“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There ain’t nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill
But since we’re on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride.”
~ James Taylor
Soundtrack for a Sunday morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfkW9A04SNs
Happy Summer Solstice!
Two Guns is a tourist stop along old Route 66. Among the most famous attractions there is the Apache Death Cave.
Here are two great video histories of the site which I’m so fond of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPF33LUH15o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bWMc7NU0Mk
The second video takes you to the spot where I always camp and I think you’ll recognize it from some of my photos.
On Monday, a Jeep Cherokee pulled into our site while Cosmo and I were outside. We met Braedon, a young man working in Flagstaff and living in his Jeep. He asked if I knew where the Apache Death Cave was, and I pointed it out to him. He asked me to go hiking with him to the cave. I put Cosmo in the van, and told Braedon I’d take him to the entrance, but wouldn’t go in. I had wanted to explore it 3 years ago when I discovered this place, but when I got to the entrance, the ladder/bridge/entryway had been vandalized and was completely obliterated. I thought it was possible for me to climb down to the cave entrance but wasn’t too certain I could make it back out.
I took Braedon to the entrance, and it looked worse than it had last year. He said “Oh, that’s not bad.” I told him that I’d run into kids who were coming out last year, and they looked spooked. They said it was pitch black once you passed the first turn. They added that if your flashlight died, you’d never find your way out. Braedon had a bag over his shoulder and smiled as he produced two headlamps. He said he has explored many caves. Caves were sort of his thing. I told him I’d wait up above for him to go check it out. As he climbed down, he made it look easy. He looked up and said “You sure you don’t want to come take a look? I’ll help you get down and back up.” I couldn’t resist and started the climb down, following the same steps he had just taken and grasping rocks on either side just as he had done. It wasn’t nearly as rough as I thought. After 3 years of hesitation, I was finally getting to see the inside of the Apache Death Cave.
As you can see from the photo, I had swapped my flip flops for my OSHA approved spelunking foot gear. 😊 I’m glad I finally got to see the inside of the cave. Over the years, I’d explained to many tourists how to get there, and told them to be sure to have a flashlight and a backup one just in case the first died on them. I always had to start with “I’ve never been in the cave myself, but…” I’ll never utter those words again.
Braedon and I hung out a bit, and as it got dark, he asked if I’d mind if he spent the night. Of course I didn’t, and he pulled his Jeep Cherokee into my spot but on the other side of the tower. He had to get up early, so went to bed soon after dark. I managed to stay up and capture my first Milky Way photo of the season.
I got up early the next morning to see Braedon off. He said he was heading back to Flagstaff for work and had a great spot that was much cooler and less windy. He said it was mostly lava rock, so the black dust wasn’t a problem. I arranged to meet him on Thursday.
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On Thursday, I touched base with Braedon. He was working until 3:00. I took my time packing up, taking a break to have another cup of coffee, and to take a walk with my boy. I decided that I needed to do laundry, and there is a nice laundromat in Flag, so I got everything ready and left Two Guns. I drove to the Laundromat, did the deed and then drove to Walmart where Braedon met me after he finished work. He wanted to get some gluten-free pizzas (He has Celiac disease) so he could make us dinner in his new propane oven. We got the pizzas and I followed him to his favorite camping spot, northwest of Flagstaff, and up Mount Humphrey (I think. Signs said we were headed to San Francisco Peak.) It was a bit of a drive and quite a shift in altitude. We ended up in a beautiful spot over 8,000 feet high. I set up camp while Braedon cooked our pizzas.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about cauliflower crust, but the pizzas were delicious. We sat outside and talked until about 10:00. The air was so much cooler here than it was in Two Guns, and there was no wind. It was a beautiful, star-filled night.
Braedon left early on Friday morning to go to work in town and I finished setting up my solar lights and my tent. He wanted to take me to another cave when he returned from work, and after discussing the logistics, I decided the best option was to take my van so that Cosmo can stay in it while we go exploring. I took everything that would fit, and put it into my tent so stuff wouldn’t be clattering around in the van as we drove, and I cleared out the passenger seat so Braedon could ride up front.
We drove about 2 miles to the lava cave, and started our adventure. The mouth of the cave was a bit rough for me, but once we got in, I navigated fairly well. It was pretty spectacular.
Lessons From The Road: Old dog, new tricks. I’ve explored two caves this week. In my wildest dreams, I’d never have thought I’d take up spelunking at this stage in my life. I’m also camping this week in a spot near Flagstaff, that I probably wouldn’t have considered (had I even know about it) because it is far from the beaten path (even though I like far from the beaten path) and has never been a part of my summertime/I-40 mix in the past. My first couple years on the road, I explored. After that, I worked on getting a routine and settling down. Camping next to a young, energetic, explorer—one who seems so excited to include me in his adventures and show me all the things he’s excited about—has gotten me, sometimes reluctantly, to do things that are outside my comfort zone. Overall, I think that’s a good thing. I am, however, not ready to give up my peaceful mornings drinking coffee in bed and listening to podcasts, or my quiet hour in the afternoon where I usually decompress, watch YouTube, or take a nap. I think my lesson will be to learn to balance new adventures with cherished (and mostly sedentary) traditions.
See you down the road,