“Every star is maybe a sun to someone.”
– Carl Sagan”
The weekend in Two Guns was uneventful. It got quite hot by noon each day, but then the sky darkened, and the wind picked up. With doors and windows open, I managed to not fry despite being parked in full sun in 97⁰ heat. Many tourists parked up on the hill and came down to explore the ruins.
On Sunday, I got on my e-bike and drove to a distant building that I’d explored last year. I wanted to see if the road would be passable by van and if, once I got there, I could set up without being so close to the buildings that I’d interfere with tourists. It was definitely doable on both counts, and I decided to move Monday morning. But Monday morning came, and the thought of packing up everything and securing it for such a short ride seemed like too much work. The pros included that it would be exciting new scenery and a bit farther away from I-40. The cons were that it would take about an hour to pack up from where I was and then 5 minutes later unpack and set up again. And although I’d be farther from the main road, I’d be higher and much more visible than I was down in a slight valley. I decided to stay put for the time being. It rained all around me. I could see rain coming down over Flagstaff to the west and over Winslow to the east, and over whatever was south of me, but for whatever reason, the storms either fizzle out over Two Guns, or they split and went around each side. It was dark, windy and cool, but never rained here.
A man walked through my area that I’d met last year. His name is Jerry, and he comes once a week and picks up trash. He had a big garbage bag and a “grabber” so he didn’t have to bend over to get a stray can or bottle. We talked and he filled in some of the gaps in my memory about Two Guns and its long, mostly unpleasant history. Otherwise, it was very quiet after the weekend.
With few visitors, we had the area to ourselves, and Cosmo got to be off leash and explore.
By Monday afternoon, my itchy feet got the best of me and I felt the need to move, even if it was only to the other side of the dried up river. I didn’t feel like packing up as I normally do for a move, so I just shoved everything on the floor of the van, and drove the short distance, over a bridge and up the hill.
This is the view from my front door.
My main goal of going to Two Guns was to take photos of the Milky Way with something other than the tops of pine trees in the foreground. Sunday night was too cloudy to take photos, but on Tuesday night, before going to bed, I went outside and waited for my eyes to adjust. My patience paid off.
I’ve easily got a dozen more, but I know not everyone is as obsessed with the Milky Way as I am. I had such fun, outside, in the middle of nowhere, no other campers remotely close. I stood outside in my boxer shorts in the summer heat and just took in the night sky over the ruins. Bliss.
Last year when I visited Two Guns, there were others staying here. I met a very nice Egyptian man staying in a van near mine, and a couple living in a skoolie. This year, I’ve only seen one other person staying the night. He was in a car, parked far away by the abandoned gas station. A few day trippers have come through, but I suspect the extreme heat keeps most away.
If you’d like to know more about this ghost town, I found a video that shows all the places Cosmo and I have explored. The narrator is a little too “Mr. Rodgers” for me, but he does a good job of showing all the ruins. You can check it out at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kqb9tCOFeU
Lessons From The Road: I continue to learn that turning off “news,” electronic devices and social media makes me focus on where I am, not just physically, but in my life journey in general. I’m much happier when I do that. Many afternoons I sat with all the van doors open, looking out at ruins that make me feel like I’m in another century, and then out another door where I can see tractor trailers barreling east on I-40 in the distance. The contrast is good for me. I can see “the empire” in the distance, and then get out of the van and walk around in wilderness where few people have bothered to come.
Yesterday an exceptionally nice couple visited the spot where I’m staying. Danielle and Sky pulled up and got out to explore the ruins, and they both introduced themselves and we had a very nice chat. We laughed as they parted. Danielle thanked me for telling them what I knew of the history here and I, in turn, thanked them for stopping by and told them they were welcome to come visit me anytime. Their visit brightened my day. I gave them my card and I hope they stay in touch.