Tombstone Territories

We got up early yesterday morning (sun rises in AZ around 6:00am right now) packed up and carefully moved out of the campground by 8:30am.  Since we had to wiggle to get into the sight due to the pine trees, had to wiggle just as much to get out.  Still, was lovely to hear nothing other than the wind rustling the pine trees and the occasional bird talking.  Wednesday we had driving into the little town of Alpine to fill up the truck and while Dave was doing that, I went into the store and asked the clerk what her thoughts were on driving through the White Mountains, south on US Route 191.  She said - don't recommend it - 25 miles an hour, hairpin turns, if you are bigger than 40 foot, not allowed, very steep drop offs, no guard rails, go this other way - and she gave me an alternative route out and south.  We did as she said yesterday, driving eastward back into New Mexico to head south.  But, again, we had to drive through the Mogollon Mountains then, hairpin turns, steep descent, but lovely views.  Traveling through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.  This area we traveled was just west of the huge wildfires that were here in May/June.  We saw just a scant of it - glad we didn't have to worry about it now.

Dragoon Mountains

Dropped down into Safford, Arizona by noon, and then headed west again towards Benson, Arizona on Interstate 10, then headed south towards Tombstone.  We started out at 57 degrees at 8:30am and by the time we got the slides out and set up, it was 92 - welcome to Arizona! We look out our living room window to the Dragoon Mountains - that's to the north east, and to the west are the Whetstone Mountains.  This area we are in is of course the Tombstone - Wyatt Earp fame, also this was the stronghold of Cochise, the Apache warrior that gave the US Army hell back in the 1880's. To the south is of course Mexico and the Huachuca Mountains and a fairly large town called Sierra Vista (will do shopping there), and at an elevation of 4000 + feet.  Amazing - yesterday we were in 8200 feet and now at 1/2 that.  Will go down to 1800 feet by the time we are back in Picacho.  We are in Tombstone Territories RV Campground, 8 miles outside of Tombstone, and 20 miles from the border of Mexico.  Border patrol is on high alert, 2 agents were killed just a few days ago by drug smugglers near the border, so the activity is intensified.  We are quite safe here, the property butts up against the US Army Military Base - Fort Huachuca - to the south.  Very quiet.  About 11:30pm last night the coyotes came roaring through, yelling and yipping.  Grace was laying on me and she stood up and looked out the window, sure she was going to growl but didn't - she's a good guard cat.

We have this space for a month, can't beat it for $11.50 a night with full hookup.  And we are about 9 miles from the Jayco dealer, so when we are ready to move to Picacho for the winter, we will unload the RV, close it up, and take it to them for service.  In the meantime, we are about 3 hour drive south from the grandkids, will see them once or twice before heading to Picacho for the winter.  Will enjoy this place - was a goal to camp here for a couple of years.  Glad our trip is done for this summer, but sad it's over.  Can't believe we did it with out too much pain.