On the road again, to Portal AZ via Bisbee

After a really enjoyable stay at Las Cienegas Conservation Area, we headed East today, first saying goodbye to our cattle buddies. Another cool morning, 9.5C at 6:30 am.

Along the highway something blew by us. We were managing to do about 95 kph with a stiff crosswind, and this vehicle (?) was really moving:

We got a better picture at the next gas stop. Keep in mind we were managing to do about 95 kph with a stiff crosswind, and this truck blew right by us! 

At a town along the way (Sierra Vista), we stopped for some supplies and a yummy Denny’s breakfast. Afterwards near Hereford, we happened by Our Lady of the Sierras chapel. We were passing it when the huge cross caught our eye, and we both realized we remembered it from one of Al’s Bayfield Bunch blogs (what would we do without Al to guide us I wonder?). This is an absolute gem of a place. Beautifully done, quite small, it feels very spiritual. It’s worth a visit no matter what your religious convictions.

Cathie wanted to see a Fiber Art studio in Bisbee she had missed on our earlier visit, so we stopped in there again today. Coming at Bisbee from a different direction shows a whole different face of Bisbee! There’s the remains of a huge copper mine on the edge of Bisbee, with a huge pit on one side and these giant piles of tailings on the other.

Cathie enjoyed her FA visit, there were various classes going on, and lots of lovely samples on display. There’s one less basket there now. It was made by one of the instructors there, so Cath bought it with some birthday money Donna had given her for our Alaska trip 2 years before.

Leaving Bisbee, we made our way to Douglas. This isn’t much of a place other than the modern Walmart, pretty well on the Mexican border. Just north of town is a memorial to Geronimo’s surrender. Being here makes events like that a lot more real than before. 

The monument itself isn’t much really:

But the surroundings added some real atmosphere:

We were heading for someplace in the Chiricahua Mtns to stay tonight. Near Portal AZ, in the Coronado Natl Forest, is an area called Cave Creek. We’re camped in Sunny Flat, one of the cg’s. No hookups, but there are toilets and a drinking water tap, and lots of trees and beautiful rock walls. The cg is also out of the flash flood area from the nearby creek, so that's a nice bonus!

The rocks remind us of Zion National Park in some places. It feels like luxury after boondocking for a while, well worth the $10/night it costs. That’s full price, our annual US National Parks pass isn’t accepted here. The Golden Age US Seniors passes are accepted though.