Cowboys, Indians and Mexican bandits !
Day 9. February 25th.
After our relatively relaxed day yesterday we are up at 7am this morning looking forward to the day ahead. After a coffee we get showered and walk around the corner to the O.K. Cafe and have a fabulous breakfast and a laugh and joke with the Locals. We then head into town to look around a couple of stores and buy a couple of T shirts. We had enjoyed Tombstone and it's interesting buildings, the Old Courthouse, the Birdcage Theatre, Big Nose Kates saloon and the Fallen Angel sweet sin Parlour. which isn't what you might think !! The Sin Parlour sells naughty delights such as ice cream and fudge. (Yes Keithg we sampled them, lots of lovely flavours !) Although it's touristy it is still a working, living town with much to offer.
Back at the RV park we disconnected the electric and water and took a short drive up the road to a 'Circle K' for fuel and supplies. This was close to Boothill Graveyard so I asked for permission to leave the RV parked up there while we walked up the hill to take a look. Outside was a rusting hearse with bones inside it and messages written on it such as' "Why walk around half dead when we can bury you for $49:50" I'll pass on today's special offer I think. At $3 per person entry fee we decided to have a quick walk around the graveyard. The lady at the desk gave us a leaflet and marked the graves of some significance while telling us some stories, she was really pleasant and most helpful. She pointed out one grave for Lester Moore who's grave read '4 slugs from a 44. No Les no more.' It's more famously known for being the final resting place to the victims of the shoot out at the OK Coral.
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Click here for this RTA Library Map
It was time to hit the road and make our way to Chiricahua National Monument, heading south out of town and along Davis road to McNeal and north on US 191 to AZ181 through Sunizona. Before arriving at the Monument we had considered detouring along Turkey creek road to look at the resting place of Johnny Ringo, a notorious figure in, and around Tombstone, but as his grave site is a little way out and on private land we decided to carry on past. We could see snow on top of the Chiricahua mountains and as we got closer there was snow on either side of the road, the scenery was very pretty. We pulled into the visitor centre to have a quick look and to purchase our Annual pass that we still hadn't done. No luck, it's a free park and so doesn't sell passes. With the snow on the ground I thought I would check to see if they may have any information as to the condition of the unmade Apache Pass road that goes to Fort Bowie. They hadn't heard any horror stories but said it's likely to be soft and slick in places due to rain and snow melt and then asked what we were driving. When I replied "an RV" they said perhaps I should give it a miss or go the long way around via Wilcox and the town of Bowie. That would of added 50 miles and an hour or more to our day, time we didn't have to spare. Anyway, we headed up Bonita Canyon to some beautiful and dramatic scenery of rock columns and balanced rocks among the snowy, forested valleys. The fact it is steeped in American west history connected to the Apache wars, where warriors such as Cochise and Geronimo roamed and fought, made it even more fascinating.
The road was fun to drive, it was quite twisty and narrow in places with a length restriction that wouldn't of allowed access had we chosen the larger RV. We stopped at Echo point before continuing to the end of the road and walking around the Massai Point trail.
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One last question I had asked in the visitor centre was "Do you think Apache Pass road would of been OK if we were in a normal sedan?" The answer was "Yes, we think so". That was good enough for me so we headed back down the canyon and towards Fort Bowie.
Apache Pass road to Fort Bowie.
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Going to have to finish this days tale later.
I want to be a cowboy when I grow up !
Thanks Keith. It's nice to go through the photos and notes I made when I get a bit of time. When we got home we 'hit the ground running' so this report gives me some time to reflect. (It seems like a long time ago now !) And yep, the trip was partly to do with my big 'six 0' year and also mine and Lezli's 30th Wedding Anniversary later in the year. (Shame it's only the one trip ! Ha ha)
Dave.
Fort Bowie to Pancho Villa State park.
Day 9 cont..
The Apache pass road to Fort Bowie was a bit slick on top but generally in good shape. As we got nearer the Fort parking area the road got a bit narrower and twisty, with some dips that contained water deeper than you may think, turning the road surface underneath a bit mushy, but not a problem with a bit of commitment driving through.
Click here for this RTA Library Map
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To get to the Fort you have to tackle a 3 mile round hike but it's quite an easy one, at least at this time of year. I would imagine the heat of the summer may make it more challenging. It was 4pm on arrival so we kept up quite a brisk pace hoping to catch the visitor centre open but it was closed by the time we got there. I didn't realise it closes at 4:15pm, or else we could of taken it easier knowing it would of been impossible to make it. (We had wanted to purchase our Annual parks pass and Lezli wanted to collect a National park pin badge for the 3 mile hike.) We sat on the timber porch of the visitor centre and took in the views of the mountains and Fort remains that are spread over a large area. We were the only people there and you could of heard a pin drop !
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Fort Bowie was constructed in 1862 after two conflicts between the US army and the Apaches caused a lot of unrest in the area. The first was known as the Bascom affair, Apache's were accused of raiding a ranch and it's owner demanded the troops take action, which they did. Then there was the infamous battle of Apache Pass when the army retaliated to an ambush on a regiment of soldiers. Apache Spring was an important source of water which made Apache Pass an important passageway on the Butterfield Stage trail so the Fort was established to protect the area. The confrontations continued for over 30 years and eventually resulted in the surrender of Geronimo. Growing up as a child watching old wild west movies I found it all quite fascinating ! (Fort Bowie being subject to one of these old movies)
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The Fort cemetery was actually created before the Fort and has been restored by the National park service having been damaged by time and cattle grazing around the grounds and grave markers. One of the headboards is marked 'Little Robe. Son of Geronimo' who died at the age of 2 years from (suspected) dysentery. The soldiers were said to love the little fella running around the Fort (after part of a tribe including woman and children were captured) and buried him there after his passing.
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We continued our stroll back to the RV where we made ourselves a snack and a cup of tea before getting back on the road. We still had 150 miles to go to our destination, Pancho Villa State park that was named after a Mexican Bandit, or Revolutionary if you prefer. The sun was already going down behind the Dos Cabezas mountains as we continued on Apache Pass towards the town of Bowie, but I was pleased to get off the unmade section of road before dark. The fiery glow of the sunset tried to grab my attention, but it was fully on the road as black cows wandered about the road in the fading light. (That could get messy!)
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We passed acres and acres of Pistachio trees before arriving at Bowie where we got onto I-10 and 'hot tailed' it to Deming, we then exited I-10 and headed south to Columbus NM and Pancho Villa State park. We arrived around 8:30pm to a night sky that was ablaze with stars. We sat outside with a nice bowl of soup and bread and admired the scene, washed it down with a nice smoothing brandy before turning in for the night. Twas a good day !
Today's mileage: 270 miles. Total: 1462 miles.
4-WD would have been a nice plus
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Southwest Dave
[B]...the road got a bit narrower and twisty, with some dips that contained water deeper than you may think, turning the road surface underneath a bit mushy, but not a problem with a bit of commitment driving through.
Yeah, I bet. Not sure I would have been quite so thrilled to cross that dip with the RV Rental..
Great photos and report.
Mark
After careful consideration.
Yeah, 4WD would of been nice! Although the road doesn't look too bad in the pictures it was pulling us about a bit in some parts what with the overhang at the back. We could of done with 'Phoenix one.' I'm still not sure if Lezli would of been too thrilled though, she did have her eyes shut! I didn't go at it 'Gung ho' though, I weighed it all up from experience and felt it was OK to proceed.
Dave.
