Jerome

Before I get started with our adventure for today, I came across this article on CNN.com about people stealing American Indian Artifacts. I don't usually air my political side, nor do I bring up controversial subjects. I have to publish this one though. It is right on. The Feds arrested a bunch responsible for ripping off Native American Artifacts. You can read it here.

There are a couple of other things I want to mention too. Mac and Sam made it back safely to Alaska. The last I heard, Mac was cutting a bunch of Diamond Willow limbs to bring back to Tucson next year to use as walking sticks. I don't know if you know about these sticks, or not. They are premiere. Diamond Willow is a light weight blond wood that has a darker diamond shape at the normal knots in the wood. They are beautiful. I can't wait!

Also, our friends and hiking buddies, Lorne and Lisa, from Canada sent us an email. It was about hiking and a possible reunion in their neck of the woods for later this summer. I will try to make that happen from my position. But we'll see!

Cathy and I took a truck tour of Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Jerome. We stopped off at the State Park in Cottonwood, Deadhorse. It is a beautiful park along the Verde River. It's huge too! The State Park system in Arizona has to be commended. All the State Parks we've been to have been top notch. Unfortunately, some of them are being shut down this year because of the economy.

One of them is the State Park in Jerome. There was a big "CLOSED" sign across the gate when we got there. Oh well, we walked the town. I love this mountain town. There are only 400 people residing here. This old mining town is now completely dependant on tourism. Artists and craft shops dominate the old buildings.

Downtown Jerome and the surrounding view.

We stopped for lunch at the Haunted Hamburger. A ghost apparently, swiped the hammers of the guy fixing the place up. Then they would show up in a conspicuous place somewhere else in the building. The old owner stopped by and asked the new owner if he ever experienced any hammers suddenly disappearing! That's how the place got its name. It had to be a ghost.

The Haunted Hamburger.

I should mention we also stopped at the Tuzigoot National Monument. It is another pueblo that was abandoned around 1300. It never stops amazing me at how populated the old West was before the Europeans came.

Tuzigoot.

It is time to consider another move. This will be the final move before I and Cathy start to head to our home states and visit family. I will soon head to Minnesota and she will be going to Idaho and then to a reunion in Oregon.

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