San Xavier Mission

When you needed houses, schools, a sewer system ,roads, irrigation systems and a host of other things, why would you spend thirteen years building a Mission? It just seemed like the right thing to do. So here we stand admiring the result. The Spanish were always very nice about enslaving the Indians to get their assistance building the Missions. The Indians always enjoyed building these things. Once to show how much they appreciated the entertainment, they rebelled and killed most of the Spanish in the Southwest, but it did not bring happiness for long. The Spanish came back. In many cases the Spanish cut off one leg of every male Indian just to show how nice Christians could be if you did not want to help build the Mission. Now, the Indians have embraced the idea of Missions and are out front making fry bread to help pay for the maintenance. Although the homes are still not that great, the roads are poor, and the school system is in shambles there is good fry bread available to all.

Out on the plains of Narnia

The sun comes up on the mountains and The Commander cleans up from breakfast (please don't notice Kadizzle is doing nothing useful) she is reflecting on the wonderful bike ride she took yesterday. On this vast plain between two mountain ranges there are wonderful roads perfect for a nice bike ride on a sunny day. Anything that put The Commander in a good state of mind is a gift from the Lord. The roads run through shallow valleys sparsly lined with giant Oak trees with perfect shapes. The sand forms a nice road bed which makes for a pleasant ride. The peace, the quite, and the total lack of humans combine to make the problems of life disappear and let nature come to the forefront. Returning from her ride The Commander encountered Ruth and Rodger with their new neighbors. The Chukars moved in Mom, Dad and four litte Chukars were scrambling around their Earth module.

Today the Kadizzlites break camp and head for Gilbert Ray park west of Tucson.

Fun at the sewage dump

There are two magic moments for couples during the camping experience, dumping sewage, and backing the camper into a tight spot. Either almost always results in a verbal explosion. Usually the male has the wonderful job of letting sewage splash all over him while his loving spouse harasses him with every detail of how he should do it and how he is doing it wrong. Next fun game is back the camper. Turn right, Turn left, no a little more this way, What way, what in the hell do you think I am doing, damn it you get in here and try it. If a person could secretly record these great performances it would make a good reality show, it cold be called Backing and Dumping with the Bickersons.

Border Insanity

The massive amounts of money going up in flames on the border is total insanity. Here you see pictured one shift of the vehicles used in the Sonoita area. Yesterday Lord Kadizzle asked a local person why they had so many vehicles sitting still. The gas station mechanic explained that each border patrol agent had his own vehicle. This was necessary because if they exchanged vehicles they could not know who was abusing them. So good old uncle same has to have two vehicles sitting for each one in use, since there are three shifts. 900 million is being spent for fencing along the border. It simply does not work. The whole system has proven over and over that it cannot defeat crime, drugs, and Tyson Chicken. As the left hand tries to stop them, the right hand pays them to cut meet in the packing factories. Lobbyist make sure there is no effective way to keep the cheap labor out of our country. Mexico is so corrupt it is hopeless. Mexico had one brilliant idea, build tourism in Mexico. The idea was a splashing success in Cancun, and Mexico would like to try it elsewhere. Why not take the 900 million we are sinking into the border fence and loan it to Mexico to develop resorts along the West Coast of Mexico? Let the Mexicans develop their own economy. Would you rather go to Las Vegas or be on the beach in Mexico getting your pockets cleaned? Kadizzle would take Mexico any day. The daily cost of the giant hide and go seek game on the border is beyond belief. When the Vietnam War was in full bloom the United States was spending $150,000 dollars in ammunition alone to kill one North Vietnamese. Someone made the observation that we could bring them to the United States and send them to an Ivy League school cheaper. There has to be a better way to handle the border mess. China is kicking our ass with cheap labor. Mexico is the poster child of cheap labor, why can't they be our next door China? The other day when Kadizzle had a chat with the young border patrol kid from Kansas. The young agent said how much fun it was driving around in a truck chasing people. He loved it. It may be great fun, but it is a great waste of money for a country deeply in debt. Sitting here in the heart of the border game one wonders about the logistics of the silly game. As we hike in the very area where the problem is one can see that a person stationed on each little rise could effectively watch several miles of land. There seems to be no logical approach to this mess. When the communist countries were in the midst of the cold war somehow they managed to keep their borders secure. No one came in or out. How did they do it? North and South Korea have perfected the game. Where is all the electronics in this game? Why not have American Military bases here on the border and let the soldiers guard us from the border crosser's? There just seems to be a phony charade going on. Isreal is at war with the Palestinians yet Isreal has found a way to let the Palestinians come over and clean the toilets. Are they smarter than us?

Elephant peeks in Window

Well, not really, but it could happen. If a person just awoke in our Earth Module and did not know where they were they might guess they were in the Serengeti deep in the heart of Africa. The plain we are camped on stretches for miles in every direction. Live Oak trees and the huge cottonwoods in the valleys however give it away that you are somewhere in the United States. Border Patrol helicopters might also give a hint. The modules are three miles north of Sonoita Arizona camped near an abandoned runway. Over on the runway there are two big groups of campers. First are the piston heads. These are the people that firmly believe man was not meant to walk. The piston heads have every conceivable motorized wheelchair that they buzz through the roads on. For piston heads they are not that bad. The piston heads must fear attack. They have formed a huge wagon circle with a giant fire in the middle. If the gasoline supply gave out they would probably commit suicide.

Next to the piston heads the dog boys have moved in. A hundred dogs are competing for titles finding birds. Quail are planted in the field for the dogs to find. Kadizzle asked the dog man how they do this. The dog trainer explained that they shake the bird and throw it on the ground. The bird is dazed and confused, but according to the trainer unhurt. The bird stays in about the same place. Kadizzle told the trainer if he was shaken and thrown on the ground he also might be a bit dazed and confused, but according to the commander this treatment is unnecessary for Kadizzle. He comes by it naturally.

Purchase Prompts Kadizzle to join Motorcycle Gang

Life on the road presents its opportunities. Today we had to go to town to have a flat fixed for Rodger. At the gas station Kadizzle was able to aquire his Hog. It will do 0 to 20 in an hour. It has the mean roar of a coffee grinder, and my Bitch has her own seat. We are getting our gang emblem made which is a marshmallow with a skull and bones symbol.

Ruth spots the Elegant Trogan

The Commander wandered into the brush with Ruth on Ruth's first exposure to bird lunatics. The group was in search of the elusive Elegant Trogan. After hours of searching the group finally saw the one Trogan known to be in the area. When Ruth spotted the bird an old time birdbrain asked her if it would now be on her "Life List". Ruth being a novice had no idea what a "Life List" is. For birdbrains a life list is the list of every bird you have ever seen in you life. The old birdbrain said "Well it is now". For Ruth this is like your first plane ride being on the space shuttle. Not that many birders ever get to see the Elegant Trogan. It is a rare Mexican bird that makes a tiny dent into the United States. Ruth's life list will now start from the top down. Ruth seems to be becoming a birdbrain in short order. Ruth is talking about working her life list from both ends, now she wants to fly to New York and see the Elegant Pigeon in Central Park to get the other end of the list started.

Kadiizzlites at Patagonia Lake State Park

Heave for Rodger will have hot showers that last for ever. Last night Rodger got to enjoy a long hot shower at the excellent facilities here. Earlier we made the trip to Nagales for a few necessities. A Wallmart on the border is another experience. There was some confusion when we checked out. The cashier did not speak English. So with some hand signs we solved the problem. As we left town there was a full size billboard offering twenty five thousand dollars for information, about who shot Gonzalas. The victim appeared to be some innocent high school kid.

Back at the lake bird watchers were thicker than flies on my underwear. Lake Patagonia is a good spot, and everyone is talking about the Elegant Trogan which has been sighted every morning. The Commander and Ruth are on the bird walk right now looking for the bright orange bird.

Last night a couple of gentleman our age or a little older invited us to their camp fire. We swapped stories and good camping sites. This morning we were laying out plans for them to do the Little Missouri. Both are from Montana, so it might work well for them. That's the news from Lake Patagonia, were all the days are warm, all the women good looking, and the hot showers let you use as much water as you want.

Mining maddness at Slavin Gulch

Slavin Gulch was a fantastic hike yesterday. A scenic waterfall appeared every hundred yards, and of course the scenery was terrific. Kadizzle was mentally set for a harsh hike, but was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the hike was an old mining road. The road wound through some very difficult terrain. The Commander and Rodger made it all the way to the mining site and The Commander claims she found gold. According to the advance team there was a fairly significant operation at the top of the road with many punch holes and one large entry. Kadizzle would highly recommend the Slavin Gulch hike. History says Cochise moved his band into that area fearing an attack by whites at the Council Rocks site. Cochise had the best Indian site Kadizzle has ever seen, Cochise had it all scenery, water, protection, and a good supply of wildlife. You can see how it was easy for him to hold out so long.

Today the Earth Modules move to Patagonia Lake State Park.

Crawl out the window, or Call Rodger? No good choice

Last night The Commander watched the temperature drop on her bedside digital thermometer. At three in the morning The Commander decided to do an inspection of the Earth Module. All the water would run but in the shower. To add to her consternation, the refrigerator seemed to have stopped working. Reluctantly Kadizzle was forced out of bed to address the crises. To be on the conservative side the generator needed to be started so the heater could work at top efficiency. In the first attempt to open the door on the Earth Module it became apparent we were frozen in. The door would not open. Faced with the prospect of damaging the door there were two options, alert Ruth and Rodger and try to get them to open the door or have The Commander crawl out the window. Crawling out the window is not a simple maneuver because the window is small and about five feet up. Waking up Ruth and Rodger seems like the best option. So we called Ruth, but she did not get to the phone in time. Then it occurred to Kadizzle that he could open the small window by the door and throw some hot water on the outside. Before this plan could be implemented Ruth called back, and Rodger came to the rescue. A little hot water on the door seal did the trick. Kadizzle also had another insight about the shower. The shower can be shut off like most showers two ways. The Commander never considered that the shower was shut off at the shower head. It turned out there was no real problem except the refrigerator. As the sun warms up the roof more than likely the snow on the vent will melt and the refrigerator vent. In retrospect there was no real problem. The Commander was fidgety all night and sleeping was not easy, but we all have awakened to a gorgeous day with about an inch of snow on the ground. Another day on the border waiting for the border patrol to make the morning rounds.

Lessons from life on the border

Just finished a conversation with one of the nice young border agents that drive by every so often. Kadizzle asked why they don't just round up the illegals at the places they work. Answer, lobbyist make sure they cannot. Tyson Chicken is the worst offender, and some other big corporate interest make sure once the illegals are there to be exploited the border patrol cannot interfere. The right wing insist we put up 900 million in fences, but we don't simply arrest the corporate people who are putting out the cheese to attract the rats. The border patrol agent told me about an agent who got ambushed and killed by illegals. Not all illegals are bad people. It is sad to see people die in the desert and border patrol agents get killed just because lobbyist can pay off politicians and make sure we don't simply solve the problem.

Next topic. Energy use. Living in an Earth module in the desert makes one quickly become aware of how much energy we use, and waste. The electricity to warm us, light us, and provide for this computer all comes from our little Honda generator. If every American could hear an engine roar when they made toast, or ran the microwave our energy problem would be solved. When you are self contained you quickly realize how much water you use, how much sewage you produce, and how much energy you need. Habits change, you are willing to be a little colder. You change you schedule to do things when the generator runs, you turn out the lights quickly, and you don't leave the water run for an extra second. Strangely life without as much waste is not that bad. If the average American could stand beside the pile of coal burnt in their name, and oil burnt in their name, they would be amazed. However, our hear no evil, see no evil life style makes us oblivious to what we actually do.

Lunch with Cochise

The Kadizzlites standing in Cochise's living room

Today Lord Kadizzle probably sat on the very rock Cochise often sat on and had lunch. Under a huge bolder that served as his home in the mountains he loved was a wonderful lunch spot. Not far away was where he signed his doom, and what was a worthless treaty. As we wandered around a maize of boulders Ruth discovered some petroglyphs. Behind another bolder Ruth discovered one of the scarce pottery pieces we found today.

The whole area looked like the classic setting for a western. It was easy to see how the area was a perfect home. In the mountains above one could find shelter, and game. Out on the prairie below it would have been easy to drive game into a box canyon.

Click on this picture to enlarge it so you can read the text on the sign. The sign is directly in front of Cochise's living spot

Let's Cheat the Indians

Today the Kadizzlites will search for Council Rocks. "It was at Council Rocks where, in 1872, Cochise signed the Broken Arrow Peace Treaty, agreeing to cease waring attacks. In return, the government granted to the Apaches a vast reservation, including the southeast corner of Arizona, including the Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains near the Mexican border. However, in 1876, two years after Cochise died, the government broke its promise and moved the Chiricahua Apaches 100 miles north to the San Carlos Reservation on the Gila River." Cochise loved the mountains around here, and if you ever see them you will know why. Cochise was falsely accused of a kidnapping he had nothing to do with, and the whole thing spun out of control. Cochise got along fine with the local whites until they needed a fall guy. If all goes well we will find the very spot on the side of the Dragon Mountians where Cochise was tricked into signing a worthless document that allow him to be robbed. If Wall Street bankers could only have been there, to get their share.

The mail box at Picketpost Mountain

No mail delivery is more strenuous than the one the mailman makes to the top of Picketpost mountain. Roder and Kadizzle made the hike a couple weeks ago. With a hurt leg Kadizzle climbed for three hours to check the mail. The site offers a fine view in every direction, but it is one of the steepest nastiest hikes Kadizzle has taken. The mail box is sort of a geochache. If you look closely at the mailbox you will see a condom taped to the top of the box. While Kadizzle was doing geocaching elsewhere with Rodger we found two other geocaches with the trademark condom. For those who do not know the custom, when you find a geochache you take something out and put something in. Rodger is in a group called the Screw Ups, so they always leave a screw. The first geocache Kadizzle found with Rodger had the condom and a whistle. Rodger said I should put on the condom, and blow the whistle. Being a little tired Kadizzle decided not to try it, but if a pretty little thing came out of a bush it would have been interesting. However, it is also possible the sex of the respondent could have gone either way, which may have forced Kadizzle to admit he had blown the whistle by accident. Who knows what you will find in the wilderness.

A Strange find in at Cochise's Stronghold

The band of explorers and hikers set up the Earth Modules as close to the West Side of the Cochise Stronghold we could get to. Even so it was a long five mile ride over your typical high desert road to the trail head. The trail on the west side takes a steep mile and a half up to the divide. Before we got to the top the Kadizilites broke off onto a side canyon, and headed up a creek. As usual The Commander's backside was on fire and she had to run wild like a hunting dog that just got out of the car. Lord Kadizzle decided to go at a slower pace and soak in the wonderful rock formation made up of huge boulders. As Ruth, Rodger, and The Commander scrambled down the canyon Kadizzle got bored and decided to go up one side of the canyon. There is something about a big pile of boulders that attracts kids and idiots to the top. Falling into the latter category Kadizzle had to scramble to the top. On the way up to the lookout atop the boulders Kadizzle came across what appeared to be a hidden cache placed there by hikers. Sometimes people on a long hike store goods rather than carry them for the whole trip. It appeared a little strange because as far as Kadizzle could determine it was some water, a very nice camera tripod, and a tent. One aspect of the cache was puzzling. It appeared as though it had been there a long time, and gave the impression no one was ever coming back to get it. A collapsible gallon water bottle had deteriorated from the sun and was laying in pieces.

When Rodger, Ruth, and The Commander returned they came up to view the find. Kadizzle looked closer into the waterproof bags and opened the container he originally thought was a tent. The tent turned out to be not a tent, but a very nice spotting scope. This was exactly what Rodger wanted for his birthday. However, wrapped around the scope was a bright pink card that explained this material was not lost, it belonged to the Forest Service and was hidden here to observe peregrine falcons nesting. Indeed there were falcons flying high above. Disappointed the material was replaced and rehidin. Maybe in a few years we will check to see if the material is still there.

30,000 Sand Hill Cranes head for breakfast

The Kadizzlites were up early awaiting the departure of the Sand Hill Cranes. These are the same guys that fly over North Dakota. Last year The Commander and Lord Kadizzle tried to shoot at a couple of them in North Dakota. Hopefully they don't recognize us here. If they told all their friends to release their droppings over our camper we would be six feet under. No border crossers showed up this morning. We are just fifteen miles North of the Border.

A moral dilemma on the border

Americans are milling about watching thousands of Sand Hill Cranes fifteen miles north of the Mexican border. In their midst is one illegal Mexican who must have crossed the border last night. The Mexican is sitting on a park bench beside an American who has no clue he is illegal. Earlier the illegal asked Ruth for a ride north. Ruth gave him a sandwich and a bottle of water. Later Lord Kadizzle managed to procure a banana, an orange, and a piece of pizza for him. The north bound man offered Kadizzle some large bill to drive him North. Kadizzle refused. After awhile the poor man headed north across the desert. What do you do? Here is a man who probably slept last night in some very cold weather with no shelter. He is bound to get caught by the border patrol a little north of here. The prevailing attitude seems to be live and let live. What if he does not make it and freezes or dies? Should we have called the border patrol? The whole situation is sad. Amongst Americans teeming with wealth one man sits while rich Americans bird watch. It is almost like having someonne die in your midst and not noticing. There is something strangely wrong in this world. You cannot put your finger on it, but when you see it first hand, it just strike you as strange. It is like going to a hanging, and saying, "My that was a nice rope they hung him with", but you took no notice of the guy at the end of the rope. A very strange world we live in. While we watch birds a guy heads off in the distance and disappears into the desert. Will we be asked about this in our next life?

Close to the middle of no where

As Kadizzle stepped out of the Earth Module in the dark to view the star filled sky a feminine voice asked "Is that you Mike?". Kadizzle always thought God was a man, but he answered yes. God turned out to be Ruth out having coffee looking at the stars at 6 A.M. Morning was going to break soon at the Senior Center parking lot with the sun coming over the Chirichua Mountains we had hiked two days ago. The Seniors invited us in last night for spaghetti and pie. The Commander picked up some local history from the natives.

The hike yesterday too us into Chochice's Stronghold. It was easy to see how Cochise could control the area with a few key lookouts. The climb to the pass was gentle and senic. Rodger's GPS showed the exact location of the stronghold. Unfortunately for Rodger there was nothing there after he made the strenuous hike to the GPS point. From below it appeared there may have been a cave.

Today the band moves 25 miles south to a birding area. Hopefully more free camping and then on to the west side of the Stronghold.

9 Miles of Vertical Smiles

The soreness is soaking Lork Kadizzles body today after the nine mile hike yesterday through the Chiricahua Mountians. The Commander and Kadizzle had been there before, but it was nice to see it again. Finding a place to camp was a bit of a problem because the Denny camper was low and long. With a bit of luck the Park Ranger agreed to let us stay in the horse camping area. As we arrived a helicopter was just leaving the ambulance which had hauled a hiker with broken bones down from the mountain. Hiking it was easy to see how the person slipped on snow and ended up with a compound fracture. The weather was perfect and many streams were running that had been dry for years. Now the band is watching the sun come up at the Senior Center parking lot in Sunsite AZ. Looks like another great day and another long hike to Cochise's Stronghold.

Adventure Team heads to Chiricahua Mountains

If all goes well the team will head to the Chiricahua Mountains today. Hopefully we can find a nice spot to dry camp. It has been many years since the Kadizzles have been there, but the hiking there is great and there are some interesting rock formations.

North Dakota Team completes assualt of Picketpost Mountain

With severe weather conditions and temperatures in the low 70's, Lord Kadizzle and Rodger began the assault of Picket Post mountain in bright sunshine. Having been turned back in an earlier assault do to confusion about the route they were determined to make the mountain theirs. With a game leg the fate of Kadizzle was uncertain. Rodger had a plan to roll Kadizzle down the mountain if he became crippled. Rodgers plan gave Kadizzle great incentive not to injure the already weak leg. When it looked like the trail could not get steeper or harder to find, it did. On the way up the Dakota team met one despondent climber coming down who lost the trail near the summit and gave up. As the snow did not fall, and the wind did not blow the team climber higher and higher in the severe 72 Degree weather. Constantly in the back of Kadizzles mind was the fact that they would have to come down, which is always harder. Near the summit Rodger began looking for a geocache. After a little searching he found it. When we reached the summit and Rodger started to look for the next geochache, his GPS went dead. On the way down we realized finding the trail was just as bad as going up. With no spare batteries we made it by following our firm belief that the bottom was downhill. On top of the mountain the view was spectacular.

Commander Peanut leads assult on canyon

Strange Cactus

Famous cresalated catus near our camp

Music in the Campground

When The Commander and Lord Kadizzle returned from today's hike, what a pleasant surprise. Right behind our Earth Roamer was a wonderful live concert. Life is good.

Discoveries in the Desert

Rodger found the Geochache and then the Kadizzle crew went back to recover the unknown device. Pictured above who knows what it is? The strange thing has fins, but the fins are not configured in the normal fashion. Kadizzle speculates it is some kind of arming device for a rocket or missile. A lot of helicopters are tested around here and many of them are the Blackhawk type. If you think you know fire us a message.

What Did Kadizzle find in the Desert?

Yesterday Kadizzle took his first geochache hike. The hike was fun and a good way to practice GPS skills. According to infomation at the cache it was the oldest in Arizona. On the way back from the cache Kadizzle decided to take a cross country walk back. On the way back Kadizzle found a strange looking device made from stainless steel. It had fins on it in a strange fashion. It looked like a component of a detonator for a missile or bomb. If Kadizzle gets time he will put a picture of it on here today. Although Kadizzle did not bring it back, he did mark on the GPS where it is. Perhaps today Kadizzle will go get it.

Bud, Beer Cans, and Justin Time

Sally Greased her Wooden Leg

When Kadizzle was young he used to work with his brother for an old farmer. Lutrel Davis was always telling stories and singing songs. A favorite was "Sally greased her Wooden leg". I guess Sally was a pretty good dancer with enough grease. Poor Kadizzle may have to get a wooden leg so greasing it is a real possibility. Yesterday Kadizzle re-injured his left leg. The leg origionally went bad during hunting. Today was going to be a great hike for eight miles through the Superstition Mountains. Now, it looks like Kadiz will end up sitting in the library and doing chores.

Massive Bullshit in the Desert

Kadizzle got caught in a couple of cackle storms today. Usually Kadizzle accuses The Commander of getting into a cackle storm, but Kadizzle had his own today. First a round with Bud the camp host. Bud's dad was an oil field rough neck, so that got us going in all directions. Then on the way back from the morning visit to the executive suite Kadizzle ran into the old logging dozer man. Dozer man had not been seen for a couple days. Dozer explained he had ear balance problems that were making him sick. This launched into an hour long conversation into his exposure to radiation and a host of logging, mining, spying, lying, and everything else. Of course Kadizzle had an abundance of stories. The BS quota has been met for the week. Bud was up early and The Commander and Kadizzle heard the distinct squeak of the gate at 6 A.M. In not time Bud had the fire going. Yesterday while hiking with Barry he told me he called his wife the commander also. Barry, his wife, and my Comander made an eight mile hike. Kadizzle dropped them off and picked them up because of the bad leg. Barry told me what it was like to hike with two commanders. He was well instructed.

Discussing my AIDS and VD at the Library

Kadizzle is sitting at the Apache Junction Library. A very nice facility. In order to use their internet you must get a card for a dollar a week. When I got in line for my card the young woman insisted I get in line. At the time I was in line there was just one person there besides me, so it was obvious I was second in "Line". I explained to the young woman that my leg hurt, and I wanted to lean against the counter. She insisted I get in "line". Then she proceeded to explain to me people had to stand in line because they discuss very private things with people seeking to use the internet. In my mind I just wondered what could be so private. When my turn in line came the woman asked me what I wanted. I explained I wanted to discuss some private things, my AIDS, and my venereal disease. The woman who was in front of me was packing up her stuff and heard the whole conversation, she began laughing, but poor little library lady was just wound so tight she glared at me.

Wild Horses at the door this Morning

On the way to the executive suite this morning the wild horses came through our campground.

Mourning at Bud's camp fire

Soon after the sun comes up it is time to see how Bud is doing. Bud is the camp host. He gets three dollars a day and a few benefits. Bud gets up early and fires up his old washing machine tub full of Mesquite. A warm fire takes the chill off the morning. With the bright sun coming over the mountains the desert looks lush, and another wasted day begins.

Hiking the Superstitions

Yesterday the crew had a nice hike in the Superstition Mountains. With the recent rains and water running it was a very nice hike on a perfect day.

Mad Gun Dogs

Lord Kadizzle is a hunter, and has owned a gun for many years, but there has to be a limit to gun insanity in this country. At 7 A.M. as Kadizzle strolled to the executive suite to make his morning call at the RV campsite, it sounded like a war over the hill. The gun nuts shoot up about three hundred dollars per hour of ammunition all day long. Once in a while you can hear a burst of machine gun fire. Every little pipsqueak with an inferiority complex has to have a gun. The number of people carrying guns or having them at their side is amazing around here. Using a gun to hunt or ever a little target practice is no great sin, but gun nuts are a whole different issue. These people believe the quickest solution to any problem is to shoot it. Talking to one of these loonies the other day Kadizzle informed him "Let me know if my generator bothers you". The gun nut said "If it bothers me I will shoot it". Kadizzle asked the man to at least give a warning. When you actually see these people you realize the extent of the problem. This gun nut said he had five thousand rounds of ammunition in his RV. When the brain on one of these nuts finally pops innocent people are shot. Yesterday a policeman here was killed when he stopped to gun dogs. The worst problem we suffer from guns is the NRA. This organization will not let anyone in a state like North Dakota who is not a gun nut. The net result is all we have for legislators is a bunch of fundamentalist gun nuts.

On a hike the other day we encountered a young guy picking up something. Asked what he was picking up he explained to us it was lead. This guy was out in the desert picking up two hundred pounds of lead a day. After he showed Kadizzle what the spent bullets looked like we notices it was everywhere. To think that these people have shot so much lead all over the place is amazing. One of the saddest things about the gun nut mentality is that they are the same kind of people who have absolutely no respect for the environment. If you doubt what Kadizzle says go into an area where gun nuts have been practicing. You will find shot up everything, broken glass, pop cans full of holes and a general mess. Go to their camp site and see a rural mini slum. A year ago we went to an area Northwest of Phoenix thinking it would be a good place to camp and hike. We turned around and left when we saw what gun nuts on ATVs had done to the area. Hundreds of acres were ruined by these people who fear their own shadow.

Adventure Team on Picketpost

Summit Team defeated

Ruth, Roger, Kadizzle, and Jasper Littlebottom shot up Picketpost mountain at top speed. The trail got steeper, and steeper, then straight up. The trail seemed to disappear. Since the team got a late start time for mistakes was limited. Finally we concluded we were on the wrong trail, but were we? Back at the mobile module research seem to indicate it was the correct trail. We had to go up the notch in the picture and it was just the steepest bolder climb one could imagine. We may have to go back early in the day and try again. Today Kadizzles legs are sore, and Littlebottom may be hiking on her own.

Rainy day in the desert

Jasper Littlebottom wants to go for a hike today, but rain may hamper that plan. When things do warm up the desert will pop. Yesterday we went up to Rim Rock AZ to sniff the house we are looking at one more time. Things looked pretty dismal, and our desire dropped. Rim Rock is on average at least five degrees colder. You would think it was the arctic talking to the old snow birds.

The Cheat

The Commander is critical of Kadizzle using the computer. The Commander claims Kadizzle will run the generator just to use the computer. The trick is to use the computer when the generator has to run anyway. Being on the Net while RVing takes some adjustment. First you need a good cell phone connection, then you have to have timing. The laptop will run for about an hour and a half on its own battery.

The Commander A.K. A. the cheat normally reads in the morning, but on the road her routine is different. This morning she nudged up against me in my computer spot and said just let me on for a minute. According to The Commander she was just going to check her gmail. Then she said "Just one more thing". Next she moved to the other side of the table and took the computer with her. Kadizzle felt like he had just had his pocket picked. Kadizzle was left with nothing but an empty table to read.

Commander takes Kadizzle on Forced March

Ruth, Rodger, The Commander, and Kadizzle had a nice hike today. Climbed up to some old gold mines fairly near Mesa. Smelled like urine in the mine. That must be what money smells like. A lot of mountain bikers were doing some pretty spectacular riding. Kadizzle took the shortcut back, and waited by the road for the rest of the gang. Perhaps another hike tomorrow. Today could not have had better weather.

This Tree will bite you.

The jumping cholla is the meanest tree on the planet. Last night The Commander sternly warned Kadizzle not to take a short cut across the desert to the bath house. When Kadizzle got close he was tempted. Kadizzle used his flashlight and gingerly stepped around the only Cholla he had to pass. Then bang, something bit him on the leg. Although his left leg was closest to the Cholla the bite was on his right leg. Sure enough it got him. How does a tree do this? The clever tree launches grenades in every direction with sharp barbs, very sharp barbs. With all the wind the other day the Choa sent a grenade to the small bush near by. Sure enough the Cholla outsmarted Kadizzle.

The Control Center for Operation Hooplehead

Here at Kadizzle Headquarters North of Mesa we will stay up all night to keep you up to date. This is the debut of The Commander's first video. The Commander has threaten to post pictures of Kadizzle in his underwear. However, even the internet has limits.

Our camping spot on the Salt River

This is where the Kadizzlac is parked on the Salt River. You can see the Verde coming in from the north. You can click on the picture to blow it up. We are parked almost exactly where the green tent symbol is.

Surfing on the Salt River

These two guys decided to try surfing while the Salt River was up. The Commander has been in a great quandary about how to dry out a compartment on our camper. Luckily these guys showed up with a catalytic heater they let us use. The heater was intended to warm them when they came out. When we need something by some miracle someone always shows up with it. Restores my faith in the faith I don't know if I have.

Me and You and Rain on the Roof

Life on the Salt River with the sun up is great. The Commander has been suffering great consternation because rain was driven into one camper compartment. The rain soaked a little carpet inside. The Commander, contrary to Kadizzle, thinks we MUST leave and get an electrical hook up to dry out the camper. Fortunately as we were packing to go Tom the camp host came by and convinced The Commander the camper would dry out naturally just fine. Yesterday we put new seals in the compartment.

So far the tourist for the flooded Salt River have diminished. Someone must have shut a couple dams and the river is almost back to normal. Yesterday there were a few brave boaters who came down the River.

Rain in the Desert

The Kadizzles do more to bring rain than the clouds. Almost every time the Kadizzles visit a desert it rains. The lunar module is sitting at the confluence of the Verde River and the Salt River. The Verde River is coming up fast and The Commander thinks we need to hook up and be ready to leave. The Commander is jumping around like she is nuts so Kadizzle must run. The rain stopped for a little bit, and The Commander is a little more calm. An old goat told me they informed everyone last night to hook up and be ready to go in ten minutes. There is still plenty of free board, but these desert streams can come up fast. Jasper Littlebottom is out taking pictures, and perhaps I can post some in a few minutes. Ok, Jasper got some pictures. This picture shows the river which is about 100 yards away from us.

Living Among the Lost Tribe

This morning we got a knock on the door from a fellow traveler. Yesterday the guy came roaring into the camp ground with his old motor home. First impressions are not always good. However the guy turned out to nice enough. The gentleman was delivering a note from another camper that left. During the conversation he said he had five thousand rounds of ammunition, and more guns than anybody. This must have come up as Cissie discussed the probability of his camper blowing up because of his massive propane storage. We are parked about two hundred feet away, so the explosion will be fun to watch if it happens. All that ammunition is of some concern, so we may move if a fire breaks out. For some strange reason he has equipped his camper with what he calls a drag racing engine. Why one would want to do that is a puzzle, but strangeness becomes normal around here. It is raining like crazy here and we are at the very point where the Verde River enters the Salt River. Ned up in Rimrock says a massive amount of water is coming right our way. We may have to make an emergency exit if the river comes up quickly. And that is the way it is on the Salt River.

Easy Ken

My old neighbor from Hazen lives in Mesa. Every time we visit Mesa we stop by to see Ken. Ken has a serious addiction to garage sales. On a weekend he may attend over two hundred. Tell Ken what you want and Ken will shop for it. Without fail when Kadizzle visits Ken he ends up buying things. On this visit Kadizzle ended up with an MP3 player, and a couple of two way radios. Kadizzle could live without this stuff, and it is the equivilant of impulse buying, but at Easy Ken's you can't resist. The Commander has Ken on the prowel constantly for items. We have acquired at bargain rates many useful items. How quickly things drop in price. Easy Ken sole Kadizzle a $350 GPS for $20.

Motorcycle Megan

Megan does some design work for a Motorcycle clothing manufacturer.

Kadizzle's Mortal Wound in cycle crash

About a week ago Kadizzle had the great cycle crash. In an attempt to recover Kadizzle put his right leg out and managed to tear the old ham string in his leg. Kadizzle had still managed to hike, but is considering amputation. Hiking without two hiking sticks is next to impossible. To make the whole matter worse Kadizzle tore something on the outside of the left knee hunting about two months ago. It may be necessary to cut off both legs and start over. It felt like a break in three places when the crash occurred. A smaller dirt bike would have been a blessing. The 650cc was just to big to stop once it decided to go over. Three great strokes of luck. First Cissie was not on the bike with Kadizzle at the time, Second, Kadizzle was going very slow, Third, just barely fell on the cactus.

Rain in the Desert

Rain in the desert is wonderful because it means things will quickly turn green, and may even bloom. Everything changes. The Commander and Lord Kadizzle have decided to spend another day at Usery Mountian Park north of Mesa. Having plug in electricity and a few other amenities is nice if you have to sit in the Earth Roamer. May be a good day to resupply and roam a shopping mall. Tomorrow we will have to move down to the Salt River for sure.

Endless Petroglyphs in the Agua Fria

Here is Ruth and Rodger and just a few of the thousands of petroglyphys. Yesterday we hiked about six miles after we drove over 18 miles of terrible roads. At the Squaw Creek site there is a cliff over a mile long with thousands of examples of rock art.

Bust out day, Load the wagon

Today the Kadizzles are busting out. Either the Agua Fria or Salt River. Weather is holding nice. Had a little eat out dinner for The Commander last night.

The Commander Has a Birthday, crowds gather

The supreme leader, She who must be obeyed, The Ruler of the Universe, The source of all joy and nourishment, The Sun God, has reached a milestone. The Commander is now Three score. For a short time both The Commander and Lord Kadizzle will be three score. Shortly Kadizzle will be three score and one. The Commander is now a happy grandmother which has added immensely to her kingdom. Supervising the raising of the newest member of royalty is another task for The Commander. As the Queendom gets bigger some pressure is added to Kadizzle, and some removed.

Kadizzle just asked The Commander to pose for a birthday picture. Kadizzle puzzled out loud "What can we have you wear?". Without thinking The Commander said "Nothing". Stay tuned you may get to see the original birthday suit with three score added.

Cinderella's Slippers

Space ship Kadizzle has been stuck in Rimrock waiting for the princess slippers to arrive. First the slippers were supposed to be shipped to Hazen, then to Evergreen, Colorado, now to Rimrock. So a week we wait for the glass slippers.

Solved Cactus Flat Tire Problem

One thing that will drive you nuts riding your bike around the desert are the sand spurs and other cactus that cause flat tires. Kadizzle put his mind to the problem and found a solution.

Kadizzle bites the Dust

Yesterday we went on Indian site exploration number two. Since we had to travel on 13 miles of the worst roads on the planet, the explorers decided motor cycles were the answer. Ned, was gracious enough to let us use his 650 dirt bike, and he took his other dirt bike. With The Commander behind Kadizzle on the bike wearing two back packs we could fly down the road at speeds unattainable by truck. The hiking poles sticking out of the pack would have been a lot of fun when the crash came. Kadizzle rarely rides a dirt bike, so he is not an expert. You could not have made these rock strewn trails any worse and still passable. The rocks were up to two feet in diameter. Successfully we reached two great sites. Luckily for The Commander she decided to hike past the worst part of the road on the way out. Kadizzle performed the perfect storm. Kadizzle managed to go too slow and stall the bike just as he was going over a big rock. The bike tumbled to a crash. Kadizzle tried to stop the bike from falling with his leg. This resulted in a terribly pulled ham string. Ned, yelled pick up the bike you woss. Kadizzle in his injured state could not lift with one leg. Once Ned, was convinced to pick up the bike Kadizzle managed to resume the ride. Kadizzle by the grace of God landed beside a big prickly pear catus.

First Hike of the Season

Today after some hard hiking we found the Indian site we were looking for. The amount of pot shards was amazing. Everywhere you looked there were pottery pieces. The site was at an ideal spot to protect the valley and hunt game. It was a pinch point.

North Dakota committed to Stone Age

The simple minded Republicans in North Dakota are licking their chops. None of them remembers the Bush disaster. What happens when Republicans have total control? The Republican dream is to cut taxes on the rich to zero, and the hell with the poor. Throw in a little guns, gays, and God jazz, and you got the mix just right. North Dakota is a welfare state. North Dakota get about two dollars back for every dollar it sends to the federal government. The Republicans in North Dakota like to pretend they are a successful breed. The Republicans did have the foresight to put some coal and oil under the state. That along with federal welfare have done wonders. More than anything the Republicans in North Dakota remind Kadizzle of the rooster that crows and thinks he made the sun come up. Once the Republicans have complete control of North Dakota it will be like sending your kid out with a BB gun at age four. All you have to do is wait for the report of a blinded child. God must have loved the simple minded, he made so many of them.

Back in our Old Spot

A five the Bigfoot backed into it's resting space beside sister Patty's house in Rimrock. So nice to be in 57 degree weather. Back in the arctic we just left it must be well below zero. Spent last night at old Villa Nuevo State Park in NM. A wonderful little park. When Kadizzle got up this morning and jumped out of the lunar rover he noticed a very large bird in the sky. Not, sure, but it may have been a California Condor. The guys at the park said they had not seen any there, but it is not that far from the Grand Canyon where there is a population.

The Ticklepinch in Action

Busting Out of Hazen

The Kadizzles busted out of Hazen yesterday. As we got closer to the Rockies it got warmer and less snow. The hotel clerk in Cheyenne said she meant no insult by assigning us a handicap room. The hole trip to Denver is predicated on a stop at the Sierra Trading Post. We get 50 catalogs a year from them. Always everything is 50 to 75% off. Doesn't seem to happen when you get to the store The starting point must have been 200% of normal retail. So we have to wander around that place with The Commander searching for a bargain. The Commander doesn't know what she needs, but will recognize it when she sees it. Later in the day we will make it up to Erin's to see the Ticklepinch which now is getting her first teeth.

The Brand New Mr. Me

There is an old country western song "There goes the brand new Mr. Me". The song is about a guy walking down the street and seeing his ex wife with her new husband. There goes the brand new Mr. Me he sings. In preparation for our trip south Kadizzle realized shaving with an electric clipper would not be that practical. So this morning it seemed like the best plan was to shave off some beard to get ready for the trip. Since Kadizzle had not seen for years who was under that mess, he decided to take a look. Now, enough beard is gone to last most of the trip. Of course The Commander says Kadizzle is uglier than ever.

Ten Angels Die

One of Kadizzle's favorite sayings was from Albert Einstein, " The world is not stranger than you think, it is stranger than you can think". Certainly someone alive in 1900 would not have been able to conceive of many things now taken for granite. "The Google", as my favorite nit wit George Bush would say, is full of infinite wonders. You can set up "The Google" to let you know when anything appears on the internet. One thing Kadizzle has asked "The Google" to let him know is when the word Hooplehead appears anywhere. By this process Kadizzle this morning ran across an article that quoted an ancient Egyptian Goddess “When someone farts, ten angels die.” Isis - Egyptian Goddess of Fertility and Friend to the Slaves. Based on this concept Kadizzle has killed up to forty or fifty angels at a time. Why angels are so prone to these magical gases Kadizzle has no clue. If an angel is watching over you it is critical you control yourself. Science is strange, to think that the odor one smells after breaking wind is actually what dead angels smell like makes one wonder about the purity of angels. One should keep in mind the Bible refers to the angel of death. Now, this all makes perfect sense.