Parque Natural Mexiquillo

12.01.2012

Painted Rock Campground

We are at Painted Rock Campground in Arizona. (33.02338, -113.05131) The campground is within a mile of the Gila River, a traditional travel route through this area since prehistoric times, 7500 BC. These early inhabitants chipped petroglyphs into the desert varnish on the basalt rock here at the campground. The Spanish followed the Gila River when traveling up from Mexico to the western US. Later, mid 1800s, John Butterfield opened a stage/mail service between Missouri and California, nearly 3,000 miles, that passed through here.  There were140 stations along the route and the trip lasted 23 days.


Our intrepid band.




Zig zag line represents a rattle snake





l-r  Ellie, Dennis, Gill, Garth, Adelle and Rose
 Rose is from Germany. She comes to the US every October and RVs with the WINs until April. Then stores her RV and goes home. In the late 60's, Gill and his wife lived above the Arctic Circle for a year in a 13 by 16 foot cabin they built.  They did not take enough food and had a hungry winter until spring when they could leave.

2 comments:

  1. hey Garth...how are you? tried calling you a couple weeks ago. it is Dec. 24...and what is happening? r u in S. California with Cliff? are you and he actually in your rig? where have you been all Fall?

    write me back. email works for me. please. best wishes to you over this next week or so called the "holidays". I am working and did not get time off so am home alone this year. Did you know that I went hiking in the Andes for a month this Fall? Colleen

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    Replies
    1. Hi Colleen,
      I saw your great photo of hiking in the Andes. Looks like a great trip. Talk to you soon.
      Garth

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