Starting to get crazy / Down a road I've been on Before

What is wrong with this picture ? A week ago I was perambulating around down near the Arizona / Mexico border , getting a couple of lifes neccessities (groceries , soap etc. )and what comes creeping into my range of hearing ? Christmas Music ! I have to admit there are some sounds that really set me off , Helicopters flying close at night , Babies screeching for no reason , the sound of a 50 calibre rolling off a chain of rounds , the howl of a semi truck from behind when I'm on a bike on the highway , the misery of hearing a TV personality[talking head ] droning on about what I should buy or what we all need or how to fix the world . But , nothing gets my blood pressure skyrocketing like the sound of Christmas music the first week of November while some dipwad extolls the next big sale or telling me to beat the rush and buy , buy , buy ! I have been in touch with several friends in the outside world {like outside of the valley where I live }, times are not good for a lot of folks right now , economy is still in the tank , no end to the recession regardless of what the talking heads say , a good number of folks are teetering on the brink of foreclosure and the credit highway is crumbling or at the very least filled with potholes you can lose a good sized car in ! I reccomend to all who are within hearing or reading range to stop listening and reading and start to pay attention to your family and friends . Stock up on some quality groceries , perhaps a beverage or two , get close together and take care of each other , eat well , see what you can do to weather this insanity . My view on this comes from living in a community that folks are doing just that . Not to say that the celebration of Christmas should be ignored or made light of , rather start celebrating it every day that you can , giving someone your time or being there when they are troubled , sitting with friends or family or both at a table of good food and sharing ways to cope with the problems at hand .Replace the bad music with the sound of laughter and good conversation
.Stay away from as much of the commercialism as you can , I repeat what I have put here before , from Thoreau :
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined.  As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."  
I'l stop the rant for now , just give it some thought .
Lately been cruising the back roads of my mind and searching out memories to taste and savor again , I've been aided in this with the aid of the internet and that bit of goofiness called Facebook .Surprisingly I have found a lot of old friends / acquaintenences there . Dredging up good thoughts and some regret that I failed to stay in touch , it wouldn't have taken much on my part to do so , while said friends and acquaintences were building families , making a living and generally contributing to society , I was out ramrodding around the planet finding stuff that was interesting to me having some good times and more than a few that I don't care to repeat . So it goes ...
Another Veteran's day come and gone , while I sat out in the mountains communing with old friends , I recalled a toast that my great friends , J.C. , Mickey and Mickey's Dad , Doug used to make on occasion usually when the conversation turned to folks we knew that had passed or wished to honor for whatever reason . It goes like this " To those who have went before us !" a time for a private thought whether it was a close friend in the military or a personal hero , perhaps someone who made a difference in your life , or did an unexpected kindness. I'll leave it to you , I have so many to think of it would take me till forever to list them . At any rate it doesn't cost anything and it will make you feel pretty good .
Been out in the desert looking for trails for earlier in the next year , folks are looking for trails to get to the mountains from Rusty's without going on the main roads . It has been interesting to say the least . What looks like perfectly flat desert turns into dry washes , arroyos , large rocks and mesquite so tough you need a pack of high explosives to get it out of the way ! But for all it's savagery it's quiet and so beautiful it hard to take it all in . The Border Patrol even knows my truck, they have told me sometimes all they  can see is the top of the old trooper as it bangs along the desert floor , they think I'm a little off the bubble too . But it's nice to know they're watching .
Made a short run up past Portal and got a few photos of the trees changing , brilliant colors , and some new aromas with the coming of fall/winter .
Stay tuned ..

Looking back / Catching up and the Skunk

I see I've gained a couple of followers , welcome and thanks for reading this thing.
Not a whole lot of new insanity happening , it seems I have been doing a lot of looking back , reflecting on what I've seen and done the last few years . I think of the time I spent in service to this wonderful country and I'm glad I did it . Even with all the nutso stuff happening now with the economy and the latest batch of thieves and liars supposedly running the show in Washington .
So to all the whiners , criers and entitlement liberal moochers , freeloaders and folks with the general malaise of not being happy , GO AHEAD , I have to remind myself that's why my friends and brothers in arms wore the uniform , We did it so you have a place to do so . Enjoy it , it's a gift from a lot of good men and women to you It's called FREEDOM .
Local news , I had a visitor the other night . Sitting at my table playing my guitar , just finishing up dinner with the door wide open to watch the stars come out . I hear a rattling on the metal step to the trailer and look down and there comes waddling in a SKUNK ! This is not good ! I sat quietly at first thinking "whats wrong with this dumb ass skunk ?" I expected this thing to show either fear or aggression . If it was fear figured i could make some noise and it would run off , if it were aggression I'm in trouble and better make plans to grab trusty pistol and do away with this problem . For whatever reason it was neither . The skunk ignored me , did a little sniffing around , settled back by the bed and just eyeballed me . Next step I made noise , threw fire crackers , a stick , banged on the sides of the trailer , turned the amp on the guitar WAY up , Nada , zip .
To make a long story short , I outwaited the little shit ! At 3:15 in the morning it finally got up and waddled out the door !
That is my wild animal story for this year , The cow chase through the desert in the dark of the night doesn't count . They were domestic animals and a I was a little over served on th wine thing even though I was doing the serving , I do love this 4 wheel drive should have seen those bovines boogalooin in the moon light . But that's another story .
It's Veteran's Day , I be headin out to the mountains , need to talk to some old friends ....
Stay tuned .....

Best laid plans , ETC > ETC >

Just when you think you've got it all figured out , old mother nature comes along and changes the rules! I've written before about desert storms and how they rage in and down from the mountains . Yesterday a trip was mounted to go up past the research station and sit to recharge and reflect . All went well and a slow ride across the valley to Animas , get a little fuel for the truck and pick up some tortillas was completed with only a smattering of rain showers and a brief relief giving coolness that was all welcome . An afternoon chat session on the front porch of the office and return to a pot of black beans and rice that I had simmering all day were all i looked forward to . Things started to change after about 7:00 o'clock , I was watching a thunderstorm up on the peaks , not really paying too much attention when the wind started to pick up . This is never a good sign with thunderstorms , but they were quite a ways off so I didn't get overly excited . As the lightning started crashing closer andcloser , thunder rocked the valley like a batallion of howitzers . Deeming it time to shut the place up , I reached for the door and had barely got it closed and it was GONE , skewing across the desert like meth addled frisbee , decision time ! I finished closing windows moving stuff that wasn't already swirling around insude the trailer , capturing pieces of the detrius of my belongings that were awash on the floor . Making  a dive for the laptop and accessories , grabbing the guitar , trying to stow them somewhere that wasn't wet or becoming wet . It was raining so hard I could barely make out the edge of the deck and what I could see was tool boxes and chairs , and cooking equipment slowly skidding towards the driveway . I figure it must have blown like that for a good thirty minutes , rain screaming down , battering it's way into every little nookand cranny . Not the gentle hiss you associate with a nice rain , but a screech like fingernails on a blackboard . No fatalities other than the door , which I'm going to go piece together now . Mother Nature doesn't take shit from anybody ! Kind of a reminder hoe fragile our existence is , I believe I'll add some reinforcement to the door .
Stay tuned ..... 

The Country Store is Alive and Well in Rodeo , New Mexico

Another page in the art of surviving in the high desert . This is about our local Country store , I won't demean it by calling it a convenience store , those atrocities of city living are for folks too lazy or too simple to go to a store to get what they need . This is our lifeline to make it thriugh the days without driving a hundred miles or so to get basics or suddenly needed items . The owner Jim Villa a native born westerner , [ his family the Noriega's were among the first of the ten pioneer families around Scottsdale Arizona ] in other words his roots in the west run deep and his knowledge of the lifestyle and what's needed are extensive . In fact his business card pretty much tells the story about his place ...

Looks like you can get just about anything ! In fact you can , a polite request generally gets a polite response , if there is something you need in particular , Jim will more than likely be able to get it for you , most likely not in the next few minutes but , soon enough to get the job done . His position behind the counter [and everywhere else on the property ] gives him access to just about everyone in the town and the valley to some extent . His store is much like the country stores of our parent's day , people stop , talk , get some necessary item , give out some information , perhaps leave a message or post a note on the bulletin board .

With the huge parking lot available it's not surprising to find a flea market there on weekends , sometimes during the week .

 

 

Besides , the incredible setting between the Chiricahuas and the Peloncillo's  , the front of the building with it's veranda like shade the length of the building make for a good spot to sit and take a break , tell a few stories and catch up on the local news . Kind of a customs clearing if you happen to stop , like some of us do nearly every day .

 To get to the business stuff , Jim has the store open 7 days a week Mon through Fri. it's 7 to 7 , weekends Sat. is 8 to 6 and Sun is 10 to 5 . Alot of hours , and a lot of work to keep it all together and operating , somehow it all clicks together and like I've said about a few other places "you might not find everthing you want , but you'll find everything you need " , got a hunger on you they'll fix you up a sandwich or pizza , does breakfast too , and we aren't talking some cardboard crap from some distributor a hundred miles away ! They fix them in front of you and everything I've had there is good ! Fresh made , good size portions , and the price is definetly right ! To give you an idea of the selection of what's available  , take a look at this ...

Like I said a real country store ! As we used to say in hillbilly land ,everything from hand grenades to horse shoes ! An added attraction is there are even a few RV spots with full hook ups available , whether you need a night or a month a good spot to park and rest . The gas and diesel available  in this long lonely stretch of road between I-10 and Douglas is welcome too .

All in all , here's a spot in the middle of the valley where western roots and tradition have settled in . Jim manages to support local business , community events , provide services , fuel , and a spot to sit in the shade , while keeping a smile on his face , and make a living at the same time . It's not likely most folks would even want to invest the hours of labor let alone the money to make a place like this happen , so if nothing else , from one traveler , many thanks !

I stopped on the way back from the mail box and had to get this picture too , the front of the store , I think it sums it up nicely , may go there now and see if the coffee pot is still on and sit in the shade  for a bit ....

Stay tuned ......

 

Surprises in the Mail / Listening to the Blues / My Cleanest Dirty Shirt

.I had a surprise in the mail yesterday . An old friend sent me a package containing a set of Robert Johnson CD's I had loaned him nearly twenty years ago ! To make things even sweeter he included some others that were very welcome , music is hard to come by when you live in the middle of the desert ! So here I sit , working on the second pot of coffee , listening to some ice-cold Buddy Guy , looking out at the Chiricahuas , watching the park come alive as new residents arrive . I'm very happy for Rusty , they work hard to make this a special place to visit . While I get to call it home , others come for a day perhaps a week , and as we get closer to winter a few who make this their winter home . The downside of this is , I have to start behaving like a I have a modicum of civilization about me ! No more sitting outside late at night , half naked with a bottle of Shiner , guitar on my lap playing and singing to the mountains , I suppose I'll need to break out the headphones too , with the windows wide open sound carries for miles out here . Imagine some of these folks aren't quite as big afficianados of the loud blues riffs I love at midnight !
Speaking of blues and music , I need to dial everyone up on one of my current favorites. Mean Gene Kelton , from Baytown Texas . A home grown Texan , he has a style that will get you moving and laughing all at once! He makes no bones about it he plays and writes primarily for beer drinkers and hell raisers , so take a listen to his little juke box on his website before you turn it up for junior and missy , and you will be turning it up , makes you feel GOOD ! He is on Facebook also and has a newsletter about where he's playing . Has a few CDs out and they are worth the money . Take time to slide over to his site and see what's going on !Here it is Mean Gene Kelton and the Diehards  . I guaranty you won't be disappointed , Mean Gene Rocks !

Other than slowly easing into the day , remember you need to start slow then ease up . Perhaps a bit of launderising is in order as I'm down to my cleanest dirty shirt , and I'm not talking about Sunday Morning comin' down either . Just have neglected the everyday chores for the pleasure of going out and crashing around the desert . On the other hand I may take my old red guitar and sit out in the shade for awhile and see if i can work out some new licks ...

I suppose there are worse ways to spend the day  , hell I could be locked up in some city or traffic jam somewhere contemplating some acts of extreme violence to escape the craziness of being around that many people all doing the same thing , or then again I could be sitting here looking at this ...

I reckon you'l figure it out .
Stay tuned ....

Pure Laziness and a New TRail

I put up the last post out of sheer laziness and because I am all for reusing some of our existing structures for new use in any way possible . I mean don't we have just about enough roads and buildings already ? I've always thought that there should be someway to reuse some of the buildings that fall derelict instead of becoming centers for crime and disease . Lots of homes already around too , why not refurbish and get some of these so called craftsmen back to work instead of little boxes on the hillside all made out of tick-tacky and all looking just the same ?
Finally found the trail I've been searching for back to the foothills of the Chiricahuas , not a trail for your brand new hot looking SUV , but the old Trooper handled it well . A rough bit of desert travel ,but should prove to be handy if we get some folks that want to see what traveling out here was like 50 years ago . It was fun for me and expect I'll be out there again tomorrow , can't get enough of the wild country .
Not a lot to relate but took a couple of pictures in the evening , sun is moving more towards the southwest as winter / fall is coming , the colors and light is a lot different than summer and the air is cooler and clear as far as you can see. Makes for some good pictures .
Stay tuned .......

 

Recycled Architecture: 15 Creatively Converted Homes | WebUrbanist

Recycled Architecture: 15 Creatively Converted Homes | WebUrbanist

Suffering from too much to say overload

Almost forgot , wanted to share this with anyone who stumbles ,seeks or otherwise sees this little blog : from our old friend Hank Thoreau ;
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."

PAX ,
Jim

Starting Over

Well , I had a little vacation from writing this thing , ready to start telling the tales again of my mysterious and eventful journey around this planet . I think I got a little fed up with myself for awhile , wouldn't call it depression just generally pissed at the human condition , so withdrew to the mountains and my own little world . The good news is as I surface and begin reading the news via the net , I see I haven't missed much ! Politicians still suck , cities have the same problems , the economy is still in the tank , the liberal yahoos are still calling the conservative yahoos names and the bottom line is .... wait for it .... none of the above means dick in the real world ! My friends are still my friends , the mountains have changed little if any , I feel pretty good health wise , my mental health [ which has always been an area for speculation ] I feel is fairly good . So as Willie says in that famous song " after taking several readings , I'm surprised to find my mind still fairly sound " I guess we can leap right into what's been going on :
We had a pie day to raise money for the Portal Rescue Sevice , a good bunch of folks and no whiners here , they needed some $ to get new equipment so started out and raised the money , sort of a down home stimulus or taking responsibility for themselves , great food , a fun day and some nice people this was back in Sept , here are some photos:

 

The impressive part is , there are about 500 people in the valley , these guys raised almost $5000 in a two hour period ! Not bad for a little place like this !

Next up is the running around I've been doing , lots of places and lots of history . Much of what I've been looking at has some historical significance , whether it is the old west or how some of these little towns have survived , the impact of the railroad , some of the things I've been scoping out are new , the building of quite a few observatories , homes that are predominately built for alternative energy , , the advent of modern farming and ranching . There are still a goodly number of cowboys still working stock by the tried and true methods , but with modern vet medicine and assistance from mechanical means also . The agricultural side of this area has went from cotton to hay and alfalfa , and of course the chile . Modern irrigation , new ways of prepping the soil and less dependence on chemicals and hormones , back to basic growing techniques .

The seasons are starting to make themselves felt with a nice change in temps , down to very cool at night , and a more moderate temp during the day . I'm still waiting for the blistering summer that the locals predicted , I guess all those years in Fl jaded me pretty good , I don't think these folks here have ever experienced a North Fl summer where the temp goes up , stays up and the humidity is high enough to wash cars with without a hose or bucket!

Anyhoo here are some photos of some of the places I been tooling around to .

Still as beautiful as ever ! Don't have the words to express the beauty of everything , nor the space to show all the photos , I'm back in the groove now so till the next time .

Stay tuned .......

Doing a Sunday / Backing up a Bit to a Recent TRip

Sitting down on Sunday morning , most of the chores done , yesterday was a cooking day , so I have plenty fixed to eat . Starting the second cup of coffee , watching the day flow by the open door , a road runner or two , some Gambel's quail , the usual rabbits (Rufus & Doofus ) , a few cactus wrens and the ever popular lizards that seem to think I'm particularly amusing . It appears it's going to be a typical New Mexico day , clear blue sky a slight breeze and probably going to be hot this afternoon . I may have to retreat to the front porch of the office with a large glass of ice tea and kick back .
To all who read this , I figured to back up a week or two and recount a trip I did down to Cloverdale NM . There isn't much there now just a couple of old buildings from way back when . However the ride there and the history of the area is worth recounting . Back in the 1870's and 1890's the area was a hotbed of activity , with all the thing you would associate with the wild west . Rustlers , smugglers , mining and huge ranches . The Cloverdale road happens to coincide with Geronimo's trail , needless to say it has been there a while ! It runs all the way from the Sierra Madres in old Mexico to Lordsburg now , and more than likely went a lot further , but civilization and modern roads have more or less erased any sign . But from Texas John Slaughter's ranch on the Mexican border in Douglas AZ to Cloverdale NM is nothing but wild country , from Cloverdale ruins to Animas is a two lane track that no one but the border patrol, a few ranchers and crazies like me use . I started the ride to see if I could find the outlaw cemetery down by Cloverdale , that's supposedly where Ike Clanton's daddie is buried along with several other notorious outlaws from the Tombstone / Wyatt Earp days .The infamous feud of the Earps and Clantons spread across southern Arizona and the bootheel of New Mexico for several years after the OK corral fiasco .  If you read some of the history of this era it's not surprising that politics and quite a bit of what was then the media played a big part in making the bad / good guys of this time into larger than life characters . None the less they were surely some hearty folks and just living in this part of the country was a challenge .

My ride down this road of history started on a bright hot day , with considerble more comforts than were available to these old outlaws , . The road is rough and winds down into the canyons of the Pelloncillo's past a few ranches and border patrol outposts .

The sun beats down with the intensity that is hard to believe , the old adage of being hot enough to fry an egg on isn't far from being true . You don't lay hands on exposed metal , If you don't have some kind of covering for your head , you'll be lightheaded in minutes and anything more than that and you are on your way to some serious problems with sunstroke .

 

High desert landscape is sometimes odd , for all the deep browns and grays , green is abundant , see some cottonwoods and there likely is some water or at least some moisture near the surface .

 

While I never found the cemetery , I found a landscape that if you aren't careful lulls you into a state of  not quite paying attention , your mind wanders , the vast empty spaces , drain your mind till you snap back to attention as your wheels go grinding over rough sided roads.

 

Cattle and horses wander freely , this is open range , dirt tracks lead left and right off the main track , might be a ranch or water tank , no telling . Some ranch houses appear now and then usually several miles apart . Occasionally a vehicle is seen , they always wave a desert tradition , they aren't your buddy , just acknowledging your existence .  These folks live out here by choice , if they wanted company , they would live in some crowded rabbit warren of a city , not likely though , privacy is treasured to them , they like it the way it is. 

 

For me it was a journey down an historic highway , for the rancher another day at work , the border patrol while always respectful and civil , wary eyes on the move always watching , there are still bad guys out here .

Stay tuned ....