We have had the Green Mountain Trail on the bucket list for several years. Our destination is an off shoot of the Green Mountain Trail called Maverick Springs Trail. My internet research has shown me that there is a concrete cistern there with water “always.” We can’t be certain according to the Forest Service representative on the phone. She has never been there.
Rugged
We awaken in into an Eden in the San Pedro River. It is time for a stripped down walk about.
Part #1 can be found here:
The San Pedro River flows north, somehow a rarity in North America. It hosts over two hundred bird species. This is a major migration corridor for 85% of our bird species. The river is part of the two percent of Arizona’s landmass that is considered riparian area.
Ninety-five percent of these riparian water sources are damaged or destroyed. There has been an ongoing struggle to protect this natural treasure. It has dry spots and much of it only flows seasonally. The ground water, which feeds it from the surrounding mountains, is being sucked out with the growth of thirsty communities like Sierra Vista. Conservation measures are in place, but the influence of money, profit and politics, greed disguised as good economics, continue to whittle away at our true wealth.
There is a 40 mile long belt on the river that varies in width that is for wildlife preservation. The river is lined with huge cottonwoods. Mesquite bosques lie beyond. I only recently found how extensive that this preservation is. I called the visitor center and was told that there was water at the bridge there. Downstream, they didn’t know. We have been in drought for two years. We will use the visitor center bridge section as a backup, in case the river is dry.
There are fewer people downstream near the bridge close to the ghost town of Fairbanks. We are heading to Fairbanks to look for flowing water in the river. We are continuing our birthday celebrations weekend, traveling from a late morning start in Gardner Canyon.
Here is that story:
We’re picking up where it left off.
This morning, I am compelled to walk out the old jeep trail behind my house and take some pictures. I’m chronicling the rebirth of the desert in progression and recording the blooms of the monsoon plants for myself. The desert around my house has been transformed into a grassy meadow.
After a record burying drought, the monsoon has been exceptional. Weird climate change weather patterns have brought incredible life back to the desert. Amazingly thick foliage now blooms.
The desert streams have been flowing more often than not and all through the day. I even got flooded in and out of the neighborhood one day (it hadn’t happened in years and never from the summer rains). The dry washes that create dips in the roads filled with flowing water. There is risk to be lifted and be swept off the road downstream.
After arriving in Gardner Canyon, we continue our search for an old camping/hiking grounds in nearby Cave Canyon. Part I is here:
DF and I are having Birthdays a week apart. Her celebration is first. She had a number of festivities this week and a well-attended party last week and a celebration birthday suit backpack trip on Mt. Lemmon. Today, my Birthday, we are heading out in our birthday suits again, to camp and hike in the Santa Rita Mountains and explore Gardener Canyon.
It has been decades since either of us have been here. She has come nearby with her women’s group outings. I last visited with my now defunct Southern Arizona Naturist Society (SANS). I have written a story of that outing and its nudity strategy and need some pictures to go with it. Our intention is to also make a new story today.
The Santa Ritas
We are going upstream from our usual haunts at Redington Pass for an overnighter. Our original plan of three full days on the Verde River backpacking has been decimated by the rain and colder weather that has popped up there. This alternative scaled down event will work out just fine. Saturday, we were in town having diner and celebrating DF’s Birthday. Sunday we are off to a camp-out and Monday we will return in the afternoon to celebrate with dinner for my B-day.
We arrive and park the car. Downhill a piece and through a palo verde tree, stands a guy peaking from behind his SUV. He just keeps staring. It is odd, creepy. A cat and mouse voyeur? I am not dressed having carnuded from town. I labor to wrap my kilt around my body, while he stares at me getting out of my car. It was obvious that I was driving up undressed and am now getting dressed… As I suspected, he then comes out exposed to me. He isn’t dressed either. He has been hiding, waiting for my next move. He has been waiting to find out if DF and I were textiles.
Gotta Love this Place!
A bird alights on a branch just above our heads. It sings a greeting, a morning song to us. It then moves on to more pressing business. The skies are blue and clear, the air wonderful. I climb naked out to stretch and take a bodily inventory of the toll of the past day’s activities. I’m moving well, and breathing in life deeply.
Today, we have another road to travel, one that I also spotted from the satellite. This one travels deeper into the mountain range. There are indications of forests and internet descriptions have backed that up. Wee shall see what wee shall see. Continue reading
We have been exploring the area Where Wyatt Earp shot Currly Bill back in 1882. We are speculating on the numerous conflicting accounts and where is that spring? Memories can be refreshed here in Part I:
https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2018/04/29/whetstone-weekend-part-i-pondering-the-shootout/
I am convinced that there are springs north of where that water trough is located. We can experience more of the general area, if we approach it from the hillsides. We can be sure that we have the correct place by the view from high ground and we want to experiment and to know if that is possibly the way a traveler might go back in 1882. It might explain why Earp was able to surprise Curly Bill.
Scrub Oak Blossoms
The Free Range Naturist 