Back to Arizona for the USDF L program judges final testing. Last year at around this same time it was brutally hot in Phoenix. This year I was not very warm in my down jacket. It was great weather to be riding in though. It is always fun seeing all the horses. Did the sister unit pass her test??? She has to wait it out...suspense!
My great friends Dianne and Jim took me on a road trip to South-eastern Arizona! Tombstone, Benson, Bisby and to the amazing Katchner Caverns.
I needed a pair of jangling roweled spurs, a 6 shooter on my hip and a horse at my side as I strolled the streets of Tombstone. Big Nose Kates Saloon had the perfect old west atmosphere and the best quisedilla's I have ever had. Did you know in the late 1800's Tombstone was one of the biggest citys beside's San Fran and St. Louis. The Courthouse is a museum and well worth the tour.
Bisby is nearly on the boarder with Mexico. A old mining town nestled in the hills it is quite interesting. The boarder patrol - guns and all; asked us to state our country of origin. United States, America, Hawaii?
Katchners Caverns near Benson was amazing. In the 1970 2 college guys found a narrow hole, enlarged it and squeezed in. They found stalagtites and mites, huge columns and other amazing formations. They asked the land owners to consider preserving it. The Katchenrs did and for 14 years everything was kept in secret until it became a AZ state park. Then the developed it to best preserve the caverns. Multiple sealed locking doors, temperature control and closing the main cave for the bats breeding season starting just about now, through the summer.
We had a 9 hour return trip up eastern AZ passing the Salt river. Wow it was like the Grand Canyon.
A action packed vacation, but on arriving home it was cool and rainy. I almost needed to put my down jacket back on!
Photo's Willow lake in Prescott, Big Nose Kate's saloon in Tombstone, Salt River
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