A Trip into the Desert & Mountains

My schedule was free on Friday so hubby and I made a date with the little red jeep for a trip to the desert and mountains. The hike scheduled for the day was one we had both been on several times. We wanted to go somewhere new; thus, the trip with the jeep. The excursion had three purposes: 
1) to see what the jeep could/would do on mountain trails (roads would be a misnomer)
2) to geocache  
3) to visit an old historic site

I had not been out caching since early January so was excited to be out in the desert. With all the rain last weekend, I was looking forward to seeing the green and running water. It is too early for flowers, but they could appear by the end of the month.

This was our planned route for the day

It didn't go quite as planned

A twenty-five mile loop

Lots of green grass growing

An interesting saguaro

Lots of long arms on these guys

Our first INTERESTING stop was the OK Corral,

a stone walled large enclosure

Love the fences made with spindly sticks

AND steel posts and fence posts

Someone moved a lot of rocks to build the corral

and a wall between two hills

This was reason #3 for the trip, the HISTORIC site

A jail used for overnight stays on the way to

the Territorial Prison in Yuma

Two of the walls were large 10' tall boulders

The other two walls of sandstone blocks/rocks

I couldn't resist the shot through the window on the 

north side of the jail

The windows had bars in 1994, not anymore

The jeep got to go through some water

This stream crossing was the least deep water hole

The little babbling brook was so peaceful and happy

A little picnic lunch in the middle of nowhere

Healthy lunch, table cloth (towel) and all

Hubby looking for a cache in the crevice

Actually, it was on the ledge above

Hubby had to do some climbing to get to this one

This is the size of the culverts in wash areas

I think an ATV could drive thru

This is the wash area on the other side of the road 

from the culverts

I like the bridge support

I like bridges

We started at the bottom left, traveling along the bottom,

up the right side of the map, along the top, and 

somewhere along the top, we missed the correct turn

and instead of continuing on the yellow planned line,

we ended up on a trail and bumped and climbed, and

rocked, and stalled and ended on the 'road' running top 

to bottom in the center of the map.

More than likely we would have bumped and climbed, 

rocked and stalled on the planned trail, too.

We learned: 

1) the jeep can certainly go over the mountain trails and through water puddles 

2) we need better maps

3) double check the GPS BEFORE we leave to go caching

I had forgotten how quiet it can be out in the desert and mountains. Once we got to the jail, we did not hear or see another vehicle until we reached the road where we had started in the morning.

I had forgotten how beautiful the desert and mountains can be, especially after two inches of rain.

I enjoy wintering in a history rich state. Being on the trails that were once the main roads between point A and point B gave me a new appreciation of the history of this state and our country. Do we appreciate the modern smooth, wide roads? Are we truly thankful when we are sitting in traffic or behind slow, stupid drivers? We should be!

A stop at the OK Corral (it really isn't; just the name of the cache in the area) I was reminded how hard folks have to work to eek out a living in the desert; made me thankful for the jobs we had.

The little red jeep successfully took us through water, over hills and mountains, climbed rocks and boulders (well, boulders to me!). Hubby did a wonderful job of managing the wheel and the road, but I we both agreed, we do NOT have to join the jeeping group for excitement. I have seen videos and photos from their adventures. This excursion was enough adventure for me! Well, at least until the next time...