We have been on the road for two weeks. We have crossed two states and entered a third. Koko has another 1,000 miles under his belt. And the 2023 adventure has just begun. The last week has been about settling into or wandering ways. I am surprised by the differences between our sedentary and wandering lives. Each one has its own routines and challenges. And we have completed the transition.
Our time in the El Paso Area at El Paso Road Host RV Park in Anthony, Texas, was brief, but we enjoyed exploring for a few days.
 |
| San Elizario Chapel |
We spent the better part taking in the El Paso Missions Tour. These three missions predate the San Antonio missions. They are certainly smaller and less imposing than San Jose, but their history and charm were well worth the time spent with them. They were built after the Native People rebelled against Spain’s presence in their land in the 1680s. The Spaniards brought their Native servants to rebuild the missions along the El Camino Real del Norte, the road between Mexico City and Santa Fe. The Tigua (pronounced Te-Wa) settled in the area around Mission Ysleta. The Piro settled in the area around Mission Socorro. The Spaniards established a Presidio (Fort) at San Elizario to protect the route and defend the missions nearby.
Each of the old churches has a charm of its own. What impressed me most was how they remembered their story and taught the Franciscan (and later Jesuit) faith in even the most minor details of their buildings.
 |
| The Ceiling of Mission Soccoro |
For example, the Piro People (like other Native Tribes) used drumbeats to help them connect with the Great Spirit through dance. The Piro used a 3 – 5 rhythm, three beats followed by 5 beats. Suppose you look closely at the ceiling of the Soccoro Mission. In that case, you will see that the vigas (ceiling beams) were decorated with symbols from their people's theology. The painted willow saplings used to fill in the spaces were set in a three/five pattern. It is easy to imagine the Piro sitting or standing during mass and looking up and hearing the drumbeats of their people echoing in that sacred space. They could remember and worship the Great Spirit that was always with them, even while they were dominated by the Spanish Christians. For them, the dance that began at the dawn of time continued.
 |
| A Scaled Quail |
We spent the rest of the day exploring The Franklin Mountains Nature Trail. We arrived just before 4:00 PM, and the park closed at 5:00. We just had time for the Birding Blind and the Nature Walk. Both were quite satisfying. The Gamble's Quail, Scaled Quail, White Wing Doves, House Finches, and a White-crowned Sparrow entertained us. We are grateful to the couple who had been in the blind for quite some time for allowing us room to see the birds. We then walked the short trail and enjoyed the desert mountains. Unfortunately, I was apprehensive of the time, and we hurried our walk and did not get to savor the area's sights, sounds, and smells. When wandering, time constraints can steal our joy. However, the thief did not get away with it. We will likely be back when we can spend more time on the trails of the Franklin Mountains.
Our next stop was in Willcox. AZ at the Willcox/Cochise KOA in Willcox, AZ. We stayed in Willcox back in 2007 on our first trip through Arizona. We only stayed one night and had time to eat some real Central Texas BBQ downtown. At the time, I did not realize that Texas has been exporting Pitmasters and Mesquite to other states. (we found two on that trip.) We started looking at all that Willcox, and its environs had to offer and changed our itinerary. (This is why we wander.) We decided to forgo Tucson on this trip and add the days to our stay in Willcox. It will make a longer drive to Congress, AZ, but we will schedule our timing and drive times to allow room for these opportunities. I am delighted we decided to extend our stay here in Willcox.
 |
| Big Tex's BBQ |
On our first day, we walked downtown. The walk began at Big Tex BBQ. The mesquite is piled up outside, and they use it to smoke their meats. It was as good as I remembered. My only quibble is that the Pitmaster needs to train his staff to slice brisket. I got Cap Meat, my favorite, but it was cut in the same direction as the flat, so it was more difficult it eat, despite being well-cooked. It was a taste of home.
Next, we walked across the street to begin our tour of “Historic Willcox Downtown," both blocks. We stopped in at Birds and Barrels tasting room, sampled a few wines, and I bought a bottle of Tio Grande, a big, bold, and dry Red blend of Tempranillo and Graciano grapes. Looking forward to sipping that along the way. Marlene's taste ran toward the sweet white, and she did not find one to her liking. We have very different tastes in wine (and a few other things) that allow us to celebrate our differences. I can rest assured that when she encourages me to buy my dry wine, I know it is because she loves me. She will not touch the stuff.
 |
| Historic Downtown Willcox, AZ |
We walked up the street to the Chiricahua Regional Museum, where we met an old rancher whose life is spent sitting in the chair by the door and then following visitors around, telling them long and meandering stories about some of the artifacts. He was a nice guy with a wealth of information, but his stories were far more information than we were interested in. We went through the small museum and enjoyed the stories on the printed signs. I hope we did not hurt the old guy's feelings. As we left, he did everything he could to get us to stay and listen to more of his stories, including a rather long one about a trip to visit Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the Tarzan books, to get him to donate some of his early books that had been written in Willcox.
 |
| Buffalo Sister's Trading |
We then walked down the same street that Warren Earp, Wyatt's younger brother, walked on the day he was killed at a local Saloon. We passed up the Rex Allen Museum and ended up at the Buffalo Sisters Trading Post. Their motto is “We sell dead people’s Stuff!” as we approached the old door, it creaked open. There was no one close to it. No one that we could see, at least. Once inside, there was stuff everywhere. The only way to get the most out of this was to go slow and let your eye drift into every nook and cranny. They were all filled with treasures. Life in the RV does not allow us to collect things, but we enjoyed looking at all the Dead People's stuff. I could imagine thousands of stories with each bauble and bead we saw. The two women who owned the place were welcoming and a joy to meet. They were not intrusive but willing to answer questions. They need to go up the street and chat with the old guy at the museum. For all I know, he could be their grandfather!
 |
| Chiiricahua Mountains View |
Our next day trip was to the Chiricahua National Monument. It was cold and windy, but the road called out to us to explore yet-to-be-seen wonders. And the road did not disappoint. Despite the slate gray skies, we marveled at the enormous pillars, balanced rocks, and massive columns of compressed volcanic ash called Rhyolite. We drove through the Bonita Canyon and experienced wonder after wonder. (For pictures, click this link to my Arizona 2023 album on Flickr.) We ended our trip at Massai Point, which gave a 360 view of the Chiricahua Mountains, including the snow-capped Chiricahua Mountain at nearly 10,000 feet. This whetted our appetite to see more of the wilderness.
 |
| Echo Canyon |
The next day we went to the Echo Canyon Loop trailhead just down the road from Massai Point. We walked 4 miles and 600 feet in elevation in under four hours. (the guides all said it could be done in 1.75 hours. But then, we do not tend to be in a hurry. Especially in a place like this with so many pictures around us.). It was perfect hiking weather with light winds, sunshine, and 50-ish degree temps. As I mentioned, there were pictures everywhere I looked. Even with the nearly 400 photos I loaded onto my camera's flash card, I had shown remarkable restraint. (I wonder if Marlene would agree with this statement.). I could have lingered at almost every shot and found different ways to capture the unique beauty and awe the place held for me. This picture is our lunch spot on the backside of the loop. It is looking down, out through a window into the Sulphur Springs Valley, the playa that hosts 10,000 Sandhills every winter, and the town of Willcox. Again, for more pictures (a lot more pictures), please follow the link above to the Arizona 2023 album on Flickr.com. The Echo Canyon Loop was a day very well spent.
We set out for North Ranch – Escapees Rainbow Park in Congress, AZ the next day. Interestingly, we did not have any traffic through the big cities. But as we approached and left Wickenburg, AZ (population 7,500), we hit two traffic jams worthy of Houston! Later, when I asked a local if this was normal, they said, “Yep!”
 |
| A Super Bloom |
We had been reading about the Super Bloom for a couple of weeks, and, as the picture shows, we saw it for ourselves around Phoenix. The colors were vivid and completely covered large parts of the desert. Unfortunately, the bloom has not reached Congress, AZ, yet. Will have to do some wandering to see what treasures this area holds.
Pondering Wandering
Our wandering is about flexibility and just-in-time planning. The decision to change our plan and extend our time in Willcox is an excellent example of how we wander. And that decision paid dividends with our time in Willcox. But, more importantly, it allows us to celebrate an even more critical part of our wandering ways. We can enjoy being together along the way. Even the long drives allow Marlene to read, research our area, take pictures along the way, and play on her iPad while I do what I enjoy, driving and seeing the sights! But, after knowing each other for half a century, we are very comfortable and happy just being together and doing what we both enjoy. Cue up ”In My Life”
“There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more."
(“In My Life” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney)
Thank you, Marlene, for 50 years of companionship. May our wandering together continue to fill our souls with love and trust, joy, and hope.
Blessings, my friends!
Bob
No comments:
Post a Comment