October 9, 2014

Dangerous Mexico part 1

It was 10 at night in the border town of Agua Prieta and I had just handed my car keys to some guy and his buddy. Nothing to do but trust the universe at this point. I did ask his name with the vague thought if I never saw him again at least I might have a clue for an investigator. He said it was Guadalupe Lucero and to trust him all would be fine, but I promptly forgot the Lucero. The "sub-journey" that had begun 4 hours earlier had been a little stressful.

My friend and I were on our way back to the ranch after a week in the Casas Grandes, Chihuahua area. We had left town around 4 and moseyed up to Janos, stopping for Queso Mennonito. At Janos we made the left hand turn onto Highway 2 and headed west across the flat plains towards the upper end of the Sierra Occidental and the San Luis Pass where the road crosses from Chihuahua to Sonora. It is a short but steep and curvy climb and can be as thrilling as any roller-coaster with the many large trucks and lack of any shoulder. It also seems to be edging into some kind of a travel nemesis of mine, as I broke down there about 10 years ago as well. That time was with two vans full of 13 Germans and all our luggage.

I only hit one bump or pothole pretty bad, but it didn't seem to affect the steering or anything other than to jolt us old gals a bit. This is the worst I have seen the road since the first trip some 19 years ago. It was bad then, but has been in pretty good shape in all of the subsequent trips.

As is our habit, we pulled off to the little rest area at the summit with its strange picnic table, bbq grill, and shrine. The air was extremely humid from the remnants of a tropical storm that had dumped large amounts of rain from Phoenix to down past Casas Grandes and all in between. That made the mandatory sunset photos a little dull but it is still an exhilarating spot to look at the trucks going up and down that 1000 foot drop to the plain of El Valle below. There were some businessmen also taking photos and back up the hill we noticed a military vehicle and a small group of soldiers half lurking in the bushes. We didn't plan to stay long as the view was hazy and we were looking forward to possibly making it to AP before dark. And of course our favorite spot to eat there, Ristorante Herradura. Plus I did need to get the car back across the border before midnight. You get charged a $400 deposit now and you can't be late!



Would you buy cheese from this place? If you tasted it you would!




Honey too!




Hazy view into Sonora from the San Luis Pass at the border between Chihuahua and Sonora.




Fellow travelers stopping for cigars and photos.




Big truck coming through the cut.




Military guys hanging out in the bushes.

April 23, 2014

hey Loungers, can I ask (yet another) favor?

I posted the link earlier but I don't think anybody saw it ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1018&pid=608194 )

Could a few of you sign the guestbook? http://www.legacy.com/EnhancedObit/EnhancedObit.aspx?PersonId=170713443

Thanks in advance

April 18, 2014

Wait Wut has created PERFECTION

April 8, 2014

Mamakitty, 1999 - 4/7/2014

February 11, 2014

Picacho Peak (Pic heavy)

http://azstateparks.com/Parks/PIPE/index.html



I picked up MFM's ashes on Saturday and decided to drive out to Picacho to have a look around. Took a few pix. (light wasn't the best, sorry)






check out the saguaros way up there on the rock edge




old memorial for the Civil War "battle"







nice spot for a picnic/bbq/reunion







a young saguaro that might make a living "marker"










and finally, a now-defunct business nearby (there is an adult store across the way as well ) with the perfect signage
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June 27, 2013

should I write a letter?

this asshole just hassled me twice and threatened to detain me if I didn't give him some ID. he wouldn't tell me HIS name. this is him running away after I told him "OK I will have to start videoing this encounter now"





edit to make sure it was clear I am talking about a border patrol agent. I have NO problem with the local Sheriff's Dept. or AZ DPS/Highway Patrol.


I already "discussed" this with two supervisors.

should I:

June 23, 2013

moonrise over the Dragoons

was supposed to go visit friends this weekend but June is not a good time to travel. watching pipelines and the water situation is too critical until we get some real rain. so I went to check waters and fence along the rail road yesterday evening. caught a glimpse of the moon coming up and stayed to take a few more. not too bad for a cheapo discount snapshot camera.

















two close-ups

March 18, 2013

the man who planted trees

March 16, 2013

Guerrero Negro... (dial up warning)

...is a company town just below the border between Baja Californi Norte and Baja California Sur. The company is Exportadora de Sal, the largest salt production facility in the world - your table salt most likely originated there. They have 60 square miles of salt evaporating ponds. It is also the location of a major grey whale birthing and breeding lagoon.

A fair sized tourist industry has sprung up since the 1970s. During the season, for about US$50 you can go out on a panga for a couple of hours and get up close with these animals. (there are several other bays/lagoons in southern Baja that also have whales and similar excursions are possible). At Ojo de Liebre (aka Scammon's Lagoon) the area has fairly recently been made Biosphere Reserve, and that combined with the salt company controlling much of the access has made the situation more regulated, which is probably better for the whales. (and the local ejido that runs the boats)


to the whales (evaporating pond)





salt




at the new whale watching facility




mandatory mounted skeleton





At any rate, whether you drive out to the whale watching point or take a tour from town, the experience is really special, if a bit regimented. As you cross the salt flats and the water comes into view you start to get all excited because you can see them spouting out there! LOTS of them!




Ticket price includes a mandatory flotation vest and out to the dock you go.




Where you board your panga, usually with a few other passengers if you are a small party. We numbered 6 plus the pangero.





off we go!




first encounter, a mother and a calf




a nostril shot




hi! a flipper




next we cruised a little ways over to see what was going on here




it seemed to be 3 males and one female having quite a time













this allowed a couple of head shots




maybe even the coveted eye (I can't tell, dammit)




under the boat





for a little scritch from the pangero





It was a magnificent experience. Thanks for looking!

a final perfect tail shot




testing to see if this can still be edited - new image for this last pic
yes! it worked. now to find the time to fix the rest...

July 29, 2012

Hurricane Harry - The Last Meal. I have been looking for this for more than 15 years! FINALLY!!!

have it on a cassette tape I recorded off the radio years and years ago but never could find it with my shitty google search "skills". happened on it tonight because I heard another version and has something else to start the search with.

Now I heard the warden say, I had one more day.
One last meal before they led me away.
And he said - if we ain't got it, We'll go out and get it.
You don't have to go 'til we come back with it.
So I said...

Give me two dinosaur eggs over easy.
Fried kooka-bird, not too greasy.
Mosquito knee , black-eyed bees.
An' a little bitty bowl of buttered bee-balm beans

A sabre-tooth tiger steak
A whole hippopotamus, well baked.
Two cross-eyed catfish
and some wavy gravy in the left hand dish

Now go, and get my dinner. Go,
and get my dinner.
You ain't got it?, go out an' get it.
I ain't goin', til you come back with it.


A captivating cup of crocodile dill.
A purple watermelon and an alligator pill.
A bottle of mellow mountain mist
An' a female banana I can't resist


Now go, and get my dinner. Go,
and get my dinner.
You ain't got it?, go out and get it.
I ain't goin', til you come back with it.

A heavy hunk of jelly and a fried rainbow
A rainwater cocktail and a breeze a la mode
A barbecued brick of chocolate ice cream
Bring me a plate of stewed moonbeam


Now go, and get my dinner
Go, and get my dinner
Hey Mr warden, gotta have my fill
I can't go without my last meal