"I left my heart, in Bull Spring Road"

[brian10x]

Ok, everybody sing along now.

Actually, my heart, kidneys, spleen, and assorted other organs.

I decided to revisit Bull Spring Road (southern Arizona) today, as I remembered a couple of interesting mines from a couple of years ago.

Either I have a rather optimistic memory, or a lot of interesting stuff is no longer there.

20+ miles of kidney-bruising, shock-blowing, loose rocks from ****. And that was the good part of the trail. Someday, I hope I get a trail buddy. This stuff is serious doo-doo.

Anyhow, took pictures for your entertainment, even if there is nothing noteworthy to see.

3510: This mine was a lot more interesting last time. I think there was more mining equipment to see. Oh, well.

3515: I recall being able to drive up to this mine last time. I guess someone is still working it and the fresh tailings seem to bear that out.

3516: Another hole.

3518: BSR is also a popular drug smuggling route. There are numerous abandoned vehicles. I wonder how these little "economy cars" ever made it this far?

3519: Is this a rattler? I'm basically a city boy, sorry.

I'll try and find better stuff next time-

Brian

[GaryB]

3519: Is this a rattler? I'm basically a city boy, sorry.




You didn't ask him? But anyway, yes it is.

Gardner/gopher snakes look very similiar, except for two obvious distinctions. One, they don't have the rattle on their tail like this one does. They have a simple tail. Two, their head is smaller than their body. A really good idea if a snake is venomous or not is if it has a flat, wide head. It will be wider than it's body.

Here's a big gardner snake I got a shot of a couple years ago.





Nice to see you got out and about. I find that even if I don't find a lot to see, I have fun looking.

[speedy]

Great pics, Brian. Thanks......Speedy

[LauraA]

Thanks for the pics Brian. How did your Jeep do?

[Kelly]

Thanks for the pics Brian,:)

[Gravelrash]

You didn't ask him? But anyway, yes it is.

Yeah, looks like he wanted to get acquainted too!! I'm getting really obsessed with rattlers. If I don't see one I'll be really disappointed.
And a bear!
And a cougar!
And an illegal immigrant/drug runner!
Brian, are those bullet holes redecorating the paint job on those wrecks?
More solid work from the Minutemen.

[brian10x]

Thanks for the pics Brian. How did your Jeep do?

I must say I'm quite proud of my wrenching skills, rusty are they are. The Jeep performed flawlessly, and I mean FLAWLESSLY. I'm happy to say it turned 200,000 miles on the trail.

I didn't fair so well. I had a headache and raging heartburn, undoubtedly due to the stress involved in going out alone, and in an area known for drug trafficing, no less.

I have to admit, its getting a little tiresome working so hard for so little payoff these days. I'm actually having thoughts of retiring this hobby.

[brian10x]

Yeah, looks like he wanted to get acquainted too!!

I actually had thoughts of eating him, but I don't know how to prepare rattlesnake.

I'm getting really obsessed with rattlers. If I don't see one I'll be really disappointed.

And a bear!
Not down here

And a cougar!
Down here

And an illegal immigrant/drug runner!

Illegals we can scare back to ole' Mexico, the drug runners we shoot. (And bury)

Brian, are those bullet holes redecorating the paint job on those wrecks?

Oh, yeah. The small groups are from yours, truly.
More solid work from the Minutemen.

Don't give them ALL the credit!

[Gravelrash]

Don't give them ALL the credit!

No, no, I can share it around but I'd like to get to know some and buy 'em a beer.
You aren't seriously thinking of quiting are you?:eek:


Yeah, looks like he wanted to get acquainted too!!

I actually had thoughts of eating him, but I don't know how to prepare rattlesnake.

I'm getting really obsessed with rattlers. If I don't see one I'll be really disappointed.

And a bear!
Not down here

And a cougar!
Down here


I know Bob likes the Croc Dundee movies. There's a scene where an aboriginal turns up and they eat "bush tucker" to impress the NYC girl. The dark guy says, "You can eat that tucker, but it tastes like s**t" and then he opens up some cans!
Snake is way over-rated. It tastes like....snake!

Mate, don't even think of retiring till you show me a cougar!! I figure bears won't be hard at all, just hang around a park trash can?? LOL
But I'd give my right leg to see a big cat.

[brian10x]

[quote=Gravelrash;28959]No, no, I can share it around but I'd like to get to know some and buy 'em a beer.
You aren't seriously thinking of quiting are you?:eek:

Well, its like this.
I've been to all the easy ghost towns. TWICE. Everything else is just too far away. Between working my azz off during the week and killing myself trying to start up a business on the weekends, there just ain't time.

And its getting really old going out alone. I joke around a lot here but in all seriousness, its just not much fun if I can't share the trails with someone else.

And I really can't enjoy myself anymore, knowing that if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere, being 47 and overweight means I may not make it home. I'm trying to lose weight but I can't get younger.

Yeah, I know you have only one leg. I admire your gusto.

Sorry, I have never seen a mountain lion or cougar on the trails. I once saw a mountain dew, but it was empty.

[mainmanwalkin]

You aren't seriously thinking of quiting are you?:eek:

Well, its like this.
I've been to all the easy ghost towns. TWICE. Everything else is just too far away. Between working my azz off during the week and killing myself trying to start up a business on the weekends, there just ain't time.

And its getting really old going out alone. I joke around a lot here but in all seriousness, its just not much fun if I can't share the trails with someone else.

And I really can't enjoy myself anymore, knowing that if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere, being 47 and overweight means I may not make it home. I'm trying to lose weight but I can't get younger.



wow, it seems like maybe you did lose your heart there. Well, dont give in. I know leaving a ghost town with a raging headache and heartburn isn't any kind of good outcome, but better days and betters trips still lie ahead. You may just be in a slump and need something or someone to re-energize you.

Have you been to any towns not already on GT.com? Or posted different pictures of the ones you've gone to?

OR, take a break, concentrate on your business, and once it's established and doing well...leave town. Buy a plane ticket, rent a jeep and explore a whole different part of the country.

just some thoughts to consider

[Gravelrash]

Well, its like this.
I've been to all the easy ghost towns. TWICE. Everything else is just too far away. Between working my azz off during the week and killing myself trying to start up a business on the weekends, there just ain't time.

And its getting really old going out alone. I joke around a lot here but in all seriousness, its just not much fun if I can't share the trails with someone else.

And I really can't enjoy myself anymore, knowing that if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere, being 47 and overweight means I may not make it home. I'm trying to lose weight but I can't get younger.

Yeah, I know you have only one leg. I admire your gusto.

Sorry, I have never seen a mountain lion or cougar on the trails. I once saw a mountain dew, but it was empty.

LOL - "Yehaah, love that good 'ol mountain dew". I dunno if THAT is the ad you grew up with that but that was the Oz Mountain Dew ad in the 60's!

Brian, trust me, I can relate. I head out alone most of the time. My wife used to tag along but she can drop off to sleep standing up on a train - I have witnessed this in Thailand - and she once fell asleep on the back of my Yamaha 750 at 140k.p.h!! As soon as we are in the twisties she gets car sick and goes to sleep, so I drive hundreds of k's with no-one to talk to and no-one to say "look at that" to. It's a drag. Me and the dog... and all she wants to do is chase roos. The odd lick of the ear is nice, but as a conversationalist, she stinks as much as her breath!

Several times, all jokes aside, I've had to really pause and consider the realities of illegals/drug dealers down along the border. Not just from comments on this site, either. My buddy Ray has told me some stories that curl the hair.
I've sorta come to the decision that I won't be heading much south of Phoenix/Tucson without an armed buddy! No joke.


I'm going to have to be **** careful out in the boonies alone, because I can do bugger-all mechanically these days. First time I tried to change a wheel, after the amputation, I ended up in tears by the side of the road.
Standing there feeling as silly as a wheel.
I've figured out how to do it now, but if I dump a clutch or damage a trannie, I'm up the creek, begging a Mexican for a paddle!
I hope, if you do back off for a while, it's only temporary and that you'll dust of the truck when I'm over that way. I'm looking forward to that. You catch the rattler - I'll cook it.
Or maybe not!!:rolleyes:

What sort of business are you trying to set up? I don't envy you having to do it after a full week on the job. Finding I had to "start again" at age 50 was ...... a bit of a set back. We lost everything when we had to get back to Australia and the world had kinda changed after 10 years away. Job market is insane here - if you ain't PC, don't bother, which is why I bought this Mom and Pop store. It won't take me high up the ladder, but I'm my own boss and it's all cash. I also get to abuse the customers, which is a huge plus.
hang in there mate. The desert is calling.

[brian10x]

Thanks Mr. Rash, for the kind words.

Even if I sell the Jeep, I'll still have a 3/4 ton Dodge truck that is 4x4. Kinda big, but it gets the job done.

I'd done working for "the man" and years of research have led me to small time car sales. I'm good at finding auctions and estate sales. If I can recondition and sell 4-5 units a month, the dogs and I can keep the roof over our heads.

I bought my tow vehicle, the 2001 Dodge, from a city auction a couple of weeks ago for $3700.00, which is a smoking deal. It used to be owned by the Arizona fish and game dept. A few deals like that a month and I can still buy guns.

Getting licenced is an expensive pain in the neck, but I'm going for it.

[High Desert Drifter]

[quote=Gravelrash;28959]No, no, I can share it around but I'd like to get to know some and buy 'em a beer.
You aren't seriously thinking of quiting are you?:eek:

Well, its like this.
I've been to all the easy ghost towns. TWICE. Everything else is just too far away. Between working my azz off during the week and killing myself trying to start up a business on the weekends, there just ain't time.

And its getting really old going out alone. I joke around a lot here but in all seriousness, its just not much fun if I can't share the trails with someone else.

And I really can't enjoy myself anymore, knowing that if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere, being 47 and overweight means I may not make it home. I'm trying to lose weight but I can't get younger.

Yeah, I know you have only one leg. I admire your gusto.

Sorry, I have never seen a mountain lion or cougar on the trails. I once saw a mountain dew, but it was empty.

Brian,
There is a way to remedy this situation. 1- get yourself a signifigant other, with promisses(spelling) of romance in the desert. or 2- kidnap yourself someone who you think would make a good signifigant other, with promisses(spelling) killing them or trading them off to a illegal immigrant drug runner if they don't enjoy themself.... I know how you feel, up until last year I had made a lot of trips by myself. there was always that little feeling in my gut that I would be up sh_t creek if I broke down or became injured. Good thing is, being overweight myself, I knew I could probably last a day or two longer than the skinnies if I ran out of food!!! that would give me the time I needed to walk out! Anyways, don't give up - you can always make it a very part time hobby.

[brian10x]

[quote=brian10x;28973]

Brian,
There is a way to remedy this situation. 1- get yourself a signifigant other, with promisses(spelling) of romance in the desert. or 2- kidnap yourself someone who you think would make a good signifigant other, with promisses(spelling) killing them or trading them off to a illegal immigrant drug runner if they don't enjoy themself.... I know how you feel, up until last year I had made a lot of trips by myself. there was always that little feeling in my gut that I would be up sh_t creek if I broke down or became injured. Good thing is, being overweight myself, I knew I could probably last a day or two longer than the skinnies if I ran out of food!!! that would give me the time I needed to walk out! Anyways, don't give up - you can always make it a very part time hobby.

Thank you for the kind words. It would be a tad easier if I were somewhat attractive or had a less grating personality, though.

[GaryB]

Mail order brides! Lovely Russian and Asian women waiting to talk to you!

[LauraA]

Thank you for the kind words. It would be a tad easier if I were somewhat attractive or had a less grating personality, though.

Don't let Brian's tough demeanor fool you. He's an itelligent, handsome fella and a real Teddy Bear!

(don't tell him I said so...my bad) :p

[Gravelrash]

Don't let Brian's tough demeanor fool you. He's an itelligent, handsome fella and a real Teddy Bear!


(don't tell him I said so...my bad) :p


Busted, Brian!