Last Week Around Benson, Arizona

        Hello!!  I have been super busy lately and have been neglecting all of my blog sights and worse yet, have been neglecting our Exploring!   Over the last few days I have been getting lots of great Exploring in and have also managed to snap some neat pictures.  It is hard to believe, but as of this June--we will have been in the Benson area for a full year.  I am always amazed at how many new sights I can still find--very near to our house.  And this June I hope to showcase some of my best shots and finds from the Benson area!   Since we finally bought a fuel saving car last month, I also plan on taking trips much further down the road---and sharing my pictures and thoughts on each--in this very blog!  Please share this page!

 

 

I started off the roaming by heading out of Benson -towards Tucson.  Jumping off at the last exit for Benson.  In fact you can just see the MC Donald's sign in the background.  Also the old barn---I have shot pictures of in the past. 

Once off the exit -I turned right. 

And quickly realized there was not a ton to Explore-with much security all around. 

I did manage to get some pictures before leaving the area of course.

 

 

 

 

It is rare to get any color in pictures  beyond desert brown. 

 

 

 

 

I am not sure our kiddos even know what these are.

Not to mention a real dirt road. 

 

 

 

 

     This shot just makes me want to Explore more!   Maybe down a long twisty dirt road. 

Several turns later I ended up in the middle of a huge church parking lot.   And took off back through Benson---heading towards Tombstone.   A great town I have many past picture filled posts about.  I took a left on Country Club Lane on this day. 

 

Parking just past the old family golf center.

This is a huge area--and with the gates open I had to fight back just wandering inside for a closer look.  I love to Explore old buildings and any area-especially if they are surrounded by a fence.  But it was not in the cards for this day.

 

 

 

 

Maybe it is just me, but I found the yellow sign amusing.

It says "Caution children at play!"

And this whole are is surrounded by rail road tracks and things to do with multiple trains.

 

 

 

D is for Duuuuh!!

 

 

The view just beyond the golf center.

One can only imagine what the view is like from in the golf center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benson is so much a train town-I also really enjoy this shot. 

About here there were to many people working--so I ventured to the right-into the desert.

 

 

 

 

This huge doomed metal building almost looks like I am sneaking up on a portion of Area 51.

But is actually a storage building.

 

 

On the top of one of the rolling hills I found a fenced in area to Explore. 

You can just make it out three pictures above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It appeared to be a burial sight  but I could find no marking of any kind.

 

 

So many trails  So little time!!

 

Later that same afternoon I ventured to the other side of the highway to collect old scrap metal.

I have complained many times about the amount of garbage just dumped in the desert--but picking this up is very easy-and kind of like free money for me---so please feel free to dump scrap metal. 

 

 

It is hard to say how long this can has been in this bush. 

Out of respect and pure interest in this, I left the can right were it was.

 

 

 

 

Pure garbage can be found every were!

Annoying but yet oddly pretty at the same time.

 

 

Butch relaxing after our roaming.

And happy after a stuffed "kill."

He loves to take all of the stuffing out of stuffed toys, today's victim just happened to be

Clifford the big red dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next post we revisit the San Pedro House in Sierra Vista!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Search For Water Part Two

    Welcome new and faithful readers!   This page has so many posts in the works--thank you all for being so patient.   Our Exploring has slowed down in the last few weeks, although it did just take me to California.  Posts to come!  We did just purchase a gas saving car, so hopefully soon--when our bank account rises a little bit, we will be taking more Exploring trips.  And these will be further away from home.  There is so much to Explore across this great state.  Please share this page with anyone you feel might enjoy it.  If they are from Arizona---or if there heart belongs here.      For all of our Exploring  please also check out my first an longest running blog page at 
    www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com

   On this day I was once again searching for water in the winter time in Arizona.  I had heard about the near by Willow Lakes area and just happened to have some free time with Butch to check it out.  Although I never found the lakes on this day--weather they be dried up this time of year, or I was searching in the wrong area,  I did find some great spots for some future hikes.  I also found got some good pictures along the way.   

A farm house along the way.

The old equipment allowed for some neat pictures.

The long twisty dirt road is also a fun drive. 

Just around a long bend

I found a huge field of green. 

A very rare and welcome sight when living in the desert. 

Further up I found more signs of civilization

and even some water.

Although the water was all beyond nasty.

I was amused to see signs painted all around the above water tank that said 

"No swimming!"

A little further down I found this large pond.  

But still no lakes.

From a distance it looks quite peaceful and almost like a tranquil oasis.

But the area was covered in flies and even Butch our dog would not drink the water.  

I have talked before about always finding random piles of garbage every time I hike.

I always seem to find one lone shoe also.

Time to roam around the desert looking for the lakes.

This was all on the same day

but the date stamp on my camera was having issues. 

I need to just take the date stamp off the pictures all together. 

Although I kept seeing signs that large bodies of water were close

I never found any.  

Looking towards Benson and beyond.

More hills just waiting to be Explored

on another day. 

Again I found no lakes or

drinkable water on this day. 

Later in the afternoon my wife and I snuck off to The Horseshoe 

for lunch. It was the first time we had ventured there.

And I must say the food and service was very good.  

Good service --in any field is hard to find it seems. 

I am sure the restaurant does not need praise

it seems to always be busy 

and a well known town landmark.

But The Horseshoe is my

un-official official local business of the day.

Meaning I pick places that have given us great service

and the business has no idea they have been picked. 

Take A Little Trip.

       I am still in California taking lots of pictures for a post or two from outside of amazing Arizona.  Yesterday and today a rare treat-- no really, we saw cloudy skies and rain.  After months in the desert both are a very welcome sight!  In today's post Butch, the boys, and I Explore just past the caves in Benson, on the highway that leads to Sierra Vista.  We had originally intended to hike to the top of the below pictured mountain, but after a lot of traveling and even more heat, we did not appear to be any closer to the great hill.   Another challenge for another day.   After the caves look for the above turn.  This is all state trust land so a pass is needed to use the area.  We did not pull our truck into the area, so we did not need a pass.  At least for the day, this logic worked for us.  Border Patrol units patrol the area all of the time, so this luck may not hold true for you.  Butch definitely did not like the cattle guard and we had to convince him to cross through the fence.  

 This mountain and the view that must present itself from the top is beyond inviting.  But for the time being, it is still another spot on my ever growing check list of places to Explore.  

                             As in much of Arizona -mountains circle the whole area. 

These jet streams mark the spot for a great hike.  

Several dirt roads go through the area.  

On the way back down, I decided it was easier to jog back to the truck. 

If not tiring. 

Since our oldest could not get out of this picture

he embraced the moment. 

Although he learned  that even with his eyes closed tight  we could still see him.

Mr Butch points out the way!

Some off trail action. 

Because of the early very warm weather

I warn all readers to keep an extra eye out for snakes already.

Many have been spotted in the Tucson area with the snakes and hikers thinking it is already spring.  The one thing that scares me the most is snakes of any kind, 

so this is not welcome news to me. 

Even from a distance  this mountain makes for a good picture.

After we ran into a few fences we decided it was time to journey into the river run off. 

The travailing was easier and much of it was shaded. 

We used to find such rock sightings all of the time in Bellingham, Washington

and it is nice to see them here in Arizona also. 

If nothing else it is a small reminder that others have also been were you are standing. 

Many a place we Explore, we never actually see other hikers.  

Although temperatures only reached about 80 on this day, by the time we were

returning to the truck -we were rather warm.

Above is my last shot for the day 

and for this post.  

For more Exploring and random randomness please check out my first blog series

at:

www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com

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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

      As Always

                    **HAPPY TRAILS!!**