Mike and Jim for some strange reason are obsessed with maintaining the trails in the Sierra Ancha mountains. Most people don't realize Arizona has a treasure of wonderful mountains. Each set of mountains is different. The Sierra Ancha are Kadizzle's favorite mountains.
Naturally Winky somehow got tied up with Mike and Jim to clear trails in the wilderness. So yesterday we go up at 5A.M. and drove about 75 miles to clear trails. The final road is about five miles of nasty cliff side rock strewn road. Now that is bad enough, but we make the trip in Jim's 1970's Ford Bronco with 550,000 miles on it. The trip is like riding in a five gallon bucket full of bolts. The rattle wagon stops near the fire tower and off we go. Going down the side of the mountain, you know you will have to come back up.
Everyone of us is right around 75. We cleared trail for a couple hours. Jim almost by himself cut a huge log twice so people could get through the log on the trail. Jim did this with a special hand saw. Amazing he could do it the log was 2 feet in diameter. A real highlight for Kadizzle was being above Devil's Chasm and looking down into the Crackhouse Indian ruin.
Finally the time came to hike out. What a hike, it was like a death march. Jim has the worst ankles of any human Kadizzle has seen. His feet are splayed out at the ankle at about 45 degrees. How that man hikes is a miracle. It took each of us about two hours to hike out. Everyone was exhausted, and old Kadizzle often had to rest every couple hundred yards. Winky saw a small bear on the way out.
Finally at the top Kadizzle could not get to the ice water in the truck because Jim was behind and had the keys. Frustration. With four worn out people the bolt wagon rumbled down the mountain. The road was on Workman Creek. If you ever get the chance visit that area. There is a 400ft waterfall, and a lot more to see. If you make it to the fire tower that is well worth it. Never been so worn out in my life. Friday will be a day of recovery.
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