The Trail Hasn’t Changed

In April, 2015 our ATV gang headed out to find the Bradshaw grave—it’s a tough, rugged trail and in the blog I wrote about that first ride to the grave site I said it was the toughest trail I had ridden so far.  At that time I was riding my own 4-wheeler.  Thursday the gang took that ride again—the trail hasn’t gotten any smoother but at least this time I was a passenger!  Stunning country and we took the back way home riding trails none of us had seen before.  Here’s the info about the Bradshaw grave site.

“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

A spring was sending water across the road and the morning was cold enough for ice to form on the trail.  It’s been a wonderful, wet year in the desert—creeks actually have water and the desert is so incredibly green.

A saguaro forest.The gravesite.

This canyon was beautiful—water in the creek and huge boulders.

And last but not least, on the way home we spotted this strange looking crested saguaro--

Washington Mike treated us all to pizza in the evening—another great day in the desert!  Tonight we are doing something strange and unusual for us—we are going to the movies to see Hidden Figures—I’ve read the book and it was great!