I finally was able to take a little ride today that I have wanted to do for the last couple of years. That is to visit three ghost towns in the
Bradshaw mountains NE of Wickenburg, AZ. If you are interested in more information, just google each of them and you can find out a lot more.

That is the Hassayampa River near a rest area south of Wickenburg, AZ

I always suspected there was something special about this rest stop, but have never checked it out in my 13 of living down here. The Hassayampa flows year around, but it is underground for most of it's length. However, there are a few places that it comes to the surface and this is one of them. During the monsoons, I've seen whole cars being washed away in it's flow.

 A nice oasis in the desert

With some not so nice guest.

About four miles down Stanton road one comes to this over look of the new Stanton area. The hill you see is called Rich Hill.

In the 1880's some Mexican Sheep herders discovered some potato sized gold nuggets.

The town has never died and they are still taking a lot of gold from the area.

If you check in at the office they will let you go through the buildings. However due to a late start on this ride, I didn't have time today.

Most of the original buildings have been repurposed.

I enjoyed talking to this old guy. He told me the story of the Mexicans and the gold nuggets.

Almost the same shot as the other one, but not quite. :)

Lots of information if you google the area.

The roads are public, but all of the land is private and every inch of that has a valid mine claim on it.

A mile or two past Stanton is Weaver

The little minor shacks built around the area weren't big on comforts. Today they have all be replaced by trailers. They look a bit trashy, but have all of the comforts of home.

There were a lot of different kinds of cactus in this picture, although I am told that the ocotillo is actually a bush.

Decision Corner, Five roads come together here.

The modern day mining process continues with modern machinery. This is only one of at least three dozen operations that I saw.

The town of Weaver was a going concern back in the early 1900's

A lot of graves marked here. I would have hated digging these in all that rock.

Weaver creek. It is made up of many mine claims.

But this little section remains untouched for what ever reason.

I know where there are lot's of hills that look just like this, but I haven't heard that they had gold in them. 

This is the last remaing structure in the town of Weaver

....and it isn't doing too well.

Octave was the third of the old gold towns, but this sign is all that is left to mark it spot......

....unless you count the mayors mansion here.

I don't have a gps on the beemer yet and I am totally lost at the moment. However, it was a very nice place to be lost at.

Always fun to see the old windmills pumping water for the stock tanks.

This is part of the Box Canyon of the Hassayampa

One of the other areas where the river flows on the surface the year around.

I wanted to ride into the Box Canyon, but it probably wouldn't have been to wise when riding alone.

This is the road leading down to the canyon and this is the good part.

It was tempting to go down there and ride in the shade. I know it is getting a bit cool in some parts of the country, but we are still flirting with triple digits here in the southland. :)

The moon is just about through it's cycle and my cycle trip is just about through too.

I followed my shadow all the way to Flagstaff today. Said goodbye to Sherm after breakfast and once again when I past him near Flag.

I came home to a very different AZ

Everything had a green tint

The sky was beautiful with the white clouds.

It seems the fresh grass enhances the color of the mountains

Pretty when zoomed in on

Even the Saguaro forest look lush

Almost as green as AR

Filled up just before going home. 6.37 gal in a 6.7 gal tank. I rode 4390 miles on this trip, but only 2500 getting there and back. The bike averaged 48.7 MPG. Well, maybe more like 36 but that won't impress anyone. :)

I kept seeing these signs for the blue hole in Santa Rosa, NM

My curious nature got the best of me and I went to check it out

It is an old sink hole fed by an underground river.

They put a grate over the river inlet and outlet because divers would go in and not come out.

You can rent scuba gear and go diving if you like. I think those floats are tethered to the bottom 81' down so the divers can pull themselves down.

Regardless, it was a neat place to see.

Not sure what makes it look so blue.

Sherm and I had a good meal here in old Albuquerque, NM 

Just east of Gallup the skies turned dark and sure enough they got me.

We filled up on Standing on the corner pics.

Just across the street

I had to reach as high as I could to take this one.

There's a girl my Lord in a flat bed Ford.......