It's Day 198.....it's also November 20, 2019.....and we are in New River Arizona

It's Day 198.....it's also November 20, 2019.....and we are in New River Arizona

Going to sleep last night....watching the desert light up in the night.....listening to the rumble of Thunder pass through.....all while the desert rain showered Vacilando with those soft taps on the roof.....it's a pretty cool way to fall asleep...Fun....exhilarating even....waking up in the morning....to learn that the Arizona desert can throw a winter storm temper tantrum with the best of them. The ever increasing rains.... that had ended our two night stay in those Bradshaw Mountains......landing us here.....smack dab in the middle of a desert coming to life.....right before our eyes....But maybe coming to life....isn't the term I mean.....the desert wasn't dead....far from it....but rather....it was patient......

And it certainly was not done....showing off for us.........just yet. As we made that drive up, and around Lynx lake....then back down out of the Prescott National Forest....I thought about how much I was enjoying seeing this side of the Arizona deserts personality....

I realized....that we had now spent over a month in the desert areas of Nevada, Arizona, and even brief brushes with the California portions of it…and I was experiencing the desert for the very first time. To date the desert had behaved exactly as we had expected it to. 50 degree nights....70...maybe 80 degree days....and dry......

While we camped alongside washes from Beatty Nevada to Stockton Hill Road and Lake Havasu…absorbing our surroundings…and imagining....wondering how that wash might behave under different circumstances…or why it is even there for that matter…

And then.....in the span of just 24 hours....less really....As fluidly as swiping to the next photo on your phone…this desert had replaced imagination....and wonder..... with reality.

Watching the desert interact with rain is like watching time lapse photography in real time. The washes come to life as creeks and rivers providing pathways for the water to get where it needs to go and you can sense that it somehow knows exactly where its going…and will get there regardless of obstacle…man made or otherwise. The recipient desert plants react knowingly…you can almost feel their root systems absorbing it below your feet as you watch their colors shift and brighten…deepening in hue while skin and leaves soften.....and flowers appear on plants that 12 hours prior appeared dead and gone..... They know it won’t last long…and it won’t happen often…so their instincts work flawlessly.

Just like an engine benefits from an oil change and a tank of gas…to provide reliable transport for another few miles…these engines of nature are now fueled up and ready to go few more miles. But nature and this desert know nothing of miles…they measure everything instead....in time......and when measured by time.....they go everywhere

And what about our address here......last night......and this morning.....in a place called New River Arizona.

This unincorporated community was established in 1868 by Phillip "Lord" Darrel Duppa as a stagecoach stop. ...apparently a pretty adventuresome fella....born in Kent England....educated at Cambridge....learning multiple languages......and would soon begin traveling the globe, exploring.... telling colorful tails...one involved being shipwrecked in South America where he would wander his way into North America.

He would arrive in the Prescott area in 1863 where he would meet another prominent pioneer by the name of Jack Swilling....the two would recognize the development opportunity in the area and would move to a place that would Become Phoenix in 1867....Duppa is even credited with naming Phoenix.

Just a year later, in 1868 Duppa established that stagecoach stop along the Black Canyon Highway, which connected Phoenix to Prescott¹. This strategic location made it an essential rest point for travelers and contributed to the area's early development.

Documentation isn't clear.....but it appears he named the stagecoach stop New River...after a seasonal wash, also called New River, which is part of the Agua Fria River system. This wash is a natural watercourse that only flows during certain times of the year, typically after heavy rains. The water from the wash eventually drains into the Agua Fria River, which then flows into the Salt River.

Early on..... the 33 miles of road connecting Phoenix to New river would be paved. .....but the remaining 75 miles connecting Prescott would remain dirt for decades. The small community of New River.....would remain just that.....a quiet rest stop for travelers and commerce working their way between the thriving cities of Phoenix and Prescott......as well as other upstarts...like Scottsdale.... Cave Creek, Peoria, Mesa.... and Anthem.

And this would be the story....of New River.....until....the 50's, 60's.....and 70's rolled around. The development of infrastructure in the area, particularly the construction of Interstate 17, played a significant role in the towns growth. This highway improved accessibility and connected New River more directly to Phoenix and those other major cities.

As those other major cities grew into the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Peoria, Cave Creek. that we know today...... to become ...The Valley of the Sun....the named used today when referring Phoenix Metropolitan area.

As the Valley of the Sun exploded into a population nearing 4 million people....New River would experience growth of it's own....becoming a popular rural community for those that worked in the nearby bustling cities.....but want to come home to the quiet beauty of New River......and the Mountains surrounding it. Places like Daisy Mountain.....Gavilan Peak.....and the Tonto National Forest all right there...in their own backyard.....New River seems to have blended all this with residential communities, ranches, and wide open spaces of the surrounding Sonoran Desert.

Current census numbers say that just over 17000 Arizonans call New River home.....we sure didn't see it...or feel it....from our little piece of desert on a rainy night.......and we didn't go lookin for it either......

We also would never have guessed another interesting little factoid about this place called New River....but there seems to be a decades long debate under way here ...

To incorporate.....or not?

Beginning in 1979...a time when New River had yet to crack 3k in population....the community would attempt to incorporate......but a Maricopa County Superior Court judge would call off the vote ruling that New River.....was too rural....and not urbanized as required by law.

Debate would continue in local politics for some 16 years when in 1995, another formal attempt to incorporate would take place. This time....the attempt would be blocked by ..... interestingly enough...the city of Phoenix.

In Arizona....the incorporation laws state that the application must be approved by surrounding....or neighboring cities. The thought is that the laws help to manage urban sprawl.....along with preventing outlying areas from getting in the way of strategic urban planning in the larger.....more established cities in an area.

And some 24 years later....the movement isn't dead......grass roots movements in the area continue to assert that New River should be allowed to gain more control over local development....and even water security.

But it seems that as the area has grown.....it becomes less and less likely that places like Phoenix, Peoria and Scottsdale will sign off on the proposition.....and even the community itself has become more divided. Some residents fear that incorporation would lead to higher taxes and even more development.....while others believe incorporation is essential to preserving the rural character of the town.

Interesting.....for sure.....to read....and realize that as we wandered through....admiring the scenery....that scenery that shifts with the rain and season.....and learning of all the other interesting and fun things one can experience in New River.....Maybe a day of boating or kayaking at the Lake Pleasant Regional Park.....or maybe scoring tickets to the Phoenix Sunrise Hot air Balloon rides....I hear it's an amazing way to experience sunrise over the city of Phoenix...and the 1.6 million folks that call it home.....the ride of course takes you out over that Sonoran Desert for a one of a kind view of this everchanging desert. Or maybe Mountain Biking is your thing.....They've got you covered there too....The Scottsdale Mountain Biking tour is a three hour trek on desert trails that wander the desert between Scottsdale and New River. Or .... get this.... New River Arizona is home to the only museum in the world....Soley dedicated to musical instruments.....over 8000 instruments on display.....

And all this.....situated in this 100, 387 thousand square mile Sonoran Desert......so you know....if any place can hook you up on an amazing Jeep tour....New River can....and does. The video's on YouTube make the sunset tours in particular look pretty amazing.

One reads of all this......and would never guess that the folks that call New River home are debating every day on the best path forward for this special place. And I'm guessing.... that regardless of which side of the debate residents fall on....they all want the very best for the place they've chosen to call home.

The sky's were clearing as we pulled out of little piece of desert for sale in New River.....

We stopped to fuel up just a mile or so up the road....and continued on......down this road they call....the Carefree Hiway.

We could now see Phoenix......on the Horizon....

We had our spot reserved in Scottsdale for Thanksgiving....and while we were.....very much looking forward to the Thanksgiving Holiday with Friends and family....what we weren't looking forward to.....were all those people....the crowds....the congestion....ugh....the city....

I think I might have actually whispered under my breath to Dougie and Bille.....we still got a couple days.....let's see what else we can find.....There has to be a spot....or two....somewhere....here in this desert.....that we can call home for a night or two before we brave those millions of city dwellers.....

And there it was....I am almost beyond being surprised at this point. I think I am just pretty continuously grateful that no matter where we seem to find ourselves....if we just stay on the look out....we almost always seem to find....our next pretty amazing adventure.....and experience.

This time....that opportunity came in the form of a pull out along side this Carefree Highway.

See.....at this point.....the rains over the past couple of nights....and the muddy roads that came with them....had us thinking....that we would be confined to pavement for the duration of the journey to Scottsdale....but here....thing's didn't look "Muddy"......this particular desert dirt road looked relatively unaffected by the rain....certainly no mud......that dried out two lane still showed the cracked....dried out desert floor that we had come to know over the past few weeks.

But something else caught my eye as well.....the open gate.....and the two lane that appeared to meander endlessly back out into the desert....and that sign.....

The sign...clearly stated....No Trespassing......at first....disheartening......but just below that......the sign continued.... "Arizona Trust."..... some legal mumbo jumbo.....and a website. Back inside Vacilando for a quick ham sandwich.....and some reading....

Around 30 minutes.....and 15 dollars later.....we were the proud owners of an annual permit allowing us access to over 9 million acres of Arizona Trust.....or state land.

Here's the quick deal.....and another pretty cool offering in Arizona......BLM land.....Beareau of Land Management.....Federal lands open to public use are available in many states.....in Arizona.....just over 12 million acres of BLM, government owned land are open to public use.....no permit needed. The Arizona Trust.....offers another 9 million acres of Arizona.....fork over your 15 bucks each year.....and that revenue just FYI goes to primarily the education system in the state......and you get just over 21 million acres of land to explore.....hike.....camp....and just basically....enjoy.....in Arizona. It also means that Arizona.....is third largest in the nation......behind only Alaska....and Nevada.....when it comes to giving us space .....a piece of our country.....to enjoy......and appreciate......all devoid of the trappings of development.......Another interesting side note.....if ya wanna round out the top five in this category.....ad Oregon....and California .....to the list of states that offer up some pretty awesome pieces wide open spaces....Idaho is right up there too...coming in at 6th.....right on the heels of Oregon.

Dougie and I would take another walk....this time....permit in hand.....through that gate....carefully examining that two track.....inspecting ..... making sure there were not muddy surprises waiting for us.......ample opportunity to turn around and get back to pavement if needed. Vacilando has always done us proud....but he's no 4 wheelin side by side and we didn't want to see what a roadside assistance call might look like if we had to have Vacilando....and his 15 thousand pounds drug out of the mud of the Arizona desert after a monsoon.....even if the forecast wasn't calling for one.

After being satisfied with our inspection......it was one more time....we were headed into the desert.....the pavement behind us.....the Mountains of the Tonto National Forest in Front of us.....and a city called Phoenix off in the distance to our right.

We were just a few miles in....the Carefree Highway deep in our past and out of sight.......the horizon to our right just beginning to flicker with the evening lights of Phoenix.....and the sun setting behind us...when we came upon our next address......a wide open space devoid of rocks or other obstacles....we pulled around positioning the horizons.....Phoenix.....and the Mountains of the Tonto National Forest ..... the perfect backdrops for another night or two of camping in the desert.

With Cave Creek on one side....New River on another.....and Phoenix thrown in just for fun....the phone couldn't decide exactly where we were......and it didn't matter much really.....as the phone flickered back and fourth between the 3.....depending on where we walked ..... we just focused on the quiet...the sunset's....the sunrises....and the Hot air balloons we awoke to each morning ..... apparently filled with the lucky folks that had scored those Tickets to a Phoenix sunrise hot air balloon ride.

Now when we picked our spot here.....weren't exactly sure if it would be for one or two nights.....but turns out....it would be 3......and not necessarily by choice!

That first night.....brought a bit of a wake up call.....your phone....had told us there was a 40 percent chance of rain showers this evening..........

After dinner....a movie....and one last walk with Dougie we would go to sleep that night....watching the lights of Phoenix glittering on the horizon.....only to be woke up a few hours later.....to the sound of pounding rains. Not the rains that had gently tapped Vacilando's roof last night back a few miles......there was also no lightening or thunder....there was just rain....and a lot of it! Each time I started to doze back off....the next wall of water would hit Vacilando from what seemed like every direction.....it rained more.....and it rained.....A LOT......seems the phone had left out the part that if we did get rain.....it could be a lot of rain.

We awoke at sunrise to sunshine and clear sky's. Those hot air balloons were even out and about ..... but that was a bit misleading.....

Everything would change as I stepped out into the desert for that first morning walk with Dougie.....and my foot sunk some 3 inches into the desert floor....it was then .... I realized...our circumstances had changed....a bit.

It was a Thursday morning.....but we weren't alone. By 7 am two ranchers had driven by in their pickups and even a couple of side by sides. This was a bit of a relief.......as I waved back at each one that drove by....I was also realizing that there would be help....if we needed it.

The other thing I realized was that the hydrolic levelers at Each of Vacilando's corners had shoved the 2x6 block I'd carefully placed under each the night before.....deep into the desert floor. While his tires still appeared to be sitting on the desert floor....it was clear that if I attempted to raise the leveling feet....and the full weight of Vacilando were returned to the tires.....that would change. It was clear....we were not going anywhere....anytime soon.....at least not under our own power.

We'd also figured out that the two track we had pulled off of......just some 20 feet or so away.....was completely solid.....we'd just need to get back to that and all would be good. With the forecast telling us the rains were done....and nothing but sun in our future......guess we knew where we were going to spend the next couple of days......I also wondered....how long exactly does it take the desert to dry out......guess we'll find out.

By then end of that first day......the floor of Vacilando would be covered with every towel and blanket I could find....and after each hike in the desert with Dougie....there would be the obligatory wrestling match ..... while I would attempt to de-mud Dougie.....as Billie watched.

We'd also spend time writing here...while learning about that place called Phoenix...just off in the horizon. The city that glowed in the sun.....and flickered in the night.....the place I had been so many times......and yet knew so little about....

An area of the country first inhabited by the Hohokam people over two thousand years ago. These people, this culture would develop an extensive canal system to support their agricultural efforts....and then....mysteriously dissapear from the area around the year 1450 .... it is estimated that their population would grow to some 30,000....perhaps even as high as 70,000 before their sudden departure.

Exactly why they would dissappear from an area they had invested so heavily in is not known for sure.....but best guesses indicate that a drought ....known as the Great Drought.....spanning some 20 or more years....and ending in the year 1299 might likely have been the trigger for their departure.

It is also widely believed that the population numbers eventually began to put stresses on the land and the environment....given the periods technology..... simply could not sustain the agricultural requirements needed to support the rapidly growing community.

After the disappearance of the Hohokum people.....the area would become home to various Native American Tribes....many of which would continue to use and maintain some of the Hohokam peoples irrigation canals.

The 16th century would introduce Spanish explorers to the area.....these folks never established permanent settlements......but Mexican explorers would.... adding the area to the Mexican territory After gaining independence from Spain in 1821.

In the span of just 33 years.....the treaty signed.....that ended the Mexican American war would deliver part of Arizona to the US.....and finally.....the US would acquire the rest of the territory in 1853 as the result of the Gadsden Purchase. The point of that acquisition was to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad. By the mid 19th century....American settlers were arriving in the area....including those two guys I'd learned of earlier....That adventursome lord from England.....Duppo.....proclaimed the town Phoenix in 1868.....but the city would not be incorporated until 1881.

He suggested the name Phoenix, to symbolize a city that would rise from the ruins of the ancient Hohokum civilization....just like the mythical Phoenix bird rises from its ashes. The Hohokam had built an extensive canal system in the area, which inspired his idea that a beautiful.....and bountiful city could be born....and flourish within the agricultural potential of the area.

Turns out.....that english guy called it pretty good....151 years later....Phoenix....is the 5th largest city in the nation by population.....

The city grew rapidly due to its agricultural potential, relying on the "Five C's": cotton, citrus, cattle, climate, and copper³. It became the capital of Arizona Territory in 1889⁵. Post-World War II, Phoenix experienced significant growth, partly due to the advent of air conditioning and an influx of high-tech industries nearing the 20th century.

The city grows at a rate of nearly 1 percent annually.....so apparently.....folks really want to live here......which explains why the city has found itself ranked as the fasted growing city in the country many....many times since it's rise from the ashes of that ancient Hohokum civilization.

Phoenix spans some 517.9 square miles....making it the 11th largest city in the country in land mass.

The Valley of the Sun....the Phoenix Metropolitan area ..... has grown to nearly 5 million residents making it the 10th largest metropolitan area in the nation.

Our night or two. out on this piece of Arizona Trust land......had turned into three......And why is that.....I wondered......as we pulled back out onto the pavement of that Carefree Hiway.......had we dodged a bullet....a situation that could have easily gone beyond wrong.....or had our adventure.....the universe.... yet again.....decided not only where we would be......but for how long?