3-20-05

I haven’t written anything for a couple of days. I left the Windspirit farm on Friday afternoon and headed to Tucson. Last year I camped out north of town and used the library there, so I did the same this year. The town has grown noticeably over just one years time. wow, where do all the people come from. I took a few photos of flowers along the way so I think it is appropriate for spring that I load a few here for those in the north country to get in the spirit of the first day of spring.
 
these are just electric blue.

you can see a small bule petal from the above bush on the ground which will give you an idea how beautiful they look together.

These yellow flower bushes like it along the disturbed roadside, actually I guess all these plants do and it is easier to see and photograph than going  out in the desert with all those vicious cactus just waiting for the unwary so they can sneak up on them.
I made it down to the 4^th street fair in good time. Don had given me easy directions and it wasn’t difficult to find a parking place. It was a dreary overcast and rather cool morning. The booths were lined up down the middle of the street back to back and along the side walk were more vendors. The action was supposed to start at nine but even by ten there were a lot of the boots that hadn’t opened up because it was sprinkling lightly and it even rained lightly for ten minutes. My friend Tom was late in getting there and we went in and had a cup of tea while we waited out the storm. These dogs below weren’t happy with the weather either. I saw them latter at a booth where this guy had them on a table displaying their hats. It was a good marketing tool as he was doing a great business selling doggie hats.

It finally cleared up and after I ate my lunch and took a nap I wandered down the rows of vendors and looked at what they had to offer. Someone said there are 600 booths or vendors and on the three day weekend somewhere around 300,000 people attend. They said the attendance was down on Saturday but Friday was good as the weather was great.

This will give you an idea how it looked in the afternoon. I mostly walked by most booths as they weren’t anything I was interested in. I did see some really nice  jewelry but as usual the really nice stuff is way out of my price range. I thought these planes from beer/soda cans were kind of cool but very fragile.


As you might be able to see $30 for an old beer can with wheels.

This was a rather bizzar dude. He was pulling this wagon with all kinds of stuff on it and striking these poses for what reason I have no idea. It didn’t appear he was soliciting money or was he saying anything. Any way I had to take a photo of the dog who would bark at people but in a friendly manner.

I guess I left around four as I had had enough of people, crowds and town. I looked at the map and decided to go back up the highway that I came down on as it is about the only small road going north. I needed a little slow two lane road after town and six lanes of traffic.
When I went down the day before I stopped to eat my lunch across from this gas station. At that time the gas was $2.01 and she raised it to $2.04. When I came back the next day this is what it was.

So it went up a nickel in one day. I have seen regular for $2.35 at some of the high end stations. I was able to get gas in Globe for $1.99 but I’ll bet on Monday the price goes up.

I stopped in Globe and popped open the ol laptop at the Dairy Queen to check the email and download a few pages to read later. It had rained a little as the streets were wet. I passed on through Globe and made if over the hill to the Miami/Claypool area. I took a detour through the old down town which last time I went through was just starting to be ‘redeveloped’ or at least having some of the old brick buildings restored. This is or at least was when I was here thirty-five years ago ‘Mexican Town”. someone is putting a little money in the town and I like the idea of saving it and maybe even making a tourist spot out of it. it has been really a crummy area. The smelter is just on the hill above it and they smogged the Mexicans while over the hill the white folks lived in Globe.

It was cold and wet but when I came through this little band was playing their harts out. There were only two couples dancing and maybe only twenty people and kids there. It was nine o’clock and they were just cranking. I just had to stop and listen for a while. It reminded me of the music in the park in Miles City last year on Friday nights. One Mexican guy came over and visited a little. He was about three sheets to the wind and come to find out, he is the deputy that is supposed to be looking over the show. He even offered me a swig out of his wine bottle. He said that earlier it was standing room only and the little park was packed.

I love the way the Mexican gals wear the tightest pants imaginable and dance on those little spike heals. They are good dancers and with the band playing their hearts out I wish I had come by earlier.

The band was a drummer, keyboard man and the singer guitar player. If they lacked anything it wasn’t the speakers as even I could hear it five blocks away when I turned down the street. I love these guys, they know how to party.

I drove up over the hill and down to Superior and spent the night out in a nice little field behind a car dealership. It rained on and off all night but I was fortunate in that the field was mostly sand and gravel that I guess was prepared for later expansion of the car lot.

I took the road on over to Phoenix and WOW, what  a gigantic city it has become. It must have taken me at least two hours to drive through it,  not counting the half hour I spent at the Napa store getting a rebuilt axel assembly for lil Red. I just so happened that I drove right by the major Napa store where they have the warehouse. Having the axel if peace of mind for sure.

These guys had the bed off this truck replacing the fuel pump that is located in the gas tank. He said it was easier to do it this way than drop the tank. Eight bolts and three wire disconnects and they had access to the top of the tank.

It sure seems like a dumb idea to put the fuel pump in the gas tank.

I have decided to head to Nevada and my fiends who have lot of tools and replace the axel there rather than make a run for it to MT. It looks  like the weather is a little iffy still up north. Ken has about every tool a person could need, He rescued me last year when I broke down on my ‘new’ bike. If Ken doesn’t have the tool, than Griff will.

I am in Flagstaff now stopped along the business loop in town. My cell phone hookup will not work here as I guess it is out of the Verizion network. I found an unsecured wifi at the Flying J truck stop but I see when I hooked up that you need a password so I guess they have it so just truckers that buy their fuel can use the wifi. Dang!!!  I drove down the road a mile or so and found this spot.

OK, more spring photos that I took along the way today. As I was driving along listening to the radio I heard that the Luke airforce base was having an open house today. Just after I heard that I say a sign that pointed to a road to Luke and I took it thinking it would be cool to have a look at all the high-tech killing stuff that they may have on display. It turned out it was some sort of alternative strip and the road finally turned into a little dirt muddy rutted road and I turned around. I think Luke must be on the other side of town and I wasn t going to drive two hours back to see. But, there were some nice folwers along that road so here you go for more Spring…..

I know this salmon color one is desert mallow.


I have no idea what this is but there were fields of it. The desert is really in bloom and beautiful now.


Oh, the 'can man' Virgil sent me another photo of his rig really loaded that i added to the last log, In case you didn't see it here it is. 

I think he deserves an Honorary Mexican Truck Driver License. I still think he could extend the rack out over the hood, some supports to the front bumper, he could 'really' load that little truck.  

This wifi connection that I a using is the best one I think I have ever used. It took about twenty seconds to upload this page with all the graphics. I love these free wifi hot spots. Thank  you whom ever you are. 

PS. Well, I was parked in the parking lot of this little office. A guy came up and parked next to me and went in the office. I was there writing the road log and posting it as well as some email. It got dark and the guy turned off the lights and came out. He saw me out in the parking lot with the glow of the computer screen lighting up the interior. He went back and unlocked the door, turned on the lights and was in there for about three minutes, when he came out and got in his car and left. That is when I noticed the prick must have turned off his computer as all of a sudden I no longer had Internet connection. SO, I take the thank you back, asshole!!!