Bisbee: City of Stairs

Bisbee is built into the sides of the mountain, and many of the homes have challenging sets of stairs providing "access."  Rather than complain about it, Bisbee has embraced its stairs, creating an annual race called the Bisbee 1000.

The actual event is in mid-October, but that didn't stop us from walking the 4.5 mile course.  It' a great way to explore this small Arizona city of about 5000 people.  There are a total of nine numbered staircases.

There are all sorts of interesting things to look at along the way.

Unlike most of our walks/hikes, we took our time on this one but eventually finished all of the staircases.  I was proud of Callie for staying out of trouble with several loose dogs around.  There is only one picture at the very end reminding us of her presence.

Bisbee Side Trip: Madera Canyon

The drive to Madera Canyon was an exercise in how Google Maps can take you to unexpected places.  Everything was fine until the advice to turn on to Hwy 62, a dirt road with frequent signs warning of drug dealers and human trafficking.  The dirt road narrowed and then started climbing high up into the mountains.  The drop-off was concerning, and then we met a jeep where it was not possible for two vehicles to pass. The other driver expertly backed up into an atv side trail so we could get by in Julia's Subaru.

Once we came down out of the mountains, all was good.  Madera Canyon is a beautiful spot, and we arrived on a day when day fees were waived.

From the trailhead, we hiked along a small creek.

 

We then began climbing up Mount Wrightson.  The trail got steeper and steeper. We were on the Bog Spring Trail when Julia started worrying getting back down with balky knees.  Soon after, we hit snow and ice, making it easy to decide that was far enough. 

It was still worth celebrating the partial trip up.  We hiked 5.8 miles, ascending 1555 feet.

Bisbee: Whitewater Draw

 From February 2022

Sandhill cranes have made a comeback in Wisconsin and are quite common in the summer.  We have never seen where they winter, until our February trip.  In Albuquerque, we saw a couple of dozen cranes feeding along the side of an urban trail.  Near Bisbee, we saw where thousands of cranes come to winter at Whitewater Draw.  It's only about a half hour from town, so we went twice.  

 

Madison: Concert on the Square

Yesterday afternoon and evening, we went to Concerts on the Square on the grounds of Wisconsin's State Capitol.  It was a beautiful afternoon and evening.  The performers were the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Wisconsin Dells Singers from the Ho Chunk tribe.  

In order to get good seats, it's common for some state employees to leave work and start setting up blankets on the grounds at 3 p.m, returning after the workday is over.

 

We squeezed in shortly before 5 p.m. for the 7 p.m. concert. By showtime, there is no space left on the grass, and tens of thousands of people are in attendance on all sides of the capitol.  Most people can't even see the performers but watch on big screens set up on the other three sides.

Both of us love the people watching.   We bring a picnic and stretch out on a large blanket.  There was a nice breeze to keep the air moving.

 

By the time the music starts, and after a glass or two of wine, I'm usually laying on my back, looking up at the trees.  I'm not a huge fan of chamber music, and I almost fell asleep in the middle of the crowd.

 

There is no sleeping, however, during the Ho-Chunk performance, which is energizing to me.

The Ho-Chunk is not a poor nation, operating two very successful casinos and other businesses in the area.   William Funmaker thanked us for coming out and encouraged everyone to visit a Ho-Chunk Casino soon.  I'll pass but really enjoyed the music. 

Bisbee: Off-grid Home on North Juniper Flats Road

 From February 2022

The electric company ends service at the bottom of Juniper Flats Road and Old Divide Road.  About two thirds of the way up the mountain, there are several off-grid homes.  The first one is owned by a rock band that apparently has/had concerts on the property.  Warning signs are on the side of the road, letting fans know that those who throw objects during performances will be ejected from the property and subject to arrest.

Around the next bend is a house powered by both wind and solar.  This house is on a fairly small footprint, but has amazing views.  It wasn't just a rich person's fourth home; it was occupied and lived in.

 

Bisbee: Hiking Cochise Stronghold

 From February 2022

On February 18th, we drove north and east from Bisbee for a little over an hour to the Coronado National Forest. The Stronghold Trail has been on my bucket list for a long time, and it did not disappoint.

The four mile dirt road in was heavily rutted.  There is a national forest campground at the trailhead, and I spent some time talking to a Scamp owner before the hike.  Even though it was a weekday, the campground was full.

It was a perfect day for hiking.

The terrain was rugged.  Cochise and his group of 1000, including 250 warriors, were obviously tougher than the day hikers who spend time here now trying to capture some of the spirituality of place.

Cochise was never conquered in battle and lived in the stronghold for about 15 years.  His body was secretly buried somewhere within.  Sounds a lot better to me than a gravestone or a monument.

This is a 9 mile out and back trail.  We just did the eastern half of it to the divide and then came back the way we came.

 

The last picture was where we spent some time.  I like to think that Cochise's people thought this particular spot was special too.