Friday – December 15 – Today was absolutely beautiful, sunny and warm. We decided to drive over to the Wilcox area as we didn’t do that when we were here in January. We took the Dragoon Road, then picked up a scenic route which circled around to Wilcox. We stopped at Cochise Stronghold where the Apache Indians, led by Cochise, fought the U.S. soldiers for over 20 years in the mid to late 1800’s. It is very rugged country and I sure wouldn’t want to be tracking through it fighting Indians!

We then went to Chiricahua National Monument, Land of Standing Up Rocks, which is a National Park and it was spectacular. First we stopped at Faraway Ranch where Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson settled in 1888. By the 1920’s their daughter Lillian and her husband Ed Riggs had turned the homestead into a guest ranch which ran from the 1920’s to 1973, at which time it was turned into a National Monument. Unfortunately, the house was closed today but I was able to peek into a few windows and it looked very nice and comfortable.

After visiting the house when we went to get back into the truck there were tons of bees swarming the truck so John got in and I walked around to the other end of the parking area to get picked up. Poor John, a couple got into the truck with him and one crawled up his pant leg and stung him - but he got it back and it won’t be stinging anyone else!!

From there we went to the Visitor’s Centre, then did an 8 mile drive to the top of the mountain, Massai Point, to see the rock formations – absolutely breathtaking. The rock formations are unbelievable, and so many different shapes, it is hard to believe that they continue to stand piled up on top of each other like they are. At Massai Point there is 360 degree view of Rhyolite Canyon, surrounding mountain peaks and adjacent valleys.

We then came back through Wilcox, which we weren’t impressed with, and picked up I-10 to Benson where stopped for fuel and some groceries. We came into Benson one way and went out another and lo and behold isn’t there now a Wal Mart Super Centre in Benson. It was a great day!