The Advance Party
Tuesday 4/8/2014
The advance party left (Luke and I) at 6:08am on Tuesday. We drove straight through to St. Louis to pick up our former committee chairman of 20 + years, Jim Galley. We arrived at the airport at about 6:15 CDT where Jim was waiting by the curb. We were on our way in less than a minute.
We stopped in the Ozarks for St. Louis BBQ in a town called Cuba, at a restaurant named Mo – Hicks. http://www.missourihick.com/ It was great BBQ if you happen to be in the Ozarks.
Onward and westward we continued through Missouri and into Oklahoma. At about 4:00am we were rounding Oklahoma City when an SUV raced up beside us waving his arms. It turns out that our driver side trailer tire had blown out and we were spewing smoke and sparks behind us. We quickly pulled over to assess the damage. Both the tire and rim were trashed. We pulled out the spare and Luke had it changed in less than 15 minutes. (Jim and I did an admirable job holding flashlights) Only 2 cars passed us during the entire time we changed the tire.
We continued on and made Amarillo by morning (although were we not up from San Antone). We stopped for a breakfast of Long Horn and eggs, and sprung for a new tire and rim for the trailer.
Just west of Amarillo we came across the biggest wind farm that I’ve ever seen. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of them. They went on for 30 miles or more.
Shortly after that we entered the spanish zone. We couldn’t find a radio station that spoke english. Luke offered to sing, but he couldn’t play the guitar and drive at the same time.
New Mexico dwarfed all the other states we passed through. It seemed like we’d never get through it. We crossed the Rio Grande, but it was neither grand nor rio, just rock and sand. Luke was looking for a Mew Mexico license plate, and after a few stops, found one at a junk yard in Tularosa NM. An old hippie came out of the trailer with his 4 year old grandson. They were eager to help, (and eager for adult conversation) so Luke headed with them out into the yard. I had to smile inside when I saw the three of them strolling into the yard, walking away from me. Grampa was on the right holding hands with his grandson. The little guy worked his other hand into Luke’s, and that how they went, looking like they were beginning an adventure.
They returned with 3 license plates, but he wouldn’t take a dime for any of them. He was just happy to share part of his day with us.
We arrived in Tucson at 9:30 MST, after travelling for 39 and a half hours.
We were beat, but Luke and I had to stop in for some craft brew before retiring.
4/10/14
We slept in today, and headed out for breakfast, then onto shopping at Sam’s club to pick up staples and food. We left Tucson around noon and headed for Sierra Vista. We checked in with the sportsman’s club on the post at Fort Huachuca and toured our campsite. We have plenty of picnic shelters, but no water. We have to haul that in from a spigot at the sportman’s center 4 miles away. Then we stopped at our bene factors home and picked up the things that we had shiped to him. We had 35 folding chairs, 2 lanterns, and 4 5 gallon water jugs shipped there. We then checked into a local hotel and here we sit, waiting for the boys to arrive. We plan on meeting them at noon at Kartchner Caverns State Park tomorrow.
Tim Brounscheidel
Welcome to the Troop 40 Arizona Trip Blog
The purpose of this blog is to allow family and friends to follow our adventures as we tour southeast Arizona. I (Mr Brounscheidel) will give a best effort to keep the site up to date as we travel. Sometimes the availability of 3G or 4G data service won’t allow updates, and sometimes our schedule may not leave time for timely updates, but I’ll do my best. As our trip progresses, the most recent activity will be at the top of the post. Below this post is the blog from our last trip in 2011.
This link points to a static page with our itinerary, flight information, and the packing instructions.
Carr Peak adventure
Carr peak is the second highest peak in the Huachuca mountians at 9222 feet. You can drive alot of the way, but it is a real adventure. Looking at the mountain, you scratch your head and ask yourself, “How could you possibly drive up this thing?”. But you can. The road snakes and switches back and forth at it rises fairly steeply. Much of the way its a one way road, with a very steep dropoff, and a poor road surface. At about 7400 feet, there is a campground called Ramsey Vista Campground. We parked there and located the trailhead for Carr Peak trail.
The trail was never terribly steep, but was almost always up hill. It was about 2.75 miles to the peak. I started out a little too fast, but realized my mistake and slowed down to a pace where my legs never burned from the climb. I was just about in the middle of the pack when I reached the summit. The view from the summit was awesome, but could have been better with a little clearer sky. There was a haze from a forrest fire, not in our immediate area.
The way down a little bit tricky, at least for me. There were alot of loose, round rocks, and I rolled my ankle and came down hard. I got my hands in front of me to help brake my fall, but I still crashed down on my chest, and bounced my face off the rocks, sending my ne Ray Bans flying. I was o.k., but my ankle was weak, so I had to take it very slow the rest of the way. Everyone passed me. One group made a wrong turn and passed me twice!
We all loaded back into the vehicles for the drive down the mountain, which wasn’t nearly as fun as the drive up. We went to the fort for dinner and then headed back to the yaiser ranch for some shooting.
Tim Brounscheidel
Sorry that we haven’t posted anything in a few days, but we’ve beeen very busy, and by the time we get down time, I’ve been too exhausted to do anything.
Our third touring day began on the west side of Cochise Stronghold, where we had pitched our tents and had Chilie in fritos bags for dinner, and enjoyed a nearly full moon lighting the rock formations. We began the next day with a cold breakfast of dainish and muffins, and started the ascent to the top. Five adults took the 30 mile drive to the other side of the Dragoon mountain range, taking the Middlemarch road through a pass. We got to the other side just 15 minutes before the first group of hikers strolled in. The overall reaction of the boys was enthusiastic, and many said it was the best hike ever.
We had cup of noodles and assorted chips etc… then started our drive to the marble quarry. The quarry was about a 90 minute drive, with the last 15 miles on primitive dirt roads. From the last safe turnaround, it was 2.6 miles to the quarry, following along the side of a canyon that wound between several mountains. The road rose gradually. The quarry was like an olypmic sized swimming pool that was 80 feet deep. There were giant blocks of marble laying all over, and the remains of a boiler that operated a steam crane and other equipment. We got back to the cars just as light left the sky, and drove back out. We stopped at KFC in Wilcox AZ for dinner. They really took great care of us. We ate our fill and took two big buckets of chicken home with us for about 5 bucks per person. From there we had a long drive home, arriving back at camp around 11:00pm. We all ran for our beds.
The next day we slept in till 8:30. Even Mr Starkey slept in. We had a cold breakfast and headed to the snake man. This guy puts snake skin on anything, and sells it for his living. (along with hunting snakes) He operates out of a 60’s vintage travel trailer, which is surrounded by memorabelia/antiques/junk. The boys wound up spending almost $700 there on assorted treasures that they just couldn’t live without.
From the snake man, we headed into the city of Tombstone to see the sights and browse the shops. We visited well known establishments like the Bird cage theatre, the Crystal Palace saloon, and Big Nose Kates. Of course we only had a sasparilla!
We returned to base camp and had homemade baked beans, cooked over an open fire
The following day was a less adventuresome day. We got up early and headed into the fort for breakfast at the mess hall. Afterwards we visited the launderette, and everyone did a partial load of whatever they needed to get home in clean clothes. To my surprise there were grown men who needed help with this moreso than the kids. While the wash was going we drove the kids over to the athletic facility. We had the pool reserved for an hour, and everyone scraped the desert off their body in the showers.
When swim time was up we went back to the mess hall for lunch, even though many of us were still full of breakfast. We left the mess and headed to the fort museum, which had great displays showing the history of the fort and in particular, the buffalo soldiers who were stationed here. We got back to the Yaiser ranch about 4:00 pm and split the boys into 2 groups. One stayed in camp and made tin foil dinners, while the other went to the “rifle range” that was set up in the wash. The groups switched after and hour and a half or so.
When the first group got to the wash, Mr. Starkey noticed a snake track in the sand. He followed it for a bit and came upon a 4 foot diamond back rattlesnake. Everyone came over to see, (keeping a safe distance) and Mr. Werth took 4 shots at it with a .22 rifle before Mr. Starkey blasted it in the head with a 410 shot gun. Mr. Yaiser was tickled, because he has never seen one on his property.
Mr. Starkey brought the snake back to camp, and despite having a bloody mess for a head, the snake still moved about. Leonard, our good neighbor who provided our drinking water came down and first decapitated, then skinned the snake. We;re bringing it (the skin) home with us to display in the scout building.
After another tremendous AZ sunset, we set up the projector and watched the classic movie Tombstone on a sheet on the side of the trailer. We don’t have electric, but I brought an inverter to run everything off the jeep battery. That brings us up to date, as of 11:30 pm Pacific time. As I write this I hear lots of snoring coming from the adult tent, and silence from the kids tent. I just heard come coyotes howling, and it sounds like she has pups too!
Tim Brounscheidel
Scoutmaster
The Snake-man
Although we didn’t see hom this year, we saw his wife who told us about everything they do. There was alot of knives, wallets, jewelry and gems. All the knives and wallets had snake skins like diamond back, some python skin, and many others. They also had belt buckles with snake skin. The earrings and bracelets were made out of some gems. Although they weren’t for sale, the snake-man had many helmets from different wars and battles. He also had random material like type writers. Some animals made out of some steel. Over all everyone had fun and enjoyed our visit.
Nick G
On saturday the 16th our group visited the Queens copper mine in Bisbee Arizona. On this tour we started by suiting up with raincoats and flashlights and then we got on a small train and traveled into the mine. In the mine we learned about various equipment used and the mining techniques that used to be used. This tour proved to be a fun and educational experience.
Ben R
The day was hot as we drove our vans toward the small town of Bowie AZ. The sun was glaring in our eyes on the long drive over dirt and sand. Eventually we reached the end of our drive and had to continue on foot. That was where the fun began. On foot we traveled around 2 miles of dirt road towards the quarry. Along the way we found and array of different things, such as abandoned trucks and destroyed bridges. The quarry itself though was where the amazement truly was. With massive blocks of marble and broken equipment left abandoned it was an impressive sight to see while walking around. You felt as though you had found a treasure amidst the empty expanse of the desert that surrounded it. After a while in this treasure, we had to leave due to the shortening of the suns rays. Most left with momentos of the quarry by grabbing slabs of marble so that they could always remember the time they spent at the quarry.
Doug R
Day two- Bisbee Copper Mine and Cochise Stronghold
Our second Day began with a continental breakfast at base camp on the Yaiser ranch. By 8:30 we were on the road to Bisbee for a tour of the Queen City Mine, a defunct copper mine that tunnels into a mountain. The boys road a narrow gage train down in and learned the mining bizz from an old miner.
After the tour we drove to the fort for lunch at the mess hall. We went to the enlisted man’s mess, and got great service. We were there just before they stopped serving lunch. They had a whole bunch of steak keft, so we got all you can eat strip steak! After lunch we headed over to the pool for much needed showers and a dip in the pool. The boys had a ball using the diving board. When we had our fill of swimming we headed back to the Yaiser ranch to pack up for a two night side trip.
The boys packed their packs and we got all the tents and troop gear loaded into the back of the truck. We left for an 40 mile drive or so to the east side of Cochise stronghold. The drive was an adventure, First about 15 miles of pavement followed by another 15 miles of washboard dirt road, followed by ten miles of very primitive dirt and loose rock road. The boys and I in the jeep had a ball, but the riders in the vans and pickup just had to make a slow go of it. Even so one of the vans lost the front spoiler. We arrined just a few minutes before dark, but got all the tents set up and started dinner. The last 10 miles also had a very unusual ecosystem. It was much like the savana in the Lion King. We saw four deer on the way in, but no lions.
The weather was about 90 during the day, and down to about 40 at night. The rock formations of Cochise stronghold are something to behold. There are round rocks sitting upon other round rocks all over the place. Tomorrow the boys hike to the other side, about 1100 feet up and over 4 miles end to end.
Tim Brounscheidel
First day of touring…
Today the lord and the good people of Arizona gave us a great day. It got pretty cold last night, and a few complained about it in the morning. It warmed up pretty quickly though. We headed into the fort for breakfast at the mess hall. Going out for breakfast always makes you feel like you’re livin’ large. We left the fort and stopped at the grocery store to buy stuff for a picnic lunch and we were on our way.
First stop was Ramsey Canyon Preserve, and privately owned preserve with diverse ecosystems and wildlife. I’ll let a scout tell you more about it. The next stop was the Coranado Cave, which was a 3/4 mile hike up a mountain. We stopped and ate our picnic lunch near the visitors center, then took on the hike and the cave. Our intended last stop was the Coranado Peak, which is just a .4mi hike after a white knuckle ride up a washboard dirt road chock full of switchbacks with nearly vertical dropoffs just off the roadside. At the peak we were only about 3/4 mile from the mexican border, and we could plainly see the fence that ran a straight line.
While we were at the end of the drive to the top of Coranado Peak, there were 3 Border patrol vehicles, one with a mast covered with electronic gadgets. I thought it might be fun for the boys to hear about what the border patrol was doing up there, so I asked one of the officers if he could give the boys a talk on they’re job. He called into HQ and got permission. He explained that they have radar good for 6 miles, and day and night vision good for 12 miles. The radar detects the movement and gives them a blip on a screen. Then they use the mouse to swing the cameras over to take a look. Sometimes its just a rabbit or some other wildlife, sometimes a hiker, and sometimes a drug runner or Illegal Alien. The boys were riveted, as were all the leaders. At the end he told us about a road that lead right up to the fence, and offered to allow us to drive right up to the fence and get out. We couldn’t resist, and eagerly accepted. He called ahead and cleared us with the other patrolmen we passed along the way. We drove about a mile down a rough dirt road to get to an imposing 18 foot tall fence unlike any you’ve seen. It had 6 inch square tube steel pilings driven into the ground with a narrow gap in between. On the top was a 4 foot high plate of steel. This fence is more like a wall than a fence. The actual border was 4 feet behind the fence. I made a joke about being able to pinch it and build up a good stream and pee into Mexico, and before you knew it there were 20 boys and men lined up just inches from the fence, trying to leave their mark in Mexico without ever being there!
We wrapped up our day with a stop at the Golden Corral. Everyone feasted, and we returned home about 9:30pm.
I’m pretty pooped after that day, so I’m not going to try to upload any pictures until tomorrow.
Scoutmaster
Tim Brounscheidel
Today we went to Peak Coranado. It was a half mile climb to the peak. There wer plaques along the way telling about the history of the peak. One told of a general who had to lead a small army to Cibola that was 350 leagues away (about 350 miles). The general told his men to pack 80 days worth of provisions. After we got back to the parking lot a border patrol agent explained how they stopped Mexican smugglers for drugs. He also told us they use two cameras to capture movement, one circular one for day use, and one square one for the night. He then told us we could go to the border. The fence was 18 feet tall and the last 4 feet was solid metal. Then we left for the golden Corral.
Jon B
As we departed for Coranado Cave, we arrived in a small picnic area for a bite to eat which consisted of sandwiches and other snacks for the trail. We began our walk to the base of the mountain and then our ascent to the mouth of the cave 3/4 mile up the trail. The cave was an unguided tour where we could roam freely about the cave. We explored small caverns, most of which we crawled through, that were scattered around the cave. It felt very good to get out of the hot sun and be inside the cooler cave. We took a troop photo when we were inside one of the many large caverns. The only downside was that there was lots of dust which filled up most of our noses. This cave was a highlight of our trip, and I was glad we were able to do it again.
One more highlight was we were able to go up and touch the fence separating the US and Mexico. We were given permission from Border Patrol to check it out. Most of us can say that we left a little piece of us on the Mexican side of the fence… that is if they neede to relieve themselves.
Austin H.
Today Troop 40 went on a hike in Ramsey Canyon. It was a very interesting hike. Although a lot of the scouts went ahead and rushed, I didn’t. I seen deer, probably 10 ft away and they didn’t even run. I seen javelena hogs and squirrels and multiple different breeds of birds you won’t normally see back in NY. The terrain on the hike was absolutely terrible but 100% amazing. The view from the peak cannot be put into words. It was absolutely beautiful. There was another tricky trail that was really rocky that took us out to another balcony with an even better view. On the way down it kind of hurt your ankles because it was really steep and super rocky. “hence the rough terrain” When we were 3/4 of the way down we started talking to a guy that explained how the desert can hold water even though it doesn’t show it. This hike was alot of fun and very heart warming to see such a beautiful sight as that. This is one of the reasons why troop 40 is the BEST (the other is Mr. Brounscheidel)
Later tonight we went to eat at the Golden Corral. It was yummy in my tummy. Yummmmmm
PS Pete ate Meat
Scott B
We’ve arrived in the desert!
It was a long trip. 5 hours in the air, but we all got here. By the time we got to our hotel in Phoenix, it was about 2:00am pacific, or 5:00am eastern. The boys were rowdy for just a short period before dosing off. We has a 7:00am wake up call, and everyone made their way down to the hotel lobby for a pretty darn good breakfast. We were on the road by 8:30.
We have three Chrysler mini vans and a Jeep Wrangler. I put the top down, but realized I didn’t have any suntan lotion. I made a quick run to the convenience store to pick some up, and everyone seemed to want some for the ride. After most people had i on, someone noticed that it was insect repplant and not sun block! We didn’t have any problems with bugs the whole day.
We made the trip to Sierra Vista in good time, and stopped to buy lunch meat and bread for a lunch in camp. Mr Yaiser, Mr. Galley, and Mr. Herman had the tents set up for us when we arrived. They are a new style, that has a metal frame and a plasticized material. Its been fairly windy, but the dust has not kicked up. These tents are much better anchored that the tents we had in 2006, so I don’t think that they’ll come down.
We got our water supply from our good neighbor Leonard. We got our urinal and throne set up (see photos). After getting camp all set up we went in to Fort Huachucka and ate supper at the mess hall. We’re now settling down for a campfire and sunset. Tomorrow we hike and cave!
Tim Brounscheidel
On the way
Our trip began with an announcement that our flight was overbooked by 7 people. We had two who didn’t have a seat assignment. They offer a $400 flight voucher with a room and meals to give up your seat. Fortunately enough people took it and everyone got to Minneapolis, which is where I’m posting from.
Our Plans
| 13-Apr-2011 | Fly out in PM, arrive ~ midnight |
| 14-Apr-2011 | set up camp / shooting |
| 15-Apr-2011 | Caving, Ramsey Canyon hike, Coronado Peak |
| 16-Apr-2011 | Bisbee mine tour/ Swim @ 1:00/ Cochese Stronghold |
| 17-Apr-2011 | Hike across stronghold, travel to Quarry |
| 18-Apr-2011 | Fort Bowie, snake man, tombstone |
| 19-Apr-2011 | swim @ 10:00, Carr Peak overnight |
| 20-Apr-2011 | Carr Peak Hike |
| 21-Apr-2011 | rest, shower, break camp, Drive to Phoenix red eye |
| 22-Apr-2011 | Arrive Home in AM |
Ramsey Canyon
https://troop40.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/ramsey-canyon1.pdf
https://troop40.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/ramsey-canyon-preserve.pdf
Coronado Cave Trail
https://troop40.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/coronado-cave-trail.pdf
Carr Peak
https://troop40.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/carr-peak-trail-107r.pdf
Cochise Stronghold
https://troop40.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/cochise-strongholdr.pdf
Fort Bowie
Welcome to the Boy Scout Troop 40 2011 Arizona trip blog.
The purpose of this blog is to allow you to track our travels through south east Arizona. My goal is to update this daily with articles from the boys and photos of our activites. 3G coverage of the desert will have a big impact on our level of success. If my Droid gets 3G service we should be able to update daily. Please don’t send messages to you son or husband via the blog. Use Email for that to keep to the purpose of this blog.
Scoutmaster
Tim Brounscheidel
troop40 