With our lunch completed we took off to continue the exploration of the area. Nick had directed us to the Hoodoo cabin. Another free to use backcountry dwelling that was substantially larger than the last one. We passed a group of snowbird jeepers on the way out. One out of the ten had an az plate the rest were out of state visitors exploring our country’s vast public lands.
The cabin itself has an interesting history as it was built from a kit ordered from a catalog.
Enlarge to read the story.
Inside is very basic but clean.
I liked the nickname, Hoodoo Hilton.
This room doubles as a screened in porch. One pulls on a rope and the panel with the window lifts up at the bottom and out like a gullwing exposing the screen attached to the stud wall. Pretty slick.
Supplies left by others.
The cabin did have a nearby windmill and water cistern so it’s likely that the plumbing does work but the thousands of tadpoles in the water would be reason to not drink it.
Nick mentioned other cabins like this are to be found all over the state. Some are easier to get to than others.
We pow wow as a group and decide to press on and keep an eye out for our next camp spot.
The landscape is as harsh as it is beautiful. Everything has some kind of device to inflict pain on its limbs. Obviously cactus but even the brush on the side of the trails and washes have thorns that don’t feel good when your arm is hanging out the window. The term Arizona pinstripes come from these plants lining the trails. They scrape along the sides of your truck from headlight to taillight. The camper took its stripes too. Surprisingly I still have window screens intact despite the beating they took.
I’m going to get sappy here so bear with me.
You all know I’ve been put through a pretty tough spot in my life over the last few months. This trip was to help me move on from the past and turn the page on a new chapter. Being alone in the truck with myself and the pooch I did a lot of thinking. Nothing earth shattering, more just lining out what to do. I had pandora piped from my phone into the trucks stereo but you can imagine in remote areas cell coverage can be spotty. I wasn’t raised in a church going family. But I know things happen for a reason, Devine or otherwise. Having not heard any tunes for hours we climb out of a wash and gain probably 20 feet over where we were and all of the sudden I’ve go music again. I look down at the head unit to see the artist name and song. Chris Stapleton, one of the channels I listen too often. The song is his track called Starting Over.
Normally music in the truck is just in the background. But with the volume up and all alone to focus on the lyrics it hit me like a ton of bricks. I don’t think a more fitting song could have came on at that moment.
Well the road rolls out like a welcome mat
To a better place than the one we're at
And I ain't got no kinda plan
But I've had all of this town I can stand
And I got friends out on the coast
We can jump in the water and see what floats
We've been saving for a rainy day
Let's beat the storm and be on our way
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
This might not be an easy time
There's rivers to cross and hills to climb
Some days we might fall apart
And some nights might feel cold and dark
When nobody wins afraid of losing
And the hard roads are the ones worth choosing
Some day we'll look back and smile
And know it was worth every mile
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
Starting over
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
Starting over
I looked at the dog and started bawling, smiling and felt a a weight lift off my mind. I had got a lot done but never really understood what I had accomplished and that it was ok to start over. It’s as if it was requested by my Mom to tell me it was ok to let the past go and give myself a chance for a fresh start. To add to the point as soon as the song ended I lost signal didn’t hear another song until the next day.
I don’t know of the source as to why only that song was the only one I heard. Could be Many things but I know I needed it. It was cathartic to finally let it go. I can say by far one of my the best days I’ve had on a trail. I needed it. I needed this trip to have that moment.
Back to regular wheeling in the next post…
The cabin itself has an interesting history as it was built from a kit ordered from a catalog.
Enlarge to read the story.
Inside is very basic but clean.
I liked the nickname, Hoodoo Hilton.
This room doubles as a screened in porch. One pulls on a rope and the panel with the window lifts up at the bottom and out like a gullwing exposing the screen attached to the stud wall. Pretty slick.
Supplies left by others.
The cabin did have a nearby windmill and water cistern so it’s likely that the plumbing does work but the thousands of tadpoles in the water would be reason to not drink it.
Nick mentioned other cabins like this are to be found all over the state. Some are easier to get to than others.
We pow wow as a group and decide to press on and keep an eye out for our next camp spot.
The landscape is as harsh as it is beautiful. Everything has some kind of device to inflict pain on its limbs. Obviously cactus but even the brush on the side of the trails and washes have thorns that don’t feel good when your arm is hanging out the window. The term Arizona pinstripes come from these plants lining the trails. They scrape along the sides of your truck from headlight to taillight. The camper took its stripes too. Surprisingly I still have window screens intact despite the beating they took.
I’m going to get sappy here so bear with me.
You all know I’ve been put through a pretty tough spot in my life over the last few months. This trip was to help me move on from the past and turn the page on a new chapter. Being alone in the truck with myself and the pooch I did a lot of thinking. Nothing earth shattering, more just lining out what to do. I had pandora piped from my phone into the trucks stereo but you can imagine in remote areas cell coverage can be spotty. I wasn’t raised in a church going family. But I know things happen for a reason, Devine or otherwise. Having not heard any tunes for hours we climb out of a wash and gain probably 20 feet over where we were and all of the sudden I’ve go music again. I look down at the head unit to see the artist name and song. Chris Stapleton, one of the channels I listen too often. The song is his track called Starting Over.
Normally music in the truck is just in the background. But with the volume up and all alone to focus on the lyrics it hit me like a ton of bricks. I don’t think a more fitting song could have came on at that moment.
Well the road rolls out like a welcome mat
To a better place than the one we're at
And I ain't got no kinda plan
But I've had all of this town I can stand
And I got friends out on the coast
We can jump in the water and see what floats
We've been saving for a rainy day
Let's beat the storm and be on our way
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
This might not be an easy time
There's rivers to cross and hills to climb
Some days we might fall apart
And some nights might feel cold and dark
When nobody wins afraid of losing
And the hard roads are the ones worth choosing
Some day we'll look back and smile
And know it was worth every mile
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
Starting over
It don't matter to me
Wherever we are is where I wanna be
And, honey, for once in our life
Let's take our chances and roll the dice
I can be your lucky penny
You can be my four-leaf clover
Starting over
Starting over
I looked at the dog and started bawling, smiling and felt a a weight lift off my mind. I had got a lot done but never really understood what I had accomplished and that it was ok to start over. It’s as if it was requested by my Mom to tell me it was ok to let the past go and give myself a chance for a fresh start. To add to the point as soon as the song ended I lost signal didn’t hear another song until the next day.
I don’t know of the source as to why only that song was the only one I heard. Could be Many things but I know I needed it. It was cathartic to finally let it go. I can say by far one of my the best days I’ve had on a trail. I needed it. I needed this trip to have that moment.
Back to regular wheeling in the next post…
