We Visit A Grave

I sure hope Mr. Bradshaw appreciated our visiting his gravesite as much trouble as it was for us to get there!  Today was the toughest riding I’ve done—by the time we stopped for lunch my knees were knocking and my hands were shaking!  I was up on three wheels, sometimes two I think more times that I want to count—the rest of the time I felt as if I was going to land on my nose, the trail was so steep!  The rest of the ATV group praised my riding skills—I jokingly said, “I want a RZR after that, I just want to be a passenger!!!” 

“In 1862 the brothers William and Isaac Bradshaw along with William Warringer, sought and received a 20 year exclusive contract from Arizona’s first territorial legislature for a ferry service across the Colorado River between Providence Point, California and Olive City in Arizona. William Bradshaw’s brother Isaac, ran the ferry most of the time, while William went to the Weaver Mining District in Arizona and spent his time prospecting and exploring. William died in 1864, later that year the Silver Mountains were renamed the Bradshaw Mountains.

In 1867 Isaac Bradshaw got gold fever so he sold his interest in the ferry in Providence Point, left his wife and children and traveled to Arizona. He first tried his hand at prospecting, but did not meet with success. He then sought opportunities in the Copper Basin District located in the Sierra Prieta Mountains in Yavapai County. There he became a partner in a copper mining operation. Still having the lust for gold, he sold his interest in the Copper Basin property and went to the southern Bradshaw’s where he found his nirvana. His mine was not especially profitable, but it produced enough to keep him in beans and bacon. He died Christmas Day, 1886, at his claim on Whipsaw Gulch near Castle Creek where he is buried.”   wickenburg-az.com

Leaving North Ranch at 8:30am we headed for the fairgrounds where we unloaded our ATVs and set off.  Mike and Cathy need a little Crisco to get their RZR in the trailer!

It was a very warm day with a stiff breeze making it hard for the cowboy to hang onto his hat!  Actually it was hard for all of us to hang onto our hats!  Little Emmi was a trouper as usual, her shade apparatus works very well!We rode through some of the most rugged country I’ve ever seen—it was gorgeous out there!

Steep mountains, very little water, cactus everywhere, rattlesnakes and the relentless sun beating down—you wouldn’t want to be lost out there!

 It was a great day riding with great friends!