Slaughter Ranch, try 2

We'll see if it's faster tonight to upload pics.

A view to the southwest, the x shaped fence is the border

The remnants of a stone hut built to house troops here in 1916 or so, to defend us against the potential of Poncho Villa invading and taking over Philadelphia, or even Nantucket...

A old saddle, c. 1890 or so. Note the wood pommel.

Some pics from inside the ranch house, where the Slaughter family lived.

An anecdote from a biography of Frank Slaughter: Apparently in 1916, shortly after Poncho Villa's forces had moved to the area just below Mr. Slaughter's ranch, the US troops moved in and built encampments of a hill just south of the ranch house. Mr. Slaughter learned that Villa's forces were stealing his cattle and using them for food for his troops. Mr. Slaughter rode down the hill the half mile to Villa's camp alone, and demanded payment for his beef, and returned with 'saddlebags loaded with gold coin.'

Finally, on the way back to our RV campground, I stopped in Douglas at a city park where a Mexican taco truck had parked in the visits before.

This was my fourth time at this truck, at the first a Border Patrol Agent had told me the hot dogs were excellent, but I've never gotten beyond the shrimp tacos. Fresh gulf shrimp, crisp fried, fresh corn tortillas, and no bad cheese. My heavens, they are good. And they have some hot sauces I've not had, that only add to the experience. All at 2 bucks.

As a late uncle would have said: "Gotdam boy, these are good."

I'll be here to the weekend, and then I'm moving on. Really. And I mean it this time.

Slaughter Ranch

I and my new friend Glen went to the Frank Slaughter ranch today, 15 miles east and south of Douglas AZ. It borders Mexico, the demarcation line being about 100 yards south of the ranch house.

Mr. Slaughter was at one time a confederate officer, a texas ranger, a ranch owner and sheriff of this area. His ranch was around 100,000 acres, and bridged the Mexico/US border.

The road to it is dirt and gravel for 15 miles, the vehicles we passed were all Border Patrol. The country around it is standard desert, no trees, mesquite bushes, and clay hardpacked sand. The ranch area is an oasis, many springs, and a lot of water. Trees, cottonwood, juniper, and willow.

Some picture of the ranch and surroundings follow.

Water abounds at this place, springs everywhere, and trees, trees unseen for miles. Of any kind.

Several animals were on the land, burros, they were irritated at the horses.

They seem to stay shy of the longhorn cattle, who looked unfriendly. I tried to get Glen to climb the fence and pose with one, but he was reluctant.

There are several  more pictures I want to post, but for reasons I don't understand it's take upwards of 10 minutes to upload each picture, so I'm giving up for tonight. The place was great; moisture in the air, the smell of wet leaves underfoot as I walked around brought back  memories of fishing on Washington rivers in the fall. Tomorrow I'll try for Slaughter Ranch II

Slaughter Ranch

I and my new friend Glen went to the Frank Slaughter ranch today, 15 miles east and south of Douglas AZ. It borders Mexico, the demarcation line being about 100 yards south of the ranch house.

Mr. Slaughter was at one time a confederate officer, a texas ranger, a ranch owner and sheriff of this area. His ranch was around 100,000 acres, and bridged the Mexico/US border.

The road to it is dirt and gravel for 15 miles, the vehicles we passed were all Border Patrol. The country around it is standard desert, no trees, mesquite bushes, and clay hardpacked sand. The ranch area is an oasis, many springs, and a lot of water. Trees, cottonwood, juniper, and willow.

Some picture of the ranch and surroundings follow.

Slaughter Ranch

I and my new friend Glen went to the Frank Slaughter ranch today, 15 miles east and south of Douglas AZ. It borders Mexico, the demarcation line being about 100 yards south of the ranch house.

Mr. Slaughter was at one time a confederate officer, a texas ranger, a ranch owner and sheriff of this area. His ranch was around 100,000 acres, and bridged the Mexico/US border.

The road to it is dirt and gravel for 15 miles, the vehicles we passed were all Border Patrol. The country around it is standard desert, no trees, mesquite bushes, and clay hardpacked sand. The ranch area is an oasis, many springs, and a lot of water. Trees, cottonwood, juniper, and willow.

Some picture of the ranch and surroundings follow.

Double Adobe Thanksgiving

Last evening we had another of the desert sunsets I'm getting fond of:

This morning I started the gravy, using the stock from two turkey necks and the meat. I added onion, garlic, a large chili, with sage and other spices. It was done by 10, and warmed for the potluck at 2pm.

The weather was nice in the morning, and warm, probably over 70f. I went for a walk to the east of the camp out into the desert.

On the way back to camp, I ran into a couple guys who wanted to be buddies, 'till they discovered I had nothing in my pockets to eat.

The potluck was quite good, most of the traditional dishes, along with enchilada, and pies I was too full to eat.  There were around 25 people, Roy, the owner, had cooked 6 turkeys on a rotisserie/smoker, and there were leftovers aplenty. All my kids called today, and one granddaughter, so the day was perfect.

Hope everyone had a good thanksgiving also.

Bisbee, yet again

I spent the day today as the ones in the week past, listening to MPR over coffee for an hour or more, reading the SF Chronicle and Seattle Times, email and catching up with friends.

It was warm today, near 74, and no wind, unlike yesterday.  I got a haircut today at a Bisbee barber recommended by Roy, the owner of the RV campground, and enjoyed talking to the locals in the homey barbershop, then read and napped the afternoon away.

Tomorrow I'll prepare the gravy I'm doing for the potluck. My girls will be familiar with this one, except no real giblets.....I only found two large turkey necks, which I cooked for two hours on Monday. Tomorrow I'll make a roux, with olive oil, onions, garlic and a Thai chili pepper or two, then add the three quarts of stock with the chopped turkey neck meat. Sage of course, and whatever seasonings come to mind. I like the flavor that turkey livers add, but alas, none to be found.

I have a few days to decide to move on, or stay. The early evening sunset was beautiful, the long shadows and the distant mountains turning purple. I know pictures would be good, but....perhaps another post.

I'm starting to think that this may be the place I'm looking for, at least for a bit. Another week or two would not be out of the question.

I'll try to do some pics next post, but it all looks the same here, desert, rather distant mountains, and the sky.

Cheers,
Mike

Bisbee still, redux

When I got here, now 6 days ago, I registered for 2 days. I extended it by two days, then for 3 days. I extended it for a week today. It's cheaper by the half-dozen, it seems.

I've met most of the people staying here; regulars, by their tone, and nice people. Friendly, welcoming, and quick with advise for a novice RV'r. Even if it's a lowly truck camper. The owner is a guy of middle age, quick with a smile, wears a cap like mine. Most of them are shotgun enthusiasts, here for the skeet range next to us that the owner operates. One of the wives a couple days ago, said I should go join them. I explained I didn't bring a shotgun, to which she said "You have gun, right? I've never known anyone with Montana plates that does not have a gun." To which I nodded, "Yeah, I do. It shoots large rounds from a small gun, though. And no shot." She  nodded. "Yeah, well you are still our people, somebody out there will loan you a gun." I deferred, saying I didn't want to embarrass myself with somebody's shotgun.

So I'm going to stay for another week, seeing the local sights. There is the Slaughter Ranch, a couple of Nat'l park wildlife places, and other stuff. I read during the day, listen to Montana Public Radio via streaming morning and evening, and nap during the early afternoon. If I think back, this is what I was looking for: cheap, the things I want, nice people.

I'm old enough, and an oddly technophobe/technofan, that I both love and worry about the things that make my stay fine: I camped most of my adult and young life....tents, I got the first North Face Geodome tents, the cutting-edge cooking stoves and attendant stuff. But over 20 years ago I stopped following the cutting edge. So I now am satisfied, happy even, with having a large fridge and freezer, a stove, a heater, wifi, movies, etc. All within my neat camper, sheltered from the storm. I see the 5th wheelers, the more modern truck campers, yeah. With microwave, cable tv, ovens, etc. I'm not envious, I'm happy with what I have.


Cheers,
Mike