ON THE ROAD AGAIN....
The Ghostly Phantoms
of Fort Stockton
By: Sherry E Engler
Groans of agony pierce the stillness of the moment. Heavy breathing, intermittently interrupted by a congested cough and moans of anguish, alert my attention. I hear the struggle for breathing, I hear the struggle of regret for bad deeds, and I hear the struggle for freedom. As I stand on the dirt flooring of the limestone guardhouse, near the shackles, I feel a presence of yesteryear, perhaps a presence of a mysterious domain beyond certainty. The presence I feel is a ghostly haunting, perhaps dating between 1868 and 1886, when Fort Stockton, Texas was occupied by the 9th Calvary of the US Army, specifically created for the rugged “buffalo soldiers”. Read More
Once Upon a Time
in the Village of Greer...
By Anne Groebner
Hidden among the pristine landscapes of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is the small and quiet village of Greer — a safe haven for fishermen and hunters and a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. It sits perched along the shores of the Little Colorado River and it is the access and destination points of many trails. Through the years I have visited Greer either to hike from the trailheads of the east, west fork, and Government Springs or complete a long trek from other trailheads and then sit down for a great and well-deserved meal at one of its restaurants.
Roosevelt, Authors Zane Grey, Mary Roberts Rinehart, and James Read More
Kaibab National Forest - North Ranger District - Grand Canyon
By Judy Nelson Crane,
Photos by Robert Crane
While most visitors to the area just above the North Rim are rushing to get a view of the spectacular Grand Canyon, there is definitely more to explore in the surrounding Kaibab National Forest. Kaibab, by the way, is the Paiute Indian word that means “mountain lying down”.
Have Dog Will Travel
By Anne Groebner
The best-planned road trips should include a dog. Dogs make the best travel companions. They never complain about the style of music or make comments about singing abilities — or lack of. They never complain about driving skills or give back seat driver advice. They just sit quietly, trusting that they will arrive at some
exciting destination which, to them, is the best place ever as long as they are with
Joy in the Wading
Photos & text by Thomas Wensil
My entire life I have had an affinity for the mountains. I love the winding roads, the fresh air, the sweeping views, trails that go uphill both ways, waking up to campfire remnants, chasing trout and any time spent on or in year-round freezing river water.
A Forest of Giants
By Anne Groebner
Photos by Denise Davis
and Anne Groebner
To see trees that are labeled “the largest living things in the entire world,” is beyond remarkable. To stand beneath the giant Sequoias, General Sherman and General Grant, who stand over 270 feet with circumferences of over 100 feet and limbs almost seven feet in diameter, was profound. To wonder about the history witnessed beneath these titans’ branches, over the 3,000-plus years they’ve resided within the Sierra Nevada, is beyond imagination. It’s needless to say that my trip to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks left me in awe of Mother Nature’s
Mountain of the Wild Turkey
Photos and text by Annemarie Eveland
In 1885, “Mountain of the Wild Turkey” is what the Spanish heard this place was called in Opeta (the language of the Aztecan). And the mountains were filled with wild turkeys roaming free. Some medicine men of the Apache called it “…woman with a most romantic history.” I heard that some Chiricahua Apache call the tall spires, “standing up rocks.”
As I gazed out at the spellbinding scenic panoramic view of these unusual formations, I too, felt it was beautiful beyond words, and strange with a magical yet haunting feeling. These wild Chiricahua mountains, in Southeastern Arizona, are a
Palo Duro Canyon
Photos & text by Sherry Engler
Her impressive red cliffs stagger upward into the blue Texas sky with majesty and mystery. Her canyon walls are layered meticulously, painted in red and blue hues of landscape beauty. Carved intricately by Mother Nature and Father Time, Palo Duro Canyon, located southeast of Amarillo, Texas is a gorgeous landmark. Rich in exquisite natural wonders, Palo Duro Canyon speaks to the soul; she is a landscape of intrigue. If you stop to digest her features of geological serenity, listen closely and you will hear her speak in the gentle breeze, whispering of her longtime geological and historical journeys.
Read More
The Journey
Gem of the Desert:
Bisbee, Arizona
Photos & Text by Sherry E Engler
I am an adventurer. I am a time traveler, moving through history in Bisbee, Arizona. I am: I am Jack Dunn and the year is 1877. I have had many great adventures as a civilian scout for the United States military, but I do have to say today’s was one of the very best. I have been scouting for Lt. John
Great American Road Trip Part II
Full Circle
Photos & Text By Anne Groebner
I arrived in Wallace, Idaho late Monday night and with suitcases and dog in tow, lugged them up a twisting flight of stairs to the second floor, and then to the far end of
Great American Road Trip
Outdoors SW meets Outdoors NW
By Anne Groebner
Hitting the road had never felt so good! —Dense traffic on the highways and the online “Sold Out” listed on rooms at hotels, suggested I wasn’t the only one that thought so. I think our entire nation is packing up and heading out to the great
The Wilderness Route
of the Verde Canyon Railroad
SHERRY E ENGLER
As we pull away from the railroad depot in Clarkdale, Arizona, in the Cottonwood railcar destined for a ride into history, I am not quite sure what to expect. But I am excited! Surprising me for my 26th birthday (actually, my 62nd birthday – I just like to reverse the digits to feel younger), my husband Don reserved a birthday celebration trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad. For quite some time, we have had this on our list of scenic attractions to experience. And what an exceptional adventure it turned out to be!
The Great
American Road Trip
ANNE GROEBNER
A surge of outdoor enthusiasts are descending on our small, rural, mountain town and they say the pandemic is to blame. People are heading for the mountains for fresh air and for safe, social distancing and it hasn’t slowed down, even as we lean toward normalcy.
Researching this strange occurrence, I found a survey by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and their findings revealed that the numbers of new outdoor participants were off the charts. Stats
Jerome
The Wickedest Town in Arizona — 1903
SHERRY E ENGLER
Step by step, I walk the sloped sidewalks of Jerome, a boom mining town located in the Black Hills of Yavapai County, centrally sited in Arizona. I hear the voices of yesteryear whispering in my ear, rich with the history of Jerome, a town incorporated in 1899, a town which would be given many, many titles with the passing of time. Moving slowly up and down the sidewalks, viewing relics of the boomtown, I realize I am striding through a past era in the state’s
A Journey to Remember
Part I
BY ANNE GROEBNER
After our trip down the California coast, my Mom and I “put to bed” another issue of the Magazine and prepared for our upcoming trip across the country. It left us very little time for her to enjoy her visit in Pinetop; a few gatherings with friends, a visit with one of her favorite son-in- laws, a tour
A Journey to Remember
Par II
BY ANNE GROEBNER
After our trip down the California coast, my Mom and I “put to bed” another issue of the Magazine and prepared for our upcoming trip across the country. It left us very little time for her to enjoy her visit in Pinetop; a few gatherings with friends, a visit with one of her favorite son-in- laws, a tour of the
Roamin' the Rim
BY ANNEMARIE EVELAND
Walking on the edge of the famous Mogollon Rim seems to emanate the feeling of looking down over the world. The vast expanse of layered mountain ranges in the distant backdrop is a sharp contrast to the deep, lush, verdant valley below. Breathtaking is a mild descriptive word for such an experience.
But there we stood, my faithful little dog and I, bravely and stalwartly anchored
"Get a Rope"
Stories in Stone
BY ANNEMARIE EVELAND
This is a text area fo r this paragraph. To change it, simply click and start typing. Once you added your content, you can customize its design by using different colors, fonts, font sizes and bullets. Just highlight the words you want to design and choose from the various options in the text editing bar.
Adventuring South Utah
BY DANNY GROEBNER
If you’re anything like me, you live for adventure. Living in the Southwest provides plenty of opportunity for that. I am spoiled living in Arizona but my eyes were opened after taking a trip to southern Utah. I had the opportunity to take a road trip up through northern Arizona where camping on a beach on Lake Powell is something you’ll never forget. Where taking the
The Great Grand Tetons
"les trois tetons"
BY ANNEMARIE EVELAND
I love mountains, rivers and forests. I feel privileged to live in an area that has all three. And when I travel, well, most often, I search out other areas that brag of the same. It’s in my nature to adore nature. So, when I visited Wyoming, of course, I visited the Grand Tetons located in another one of our popular National Parks.
Travels in Patagonia
When Superlatives Fail
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTOS BY RICHARD BARZAN
Over the course of a lifetime, one can meet a lot of people and, if lucky, make quite a few lasting friendships. When I think about both my old and more recent friends, I also reflect back over my life and tend to break it down into major chapters. There was my childhood
Dogs of El Chalten
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTOS BY RICHARD BARZAN
This past Fall (mid-October to mid-November), my friend Rick and I traveled to the Patagonia region of southern Chile and Argentina. When we returned home from our adventure, I was disoriented beyond what one might expect from mere jet lag. In hindsight, I attribute my prolonged state of
Glaciers in Retreat
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTOS BY RICHARD BARZAN
As usual, I was the first to awaken. I wasn’t sure who was in the bunk below me but I knew that my friend Rick was in the top bunk on the other side of the small dorm room and that below him was a stranger; someone else who had arrived late in the night, long after I had fallen to sleep.
Grand Canyon's North Rim
Visit the Other Side
BY JUDY CRANE
Each year, millions of people visit the Grand Canyon. It is without a doubt, a majestic and unique experience that is second to none. Last year, the total visitors topped six million and that number continues to grow. Of the total visitors, just a fraction visit the North Rim. Some say that it is just not as convenient as the South Rim...
John Muir's Yosemite
PHOTOS & TEXT BY ANNE GROEBNER
As I drove north on California Route 395 toward Sacramento, I was shadowed on my left by the magnificent Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Mountain ranges that are so tall that wisps of snow still clung to the tops of ridges even on that warm, late August evening. I knew that somewhere, hidden behind the facade of towering cliffs and jagged mountain ranges, I would find one of the most majestic of the American
Yellowstone Geyser Experience
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY ANNEMARIE EVELAND
Stunning and surrealistic, I thought, as I entered Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. This national park is located mostly in the northwest of Wyoming, a small part of Montana and a little in Idaho. It was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, thus
