Having trouble here. Try again. Little bits at a time. Stay tuned Amos. We'll be with you soon.
Day 34 to End
We've decided to return to L.A. via North-East Arizona. I want to see more lava flows and Hildebrand is keen for me to see Oak Creek Canyon, South of Flagstaff. He once drove up the Canyon in an old car, in the dead of a Winter's night. He was working in Phoenix at the time and had to pick up a friend between shifts. How he ever made it alive is one of the wonders of our time. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We head North and then East from Gila to Socorro. Our way takes us through the Gila Forest. It's a peaceful leafy place and we're still ahead of the tourists. Only just. Many walking trails beckon but we need to move on fairly quickly. At the edge of the forest we stop for lunch at a tempting diner. My meal is good but Hildebrand doesn't fare so well, also he's cross and silent. I find out later that he's seen the signs above the rest-room, that I didn't notice. If we'd seen them in time we'd have left before ordering our meal. Nasty anti-green statements I'd rather forget. We drive on. Around us greasewood covers the whole range. The contrast between this country and the Gila Forest is extreme. We're still in a depressed mood when we come upon Magdalena.