A Good Sunday

The taxes are ready for sending to our accountant—YIPPEE!!!  And no blood was shed!  We were bums this morning, did our walk in the desert, accomplished a few chores, had lunch and I went to the grocery store in Wickenburg. 

When the spoiled Ms. Emmi gets too hot or decides she is tired, she jumps up on Michael’s legs, never mine, only Michael’s—“pick me up, pick me up, please!!” And he does!

Al had this photo of Emmi in his blog with the cutest caption, “I SAID, HEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYY WHO’S GONNA CARRY ME ACROSS THIS CATTLE GUARD!!!!!!!!!!!”  Emmi does walk cattle guards at home and did sort of walk this one but got hung up in the middle.  The cattle guards Michael builds have a little wider rails than this one did, making it easier for her to walk.  Pheebs just strolled across as if she had been doing it all her life!

Here’s a little history about Crown King—the community established to support the Crowned King Mine established in 1888.  In 1901 Frank M. Murphy incorporated the Bradshaw Mountain Railroad Company and began building what was later referred to as “Murphy’s impossible railroad” for hauling the ore from the mine.  Impossible due to the 16 mile steep climb from Cleator to Crown King requiring 10 switchbacks, 2 trestles and a 142 foot tunnel.  The railroad was completed in 1904. 

At the end of World War I, mining declined and the railroad service to Crown King ended in 1927.  Crown King is now a community of summer homes (cooler at 6000 feet elevation) and hardy year round residents (it is a LONG way to a grocery store or to anything from Crown King!!).  There is a one room school still in operation with four students this school year.  Some of the Crown King buildings are original to the town’s beginnings—the General Store and the Crown King Saloon.

 

When we started down off the mountain there were multiple switchbacks, we were meeting jeeps coming and going—Jim and Bev, Simon and Sandy on the road below us.

It had been a long, long day—Al and Kelly headed home once we reached Prescott, Simon and Sandy were rumored to be heading to Costco.  Michael and I elected to join Bev and Jim for dinner before heading down the hill to Congress.  It was truly a great day!!