Welcome to Bisbee

Posted on by September 6, 2019

Founded in 1880 and considered one of the richest areas for copper,gold and silver, not to mention the quantity of gems located in the hillsides. This literally is a town unchanged since it came into being in the gold and copper rush era. This is the seat of the county when it took the honour from Tombstone (after Tombstone run out of steam)

Look at Mr Foog playing candy crush

Looks like our log cabin

It is about 6 miles from Mexico and has a great museum about the history of the place. It was one of the first areas in the US to create unions of the mine workers and in 1917 due to fractious rows between the miners and the authorities over 2000 men were rounded up and interviewed to determine who was protesting, nearly 1200 were forcibly loaded into rail carts and deposited over the border into Mexico told never to return.

The whole place clings precariously to the hillside with steep roads and houses that look like there are the originals from the 1880s.

Mining stopped here in 1975 but they are considering starting again as there is more to access. The place also looks like it stalled in 1975. A hippy town with plenty of unusual characters roaming around.

Love it! We have even been able to see Mexico in the distance.

Bisbee

Posted on by September 6, 2019

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

Posted on by September 6, 2019

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

Posted on by September 5, 2019

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

Posted on by September 5, 2019

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

Posted on by September 5, 2019

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

Posted on by September 4, 2019

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

Posted on by September 3, 2019

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

Posted on by September 2, 2019

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

Posted on by September 2, 2019

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!