Road Trips sometimes bring surprises, pleasant or un...

Yesterday we left Tombstone to drive to Wickenburg, and that's what we did; however, it took about an hour and forty minutes longer than it should.

Unfortunately, we were caught in an hour and forty minute shut down of I-10 just north of Benson due to a tractor trailer that was on fire in the travel lanes.  Eventually the road was closed for several hours and all traffic was diverted off the highway, but that was happening SEVEN miles behind us.  We were only a few hundred yards from the accident scene.  I included a picture of what was left of the truck as we drove past.  It's barely recognizable as a truck.  We have still not learned how it happened or if the driver is okay.

We still had time to go to Saguaro National Park, which was excellent.  We saw a video, took a short trail walk, looked at the little museum exhibits, and bought a jig saw puzzle!  I hope it fits into the suitcase. LOL!  I learned several things about these beautiful plants.  They are pronounced "saWaro," no real G sound.  They don't grow their arms until they are 75 years old, and they live to be 150 at least and often close to 200 years old.  The O'odham natives believed they were people put on earth as sentinels.  The natives also make jelly out of their fruit. I really was hoping they sold that in the gift shop, but they didn't.

Then we had a Subway lunch and took off for Wickenburg.  This little Chevy Sonic has been great, but around Phoenix, in the rush hour back up, it started hesitating and shifting hard at low speeds.  It only has about 12, 500 miles on it, so it shouldn't be having any trouble.  We are now just hoping it holds up for the rest of the trip.  The only Fox Rental dealer in all of Arizona is at the Phoenix airport, where we plan to return it next Friday.  It would be a bummer to have to drive back to Phoenix to exchange it at any point from now to the end of the trip because we are going to be hundreds of miles away from that airport after today.

When we arrived in Wickenburg, we found the Jail Tree and the Thanks for the Rain statues easily.  Today we are going to the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, which is supposed to be excellent.  Tonight we will be staying in an historic hotel in Camp Verde, The Hassayampa Inn.  We will also be having a delightful dinner in their hotel restaurant.  Every now and then it's nice to splurge on a special hotel and restaurant.  I think the only other time we are doing that is at the Grand Canyon Hotel in Williams next week.

Thick smoke was visible for miles, but we didn't know it was right on our roadway.

What was left of the truck as they let us go past.  It's still smoldering.

We chose the West side of the park, just northwest of Tucson.

Walking in the dry wash at the park.

Showing off my national park passport stamp.

Saguaros don't get arms until they are 75 years old, which is midway in their life spans.

Mark down in the Javelina Wash.

Mark next to the "Thanks for the Rain" statue in Wickenburg.

Wickenburg has many of these nice statues along their streets, all in bronze.  Mark tried to strike up a conversation with this prospector, but he wasn't too friendly.

Went to Tombstone; got the t-shirts.  Athough they look backwards in the mirror!

The Jail Tree!  Wickenburg didn't used to have a jail, so prisoners were chained to this tree.  No one ever escaped, but some died from the heat before their trials.