Sierra Vista today....

Our Location: Las Cienegas Grasslands, Arizona

Warmer this morning than yesterday morning, today we were at 47F/ 8.3 C when I looked at the temperature around 7:30 AM. Not a bad start to the morning. Plans today but no hurry to get out the door. We enjoyed some breakfast, a hot drink and a visit with our blogging friends before we loaded up the truck to head into Sierra Vista for some errands.

 

A watering hole with some pretty green algae on top.

 

We first decided we’d check out a few things in the area but after about a half hour turned around and headed back toward the Ranch House entrance/exit. I had thought to take the BLM road out to AZ 82 but didn’t as I was worried it might become too soft. After turning around and getting on AZ 83 we took a scenic sort of drive toward AZ 82 which intersects with AZ 83 at the little hamlet of Sonoita, AZ. We hung a left on AZ 82 and motored along the road way passing Quail Ridge Campground where we have stayed a time or two in the past. We screeched around the corner onto AZ 90 heading toward Huachuca City and Sierra Vista.

 

Can you see the snow through the tree?  Love these grasslands.

Our first stop was on the far side of town at Best Buy to get a new power cord for my Mac. Expensive and I ended up bringing home the wrong cord. I’ll have to return this one, it is about 2 pins too large. Oh well, we need to go back for a couple of other things before we leave the area anyway. A total of $104 CAD for the cord, and I’m thinking I’ll just return it and make due with this one until we get back to Canada. 

 

So pretty, so vast, so inviting.

 

From Best Buy we headed off to Fry’s Grocery and man was it busy today. The first day of the sale flyer and I had I known I would have held off another day. However we were in and out without too much trouble, loading our purchases into the Big Dog before we pulled around to the Juice Bar. With our VIP Fry’s card we saved 10 cents per gallon today so we paid $2.69 per gallon instead of $2.79. Yeah us!!!!

Can you see the cow down there?

 After we left Fry’s we cruised on over to Walmart to get a few other grocery staples that we need. You know I used to bake bread at home, from scratch, with my hands, no bread maker, and I love the smell of freshly baked or baking bread but as we walked into Walmart the smell was horrid. I have no idea why that would be but it was almost enough to make me turn around and leave the store. Riley also mentioned it to me and had the same reaction. I’m glad we don’t eat their bakery stuff.
 

This cow got off the road when the car behind approached, then back on the road until we got closer, back off and after we went past she came back on again. Too funny.

 

After doing our business at Walmart we headed off home thinking we’d get water at the Ranch headquarters but lo and behold on our way through Huachuca City we spied a water dispensing machine at the car wash, and whipped in there to fill up our jugs. Very reasonable $1.25 for 5 gallons or 30 cents per gallon. We filled them all before heading back home. 

The same mountain peaks we see out our window.

 

Back home around 2:30 pm we managed to get the groceries all put away, everything separated for the freezer as well before we had lunch. I always like to get the separation accomplished as quickly as possible. We almost always have to repackage things in single one meal size packs for our use. We like being able to pull a single size packet out of the freezer in the morning for our big meal at lunch time. 

 

Wonder if it's round up time? Statues or metal work off on the hilltop.

 

The afternoon was warm but with a pretty strong breeze that has since died down. High today was 83F / 28.3 C and the numbers have been dropping in the last hour or so, as I type this at 6:30 pm the temp is down to 60 F/ 15.5 C and still heading downward. Big swings make the chilled air seem much cooler and the hot air much hotter. However this is not a complaint, just once again stating the facts. 

 

The junction of AZ 82 & AZ 83, the town of Sonoita welcomes everyone. I think that may be a Texas Longhorn. Statues again.

 

A chat with my buddy Ron tonight has us finalizing some plans to get together with him and Sharon, his lovely bride of many years. We’ll be heading north of I-40 this year on our way home before we reach Memphis and so will be by passing our stay at Big Buck to spend time with Ron & Sharon instead. We are so looking forward to seeing them again. It’s been a couple of years since our paths last crossed.

Not our white tailed deer but they sure are pretty in this setting don't you think?

 

So that was our day, thanks for dropping by, I hope you enjoyed the visit and made yourself at home. 

We didn't have the zoom lens so it's a bit blurry.

 

Until next time… take care, be safe,
 

What an amazing ranch this must have been in it's time.

 

Deb

Hiking kind of day....

Our Location:  American Girl Mine Road, California


A nice night,  I slept well until about 4 AM and then was awake for the day. Warmer temps this morning of 52F / 11.1 C, so the day promised to be a warm one. I made breakfast wraps again this morning, a bit different than the ones of the other day. Good stuff, had us ready to head out for a hike.

The small black dot in the middle of the picture is a deer.

We took the Dogsled about half the distance to the mountains in the back and parked it off the path. Much easier to walk back closer to the mountains this way. We were just approaching the power lines when Riley noticed off to the left something moving about. Sure enough it was a deer. We didn’t get a great look at him as he was too far away but I was able to get a picture or two. The first one we’ve seen around the area. We walked about 5 miles today and still didn’t really reach the mountains exactly. The closer we got to them the stronger the wind and wind gusts. So we followed one of the trails that lead back along the foot of one and into a narrow wash that continued to lead us back into the mountains. We followed it for about a half mile before turning around. The wind was still blowing pretty hard and we decided we’d pushed against it long enough. Turning toward home the wind at our backs it just kind of pushed along to where we’d left the Big Dog. Checking the time upon arrival back at the Dogsled we had been hiking along for just about 2 hours. Pretty good for us.

He was a long way off.

Back home we decided to putter around preparing lunch and just doing a few little things that needed doing. We both had a little nap before lunch. The wind and the sun took a toll on us I think. Lunch today was a big garden salad and a couple of small turkey burgers. Jello of course finished off the meal. It’s amazing how the wind died down between our hike and me starting the BBQ. Of course once the BBQ was started the wind started picking back up. A quick clean up after lunch and we spent the rest of the afternoon reading. The wind of course died down to occasional gusts after the BBQ was shut off. 

Riley resting on our hike.

A couple of helicopters have been flying over us the past couple of days and late this afternoon they flew over again but one was almost low enough to skim the roof of any rv parked in it’s path. It didn’t stay low for too long but it sure was taking a much closer look at something. The second one maintained a good height though, not bothering to drop down for a look. 

We are close. 

Riley and I are getting ready to sit down to play a game of Blue Damn It as soon as I post this blog. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

We followed this for about a half mile.

Big hole in the side of the hill. We didn't investigate.

Until next time… take care, be safe,

 

Wondering if these may be Javilina tracks in the wash.

Deb