Three Days ON and Four Days Off -- Perfect!

The job may not be what I was expecting but the schedule is exactly what I wanted, so what the heck.  Other than the part of dealing with other people's body fluids, I very much enjoy where I am here at The Thing -- a roadside attraction along I-10 in SE Arizona (you will have to do your own research to figure THAT one out).  I am on Day 3 of four days off -- after working 7 days in a row.  But I think I am on a set schedule now.

Today is overcast and cool again -- mid 60s for a high after mid 40s overnight.  I'll probably hang around here; at least for the morning.  But Friday and Saturday I finally got out and rode -- almost 400 miles.

Fridays trip, after a late start, took me to Tombstone where I toured the OK Corral, Boot Hill Cemetary and an old Silver mine.  It is extremely touristy but you kind of get the idea -- if you believe "Bonanza" was realistic of the Old West.  It felt like I was on a movie set with all the people walking about in clothes of the period (1880s) -- including Colt pistols on their hip and Winchesters resting on their shoulders.  I'm not so sure my $4.50 Hot Dog was representative of the dining opportunities 130 years ago.  But it was very good.

Boot hill was a common name for cemeteries in the Old West because there were so many violent deaths where cowboys "died with their boots on."  Hays, KS was probably the first to coin the phrase but the Boot Hill in Deadwood, SD; Dodge City, KS and Tombstone, AZ are best known.

The original Tombstone Cemetery was used from 1878 until about 1886 and has perhaps as many as 300 graves.  But it fell into disrepair when the new cemetery opened on Allen St.  Mother Nature reclaimed most of it and many of the wooden markers were stolen as souvenirs.  But it has been greatly restored now, thanks in large part to Emmett Nunnelley who spent much of his last years on the project and was the last person to be buried there in 1946.

(Billy Clanton and others killed by the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday at the OK Corral)

One of my favorite parts of Boot Hill were some of the hilarious epithets on a few of the markers .. like poor George Johnson .. "hung by mistake."

My Saturday outing started much earlier but I was in full leather -- chaps, insulated vest, leather jacket, ear muffs and my 'gauntlet' leather gloves.  The temps never got above the mid 60s and the most I ever took off (while riding) was my vest.  It was a cool but comfortable day with the right gear.

My first stop was the stronghold of Cochise -- the great Chiricahua Apache Chief who made the Dragoon Mountains his base for some 13 years beginning in 1861.  The Apache were friendly to the Anglo-Americans when they first took over what's now known as NM and AZ in 1850.  But in 1861, a young US Army officer -- Lt. John Bascom -- mistakenly accused Cochise and several of his relatives of kidnapping a young boy and had them arrested.  When Cochise escaped, Lt. Bascom hung the other Apaches sending Cochise into a guerrilla war with the white man.  A peace treaty was eventually signed in 1872 that allowed the Chiricahua to remain in their homeland.  Cochise died peacefully -- having never lost a battle -- in 1874 and is said to be buried somewhere in these hills.

My first impression of the stronghold -- or as close as I could get to it on my motorcycle -- was how rugged and (probably) original everything is.  It was the exact opposite of Tombstone with all it's restored buildings and 'Hollywood looking' characters walking about.  The last 5 miles or so of road getting to Cochise's hideout is a deteriorating dirt road.  I came up about 1/2 mile (I think) short of the end of Ironwood Lane because I was hesitant to cross a stream.  It appeared only 4" or 5" deep but the rocky bottom was too unstable to risk a motorcycle crossing.

It is easy to see why Cochise picked this spot as his camp.  There appears to be only one way into this dead-end canyon and it would be easily defended on both sides of the entry.  The back and sides are protected naturally by mountains and cliffs.  From looking at Google maps, it appears that his hideout was part way up the mountain, inside a naturally formed 'bowl'.

(about 5 miles of dirt road .. into these mountains .. leads to Cochise's Stronghold)

From what I've read .. because I never made it past that second stream crossing .. there are hiking trails within the Stronghold the traverse the area, one of which is 5 miles long.  I want to go back with a 4-wheeled vehicle next time, so I can at least get to the parking lot where these trails emanate.

From here I went west toward the town of Sonoita, also know as the wine country.  Unfortunately, I ran into rain just as I pulled into town.  After a quick check of the weather radar on my phone, I jumped back on my bike and did a 180 and began a race back to the safety of my camper some 60 miles back northeast .. and dry.  I made it with just a few patches of slightly wet pavement.  The ride out there was great.  But it will require another visit.

So many things to see and do .. so little time to do it in.  Everyday is new.  I love it!

It’s Sunday night and I’ve just watched my sixth sunset here in Arizona – some 65 miles east of Tucson and 18 miles from the nearest town.  The door-side of my camper faces west – and the setting sun.  There is also a small, prominent range of mountains to my southeast that catch the last light of the setting sun.  It is interesting to see the shadows creep across the valley floor and then up the mountain side without seeming to move.

(Full moon risin' to the east just after sunset Saturday night)

First off .. a bubble-burster.  This is not a tell-all gossip rag about Tales From The Thing; although perhaps I should copyright that title – catchy.  But sorry – no National Inquirer here.  But this has been a very interesting, different and fun six days.

First of all, I haven’t had a W-2 job in 25+ years.  I have worked for myself or been the boss (as much as my kids would allow me anyway) for a long time.  Now I’m one of the four maintenance guys at a souvenir/gift shop/museum along I-10 in remote AZ – workamping. I cleaned someone else’s poop out of the handicap porta-potty this morning.  Apparently they missed the hole while ‘hovering’ in relief of their intestinal distress.  I can only hope they got some on their pants. A big change for this ‘Office Boy.’

I have spent 20+ years in the corporate environment as a mid-level manager and now I’m just a maintenance /janitor at a roadside stop. I was thinking earlier that this is where the idea of the TV show “Undercover Boss” came from.  That’s the one where the owner of some big company with hundreds of employees takes one of the more menial jobs but in disguise.  They then chat up their new-found workmates about upper management.  Perhaps I should reach-out to this corp and see if they’d like a ‘secret shopper’ consultant’s review.  Heck, maybe I’ve just started a new business.  Now I need business cards!

This has been .. for at least the first two days .. a physically demanding job.  I’ve been reaching for the bottle of Aleve three nights in a row now.  This place is huge.  And there’s a lot of walking and some of it is not so steady.  There is extensive remodeling going on and much of the back is a construction zone.  They have a target .. I’m told .. of Memorial Day .. less than 3 months.  It seems like there is a lot to do but we shall see.

And it’s also a routine that starts very early – 6 am – outside taking fuel pump and tank readings.  It’s been dark and cold – mid 30s – but daylight isn’t far behind and there is warmer weather forecast beginning tomorrow. 

It will also be interesting to see where I am on the next schedule .. due up Monday evening, I think.  I wasn’t on this past schedule ..  just given days and time to show up.  And a shirt.  My corporate printed name tag seems to indicate that I am a sales person.  But I have been a janitor these past few days.  It doesn’t make a lot of difference to me.  I’m here for a good time; not a long time.  If they give me the schedule I’ve asked for .. and been told was possible .. then I don’t much care what the job is.  I hit the bottom this morning anyway, I think.

This adventure began a week ago today.  With one exception  -- I knew I’d forget SOMETHING – this has gone about as well as it possibly can.  I made it to Grand Bay, AL where my camper was stored just about sunset last Friday.  I pulled the camper out to the street, manhandled the small cargo trailer with my bikes onto the back and settled in for a nites rest.  Too my chagrin, the refrigerator would not turn on under the propane leaving the ice chest full of frozen and refrigerated stuff overnite.

Fortunately Johnies RV Repair and Supply was three blocks away and opened at 9 am Saturday.  The wonderful folks there .. including Clyde the mechanic who diagnosed the faulty igniter within 10 mins – got me in and out  and I was westbound for the first time EVER with my double-pull train!

I stopped a lot that first day.  I climbed under the camper where the receiver was welded to the bumper, looking for cracks.  It’s a bit unnerving because I can’t see the second trailer tucked behind the camper from my driver’s seat.  Even going around curves, I maybe catch a glimpse of the tail end for a second.  I was able to determine it was tracking steady and straight from watching the shadows in my mirror.  Plus, each time I stopped I was touching the tires and hubs to feel how hot they were getting.  I was EXTREMELY safety conscious.  I did not want to see my motorcycle flying off into the median .. or worse.

But all was perfect each time.  Other than getting freaked out once in a while because I couldn’t see the small trailer when I was expecting too, it went great.  Eventually I learned; and gained confidence.  I only got 350 miles that first day.  The late start and frequent stops didn’t help and I didn’t need to push it.  I wanted to stop before dark.  I have more time than money.

Day 2 went even better, other than the rain thru LA and east TX.  That pretty much trashed my motorcycle.  But at least it was still back there.  And to my amazement – and pleasure – I was getting almost 13 miles per gallon pulling TWO trailers!  I did have a slight wind assist .. but still .. I am extremely pleased.  My original guestimate was 12ish .. I hoped.  Overall for the whole trip I got 12.4 MPG and am tickled to death.

I landed here in Benson, AZ on Tuesday.  There is a significant remodel going on here and the RV spots are still a work in progress.  I believe there will be 13 camper spots eventually.  Five are just now available with water, sewer and propane (first time I have EVER seen LP gas available at each individual parking spot).  The electric posts are done at the camp site but they have not been tied into the main panel yet so NO ELECTRIC for about two weeks.  Or so I thought (was told.)  It has been quite chilly here – 27 last night.  And it’s only been 60s during the day, so AC isn’t needed – yet.

 I was here first, a second camper (married couple) moved in Wednesday and a third camper (mother and son couple) moved in today.  We each have a heavy duty 115V extension cord. Two run to the power pole – with a separate 20 amp plug for each – and the third goes to a wall plug in a warehouse that is little used electrically. 

And now for a TEASER – What do you know about “The Thing” in Benson, AZ?  I know a little.  I am about to learn a whole lot more.  I begin work tomorrow morning at the Museum where “The Thing” is displayed.  I can’t wait!

Tune in next time for an update.