Back Home In Texas!

[JimT]

We had a good trip both going to Arizona and returning.


Driving out of Texas was 75% of the trip. We took 29 West until we hit I-10 and then drove to Deming, New Mexico where we stopped for the night. The next day was an easy 4 hours into Tucson.

We stayed in Tucson for 3 days and then drove to Phoenix. The route we took avoided I-10. The section between Tucson and Phoenix is horrible. We wanted to visit friends in Oracle so it made sense. We visited in Oracle and Mammoth, then went on through Winkleman and Kearney, past the Ray mine and on through Superior and Apache Junction. The mountains and desert in that stretch of driving are beautiful.

Returning home after our days in Phoenix we went back through Superior where we turned North and went over the mountains to Globe. From Globe we drove to Safford and on to Lordsburg where we picked up I-10.

At El Paso we took the 375 Loop around the city. The climb up over the Franklin Mountains is gorgeous. We stopped at the lookout point and took some photos of the amazing view.

Then we ran I-10 to Fort Stockton where we spent the night. The next day we drove until we got to 190 and cut off toward Iraan. At Manard we picked up 29 and drove that on into Georgetown where we were about 5 miles from home, which we made easily.

We took the long way around several times on the trip and while it added some driving time, the lack of traffic and the vista was worth it.

The "back" roads we took in Texas are 70 and 75 mph, though we were rarely under 80 to 85. What little traffic there was were mostly doing the same or faster. We had rented a fairly new Jeep and it averaged 24 mpg even at those speeds. That was nice.

It was a very enjoyable trip and I was happy to connect again with family and long-time friends.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Welcome home Jim!

This morning I was honored to be the first elected President of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Henri Castro Chapter

[High Desert Hunter]

Glad you had a good trip and returned home safely, one of these days we're going to need to align the stars so we can have a cup of coffee and I can shake your hand for all the money you've cost me over the years! Really mean it, your friendship and spiritual guidance when I've asked has been a true treasure over the years.

Scott, congratulations!

[JimT]

¡Felicidades mi amigo! Estoy feliz por ti.

[Scott Tschirhart]

¡Felicidades mi amigo! Estoy feliz por ti.

Muchas gracias mi hermano!

[Griff]

Glad to hear you hear you had a good trip Jim. I've driven those same routes on occasion... but it ain't as much fun in a "big truck". It's been a couple of years since I've been out to the Southern AZ area, have heard that it's changed a lot!

Congrats Scott!

[Bill in Oregon]

Sounds like a wonderful trip, Jim. That stretch from Globe to Safford to Lordsburg appeals to me -- and the road northeast out of Lordsburg to Silver City, which I hope to make my home soon. (If you have ever seen John Ford's "Stagecoach," the destination of Lordsburg will not be lost on you.)
When I am passing through ELP, the Woodrow Bean/Transmountain over the Franklins is my favorite route for the views --although they aren't so grand in winter when the folks in Juarez are burning trash to keep warm. There are group hikes several times a year to the B-24 and B-36 crash sites in the Franklins.
Scott, that's cool.

[JimT]

El Paso 7.jpg

My grandsons on the Franklin Mountain 375 bypass overlooking El Paso.

I have driven that several times and always enjoy it.

[Bill in Oregon]

Handsome kids, Jim, with long legs that seem to say "basketball" in the future.

[JimT]

The younger one likes soccer ... real football. Both are doing well in Karate, love to swim and run like gazelles. They like to shoot and are bugging me to take them deer hunting this year.

[horsesoldier03]

There is a pretty cool museum down in Columbus, NM, (the town raided by Poncho Villa). It has the 1st US airplane to be used in warfare during the Punitive Expedition. Also had lots of cool relics and guns.