Saturday February 22, 2014 Deer Creek Road Area AZ.
Burr, it was cold last night in the high country
That it was, cold after I shut the propane heater off and went to bed and the van lost it’s heat. I reached for another blanket, which helped, but it was too cold to leave my nose out in the air. I stayed in bed this morning until the sun warmed up the van, around nine AM.
By then it was fairly nice out. I started to rush off, but then realized, what’s the hurry and sat around camp watching all the little birdies hoping around getting breakfast.
There were lots of these little birds, some coming fairly close to me sitting in my chair, almost like they were attracted in some way. My guess is a little Tit bird.
Around 10:30, I was ready to roll so I checked things out on the van and got onto the road, C R 68 heading towards Prescott. I decided last night not to go back to Bagdad as I was almost half way through this road and thought it would be a good idea to explore it more, so I did.
The road this morning going through the pine trees.
Most of the road was in fairly good shape especially as I got closer to Prescott, as that is the side the road is mostly entered and maintained. From the Prescott side, not the Bagdad side. The only real rough part of the road was dropping down into Bagdad, other wise, it is mostly just a dirt and sand road with some rocks sticking up here and there, four wheel drive is not needed from the Prescott side, or for that matter from the Bagdad side either.
The road is fairly long though, this part of it, I’m starting to drop down off the mountain.
I didn’t have anything to eat this morning, so I was getting hungry and stopped in this spot to get something to eat.
Eventually, I worked my way down into the Williamson Valley, which was mostly a good road.
I was heading south, mostly along the railroad tracks that go that way. Some of the road was even paved nicely, with very little traffic. I remember going through the town of Skull Valley. I didn’t enter Prescott as I turned south way before there.
I passed this wind mill with the water tank. A place that stored water out here is called a tank and this one even has one. Sometimes they are just water holes in the rocks or dirt.
I was heading south to the Deer Creek Road Area, so I had to get back on the road that goes north to Bagdad, S. R. 93 and turned south again on the Deer Creek Road which goes through the little town of Hillside, pictured below. The road quickly turns to dirt, right past here.
Deer Creek Road Campsite
I was in this area last year about this time, so I had some idea where I might be able to camp. I had a spot right by the main road, but at the last minute decided against it and headed out a little side road and after a bit I found tonight’s camp spot.
Shortly after I got there I noticed there were some bunny rabbits hopping around in the area. This one slowed down long enough for me to get a picture of it.
I walked around the desert just around the van area for a bit and saw some more bunnies.
The sun went on down and the sky lit up for a bit. Here’s my camp, just after the sun went down.
And the last picture of the day, before I went in and fixed some dinner.
My Route
Here’s a screen shot of my route for the last few days. Click on it to make it bigger. Right now, I’m camped just off the bottom of the map.
Tomorrow’s Plans
My plan is to work my way down Deer Creek Road, taking my time. There is a little lake down that way I can see on the map, which I will try to check out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is fenced off?
I should pop out at Congress, where I will try to get internet access at the Library so I can post these blogs.
If I can’t get access in Congress, I will go down to Wickenburg and try again and also do some shopping there. I’m not sure where I’ll be camped tomorrow night? Maybe in Congress, or Quartzsite or maybe some place else?
I had a nice leisurely day cruising down forest roads, just enjoying life, no hassles today. :O)