The Devil's Road

We had left Phoenix a bit after lunch and traveled east on Interstate 10 past Tucson  before leaving the four-lane. We didn’t know where we would spend the night because unlike our usual travel arrangements we did not make a reservation for the night's lodging. Claudette wanted to visit San Xavier del Bac Mission. We had visited it many years before and were anxious to visit this prime example of a Spanish mission in the southwest again. The mission was much as we remembered. I felt the same ambiance there as in St. Peter’s or St. Paul’s. But at this visit there were no Indians (Native Americans) selling fry bread on the grounds. 

Back on the interstate we traveled a bit further east  before turning south on a state road. Our destination was Tombstone, Arizona. It was my idea to visit the southwestern city so well known in western folklore and history. It was mid afternoon when we parked in the public parking lot to explore Tombstone afoot. It was good to stretch our legs after being confined to the SUV for several hours. Tombstone is a city of about 1200 people and no doubt survives on tourism. Founded in 1879, its greatest claim to fame occurred two years later. The shootout at the OK Corral was that event. The Earp brothers met the Clinton brothers there and engaged in gunplay on a Wednesday afternoon October 26, 1881. This was the culmination of a long standing feud. The gunfight actually lasted only about 30 seconds. When it was over three men were dead and others wounded. The battle is re-enacted today. We did not see the show. In our travels we’ve seen a number of western shootouts, including one in southern Spain on the former movie sets of the spaghetti westerns. I did manage to get us  disoriented (not lost) and find a number of places not on the tourist maps. Claudette had queried the internet earlier and found that Big Nose Kate’s Saloon served some vegan dishes. The saloon was big, busy and loud behind the swinging doors. A man with a white beard and black cowboy hat was singing some familiar western songs -  old and new. Old photographs and western memorabilia covered the walls. There was even a cigar store Indian! The food was good and the price was right. Service could have been faster but the waiter girl was very busy. One of the most memorable displays in Big Nose Kate’s was in the hallway to the restrooms. On a twenty-five foot wall was modern military memorabilia. Flags, shoulder patches, and photographs were too numerous to count. They called it "The Hall of Fame". It made us feel good to see our fighting men and women honored this way. 

The sun was getting low in the western sky when we saw Tombstone in the rear view mirror as we began our journey north, northeast. We would be on the blue highways as they were referred to by William Least Heat Moon in his book by the same name. As darkness fell we found ourselves in Morenci, Arizona. We were driving through or rather across the largest copper mine in Arizona if not the country. It was dark and we could only see the road ahead. But we were surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of lights. Had they been in straight lines I would have thought we were in the middle of a city. But the view was not unlike that seen from an airplane flying over a city at night. I believe we were on a bridge over part of the open pit mine.  As we left civilization there was a roadside sign stating “next services 90 miles”. I asked Claudette what that meant and she said she thought it meant it was 90 miles to a restroom. We were on Highway 191 which reaches the Canadian border after its origin in Mexico.

And so we began our drive through the Green Mountains and White Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Ninety miles did not seem very far, probably a two or three hour drive, or so we thought. After the lights of Morenci had faded behind us, Highway 191 became one of switchbacks and sharp curves. Speed was limited to thirty-five miles-per-hour. The road was either descending or ascending. It reaches the altitude of 9000 feet but my ears never did pop. There was no moon light, the darkness was so thick that our headlights penetrated the darkness only slightly. I could hear stones falling to the valleys below as our wheels pushed them out of the way. It reminded me of a road we had been on near Lake Tahoe where the white lines on the sides in the road fell away in chunks of asphalt as we drove down the road. The thick forest grew to the edges of the road and occasionally a jackrabbit would scamper across the road. We were in Apache territory, the San Carlos Reservation, which is a well known area for elk hunting. We saw no hunters but saw their quarry. Elk, the largest member of the deer family, would appear almost as mirages out of the night.  Approaching eight hundred pounds, they were animals to be avoided. Around midnight we were driving along the valley floor and spied a lodge. It was a log structure with several big motorcycles parked in front. I bounded up the front steps of the lodge as fast as an old man could and pounded on the entrance but without success. I tried another door with similar results. Frustrated we jumped back in the car and were on the road again and I might add that the need to relieve myself was becoming a dire necessity. Shortly after one o’clock in the morning we found civilization in the form of the town of Alpine, Arizona, population 146 at the intersection of Highways 180 and 191. On the other side of the intersection with the gas station was the Sportsman's Lodge. This little motel on the Coronado Trail appeared to be straight out of the 1950s. I knocked on the office door and to my relief it opened. There in front of me was a little old lady in flannel pajamas and a stocking cap. I blurted out that I needed a room and she said that number fifteen was available. Registration and payment was expedited quickly and soon we were in a cozy little room. It had cable TV and wifi too but was just a bit smaller than a Marriott room. Actually, a lot smaller. 

We had a good night’s sleep at the Sportsman’s Lodge in Alpine and I would recommend it to anyone. One day I would like to see the Coronado Trail in daylight. 

Highway 191 was first given the number 666. Since this number is considered the mark of the beast (the devil) and is a bad omen the number was changed. 

Cacti and then some...

An hour's drive out of Phoenix, Arizona, is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It was my first visit to such a place. Normally, I visit collections of inanimate objects or biological specimens. Collections of animals or sea creatures, musical instruments or aeroplanes are usually the food to satisfy my curiosity. Never plants.  But Kim was insistent.

The Boyce Thompson Arboretum fulfilled a desire I was not aware of. There are almost 400 acres of desert plants in the collection. But not of the southwestern United States only, but of the South American and Australian deserts as well. Here in the Sonoran Desert are over 3900 different desert plants. Succulents of myriad shapes and colors are here. The topography is that of the desert with an elevation increasing to

over one hundred feet beneath the shadow of Picketpost Mountain. Surprising to me were the large shaded areas created by tall trees. The trails were well marked along with the plants, and for the most part were conducive for a leisurely walk. Near Queen Creek the path narrowed as it overlooked the slowly flowing water. As you gained elevation the landscape became stark but allowed vistas of the acreage below.  The trail is 1.5 miles long but shorter segments can be enjoyed. There are wild animals in the arboretum but they are seldom seen. The crowds of people keep the bobcats and javelinas at bay, but you must be cautious of the rattlesnakes and gila monsters. I marveled at the diversity and hardiness of the desert plants. They seemed to live right on the edge of botanical life. 

Desert plants present an interesting way in which they adapt to their environment. By definition they are succulents. According to the botanists, plants that are engorged, thickened, and fleshy usually to retain water in arid conditions are succulents . Actually the name succulent comes from the Latin word succus, meaning juice or sap. Succulents can store as much as 90% of their weight as water. Probably the most recognizable succulent is the saguaro cactus. The cactus swells when absorbing water and its ribs disappear.

The arboretum was created by a mining engineer. It seems to me ironic that a person committed to removing the wealth of the earth would create a place to honor it.   Arizona is well known for mining and William Boyce Thompson operated two of the largest. In 1924 Thompson exhibited his love of desert plants by creating the arboretum. Not only is it a botanical park but also a place for botanists to do research. Their green houses are replete with plants, some of which are sold by the gift shop. 

   

At the Boyce Thompson Arboretum all kinds of succulents are there to observe and enjoy. It was a very enjoyable and educational visit. I thought the entry fee was reasonable and the arboretum was well designed for visitors. There was an interesting maze of stone for children or like minded adults to enjoy.  However, it would behoove one to visit before  the heat of the day. Arizona heat can be brutal. But I would visit it again - the garden in the desert - the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. 

A Tale of Two Ships

I will start this post with the ship not mentioned, the USS Intrepid. This American warship was my home for a number of years. The ships are ships upon which I took pleasure cruises. My cruises on the Intrepid were not for pleasure.

My first cruise aboard a cruise ship was from Ketchikan, Alaska to Vancouver, Canada. It was one of the ships advertised as a “fun ship”. Our cruise was on tje Carnival Spirit.  I think that term was used because of the shipboard entertainment. And, of course, because of the nightclubs and casinos . Neither of the latter appeal to me. But the ports of call were interesting. Especially the one where the salmon cook-out was raided by a bear and her cub. The ship’s cook, a true hero, chased the hungry bears away. Unfortunately he overcooked the fish!  I used most of my shipboard time filling my sketchbook and journal. There was the opportunity to witness a glacier calving. I’m not sure where that term comes from. The awesome power of nature is overwhelming. The purpose of this cruise was to transport passengers to ports of interest. Seeing a marvel of nature was purely incidental. 

The largest of these cruise ships carry over four thousand passengers. Passenger is probably the wrong term since these ships usually begin and end their cruise in the same port. Indeed these passengers are vacationers, not persons enroute to a foreign port. But in our particular case we were enroute from AK to Canada. The Carnival line calls their ships the “fun ships”. And it is one of  the least expensive of the cruise lines. Once you’re on board you receive your personal ship's identification card. Not only does the card identify you as a passenger but you can use it to charge purchases of goods and services. In many ports it is even used as your passport. These less expensive cruise lines promote their casinos quite a bit.  Another thing they promote a lot is photographers. It seems they are always on hand to snap your photo for a price. But the inconvenience does not come with a price unless you buy the photographs. There are various activities abound while at sea as prescribed by the cruise director; from  hairy chest contests beside the pool to talent contests in the theater. The big theater in the bow of the ship held about four hundred of us to view a musical show with singers and dancing girls. A bearded fellow in a John Deere baseball cap nudged me and said, “ Would you look at the buttocks on those girls!” There was sort of a leer on his face. I verified what he meant.

Cruise ships have a different organizational structure than a military ship. The hotel manager takes care of everything concerning the passengers. The Captain’s crew takes care of the operation of the ship 

One of my greatest joys have been the places seen from the deck of a ship. Nothing quite compares to the view of a Caribbean sunset with the wind in your hair and the taste of salt on your lips.    And, as I noted earlier, glacier calving. The Fantasy Line ships simply have too many people aboard for my liking. But they give a lot of bang for the buck.

Our most recent cruise was on the Viking ship ”Sea” sailing out of Stockholm. It was a relatively small cruise ship of about 900 passengers. It was a seven nation cruise. The ship had no casinos and I don’t believe food and drink were available around the clock. Fewer people made movement around the ship more conducive to relaxing. Everything was an improvement over the “fun ship”. Of course that is a matter of preference. I have no problems with dancing girls but prefer a bit of variety in entertainment. There were daily lectures about the ports of call and other interesting subjects.  One lecture I remember was by a former member of the British diplomatic corps stationed in Moscow.  He regaled us with his stories of dealing with constant surveillance by the KGB.  Afternoon tea was usually accompanied by a string trio or jazz quartet.  On another night the shipboard performers entertained with a musical salute to the Swedish rock band, ABBA.  Staterooms were a bit bigger and since it was a smaller ship the amenities were more convenient.  My favorite place aboard the ship was the bar at the bow. Large comfortable chairs and sofas with reindeer rugs near the library fit my fancy well.  We had a lot of interesting tours ashore as well. St. Petersburg, Russia, and Gdansk, Poland, were most interesting. There seems to be a more relaxed atmosphere aboard the smaller ships as well as a different type  of passenger, perhaps  of a higher intellectual or income group. 

I must say the smaller ship better suited me. But, if your lifestyle moves at a faster clip than mine, and you like spending your time on board in a bar, gambling or lounging by the pool, then maybe a  “fun ship” is for you.