We moved north from Tucson; the temperatures in Phoenix/Tucson are hitting a record high of 95.  We are near Cordes Lakes at the intersection of I-17 and highway 69.  The high temperature here is around 82. 

We decided to take a little trip to the Pueblo La Plata archeological dig.  Ok, it was just a pace on the map to get to, I have no idea what is there.

We found a back road to get to Cordes, upper left side of the map.  When we got there it was pretty much abandoned, there was a store;

And an old barn: is it leaning or is that me?

 

BR got to meet some young cattle that had gotten out;

As we cruised into the Agua Fria National Monument we came across some interesting signs; 

This sign is obviously for the cowboys that chew tobacco; you must slow down to get a good dip or you will spill it. 

Of course any xt’er will get a little shiver down their spine whenever they encounter one of these signs;

Along the way did get to cross the mighty raging Agua Fria River

 

We eventually turned off the main dirt road and started down the road to Pueblo La Plata Archeological dig.  Not even sure we had the correct road.  We went down a ways until the road kind of got a little rough.

 

BR just wasn’t feeling it, so we walked down a bit.  After a while we spotted what we thought were a couple of antelope up on the hill.  Turns out it was just the twins.

We turned around and headed back the way we came;

We started to go down a different National Forest Trail; it was a bit rougher than the Bloody Basin Road that we had been on.  Barbara was ok when the track got narrow and she was riding on dirt;

Then we got to a place where they had to put down some rock to stabilize the road; she was ok on the rock;

But then we came to a brand new gate. 

Since we are usually guests in the area we don’t push the limits, but the locals just get annoyed.

 

As we were pondering the gate a family of 7 came rolling up on a big gator.  They were on the other side of the gate.  So they got out and looked at the gate a bit, dad proceeds to drive the gator around the gate.  No easy feat, we all thought it was going to roll at one point.  He mentions that the gate on the other side is open.  While the family is climbing back in the gator one of the boys; about 5 years old; pipes up and says: “The gate is open because my dad shot the lock off.”  Ok…..

 

We opted to just call it a day; after all I hadn’t brought a gun along to shoot the lock off with.