July 4th 2014 Benson Arizona

                     I try to keep these posts as recent as possible but it just does not always happen that way.   That said, yes I realize that it is now August.  For the sake of using the magic of the Internets, you as the reader can pretend it is still July or that this is an old posting that you have just come across.  Last year was our first fourth of July in Benson, Arizona.   We were brand new to the area, and really enjoying all the new residence had to offer.   Small towns have the most amazing -down to earth festivals for sure.  Ones that will make everyone feel welcome.  Read more about last year here:  http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/2013/09/4th-of-july-blast-benson-arizona-style.html

     This year with my work schedule restricting the festivities I could enjoy and after living in the town for a year--my out look may not be as sunny on everything.  Don't get me wrong it was still an amazing celebration.  Again please ignore the date stamps on all of these pictures.  It really was this year. 
     I grew up in a super small town and every year they had a super amazing fireworks show.  I imagine this is still true, but I have not actually witnessed a show back home since about 1997.  Some years in my travels the lighting put on an amazing show, but than canceled the actual fireworks.  I hear the place I work puts on a very great show also---Casino Del Sol--but I have yet to see this either.  I believe the best fireworks display I have witnessed --was in a very small town in the middle of Nevada several years back.  I do not recall the name of the town, and am sure it is a mere dot on the state map.   My wife and I were traveling cross country near area 51.   I kept seeing these bright flashes in the sky that could not be lightning.   It was messing with my head even more, because my wife never saw any of these for miles and miles.   I was growing more and more un-easy   even after she started to spot the bright flashes in the sky.  At some point in the hills we pulled into a super small town, and witnessed THE best firework shows I have ever seen!  I do not know how this tiny town paid for such a show--maybe from speeding ticket fines of youngsters trying to get out of the town when they turned 18? 

 

Our youngest waiting for the parade to start

and for candy!

 

 

Uncle Sam made quite a few appearances in this parade.

At the moment he is heading the wrong way up the street.

      This year I started work in Tucson at the above mention casino at midnight and got into Benson just in time to quickly park and than enjoy the parade and my amazing family.  I only got to enjoy the parade and than went to bed, because I again had work that night.   It also allowed me to enjoy the big fireworks show that night in the Lions Park.  Of course the huge fireman led water fight and music and such went on in the park all afternoon long. 

 

 

                               The local fire crews have stayed extra busy again this year.  
          And I wish to thank each and every one of them, especially the volunteers!

 

 

 

Every local event I enjoy taking a picture of the drunk wagon.

But I am easily amazed.

This year I will pass on a lame joke about the party being over when they arrive.

I will also apologize now for anyone that appears in my photos that did not come to the parade in the same vehicle as me. 

 

 

 

The old law makers and DUI task force.

 

 

 

R & R Pizza

The most amazing bread sticks around!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe this is the first time I have every seen Ronald Mcdonald in a parade before.

In Benson or any town USA.

 

 

 

 

This years parade was almost double as large as last years.

I really liked all of the old tractors

and the equally old drivers. 

 

 

 

Out of all of the shots here of random viewers

I will claim the girl in blue above as one of my kiddos.

At least most of the time I will claim her.

 

 

 

Again this was a great and highly patriotic show.

And I would like to thank everyone that makes this possible

and very enjoyable every year!

 

 

 

Next posts feature my buddy and my Exploring of the area.

He was in town for three days and we tried to see as many sights as possible.

With Tombstone of course on the list. 

 

Time & Space To Think

      Hello and welcome back readers!   I want to thank you all for helping make this sight great and getting the word out to other Arizona Explorers, residents, and people that simply wish they were lucky enough to call this fine state home.  I have MANY new posts, ideas, Exploring, and pictures to share just please be patient with me.   With three kiddos and all of the other aspects of having an amazing family---life gets in the way a lot, and of course family always takes top priority. 

   On the Friday before Christmas I was letting to many things in life get me down.  And noticed that I was in way to of a Scrooge mood for it being that close to such a holiday.   The day before I snuck of with Butch and did some deep thinking in the local cemetery.   I needed to venture out on a long hike by myself and get lost.   Explore and ponder while looking for my moment of Zen or a Vortex.   I don't know if anyone in reader land has read about Vortex's  but I have studied them in great depth.  Or tried to---the concept seems to be so deep that it is past my understanding.  A lot of the areas seem to be around Sedona-- while roaming the painted rocks.   To  make it even more interesting -a Vortex can move, and is experienced differently by everyone that finds it.  Depending greatly on the state of mind they are in when they enter it, or how dehydrated they are.   I finally watched a You Tube video awhile back that explained the concept to me some what.  And I think for the most part-it is a spot were you find yourself, and become at peace with everything.     On this day I did not find a Vortex but did find a place to sit way up on a hill and just be calm and peaceful.  And eventually I found myself in a much better state of mind and mood. 

   On this day I took off to the dead end on Fourth Street.   I have been here before with all of the kiddos.   Feel free to check out that blog post at: 

http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/2013/11/nothing-beats-back-road.html

                                                     But this Exploring took me under the freeway and beyond. 

   I soon found some cow trails that helped me roam through the open desert.  The trails also kept me away from the few near by houses.   Mostly because in a lot of the places I Explore I am not positive if I am trespassing or not. 

              As in most of my trips---I was surrounded by varied desert life and rolling hills and mountains. 

And I always try to picture different types of plants in each blog post.

   

On this day it could not decide if it was going to be cloudy or full out sunny.

The above peak is much taller, but the top was gone from view. 

I took a long pause on one of the hills.

Enjoying the view and the quiet.

Watching all of the traffic sped past on I-10 was also calming, as I realized I had all the time in the World that day

with no real place to be. 

Being a Wyoming native---I often reflect on the long journey that brought me to loving life in the desert. 

We have lived in the desert before--and hated it, but it was not good parts of the state for sure. 

Coming down from the thinkin' hill I found these deer bones.

A sure reminder that others have ventured here even if they might have been four legged creatures. 

I love being able to hike and not see anyone.  But on the same note - if something did happen to me-it could be awhile before I ran into any help. 

At one point I found piles and piles of old phone pole insulators. 

 The clouds were still deciding what they were doing.

Any guesses were I was Exploring next?  

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

                                                                        **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



Championship Wrestlin' In Benson, Arizona---O Yeah!

                                                                          Saturday night --fight night!



 The ring right before the event started.

      For it's size the Benson area has a wide variety of events and activities to fit almost any ones needs.  From the kid at heart to your actual kiddos.  And these are usually high quality events.  Last Saturday night was no exception, as Championship wrestling took over and transformed the High School Gym into the location of a very enjoyable smack down!    In Super Brawl 4. 

The publicity poster

With permission from--no one-- but hey it's free publicity for this great event.

Check out there great Facebook page for the next family pleasing event!



Our boys waiting for some Wrestlin'!

        Earlier in the week I could have bought five tickets to this event from a family that could not attend, at a very reasonable price.   But at that point, I had not even heard about the matches.  Right after that I started hearing the many ads over the radio and than looked up the Facebook page.  On the day of the event--I happened to land free tickets from another local family that could not go.   And I could not pass up that price--for an evening of fun.  Our daughter is not really into such manly manliness, so she made other plans-so the boys, my wonderful wife and I loaded into our truck to go enjoy.   With the boys being brothers with a four year age gap, and well being boys--every night is wrestling night at our house.  So I told the boys they were not allowed to take notes --on moves to try once we returned home. 

  

      The lights soon dimmed as we waited for the action to start.   The kiddos started in seats near us, but soon ended up just outside the ring.   Each wrestler walked around the ring-slapping high fives to the kids and interacting with them.  Usually in the form of yells set to involve the whole crowd.   For each of the eight matches, it was very easy to tell who the crowds favorites were.   And in many matches a "villain" was introduced from the ring announcer, followed by the appropriate boos and cheering.  This was a very well produced show.  A true family event -that encouraged participation.    I went to a similar event years ago in my hometown in Wyoming.   The town much bigger than Benson, well bigger than Benson--but the event was very quickly a bore.  No music when the wrestlers came out, no snazzy lighting, no show man ship, and that ring announcer never yelled or changed from his monotone script reading --almost putting the audience asleep.   At Saturdays performance there was no thought of being bored. 



Yes this white boy is sporting an Afro.

Guess where this guy is jumping.

Many of the wrestlers had a hard time staying in the ring.
Good thing there was a metal railing just outside of the ring.

Tag team crowd favorites.

I preferred the Hawaiian brothers with the much less kool hair but the styling dance moves.

Action shot --attempt.

Cave Man

Not sure what his official name was. 

But he was very amusing, and bad a**   he also had his own huge bone

to clobber over heads when the referees were looking else were.

Eight entertaining matches.

And of course a full selection of snacks was just a few feet away.

Best yet about this night---all profits went right into our award winning schools!

                This really was a great night.   That said the fight nights starting bell did not ring until 7:00 so us old folk

    were very happy to hear them announcing the final showdown.  We are both in our 30's and all.  ;)  Whomever said kids make you younger---only must of had one child.   But they managed to make the grand finale drag on waaaaaaaay to long.   Every time the above pictured fighter would come near his heavily loud mouthed opponent--the opponent would bail out of the ring.   Followed by a deafening chores of "booooos."



 Well into the match-just as my wife was offering to finish the match if they couldn't--we heard a familiar yell from the front of the crowd.  It was our youngest shouting "This is awesome!"  as he jumped up and down. 

That made the night for us.  

Can you guess were the boys and I went to Explore on Sunday afternoon??

Here are two pictures to help you guess. 

The answer in my next picture filled Exploring blog!

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

                                                         MY blog rundown
Some of my better pictures end up here: http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/
My newest page all about Arizona and what it has to offer everyone! http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/
My longest running blog series. Full of random rambling, Exploring, jokes, rants, and of course coffee love! http://wyomingjack.blogspot.com/

 *

Please also do not forget to check out MY Facebook page!

Perfect for commenting directly to me.

Most of my thoughts, jokes, and pictures end up on this page before they become a blog

Please check it out and click on "like"

Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

IF you do not enjoy MY page---there is a really good chance the feeling is mutual!

Also we are starting a take a book leave a book program from our car port.

We have had amazing support  

but if you live in the Benson area or

just like to read please check out our Facebook page.

It has all of our current books and our address so you can check them out !

https://www.facebook.com/booktradein?fref=ts