Saturday, March 24
“We need to find a new place for us to walk.”
I pop Reggie and Roger into the Perfect Tow Vehicle and we take off down the highway.
Cochise County, southern Arizona
“This looks good.”
No sign saying it’s private property. If I’m told to close the gate, I take it I can open the gate.
Today in southern Arizona the sky is overcast and the wind pretty strong. The forecast is for 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 40 mph.
During the time the crew and I have been camped in this area, the mornings start out calm. It isn’t until noontime or so that the wind moves in with much power. It’s mid-morning.
I get out and close the gate before continuing in the PTV.
The roadway soon becomes a rockway. We creep along, rocking and bumping over ruts and rocks. A strong breeze flows through the PTV. The boys are getting excited.
They love this. They know they’re gonna’ get out soon.
Hmm . . . .Must be livestock on this land. Looks like water tanks up ahead.
Ooh, looks like more than water tanks . . .
“Hi, there, big fella!”
Reggie and Roger are peering out the passenger side window. I keep us moving before they notice the big, black bovine on my side.
Up the road a way, we come to a flat, gravel area with an old fire ring that hasn’t been used in a long while.
If the road weren’t in such bad shape, this would make a decent camp. Very exposed to wind though, coming across this wide valley.
And there’s that bull to contend with.
I park the PTV, trot around to the crew’s door, hook them on their leashes, let them down, and we set off.
We should’ve come here sooner. Oh, well, we’ll walk up to the base of those hills or until the wind becomes too much.
There’s a special feeling being alone in this vast, open area. Reggie and Roger have a great time sniffing the different smells on plants and rocks.
We’re about halfway to the hills (the distance is much further than the above photo indicates) when we hear the reports of gunshots ahead.
Apparently a person is putting in some Saturday practice. It would’ve been better to try this hike on a weekday. I can hear Granny saying, “No, today is not the day for that.”
The boys are agreeable about turning back.
As we walk along I look for scenes to photograph. It’s fun to zoom in on a faraway object like the one below.
Mostly we’re surrounded by bending grass, bare mesquite, a few, widely scattered palo verde (below) and cactus and yucca plants. On this somewhat dark day, I don’t have the wonderful, golden light that adds glow to photos of grass.
I turn the camera to include the clouds.
The wind, while warm, has become very strong.
With ears flipped back, Reggie and Roger hold their heads low to the ground. We make our way to the PTV.
I struggle opening the door against the force of the wind.
“Well, that was fun!” I announce, as the boys get a drink out of the dish in front of the bench seat. “Short, but fun.”
Once the crew members are at their stations, I turn the PTV around and we rumble-bumble, tip-and-sway over the rocky road on our way to the gate.
This time the passenger window is on the same side as the bull.
Roger and Reggie do their best to sound fierce and intimidating. Judging by the position of their ears (I don’t think it’s entirely the wind) and the way they duck away from the window a few times, I think they’re the ones intimidated.
“I don’t blame you. You’re no match for that guy. Always smart to know one’s limitations, I say.”
I park the PTV, open the gate, drive us through, park again, and close the gate.
Well, we didn’t make it to the hills, but that’s okay. All in all, this was a good little outing. 
The two pups dozing peacefully beside me on the ride home attest to that!
rvsue
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HELLO! Now, I will go read and see!!
WELL DONE, BECKY! FIRST TODAY!
Hi Sue! 2nd?
Hi, Scott…. 2nd place winner!
Hi, Sue,
Glad you and the boys had a change of scenery with new sights and smells to explore! 🙂
Thanks, Denise. 🙂
Sounds like a wonderful walk. Goods the pups know when to settle down their machismo.
Hi, Peggy,
Reg and Rog rely on their barks to “fight” intruders or any questionable beings. In a typically bovine manner, the bull did not react to their barks. Just stood and stared. I think this unnerved the boys. They were probably relieved when I drove us away.
what a fun day out for a walk. the large bull is beautiful. i love Black Angus because they have the most luminous eyes and their eyelashes are spectacular. those boys are such fun company for you and i enjoy your posts so much. bess
Thank you for the nice note, bess!
Wow. New post. Love it!
Hi, Renee!
Bovine! Wonder where all his “lady friends” are?
Hi, Susan,
Probably the lady friends are in another field…. uh, for their own safety.
Hi Sue,
Such a nice, peaceful area. I love seeing all the places you find. Cold and windy here and parts of Iowa got up to 12″ of snow yesterday. We just saw lots of rain and what did snow melted right away, thankfully!
Take care, and I will be following along!
You take care, too, Jolene. Always happy to have you on the bench seat with us!
Nice place for a walk and or a stay…..if Mr Bull wasn’t creeping! Remember when that cow rubbed up against the BLT? I think it was the entire length of it!
Hah trying to intimated the bull…from inside the PTV!
It would be a nice day….if the wind would quit! Enjoy your day.
Yeah, I remember cows bumping the BLT and partying on the blue mat. That was at the boondock near Congress, AZ, way back in “the early years.”
Lots of sunshine today. Wind is fine with me when it’s not too cold!
Hi, Sue,
I have a request for prayers, positive thoughts, and energy to be sent for my family. I truly believe in the power of prayer.
Last summer, nephew#1 got married. By fall, he and my dear niece found out that they were expecting twins. Due to multiple conditions, it was a miracle that she was able to get pregnant.
This past Tuesday, they went for their routine 20-wk checkup and ultrasound. Both grandmas (my sister and my niece’s mom) were invited to the checkup. My “little peanuts” heart beats were nice and strong, but the bottom baby’s arm and embryonic sac was putting pressure on her cervix. The pelvic exam showed that my niece was dilated 2 (cm?), and she started to bleed. They were sent directly to L&D at the hospital.
By the next day, the bleeding had subsided; the plan was to suture her cervix closed. At the morning exam, no changes. By the time my niece was in the OR, part of the sac of the bottom baby was protruding from her cervix; they were not able to do the procedure.
She was sent home Thursday, on bed rest. She can take a quick shower, and get up to go to the bathroom, but that is it. She has to lay on her side on the sofa to hopefully help keep pressure/gravity on her womb to a minimum. Late next week, or early the following week, my niece will go back to the dr for re-assessment. If things have not changed for the worse, she will be sent home for another week, week and a half.
At 23-weeks, she will be admitted to the hospital, where they will start administering meds to strengthen the babies lungs should they need to be delivered between week #25 or their due date of late July/early August. The babies will not be viable until they are at least 25 weeks old.
These words are so hard to hear, after seeing the ultrasounds, hearing their heartbeats, and in the past 2 weeks my niece has started to feel their “little stars” move. We are doing all we can to try to alleviate stress for them. She is now out of work and my nephew has taken time off, with no pay to be with her while she was in the hospital this past week. We are praying and hoping that with her being off her feet, this will help keep the babies “in.”
Thank you all so much for your prayers! I have asked my Dad and maternal grandparents, who are always watching over us, to rally around my nephew, his wife and the babies. May the babies find the strength to hold on and stay in, my nephew and niece to be ok, and may the doctors be guided to help them. Thank you again.
Denise, I too believe in the power of prayer and I saw it work just this last week. My great-nephew was born last Monday with Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) and had to have open heart surgery on Thursday. Everything went as planned and he is doing well, although he will be in neonatal intensive care for 6 – 8 weeks. My Bible study group, my DIL’s Bible study group, and a bunch of family were praying for him and I just know it was all that prayer that brought him safely through! I would be privileged to pray for your nephew and his wife and the two twins. God is good and He is sovereign! Please keep us posted.
Thank you so much, Cynthia. I am so glad that your great-nephew is doing well. I will keep him and your family in my prayers.
Oh, Denise, that is all so hard to go through. I’m praying for the best outcome as I type and will continue to.
Thank you so much, weather.
Hi, Denise,
You have my prayers and I’m sure many others will pray also. What a worry for all the family. Yes, besides believing in the power of prayer, I believe that there are loved ones who watch over us to guide and help us.
BLOGORINOS AND ANY READERS: Please pray.
“May the babies find the strength to hold on and stay in, my nephew and niece to be ok, and may the doctors be guided to help them.”
Amen!
Thank you, Sue! xo
You’re welcome, Denise. 🙂
I will keep them in my thoughts. I will also mention it to a friend who does…”Energy Work” with a group of women. The Universe will assist in what’s BEST for ALL. Don’t forget the Serenity Prayer.
Thank you so much, Laurie.
There is much power in prayer!!! Will be praying for these precious babies.
Thank you so much, Pauline.
I will sure be praying Denise, this is so tough. I know some babies that are delivered at 23 weeks and have done just fine. They have a long haul in NICU but they do make it. I was always taught viability is 23 weeks and the longer you can keep them in mom, the better. My daughter is a NiCU nurse. She loves it.
Thank you so much, Jolene. Yes, we are hoping that the twins will stay in their nice, warm mommy’s belly…the longer, the better.
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
God please give her and her family the strength to carry this little ones. God Bless you and your family.
Thank you so much, Linda.
Wow Denise, I just turned on and tuned in and read down to your news on your family and the Prayers are on for those Babies, your Niece and Nephew,, and may he bless you all in this time of need,,,, 🐾 👣👣
Thank you so much, Rusty.
Wow, that first photo of the bull seemed like he was pretty close to the PTV. Did you zoom or was he really that close? Since I didn’t grow up on a farm, I’m pretty clueless about bovines. I’ve always found heifers and cows to be either friendly or disinterested, but I’ve never approached a bull. Are they aggressive?
I know when we were riding our motorcycles through Yellowstone, there were signs warning motorists not to get too close to the buffalo. I was with a small group of people and we parked our bikes to take photos. When the buffalo started moving toward us, all but one of us got back on our bikes and started them up, ready to leave. This one gal kept taking photographs – I think she was looking through the camera lens and didn’t realize how close the buffalo were getting. As the buffalo moved from a casual “stroll” to a “trot,” her husband put his bike in gear and started to take off and we all yelled at her until she finally realized she was about to get trampled. She took off running after her husband’s motorcycle and literally jumped on the back. I laughed so hard I nearly cried in my underwear!
Did the gunshots scare Reggie? I remember he doesn’t like that sound and usually runs and hides, doesn’t he? Or maybe having Roger around has made him braver?
Hi, Cynthia,
May your little guy continue to recover from surgery and grow stronger every day.
Reggie didn’t seem too upset by the gunshots. This morning there was someone near our camp who set up a target and was shooting (a huge desert and he shoots here). That drove both Reggie and Roger into the BLT. He was way too close. Fool.
Cute story about the woman chasing the bike. “nearly cried in my underwear”… Ha, good one!
Skipped your other question… Bulls can be very aggressive. I think it depends upon their — how shall I put it? — upon the status of their love life. This bull didn’t make any aggressive moves. Even so, I wouldn’t walk near it the way I would with cows.
Others may have a better explanation.
In Florida a I lived on 2 1/2 fenced acres in the country. Our neighbor had cows and a bull. When I was out in the yard one day, the bull jumped the fence and came running at me. I couldn’t make it to the house or he would have nailed me, so got behind a small oak tree and started yelling for my husband, but he couldn’t hear me. I would move one way and the bull would move to try to get at me. He was butting the tree and yes he had horns. It was scary. At that time I had a male black lab, and he heard me yelling. When he saw the bull, he took off after it biting it’s hind legs and chased it and the bull jumped back over the fence. That dog saved my life. Bulls can be very dangerous, and I don’t get near one if I can help it.
Bulls can be aggressive, but the only time I was ever treed was by a Black Angus cow with a calf. When I was little my folks had a VERY aggressive bull (with horns) that hated all humans. Just seeing a person sent him into a rage and he would do his best to get at the person he saw. I remember my mom checking fence & always keeping a tractor or pickup between her & him. Needless to say he went to the sale barn destined to become hamburger.
Great pics! I love the fluffy palo verde and the drama of the dark mesquite. Nice and warm too. It is so cold here still, I swear the chill is deep in my bones. Always nice to walk in a new place and find new adventures. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Gingerita. I hope you get the chill out of your bones soon!
Hi Sue,
Thanks for taking us on a nice walk. Any idea what the tanks were for? Oil perhaps? Have a great week.
Hi, Joe,
This being southern Arizona, my guess is those are water tanks. There was a large (in length and circumference) hose running from the pumps to the tanks and to an open tank (not photographed) where that bull could drink.
Ahhh…thanks for a couple of chuckles. Loved the shot of the boys telling off the bull. And, the one of Reggie minding the wind! Priceless. I love how you find a story to tell in everyday life.
Hi, Suzette,
There’s always something to write about. 🙂
Hi, Sue,
I am now in AZ and loving it. Per your wonderful descriptions of Buenos Aires NWR, I knew it was just the place for me to wander, have peaceful walks, and just let nature do it’s full on therapy. It always works wonders for my soul, what I have left of one..haha. Went to Arivaca this AM and it just the best one-block town ever. Needed a few supplies. The Mercantile, just as you described.
I, now, am doing some planning for my travels up to the Grand Canyon, and perhaps lower Utah, before heading back to MI. Since I love sleuthing, I’ve amassed a huge amount of possible boondocking site along with less expensive NFS facilities.
I would really appreciate any thoughts from you on places you might recommend. I’ll either go west and up the “Colorado River Corridor” (good name), as you call it! Or go up east of Phoenix and around (like the Tonto NF way). Hope to visit Sedona and Flagstaff also.
Normally, it would not matter because of so many choices. However, I’m not sure if I’ll be out this way again. Next summer I hope to head to the northwest instead, and who knows, right? I want to know if there are some places I should include for cheap camping or boondocking. If anyone else has an opinion on route, camping….please let me know. THANKS!
Hi, Kathy,
I am delighted that you chose to go to Buenos Aires NWR and that you visited Arivaca! Special places!
My first reaction to your question on what route to take is “what will the weather be?” If you go north through Flagstaff you probably will encounter cold temps, possibly snow, on the drive there and anywhere at those higher elevations.
Generally speaking, the Colorado River Corridor will be warmer, but it will be a longer trip (kind of out-of-the way going from Buenos Aires NWR to the Grand Canyon).
You may have told me how much time you have to travel, but if you did, I’ve forgotten.
Lots of folks love the Grand Canyon. Personally I’d rather spend time in southern Utah, but that’s me (and not until after the first week of May). Weather is the big factor to consider, no matter what way you go.
Bloroginos: Any suggestions for Kathy regarding the route to take and camps along the way?
Hi Sue,
I did forget to tell you how long I get to be in this lovely neck of the woods. I have to be back in Michigan on April 26th so roughly through the 21st of April I have to play. I don’t like cold so maybe I’ll go up the Colorado River route. The only hold back for me on that route is would it be too hot for my old dog Ellie. So I checked the weather daily both ways and go back and forth.
I do plan on staying put at least until the end of this week when it seems that it’s going to warm up quite a bit. Then I want to find another place in this lower area of Arizona which won’t be that hard to do. That’s my plan before I head up. And I’m with you on the Grand Canyon, I don’t really need to see it so… That’s also and if in the if includes how much I love the places I’m staying. Thanks for your time.
You’re welcome, Kathy.
In my opinion, since you have to leave somewhere around April 21st, is to keep in the lower elevations. Remember when the forecast is for a high of, let’s say, 89 or 90, that’s nothing like 89 or 90 in Michigan.
Do stuff in the morning, rest in the shade during the hottest time, then do stuff in the early evening.
If you go up the Colorado, you’ll be in the cold in most of Utah during late April.
From Buenos Aires NWR there’s Painted Rock Campground, west of Gila Bend. I guess Why would be too hot…
Keep in touch….
Any ideas, blogorinos?
Kathy, Chuck and I love the southern Utah town of Bluff! I don’t have a map handy, but there is a great camp called Sand Island, with great petroglyphs! It right on the river and perfectly centered so you can stay camped there and do day trips to Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Mesa Verde NP, Archers NP. Canyonlands NP !!! Great Navajo restaurant nearby called Twin Rocks Cafe! Sue did a blog on it I think!
Oh, and The Goosenecks too! Maybe Sue can give you the highway # of the highway that goes thru Bluff!
Oh, she’ll find it okay with any map. Whether one goes through Monument Valley or the other road, it’s a very scenic ride.
(I’m in bed with my laptop and too lazy to dig out the map.)
A wealth of info. Love the first hand thoughts. I’m marking every spot you told me about on G-maps! As Sue has mentioned, it’s pretty cold up there til at least May. Those locaations are definitely marked for next year when I head out in late summer. Thanks, again.
Paria Wilderness, 25 miles west of Page Az. is the ranger station. In the wilderness is Buckskin Gulch(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckskin_Gulch) and “The Wave” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave,_Arizona). Two very magical places. I know the Wave is controlled by a lottery.
The gulch is one of my favorite places in the world.
Hi Sue and crew all is well here. Planning a trip to Tucson.
Hello to you too Cindy, best wishes.
A big thanks to you all, Sue, Alan, and Geri! You have convinced me, Sue, so I plan to stay just in AZ (and lower elevations). Utah is for next late summer but I’m starring all of the locations you told me of on G-maps, Alan and Geri!!!! I’m really glad to learn that 90 out here is not a muggy oppressive MI 90 degrees! You are right about going in the shade and cooling immediately. I noticed it first yesterday. I was sweating balls after a hike Ellie and I took. Sat my camp chair in the shade and sat down. Had to get my coat on less than 5 min. later.
We passed your area yesterday on our way to Ft Huachuca. Waved toward Benson and said “hello, Sue!” On our way through. We passed the bLack tanks in your photo on the way. The wind was fierce. Glad you ventured out, though it was quite windy.
Hi, Lisa,
Windy again today. I think this is spring in southern AZ every year. You recognized the black tanks? Haha!
Hi Sue,
Yep, sure did. They really stuck out.
Those shots of the clouds almost look like they are paintings!
They do! That same evening the clouds at sunset looked like brush strokes. I’ll show them in the next post. Gorgeous.
The dark clouds and wind are too familiar here in Ohio. They are the early signs of a thunderstorm. We get many of those. I enjoyed the picture of Reggie and Roger “facing down” the bull.
Hi, Calvin,
I can count of Roger giving me an “out the window” shot. It’s a bonus if I catch Reggie there at the same time.
I didn’t realize how dark the photos were until I’d completed this post. They make it look cold but it wasn’t. And the clouds didn’t bring an Ohio thunderstorm. 🙂
I’m so glad you didn’t decide to stay there! Usually a gate that is to stay closed means livestock in the field, usually cattle. That bull was beautiful, but I like to admire them from a distance!
Hi, Pat,
We’ve camped along with cattle beyond a gate several times, but never with a bull, not that I know of. I don’t want one appearing all of a sudden at our camp out of nowhere.
What great photos, Sue, Wow! I can well imagine the special feeling you had being alone there. The one picture beneath “I turn the camera to include the clouds” is a perfect example of how beautiful that area can be. With it’s being so exposed to the wind, and where the bull chooses to be, it makes sense that you wouldn’t camp there, though. At least you had the chance to experience walking through it, thank you for sharing that so well.
Yesterday while I was scrolling through pictures on the internet I saw what at first glance appeared to be an amazingly spectacular desert sunrise . Then I looked that photographer’s photos that had people in them, their skin was an unnatural orange. He’d obviously made the colors of everything try to appear more dramatic then they truly are. I love the fact that you don’t enhance the color in your photographs. So many parts of our natural world are wonderful as they really are. You let us see that.
Amen to that, weather! That is for me one of the more attractive things about Sue photography. They are just beautiful and you know it’s the real deal.
Thank you, Kathy. 🙂
I know what you mean about “enhanced” photos. I don’t like them either. Often there are clues in the photo that reveal the tampering, such as skin color like you noticed. Nature is easy on the eyes.
This subject brings up a related situation. Last night while I was photographing another spectacular Arizona sunset, one of the most eye-popping displays ever, I put down my camera thinking, “No one could believe this is real. They’ll think I doctored the photo.” Ha! It goes both ways! 🙂
Doesn’t matter. I was able to take a collection of photos that I’m very pleased with and look forward to sharing in the next post.
You’re right though. The natural world doesn’t need our embellishment. Even what seems plain or ordinary really isn’t. It’s up to us to recognize the hidden or more subtle beauty.
Thank you for the compliments. You are a great encourager!
Thank you for always including at least one photograph of the sky! It is so different out west! Funny boys, all macho from inside the van! Aren’t you glad they want to protect you even tho you know they would prefer that you drive on down the road?
Cynthia, I loved your words laughing in my underwear! Cracked me up! 😀
Denise, your family is in our prayers! We know miracles happen and we believe God creates miracles!
Great post and photographs Sue! 💗
Thank you, Geri. I know you love the West and probably miss it at times, even though the Florida panhandle is a special place, too.
Thank you so much, Geri and Chuck.
I really like that first cloud-mountain-tree photo. That’s nice.
Thank you, Rob. Be careful on I-5. That can be a devil of a highway.
Hi, Sue,
One of my sisters wanted me to let you know that she and her hubby purchased a cedar elevated garden planter – sometime in the last week. It should have hit your commission list. 🙂
Please thank your sister and brother-in-law for me, Denise. That planter was on the list of recently purchased products by readers, under the previous post. 🙂
🙂
Hi 😃
🌬windy here too,but can’t say that it’s warm. Enjoyed your short, but fun walk.
Hi, Ronda!
Hi Sue! Love the cow. Reggie pointing downwind cracked me up! We are having typical NC weather. It was snowing over the weekend, and there is a predicted high of 76 on Wednesday! I hope our poor trees and plants can cope with the all the change. I am looking forward to having Good Friday off. Have a great day!
Thanks for sharing your adventures !
We’ve been turned back from a desert wander by gun shots. Like rattle snakes, I’m glad they make enough noise to warn us away! My boys and I used to shoot far back in the little hills near our desert home. Love those moody clouds, they always have such character.