Back to Bisbee

---

We where a bit undecided where to go from City of Rocks. I had thought we might head Northwest, up into east central Arizona and check out the oddly-named “Show Low”. Checking the weather forecast though, the high-altitude Show Low looked cold, possibly even snowy — that’s not what we’re looking for. We could stay home for that.

So we placed a safe bet and headed down south, almost to the Mexican border, and went back to Bisbee AZ. Of all the towns we’ve visited in the SW, I think we can surely say that Bisbee is our favorite (so far). It has a great vibe, funky, layed back, lively, but not expensive and overdeveloped (I’m looking at you, Sedona!).

Cathy placed a call, and we lucked into a three night booking at the “Queen Mine RV Park”. That park itself is nothing special, just a quarter acre round lot, covered with crushed stone. The cool thing about is that it is jammed right in between the old town and the massive (now inactive) copper pit mine for which it is named. Park there, and it’s just a short walk down hill into town. And then, of course, just a short stagger back ;<😉.

We had a great couple of days there again. We went through all the fun antique/junk shops to be found there, had a few beers, sitting outside on the hotel porch, and did lots of walking. Cathy had another massage session too, including something involving hot rocks. I don’t know, I didn’t want to ask too many questions.

The town is built into a steep canyon, and there is no flat ground anywhere. The commercial buildings are all in the lowest land, all the houses, once home to the miners, are built in steps, working up the canyon sides. There are some twisty, steep streets winding up these steps, but for a surprising number of these homes, the only access is by the long flights of concrete stairs that you find everywhere in town.

It is a real cardiovascular town, everywhere you walk, it is either up or down, sometimes both. They even host a foot race here annually, called the “Bisbee 1000” it includes not merely running up and down the steep streets, but also the titular “1000” concrete steps. For myself — no thank you!

We did do an extensive walk though, way up the slopes and all around town. All the houses are different, none built to any kind of common plan, and many painted and decorated in artistic and amusing fashion, it’s a treat just to see them.

We’ve been cooking at the trailer mostly, but we decided to hike up the main street on our last night in town to get pizza at “The Screaming Banshee”. We’ve eaten there before, and besides the great pie, they also serve Labatt Blue — just a little taste of home.

As warm and sunny as it has been here, the forecast now is for nights down in the 20’s, and even a chance of snow — yuck. As far south as we are here, Bisbee is at 5300’ elevation — we’ve got to get lower. A little research found some Federal campsites east of Phoenix around Roosevelt Lake at 2100’. The forecast for that area is for daytime temps in the 60’s, with lows in the 40’s — that’s more like it!

So we’ll head up there to wait out this latest cold snap before we head up to the highlands of the Colorado River and Lake Powell.

---