More Super Urban Exploring--Benson, AZ

    A few posts back I wrote about how great it is in this area to be able to drive a very little in any direction, and be in the open desert.  With lots to Explore!  Many times -even with no fences, it seems I am on someones property though.  I hope to do a similar post from Tucson and other towns soon, but living in beautiful Benson, Arizona  the trips still focus near here.   Last week I ventured out with Butch and found a few more places to add to the list.  But first I must vent real quick....

    I realize we are surrounded by open desert---beautiful and ever changing, but also some what of a waste land.  Although I do take advantage of these walks, to be very lenient on picking up after our dogs--something I NEVER do in town--EVERY place we roam, we find huge piles of trash.  This is right down town- across the tracks from Safeway.   And compared is a very small pile.   I realize the dump is very expensive, and many of the trash piles we find are fun to Explore, but take a little pride in were you live.  I also find lots of just dropped trash when on actual trails too.   Please pack out what you pack in.

       

    Just off of 4th street if you park across from Safeway the empty water drainage allows for some Exploring in both directions.   You can also check out lots of local "art."   Much of my Exploring seems to be in dry river beds.  I find the walking easy and there might be neat things washed down stream in months earlier.   I recently watched a local video about how amazingly fast flash floods do happen though, so will stay completely clear of them during the rainy season.   On this day I had our youngest and our two dogs with me.

   Such channels can take you all around town.  But you have to really watch were you pop up--out of the channels.  It is very easy to find yourself in the middle of some ones property. 



    We have Explored up stream before so soon ended up in the middle of the great Lions Club city park.  





                                                                        At the top of one of the dirt hills.
                                                                    Always take time to check out the view.

Closer to our humble home is this abandoned building.

I always enjoy checking out any empty place the older the better!

If you venture behind this one, it is wide open---just sayin'

      Venture just outside of Benson--heading towards Tombstone--there is miles of open desert.   On the left near the tracks--is defiantly more private land.   Most on the right is wide open, and fence free.    And last week it was the perfect place for Butch and I to roam and de-stress.   Complete with great back drops for some pictures of course!

In this area there are some actual trails, road ways, and of course water drainage areas to roam. 

                                                 I am not sure how much security this fence provides any more.

Along with the out right trash--neat things to Explore can always be found too.

Of course I am easily amused-so most may be far from neat in your eyes. 

                                      The next day Butch and I drove just past Wal-Mart and parked. 
                                          Above he is patiently waiting for me to be ready to roam. 

      Across from this building is yet more open desert to roam.  Although it is not long before you run into fences.
 I also added this picture to explain why I could never work in a place like the above:  I would spend allllll day running around yelling  "Lube it up!"  I told you I was very easily amused. 

From the top of the dirt hill  

 Make shift shelter in the middle of the desert.   I have watched a lot of survival shows in the last few days.   The ones were they drop the people off in the middle of the desert or snowy land.  And I have very much decided, I would die.   My family came to this area with a small travel trailer, and tried to stay in it through the hottest part of the summer.  That was enough to make us all want to hurt each other-and we had most of the comforts of home, except maybe a decent A/C.

   Near this cross--most adventures are delayed by fences.   Not necessarily a stopping point.  But it was on this day.   I often talk about creature dangerous in the desert, but our oldest and I had a recent run in with some older people while on there property.   I explain it more on my random rambling page   at: www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com     and it really was not that big of deal.  But after I thought about how many people in this great state have guns, and are very proud of them.   With such large property lines, running into a land owner is not real likely, but the odds of him owning a loaded gun are very high.  And I for one, am very sure I can not outrun bullets. 





            Everything in the desert is sharp---and before getting into the truck I spent a half hour removing these fun prickly do-dads.

 I spent the next few days surrounded by trees.   Rare in this part of the state.   I find myself taking pictures of the sun often.  Probably after spending so many years in The Great Northwest---were you see the sun once each winter.  And wonder all day what that bright ball of light in the sky is.

Some old wood...

On these days between the Exploring I was actually working.

This reminds me

We have some very fine Mesquite fire wood for sale.

If you live in the Benson area   and need firewood

Please give me a call

for a great deal!

520-444-9556

Next we Explore Christmas time

and last weekends amazing light parade!

As Always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**



Some Saint David Exploring & Beyond

               Last week between work and the wind storms, I found some time to do some local Exploring.  I have a whole list of places that I wish to check out, but with Christmas just around the corner I have not had as much time to sneak off and roam or take pictures.   I have been just up the road to St David a few times in the last few weeks.  It is a quick trip from Benson, about eight miles.  Another small town, with lots of great residents and picture opportunities.  It is also on the way to Tombstone -so a busy stretch of road about any time you decide to travel it.   Like most small towns, the back roads offer some great views.   Religion is a main fundamental in this area.   Like Benson, several RV parks can be found--the main difference is the ones in St David are more spread out and customized with little ponds and such.   There is also a small public park with lots of trails to Explore.  I have not had time to visit there yet.    So a 2nd post from this town should appear soon with more adventures and info on the great town.   As always I hope you  enjoy this great new blog page---and please share the link, to help get the word out! 
   

      With all of my trips back and forth I have never made time to stop at the  Gallery of Dreams.   Until last week that is.  Several hundred local artist of all kinds show case there work here.  And I am very glad I stopped.   Just into town, on the right side of the road--look for the brightly painted buildings. 

       Just past the buildings is a large dirt parking area.   Walking up to the main entrance this was my welcoming crew!  The dog looked so friendly, but I didn't dare stick my hand over to pet him.   Instead I got the above picture. 

                                                        More art work lines the outside of the building. 

  Inside every type of art can be found.   From jewelry to bronze western sculptures.   The workers are very friendly and ready to assist and show you everything the shop has to offer.  Some of the pieces are also working/touchable pieces of art.   The above jolly fellow is just asking to have his belly rubbed, at least in my eyes.  And is located right beside the restroom.   The gallery uses all of it's space very well.

  Off the back of the building is a large work space.  The artist at the moment is working on some very large sculptures.  The one pictured above does not look like it, but is about 7 feet tall.   I did not catch his name, but he is the same artist who did the sculpture of Wyatt Earp that is in Tombstone.   You can meet and ask the artist any questions you wish.  Or just watch him work for awhile. 







A little further down the road I found this great tree.

            And than it was time to Explore some back roads.   Always an enjoyable experience.

I like any old building but find older barns are the most interesting.   Although they do not allow much adventure if one were to sneak inside them.  Not that I am advising any reader to do such a thing.  

One of the many abandoned places I passed that day. 

I believe some one is living here

but thought the building was beyond neat.

The clouds in the background add a great effect also.

I am often amazed at how much variety there is in this area in plant life.

And I try to picture a different type of cactus or plant in each blog post.

So many trails

So little time.  ;)

The next day work took me out past Pommerane.

Just past the water towers

you are greeted by this huge arrow.

I really wanted to Explore Gammons Gulch

but they were filming a movie on this day.





                      Old west town in the middle of no-weresville Arizona.    I will have a full post from here soon!

   On this day I ventured across the road down some trails and river basins instead.  I would love to Explore the Gulch area --and bring along a metal detector.  But I am not sure how well the owners would take this, and I do not yet own a metal detector. 

Further up the main road is also a huge bird sanctuary.  Again I have not made it there yet.

                                                                                  Down the dusty trail.
                                                                             Like many areas -you are soon surrounded by
                                                                  large peaks.   It is also an area that can not be traveled during the
                                                                                                     monsoon season.

There is also a ten acre donkey rescue in this area. 

Years ago when we used to live near Kingman, Arizona

It was not rare to be Exploring along route 66 and see lots of wild donkeys. 

Us at work!