beat a long straight dirt road though for sure!
Resting farm equipment with a great background.
I pulled by the side of the road to check out the sights a little big more, and snapped a picture of yet another train rolling along.
Just across the tracks.
Some mesmerizing clouds in my book.
I had to throw the car in reverse to get this shot.
Try that move on the highway.
I have yet to visit this plane yard, but it looks like a trip on it's own.
Maybe next trip.
Suddenly I was in Red Rock.
Every time we venture this direction I want to stop Today I had time.
I really thought there was more here--like an old ghost town.
Not pictured is the huge set of gated track homes surrounded by a very large park and very well maintained, very boring looking trails.
Right near the wonderful water tower.
Even though we are surrounded by all out desert-it always disappoints me
how much pure garbage is dumped right in plain sight. Especially if we have garbage eating/sniffing dogs with us on our hikes.
Across I-10 the mighty keen looking post office ends this beatin' down street.
Outside the famous Red Rock Bar! Complete with a large red rock--with the logo painted on. As I paused to get the above picture, several patrons came out on the front deck and waived. Looks like a friendly place---I will have to actually go inside and report on this when I return that way to stare at the old junked airplanes.
First greeted by all of this I was prepared to get a ton of great pictures just in Red Rock---but from the bar-instead of going in, I followed two lanes each direction of pavement and ended up in the middle of the rich people track homes, I already talked about. Back on the highway for a minute.
Several hikes await you here at the peak. From easy to not easy sounding. One is a trail just for kids, according to the map. Another is just away from the parking lot, but supposed to be a great view of the sunset. I was entering the park to late to hike to the peaks peak according to the forest ranger after leaving the very small very boring forest service building. The Shell gas station/tourist trap just down the road is a much better visit. And they have fireworks. Very illegal to actually use in this state but for sale just the same. ;)
Nicely groomed trails for sure.
Although I am very sure I was soon not any trail at all on this day.
Don't tell Ranger Rick!
So many trails So little time!
The huge variety of native plants in the desert always amazes me. And each blog post I try to showcase different types.
About the time I was not sure if I was on a trail still or a rain runoff route.
So on this day I awoke to a back car tire that would not hold air. I put on our spare tire, planning to stop along the way at some Wally World with a tire center and carry on with my trip....
After my hike I was greeted by a beyond flat spare tire. I at first was not aware how far from Tucson I already was--in fact it was a toss up what town was closer, Tucson or Casa Grande. Just down the road there just happens to be a tire shop---in the middle of no where USA. In fact for a minute or three I had the theory that someone from the tire shop popped my tire because there sales were to low that week. Beside this is a porn store---a crummy porn store at that-but one with lots of parking for lonely big rig drivers. I eased our car down the hill to the tire store. Wouldn't you know it--it was Sunday and they were closed! The towing center was open--and they were more than willing to tow our car -but could not look at the car till Monday morning. I was than in hopes that I could put enough air in my tire to get me back into Tucson. So coasted under I-10 to the big Shell gas station. Alas this was not an option. A lady also have tire issues almost gave me her spare tire -but her husband on the other end of the phone did not really approve of this giving idea. The gas station was about to close - and I really did not wish to sleep in there parking lot. So I started going up to drivers, men mainly- so I didn't seem a threat asking if they happened to be heading to Tucson. Most weren't. Most thought I was begging for change instead of a ride. Rather quickly a couple took pity on me and drove me all the way to the Motel 6 on that side of Tucson--and would not take a dime in gas money. If anything they said I owed them extra french fries when they visited the restaurant I work at for the first time.
I got my motel stay--- but alas was still in Tucson. I have many a picture like above in Motel 6 rooms across the country. But this time I was kind of surprised at how much the room cost. But with the gem fest a week later, I was lucky to even get a room. I considered it a sign when I found all the Back to the future movies on the movie schedule that night. But soon was sick of sitting. I don't sit well. Even for the time it takes to drive some were kool to Explore or to type out these blog posts. I ventured outside the motel--happy to recall that Hooters was just up the road. But it was a Sunday night, and everything I passed was just closing. The room was very comfy with free Wi-Fi so I got some good blog posting in---this was before my computer done broke. And the next morning of course I got my tire fixed---When I pulled into a gas station on the way home-- I spotted a man that had run out of gas just before the turn into the station and since I was just in his same boat of a fine mess without a paddle, I jumped out of my rig and helped him push his truck right up to the awaiting pumps. Pay it forward folks!
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