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.  

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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

      As Always

                    **HAPPY TRAILS!!**

Dragoon Mountain Exploring!

              Good morning all!   I have found taking the pictures for my sights and than writing about our Exploring, VERY calming.  We have three wonderful kiddos, who enjoy the six weeks of school, two weeks off of school schedule--WAY more than we do!  With all of the other day to day stressors, until about a month ago -my mother-in law lived with us.  Long story short, stress relievers are a must!   I surly hope that you enjoy my posts  even half as much as I enjoy working on them.   And that until I find an editor, you ignore my grammar and writing mistakes.   Just down the road from Benson is Dragoon.   I have posted about the area a few times now.  My favorite being about visiting the tourist trap, also known as The Thing.   The state rest area is also worth a stop, if nothing else to enjoy the amazing rock formations found through the whole area.  If you have not checked out the area, Dragoon Days are in early November.   I will have to look up the specific days and what happens, because we are new to the area and have never been.  But a good festival is always high on my to-do list. 

                                                                                    Sierra Vista

               The temps were perfect last Sunday for an Exploring trip.   And our two boys needed out of the house as much as I did.   I had planned on checking out some of the hill trails in Sierra Vista, but did not want to drive that far.  **On that note--I have not done any hikes or real sight seeing in Sierra Vista yet--any readers have any suggestions for us??**   Soon after jumping on the Internet, I found the Slavin Gulch Trail.  Many sights talked about the area, but few gave good details on getting to the actual trail head.  Please note:  Google maps is NOT a good method for finding this area!  Mainly because the dirt roads, do not have marked street names.  We only got lost once even with the less than grand directions. 
                 

So many trails---So little time!!

                 I have also noticed in my travels that hike books and web pages do not really tell you some key factors in any hike.   When we lived in beautiful Bellingham, Washington we used to love Exploring a spot of beach called Teddy Bear Cove.  I have some amazing pictures from this area, and it is beyond nice.   All of the hike books talk about this great beach.   But none of them mention a hugely key factor!   For whatever reason it is a big hangout, no pun intended, for guys to swim in the nude.   Mostly much older men, at that.  I found this out -one glorious day while Exploring with our youngest.   He was eight at the time.   Needles to say, every time I posted a blog about the cove, I included this info.  If nothing else to save someone else from suddenly going blind for a short period of time.   OR having to explain such things to there kiddos.  On that note--a few notes on this trip, nothing as Earth shattering, for sure!

                      Every guide I found noted that during the right season, this trail could be found in a car.  Obviously this is Arizona, and this whole area is in a flash flood zone, so even with our four wheel drive, I would not be around the area at all during Monsoon season.   But this road was amazingly ruff and I would not recommend taking any car down it.  In fact at one point, we decided it would be faster to walk, and did just that.   At one point you are in Forrest Service land, so as always should be the case, pack out what you pack in!   By the time we found the trail head, we had very little water left.   So as always in Arizona, take lots and lots of water.  There is an open water tank with running water, between the ranger station and the trail head, but we were unsure how clean that water was.   Much of the year, the water is also running down the canyon, so if nothing else you can cool off quickly!  It was beyond dry on our trip.  

                                                         An oasis  Not sure how clean the water is though.

                         When you enter the big city of Dragoon-just past the rail road tracks, you will drive by a very old store.   Take an immediate right at the store.  You are on a dirt road, which is deceivingly well maintained to start.   Soon you pass through a gate, and the road keeps getting rougher and rougher from there.  About 20 minutes from the gate you will pass into Forest Service land.   Follow the sign to the left, pointing to the springs.  We gave up and parked just past this sign, leaving a mile to the trail head.   At some point we encountered a huge wasp nest and decided it was time to head back to the truck.    The rock formations alone were worth the trip.  Further up the trail, you pass old mine relics.  The loop I read about is supposed to be 2.5 miles.  So a nice trek into the landscape.   We did not make it far enough to give a very accurate report on conditions and such.   But it was far enough to wear out the kids.   I would say it looked like a moderate hike though.   We started in the river bed and of course, like all good hikes, the trail mostly went upward for a long ways.  

Break time in some hard to find shade.

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And as always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**

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If you live in or near wonderful Benson PLEASE check out our new project

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LOTS of amazing titles--changing daily.

We even have a list--were you can request certain books. 

Help us make this something great for all of our neighbors! 

Check it out personally by dropping by our book cases on the car port of 759 Mcneil street

just behind the lower Circle K

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April's give and take

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April's give and take!!

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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

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