Adventure 723: Lyons and Campbell Ranch Headquarters/Post A

On the advice of a strong wind warning, we left Bisbee at seven thirty. The warning proved accurate as we made it to the ranch headquarters just ahead of a howling, gusty wind that stirred up a dust storm just to our rear. We met our host, Alex, and his large Newfoundland dogs, hooked up, and basically hunkered down for the afternoon. I did go out twice to re-latch the iron gates that the wind forced open. The ranch in its hey day had a herd of cattle totaling over 60,000 on a spread of a million acres. Alex, and his family have owned eight of those acres including the headquarters for the last sixty years. Alex himself has been here for thirty-five. The place bustles with "Old West" history, and I'm eager to hear Alex tell us more. Tomorrow, we'll begin our outdoor adventures in the Gila National Forest, which is the real reason we're here. Our hikes will take on a wildly different flavor, certainly wild in a different way than scaling the scarred remains of Old Bisbee, and also quite different that sauntering among the saguaros of the Sonoran desert. I'm reminded of the variance of beauty, beauty that's not just in the eye of the beholder, but beauty and diversity that's born in the eye of the creator. Thought of the day: celebrate the beauty of diversity because wonder beams from every eye. And thank you, Lord, once again for traveling mercies, especially the near miss we had this morning when I drove straight from a turn left lane. The shrill honk of the offended driver shook my awareness back to the present. Sometimes it's good just to be lucky, and on that note I'm lucky enough to say, Life is good, especially today.

We've circled our wagons in sites one and two.

Stay tuned for some heavy drinking, some piano tinkling, and a few wild roulette spins.

Our trusty steed, Fric, sidled up next to the saloon.

Not really sure what this building is. Alex will take us on a tour of the headquarters sometime later.

This little angel stands on guard in the prairie.

At its height, the ranch had six chuckwagons feeding the cowboys. This is the inside of one of them.

A parting shot from Bisbee: Captain White Bone says, "Arrgh, Mateys! Shiver me timbers, you anchor clanking, deck swabbing oyster eyed, scurvy pack of sea dogs. Hoist sails and let's be off to the furthest reaches."