Another Wikipedia Article, This one on Portal, Arizona

A new article on the community of Portal, Arizona is now available on Wikipedia.

Chiricahua Peloncillo Heritage Days

A host of good talks at the Chiricahua Peloncillo Heritage Days event in Rodeo, New Mexico this weekend. This was the second year the event was held and sponsored again by the Wildlands Network. Held at the community center, the talks ranged from low level aerial photography (my bootheel photodocumentation project) to wildlife conservation and trail development, to food choices in rural areas. It was rather funny as each speaker was introduced it was another PhD, there was even a MacArthur Fellow, Bill McDonald from the Malpai Borderlands Group, who spoke about conservation ranching. It seems there is a high concentration of academics scattered about in the San Simon Valley and the towns of Portal and Rodeo. For an area with a population density of about 1 person/square mile, it seems a lot of them have advanced degrees in one thing or another. There was even a farmers market outside during the event and La Buena Vida Farm had a stand. I grabbed a few photographs of the event.


Chiricahua Peloncillo Heritage Days talk by the Malpai Borderlands Group


History talk at the Chiricahua Peloncillo Heritage Days event


La Beuna Vida Farm stand at the Chiricahua Peloncillo Heritage Days

The Wireless Internet Technician at the Painted Pony Resort

In these modern times internet access is considered by many to be a fundamental requirement, but the San Simon Valley around Rodeo seems impervious to cell signals and radio waves, so internet access becomes even more important. It is a way to maintain some connection, however tenuous, with the rest of the planet. At the Pained Pony Resort a technician (praying mantis) devotes it's full time resources to maintaining wireless internet access. Seen here resting on the antenna of the linksys range expander in the garage, it's sole function is to maintain wireless internet access for guests.

Just Another Metate at the Painted Pony Resort

During the LSAM biologists visit I spent some time collecting with them. While walking the property, I noticed this double sided type 1 metate partially uncovered in a drainage near the south end of the runway. It was almost completely buried but the rounded end gave it away. It makes the third double sided metate I have seen from around here, the other 2 were found at Amigos del Cielo airpark. It is old, notice the thin layer of secondarily deposited mineral coating on one side. It suggests a long period of exposure to water with high concentrations of minerals. But really, it's just another coffee grinder.





Here is a single sided type 1 metate found a couple of months ago down by the entrance to the Painted Pony Resort.

Bob Waldmire, Route 66 Artist

Photo by: Colbalt123

The passing of the well known artist of Route 66, Bob Waldmire, late last year was not unexpected. Bob, best known for his travels and artwork commemorating Route 66, divided his time between his home in Illinois, Portal Arizona, and on the road. But Bob also did artwork about U.S. Route 80 another early transcontinental highway. Known as the Dixie Overland Highway, Route 80 traversed the U.S. from Savannah GA to San Diego CA along a southern route. His wall sized mural of Route 80 can be seen in the Rodeo grocery store and cafe where Route 80 passes through Rodeo, New Mexico's most western town. The mural is actually unfinished, a small section of wording at the lower left is drawn but not painted. Unfortunately Bob died before finishing this mural.

Bob's artwork is also available online.


Route 80 mural in the Rodeo grocery store and cafe by Bob Waldmire.


"You are here" in Rodeo, New Mexico's most western town.

No Horses in the House or Hideout Ranch visits the Painted Pony Resort

The folks from the Hideout Ranch came by today for a visit. The group was headed down to Price Canyon for a day of riding in the Chiricahua Mountains. So I grabbed the camera and got a few photographs. We had a pleasant visit before they headed out and I went back to pulling tumbleweeds.

Craig from the Hideout Ranch

The Group

The Hired Hand