Bisbee

The 70s stoppedHERE

temperatures here are a cool 28 – 31 degrees, awesome!

Well we had an interesting night in Katie’s Cozy Cabins, I was way to hot and ended up sleeping downstairs on the sofa under the air con unit. Last look around Tombstone

Before heading onto Bisbee

Tonight we are sleeping in an 1950s tin RV (can’t imagine that’s gonna be much cooler).

Mrs Fogg managed to find the Bisbee museum within 3 seconds of landing here (what a surprise).

And in the background behind our heads is Mexico, which is as close as we actually get (approx 6 miles).

OK

They had a gunfight HERE

A full day at Tombstone with Mrs Fogg in her Geeky Heaven

As we were treated to a re-enactment of the Gunfight at the OK Coral, where Mrs Fogg insisted on a photo opportunity with all the gunslingers (Good Guys on the top and Bad Guys on the bottom).

And tonight we stop in Katie’s Cozy Cabins

Mrs Fogg looking OK!

And we decided to enter the local competition, not sure if we’ll win tho

Bye Bye desert

So yesterday we spent our last morning in the desert area around Tucson visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (which is in fact a zoo and a set of desert gardens). It is well laid out and informative although I agree with Mr Fogg that the animal enclosures seemed very small and inhumane. However, we did get to see a mountain lion up close and personal. Don’t want to meet one in the wild that’s for sure. We also saw tiny hummingbirds in a walk through aviary.

We stopped briefly to admire the San Xavier Mission, founded in the early 1800s by a Spaniard who successfully converted the local Indians to Catholicism.

On then towards Patagonia and a climb up from the desert floor to nearly 4000 feet above sea level. The scenery giving way to greenery, rolling fields of grassland and scrub. This is most definitely cow and horse country

Our stop for the night is quaint Patagonia. Population 918, mainly retirees (like so many US small towns). We headed to the Wagon Wheel Saloon for a beer and a steak in a place that is unchanged since around 1937. Well, they now have electricity and a juke box! Great food and a great vibe.

Next stop Hummingbirds! ( tee hee Mr Fogg, I’m driving so we just HAVE to go)

Pan Pipes

To any fans of the BBC Comedy “The Fast Show” (1990s skits), greetings from Patagonia (you ain’t seen me, right)

And the Patagonian Pan Pipe players (courtesy of the Fast Show)

Brilliant

The Saw Ratings

So when we travel the US, we are always on the lookout for public washrooms and always attribute a SAW rating to them. To those unfamiliar with the practice, SAW is a set of horror movies, the first of which takes place in a disgusting abandoned washroom, so we now give a SAW 1 through to 5, for some washrooms, the higher the number the more disgusting it is and this one gets a 3.5, based on the layout, cleanliness, the fact it is attached to a restaurant and had a second door that seemed to go nowhere, or did it?

I am tempted to say it was dire here.

Starz and Deserts

We are HERE

Well Kitt Peak last night was, err pants apart from the last hour. Lots of sitting around, going to the parking lot, coming back in, watching a sunset, listening to a nervous student waffle and talk at you. It was more interesting when you actually got to look at Saturn, Jupiter and star clusters through a 1m diameter telescope. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff is heaps better.

Today we are at the Arizona Desert Museum, because Mrs Fogg is craving Museums. And this one is alright, but I totally disagree with caged animals, especially the big eared bats.

Next stop is Patagonia, which we were going via Nogales, but have decided to avoid the border area (given we have now been through 4 checkpoints already).

So far we have racked up 870 miles in 7 days and we ain’t even half way through, but at least it’s a cool 35 degrees today, well until 12pm, then BOOM

Tucson and Kitt Peak

We ate HERE

Temperature Watch – much cooler at 36 Degrees!

Welcome from Tucson, after a comfortable night with Caroline and her beautiful little Sammie (the jumping super dog) at Paca de Paja, where the views of Kitt Peak are exceptional

We spent the day wombling around Tucson (and finding yet another Harley Dealer for much needed T-shirts). Then out into the desert for some spectacular scenery and cacti

Oh and maybe a light Red Lobster snack

Last night we sat and watched a hummingbird on the bird feeder 3 foot away from us

And tonight will see us watching the heavens until 23.30(MST) at Kitt Peak Observatory.

Fresh Prince of Gila Bend

Prince Ginger are HERE

Tonight we are in a tiny backwater town called Gila Bend. A very small place with one hotel and three eateries.

So, where to eat? We opted for the little Italian restaurant which clearly was a great choice.

We were not the only Brits to have picked it. On November 4th 2011 at 7:41pm Prince Harry also went Italian.

Who knew that of all the small towns of America we’d pick one with a Royal connection. Delicious food too.

And now we are positioned back in our room to watch a “severe storm” as it approaches. Cue lightening, giant hail, rain, dust storms and high winds. It might at least drop the temperature afterwards!

Poor Bahamas and Florida

As Hurricane Dorian heads straight for Florida. They are now calling it an apocalyptical storm!

Really feeling for the residents of Florida. And to think, we nearly went to Halloween Horror nights….right now we would have been heading north rapidly. They are about to issue mandatory evacuation orders all along the coast right up to the Caroliners!

Prison Break

We’ve been HERE

Temperature Watch 44 Degrees minimum most days, it’s like walking in an overheated sauna day and night, as you breath in you take in gulps of fiery air!

Yup Dove Huntin season started about 4am with those manly types going with AK47s, pump action shotguns and semis in search of the most dangerous of creatures. And here’s the one that got away, live to fly another day good buddy!

So first stop is The Center of the World, which is just so bizarre. The idea being that Aliens can land here and learn all about us with oodles of granite stone containing all of Human History (well let’s be clear, “American Human History” in the most part). Still extremely funky

I’m fairly certain Pops and Huskey Voice could spend weeks here reading all the details. Apparently the pyramid is the “Center of the World”.

On then to Yuma Prison, so cool and I’m sure Mrs McGeek will tell you all about the history

And now on the road to Gila Bend

and sorry, but I am still a little confused by the whole “Dove Hunting” thing, having arrived at the Best Western in Gila Bend to be told there is an outdoor pool but it will probably be full of “Dove Hunters”, like that’s something to be proud or amazed by! Next thing will be the Sloth Stalkers. I mean come on, just doing a goggle search for “why dove hunting”, brings an ESPN article “Out There: 10 Reasons I Love Dove Hunting”, which just beggars belief and answers a lot of missing link questions.