The Wild West Is Still Wild...

Almost every day, one of us makes a comment to the other about how much we’ve seen since we started this trip, and how fascinating, entertaining, educational and eye-opening it has all been. And we’re STILL only in the early stages (three months) of this eighteen-month exploratory odyssey, with LOTS more still to go, including some of the most incredible National Parks in the US, if not the world. We’ve both commented that if for some reason we had to end the trip tomorrow, it would be a resounding success, with many wonderful memories, even if we didn’t see any more.

Over the past week we’ve seen some more examples of the Old West, passing through the town of Lincoln New Mexico, where Billy the Kid killed his first man, escaped from jail and began his legendary life of violence and crime. Lincoln NM was referred to by President Taft as the most dangerous town in America at that time, and there were periods of lawlessness where numerous men were killed by marauding gangs, until Sheriff Pat Garrett ended the rein of terror by taking Kid’s life.

We marveled at the mystical beauty of the New Mexico White Sands National Monument, with white sand dunes and desert as far as you could see. Close by we visited the missile range where our space and military programs developed so many technological marvels and the first nucular bomb (Isn’t that how you say it Mr. Bush?) was detonated, changing the world forever. Las Cruces was a built-up, sprawling area, but with a charming adobe neighborhood called La Mesilla that harkened back to quieter days. Silver City, a fabled copper and silver mining town still retained much of the charm and history of its heyday and has become a mecca for retirees seeking a mild, dry year-round climate.

On to Arizona, still the largest source of mined copper in the country, and Bisbee, a charming mining town built into the hillsides of a canyon and valiantly resisting change. The town is perched on the perimeter of an open pit mine, and while it remains prosperous, it seems to have stopped in time. Then to Tombstone, site of the legendary OK Corral Shootout and the Boot Hill Cemetery, where many gunfighters and innocents were put to their final rest. Tombstone probably had the most authentic western feel of any town we’ve visited yet, with many of the buildings virtually unchanged in almost 150 years. It was a huge tourist trap, but worth seeing nonetheless.

Our next destination, the Phoenix area, was a harsh reintroduction to the crowds, traffic, congestion and sprawl of suburbia that we left behind in NY. It was nice to have some warm weather, but the traffic and abundance of asphalt and cement was more than we were prepared for, after so much open space during the past few weeks. We toured Old Town Scottsdale (upscale shopping run amok), visited friends in the suburb of Goodyear and then headed for Tucson, where we plan to be for about two weeks over the holidays.

Tucson has surfaced as a possible winter living target for us when we’re ready to settle somewhere, so we want to spend some time here to get to know it a little better. Our first day in town, we visited a local jewel, the Sonora Desert Museum, which showcases the flora and fauna of the area in a beautiful, natural setting. Of special interest to Patty were the Javelina, which resemble a cuddly version of a wild boar. We shared the museum day with one of my childhood friends and his wife, who were also visiting in the area, making it an even more memorable experience. A visit to a local UU church added to our comfort level, so we’re beginning to settle in to the town which will be “home” for the remainder of this year.

Warm Holiday Wishes and love from us both, Bob