Overland Expo/Arizona Road Trip 5/20-5/29

What little love I harbored for the town that I spent most of my youth in--Sierra Vista, AZ--vanished entirely while watching my father succumb to the ravages of cancer last November. In that moment when he finally passed I decided that I would never set foot in that town again. It was a bold statement and it presented one major issue:

The majority of my relatives lived there.

When I made the decision to swing by Overland Expo West in Flagstaff with a good friend of mine, I decided to bite the bullet and visit my mom down south. Despite my loathing for the area, I rediscovered what makes the San Pedro Valley so incredible: its rich and diverse history. While I will never live there, I have a new found respect and admiration for Sierra Vista and its surrounding environs.

Let's begin.

5/20

I-70 west toward Utah




I foolishly realized too late that it would take quite a long time to get to Flagstaff. My compatriot and I decided to stay in Moab for the night. With no reservations for campsites or hotels it was quite a risk to attempt a stay in a place so popular. We meant to take 191 south but some confusion led us to 128 instead; it was a good mistake to make.




We started up Sandy Flats. Hell's Revenge was calling to me...but without another vehicle and having never done the trail, I resisted the urge.




My concerns about finding a campsite were well-founded. The town itself was a shit show and as we ran along Sandy Flats it became increasingly probable that every campsite was taken up. Then, we got lucky...



It was a well-groomed site, but the views were nice and the chance to buckle down a welcome one. Also: beer. It was very windy, but it was a warm, pleasant wind. I had a t-shirt, shorts, workout shoes, and a windbreaker on and I was more than comfortable.



Night encroached...



...and we enjoyed the first campfire of the season.



5/21

We awoke to no change in the wind situation. After the saddest attempt at breaking camp I have ever been involved in (it was comical how the wind dictated the situation), we decided to hit up town for some coffee which led us to Wicked Brew. Considering that people were taking pictures of the little shack, it must have been well-known and any hype surrounding it was well-deserved. Onward to Flagstaff.



Even the bug-stained windshield couldn't hide the beauty of the drive down. We took the 191/163/160/89 to get to our destination.

 

Much like with Moab, we did not reserve anything to bed down at Flagstaff. We ran around the area and ended up finding a site near Munds Park near the expo.




Lowell Observatory. Seemed to be closed to the public.


It was very windy. And cold.



We tried going to the expo but between the crowds and lack of parking (it was already after 3) we decided to hunker down.

Moab was still on my mind and I was already planning a return trip while staring at the second fire in silence.



5/22

We awoke the next day and indulged in some grade-A Colombian co...ffee. Still windy.


After a healthy breakfast of eggs, bacon, and potatoes we made our way to the expo.




Dealership...guy really wanted us to buy it.










The man, the myth, the legend. Also, the guy who drives it.








I really liked this setup. There was a sink in the pullout drawers.



















Took a picture of this for future reference...interesting setup.



Toytec? Never heard of 'em.

 

Bobby of CVT. Very kind and sold me on one of his tents. You know, when I can afford it.





The absolute highlight of the expo for us personally was the chance to meet the Expedition Overland crew. They were very easy-going and answered all of our questions. The plurality of my celebrity crushes in one place. Part of said crew was about to embark on a test adventure to see what the 3rd gen could do...












Thoroughly satisfied, we headed to McGaughs in Flagstaff to grab some beer. Fantastic selection and very knowledgeable staff. Thoroughly satisfied again, we headed back to the campsite.



The wind finally started to die down and we were able to drink in peace.







5/23

Our last morning in Flagstaff.



Here I am warming myself in a sunbeam while my copilot does all of the work.





All weekend there had been a managed fire right up the road. Somehow we convinced ourselves to camp there anyway.




It was time to leave and head towards Sierra Vista. We wanted to make a few stops, however.

Sedona

 

Our intention was to do a day hike but time constraints veered the decision toward lunch. Here's the view from where we ate.




On the way out.




When we hit Phoenix, we made the brilliant choice to bypass I-17 and instead use the 101. Of course, we had to make one important pit stop.

Wilderness Brewing




Picacho Peak. This monolith is roughly halfway between Phoenix and Tucson on I-10.



Descending into the depths of Hell. The Huachuca mountain range is straight ahead.



Finally home, we enjoyed our spoils from Wilderness in the outdoor cove that my dad built.



5/24

After dreaming about nature in actual beds, we woke up and grabbed some coffee. My mom had to hit the office for a few hours in Tucson so we decided to make a day of it. Our main destination: Pima Air Museum.

On our way on 90 north towards I-10...the Whetstones. One can find Kartchner Caverns here. Sadly, I've never stopped by.


Looking toward the east: The Dragoons in the distance. More on this later.


I'm not confident that I even need to specify this aircraft, but here goes: SR-71. This is truly a throwback to what we would accomplish with enough motivation, money, and foolishness.

Contrary to popular belief, we still know how to push the boundaries. I can assure all of you that our thirst for extremes hasn't waned...simply, the framework has changed.




A drone that was launched from the SR-71 "experimentally" during the '60s and '70s. Christ we were clever.


This monstrosity was included in Pima's exhibit of seaplanes. The specimen here was used as a recruiting tool and as such was smooth as butter. The WWII pain tool had turrets all around and could hold thousands of pounds of munitions. When the plane was flown and taxied here, two of the walls were built around it. If this sucker has to move, so will the walls.


An absolute and necessary classic: A-10.



Boeing was strongly promoting its 787 Dreamliner. Looks comfortable, but if we can find a way to eliminate turbulence then transportation will change forever.



Our tax dollars at work. Cliched, but Jesus look at this thing. They stopped doing internal tours just because people kept stealing shit from it. Apparently, this aircraft was almost lost to history as it rotted in Marana, AZ.



I'll allow you to look this one up. If you don't enjoy or respect the history of this one, then this museum is not for you.



I don't even...a NASA transporter.




Some Coast Guard love.




A crane. In the sky. I've had the privilege of seeing a few of these in action in person. Google it.




Easily my favorite..MH-53 Pavelow. I've heard recently--and more than a few of you can confirm this--that these have been decommissioned.



I didn't see any information on these, but I guessed that they were control centers for UAVs.




Anybody that has seen these bastards in action can really appreciate what pilots are capable of.




5/25

After a night of shenanigans (and by "shenanigans" I mean that we sat around, drank, and talked about stuff), we headed toward southeast Arizona to visit Slaughter Ranch.

The Huachucas



Right before the ranch.





The ranch.





John Slaughter was a Texas Ranger (known for his heavy-handed tactics), a Tombstone sheriff (he was ousted as he was too much even for those residents), and a very successful cattle rancher (who somehow managed to keep Apaches from raiding his property). In short, he was a badass.



The ranch itself is only inches away from the Mexican border. The legend goes that he rode south out to meet Poncho Villa--alone--to make some kind of deal to leave his land be.








The ranch sits on and near natural springs which creates an unnatural hue of green considering the area.



He was a fan of cars and had largely used them for recreational purposes.



Mr. Slaughter didn't have it too bad.







This lizard did not save me money on car insurance.





Movies were shot here.



There are jaguars, catfish, waterfowl, and an abundance of dragonflies in the wilds surrounding the ranch.



The crew running the ranch--which is still in use--were kind, informative, and a few of them had moved there from Colorado. They had some furry friends of their own.

Quite a few dogs who followed us around while we explored.




Later in the day this pig will have gotten into and eaten a bag of dog food. She was not happy.



On the property there was a fort that soldiers such as General Pershing launched operations from during the Indian Wars. Couldn't imagine being stationed in a place and time like that.



On the way out, we discovered this.



No, we did not try it.

 

After the ranch we headed to Bisbee, a once-booming mining town.

Bisbee caught some lucky breaks as copper was discovered there right when copper was being the preferred conductor for electricity.

















We started off with some lunch at a building that was initially an investing house that was linked to the New York Stock Exchange. Later, it would become a brewery and change hands a few times before becoming a restaurant and bar.



These are ticker symbols.





It's located in the aptly-named Brewery Gulch.



On the patio outside, there was a painting of Trump. Bisbee has become somewhat of an artist enclave.



After lunch, we headed to the mining museum.



I didn't take many pictures inside, but it's a well-designed self-guided tour through the history of the town and its mining legacy.

One of the more interesting things that I discovered was that the miners worked 8-hour shifts which allowed for a lot of leisure pursuits. There were sports leagues, many religious groups, and even an abundance of secret societies.



The Copper Queen Mine. Once the largest open-pit mine in the world.







Of course, we couldn't avoid going to a brewery in Brewery Gulch.



Good beers and great staff.



Each beer tries to follow a style that would have been common during the mining era.





After a few beers we grabbed a growler and headed home. Weren't in the truck.



A quick shot of the San Pedro river. Long before now, the river was rather large. Steamboats used to use it and it was utilized to transport goods. In the 1800s, a massive earthquake that was felt as far away as Oklahoma put the river underground.



A fire near Fort Huachuca.



We could see the smoke at my mom's house and feared that it would get worse. Luckily, a few air tankers were deployed and all was well.




We kicked back, had a few beers, and looked forward to the next day.




5/26

Today was a relatively short day. We started by going to Parker Lake to wander around. It's located on the west side of the Huachucas. Unfortunately, it was only open for boating on the weekend so we weren't able to go out on the water.



We were moooved by what we saw.

Sorry.



Then we started to make our way toward Montezuma Pass. We saw beautiful views of the Huachucas, Mexico, and Border Patrol units. We were almost run off the road by a Tahoe wrapped in the signature green and white. I guess there were enough gringos in the truck to keep us off their radar.













There were many different-colored rock formations in nestled in the Huachucas. We learned at the Bisbee museum that this often indicated an abundance of materials to mine. Given that Fort Huachuca's presence (a major intelligence installation) is so close, I doubt any mining claims have been honored.















The pass road steepened and turned into a legitimate shelf road.













Not sure that my companions were very happy, but soon we were on the top.




The way down on the other side of the pass.

 

That line that cuts through the landscape at an angle and disappears into the horizon? That's the Mexican border.

The line of trees is the San Pedro, mentioned in a previous post.






The side we entered the pass on...the road doesn't look steep from this angle.




Some top-notch whoresmanship.







Coronado used this pass to move soldiers and supplies.



Don't hug this.





On the way down.






Finished up the day by visiting my grandma's new abode and going to dinner at Ricardo's, a Mexican restaurant near the pass and a Sierra Vista institution.

My grandma has some good views.

Aerostat: a tethered blimp keeping an eye on the border.



My grandma's view of the Huachucas. I used to waste a lot of time as a teenager in those canyons drinking rather than enjoying their natural beauty.

A few miles down the road in the opposite direction of the bike both my father and grandfather are laid to rest in a veteran cemetary. They have the same view.



5/27-5/29

Headed out to the Dragoons east of town. Chief Cochise used it as a stronghold to great effect.


































Still can't seem to get any insurance quotes.





I wanted to explore the footpaths some more, and maybe even go up to Dragoon Springs. Time didn't give us those courtesies so we headed to Tombstone.









Came here for lunch often and ordered the healthiest thing on the menu...a big bag of greasy, salty fries.



Unfortunately









Another saloon.









I went to high school here. I would like to point out that in Tombstone's heyday prostitution permits largely paid for it's schools. It has since moved locations.








The gym. There was a time that we had open campus during lunch and wreaked all kinds of havoc on the tourists.



The Dragoons as seen from Tombstone.

 

The church that my mom and dad were heavily involved in.


























Courthouse.




Our old friend Slaughter.





Parked in front of my mom's house.



The next morning we headed north.

Some mall-crawling madness. Stopped at REI in Tucson.



Ended up back at Mormon Lake.









One more night of good stories, campfires, and beer.

 

Sub'd

 

Part 2 is up.

 

Subbed @buffedout , it was like being there in person watching your pics!!! Keep them coming!!!

 

Short update.

 

nice, and thanks for sharing.

 

Very cool OP!I have also driven through those particular areas in the past!So beautiful!Great pics!Also attended the Overland Expo as well!My second time!

 

Update with part...whatever, I've lost track.

 

An update. Sorry for the delay.

 

Cool trip.

 

Awesome, learned a lot!

 

that pig thoo lol thank you for sharing i was at the expo too i arrived there on sunday.

 

Another update.

 

Final part posted.