Geronimo Trail: Part 1

The week I was at the Ranch was actually the first week in quite a while that there were no guests so it was just Seth, Meris and I. There is no rest for the weary though so the week was split between work and play. I was given the opportunity to clean cabins again which I had sorely missed. There's just something about the scent of Pledge and executing a neat hospital corner that feeds the soul. Another ranch chore that I missed was unloading hay. Between the three of us we got the entire trailer unloaded just in time for a downpour.

I also ran errands with Meris in town which is an all day commitment since its 2.5 hours one way. She actually had to pick up the ranch truck from the shop since it got new tires so I got to drive that beast the whole way back. I was a little nervous since we drove through a pretty intense rainstorm but the new tires worked like champs.

In between all the day to day chores, we did get to take some amazing horseback rides.

Our trusty steeds

Our first ride we started out at a mine that Jess and Meris had actually found previously. The entrance is a bit of an obstacle but once you get in, you see it goes straight back ~70 feet and is very well constructed.

The entrance is a bit dicey

Rock solid mine

While bushwhacking around that mine we discovered a new mine that Meris dubbed "Jess' Chapel". It was a different mine than I had ever seen before because as you look into it there is daylight streaming through from a shaft that goes up.We stuck to the edges and tried to peer down in but the rest of the shaft goes down pretty deep into the abyss. I threw a rock in and it just kept going down until we couldn't hear it.

There's daylight in there!

Meris trying to see how far it goes

After that new discovery we stuck to the more traditional trails and followed along Upper Taylor Creek. The area is packed with history from the last several centuries including pictographs, dwelling canyons, and tin mines. Many generations before us have passed through these canyons including the Mogollon, Basque Sheepherders and Apache. What was really funny is that there were people from TX visiting their family's summer home in the area and they had driven up the creek and parked their truck and were blaring classic rock music. You never know what you're going to come across in a nearly 3 million acre wilderness!

Dwelling

Pictographs

Check out Jess's blog to find out more interpretation about the pictographs.

"The Hilton" dwelling

Inside the dwelling

We made it back to the Ranch just as a storm was moving in so the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Of course, trotting and loping helps immensely with timing :)

Clouds moving in