Postscripts to past posts

All too often, once I have posted on a subject, another picture or data point or event occurs which would have enhanced the original, but, alas, far too late. Herewith a few of these odds and ends.

For instance, an aborted visit to Miss Kitty's Cat House, that wonderful cottage near Granite Creek where some 25 felines make a cozy home. I wanted to show off the place to GD, who has been volunteering at a cat rescue facility in LaFayette LA. However, no humans were present to let us in, so we had to content ourselves by chatting with the any critters who happened out to the porch.

Next -- I discovered that not only did my archives include a couple of unexpected Louisiana gator pictures -- but they were classics, consisting of a head barely above water. Just like in the movies.

And, yes, I claimed to have found all the local Victorians with towers. Hah! I should know better. This pair above and below are on Mt. Vernon near Willis Street. Not only that, but I also discovered that the big white Victorian at my end of town, at Park Avenue and Gurley actually has a tower, tho it is hidden by trees in the summer. Turns out that I had a quite passable picture of the feature in my post about the Brinkmeyer House.

And here's the picture that sparked this post in the first place. This young man is outfitted as a Rough Rider, including a special rucksack; the picture belonged in yesterday's post. I was told that he is the son of an officer of the local group.

Fire Follow-Up: Reports indicate that the Forest Service crews managed to guide the Crown King fire toward desert terrain, where there is not nearly the fuel load found in the forest. At this point, the fire is 50% contained and residents are allowed back home; yesterday's rain certainly helped. A reader was kind enough to post this Crown King fire web site, created to keep forest residents in touch with one another and with current developments. As an added feature, the site includes links to almost every business in the mountain hamlet -- it would appear that the old mining town is very well wired indeed. Following the links, I came across one very disquieting bit of info: seems ADOT is seriously considering relocating I-17 down in the lowland west of its present route between Black Canyon City and the Bloody Basin turn-off. Which would probably be the end of Bumblebee. All I can say is "Fie on you, ADOT!" What is it about highway engineers?

Crown King four days ago

As a rule, I sleep somewhat late; I had noted in my early morning fog that the sunlight coming in through the clerestory windows had a somewhat red tinge, but it wasn't until I arose at 9 a.m. and looked out the window to see a sky hazy with smoke that I realized we had a forest fire somewhere near Prescott. A click on the Fire Alert link at right revealed that the location was near Crown King.

Approximately 250 people live full-time in Crown King, a forest inholding about 30 miles south of Prescott. Sometimes as many as 1,500 people can be recreating on the forest in the remote area on the weekend, according to the Prescott Courier. The fire was started late Saturday night by a lost hiker who stupidly set a signal fire. Sson and I were there just this last Friday.

In case you haven't visited this old mining town at the south end of the Bradshaws, it's a favorite summer retreat for Phoenicians. The business district consists of two saloon/restaurants, the general store and a small souvenir shop. You buy your gas at the general store ($5.14/gal.) The Courier mentioned that Crown King is about 30 miles from Prescott. That's if you are a crow. If you are in a vehicle, 4-wheel-drive preferable, you can make it down the mountain range in 4-6 hours on the old Senator Highway. Almost any car can drive the long way, around the mountains on the Interstate and then across the desert and up the road that was formerly an old narrow-gauge railroad grade up the side of the mountain. Maybe an hour and a half time for the "30 miles" this route.

The general store serves up curios and deli goodies and stuff for the tourist trade. A corner serves as the local post office.

The chapel is a new addition since I was last in town; a new structure, called with suitable irony the Crown King Mall, was also under construction. There is also a one-room schoolhouse.

Popular rides in this mountain enclave include jeeps and their many derivatives, not to mention quads and other ATVs. Far more important are the civic vehicles (below) -- the ambulance and, to the rear, fire equipment.

Most of the trees which died in the past couple of years from beetle infestation were already taken down in the immediate area of Crown King, though big equipment was still much in evidence. It would take dozers like these to topple the tall trees; out in the forest nearby, I saw many dead trees that had simply been uprooted, lying on the hillsides. Eventually, they will be sawn or possibly just moulder.

Many of the houses in the Crown King area are scattered through somewhat remote forest areas. Most of the residents were evacuated on Sunday, though, fortunately, the fire has moved away from the town site at last report. One home and a small sawmill burned, however. Tower Mountain (below), a handful of miles north of Crown King, is an important relay point for modern-age communications, as well as housing a fire look-out station.

Note: both Tombo and Karoliina were up early enough to photograph the red sun shining through the heavy smoke this morning.

Curious Man-Mades in the Forest

On the recent outing to Crown King with the Sson, we came across several curious man-made fixtures just sitting there, out in the forest. The cement tank (above, below) continues to puzzle us. It's located in a small drainage; the corrugations are too big to serve as a washboard. Perhaps it is a device to separate out placer gold -- this is/was gold-mining country. Any other suggestions?

We couldn't miss these two large tanks by the side of the Senator Highway a couple of miles north of Crown King. Presumably they are meant to hold a liquid -- note the industrial strength spigots. Again, provenance and purpose remain an unknown.

At first glance, another mystery in concrete. Look a little closer, you'll see two pipes entering it. Lift the lid. Aha, a catchment for a couple of springs. Ever the ecologist, Sson investigates, finding a few water striders and not much else, other than water.