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| no partners | | My topo map shows no connecting roads for where I want to go. It's a popular area for border runners so no doubt something is there. I take a peak with Google Earth, which I seldom use and I feel it's cheating. Faint tracks, leading the way I want to go.
Early driving in first light. The road is there. Washed out but passable in places. The sun lights up distant hills, then full on in my face as I try to negotiate the terrain. I am alert for travelers, but I see no one, and not even much trash.
I finally come into the "real " road, still dirt, still washed out in spots. I drive till the next road comes in, this one has a number on the map but nothing on the ground, still it has plenty of track on it despite looking decrepit with greasewoods growing in the road.
I find the mine area, stash the car behind some bushes and walk around. There is a lot here but I don't want to spend the time. Many foundations, swiss cheese of tunnels, but quite a bit of reclamation. It's an old property, but there are more modern workings here too.
I am up on a hill when the border patrol comes by and I wave. I poke about in a few tunnels but feel antsy. Need to get on the way.
I am off, back the way I came, a rooster tail of dust behind me. I turn off on another road and drive past the sign, entranced by the garden feel of saguaros and cholla, and the road following respectfully an old trail. No recent tracks. I stop and walk sections, rewarded by some pretty rock and one piece of pottery near a tiny piece of amber looking material. The mountains ahead contain rock tanks of water. I have been there before. When I get to the abandoned dry well property I take a few pictures and leave. The wind is starting. Clouds arrive where blue skies just minutes previous. Dust starts blurring the skyline. I decide to summit a small hill. Lots of pretty quartz and dark shattered schist looking like rock. The area is flattened off but no remains, not even of more modern cartel scouts.
I get back to my dry and dusty road. The storm is coming. I wish I was retired so I could spend more time driving each and every lonely dirt road to what destination. One day. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
