The day I left Globe, Mother Nature presented me with another brilliant sunrise. Little did I know then that my new location would be just as good, if not better, in terms of sunrise/sunset opportunities.
Huachuca City is a small, somewhat dilapidated town right next door to a much more modern and prosperous town called Sierra Vista. Sierra is Spanish for "mountain chain" and Vista means "view". The town is aptly named since there are thirteen distinct mountain ranges in southern Arizona, most of which can be seen from this area. One of the mountain ranges came to be known as the Huachuca Mountains, probably an Indian word. Fort Huachuca, a large Army base dating to 1877, was named for the mountains. It was famous for the "Buffalo Soldiers" at one time.
During my stay here, weather was extremely unsettled, with clouds, rain, high winds and unusually cold temperatures. It was not conducive to touring most days, but it did produce outstanding sunrises and sunsets. I moved to different locations each time in an effort to vary the scenes, while still trying to include mountains. One constant is the presence of dead-looking mesquite trees all over the desert. I tried very hard to find places without them obstructing my view, but it was almost impossible...they are everywhere.
With so many mountain ranges nearby, obviously there are many canyons, and most of them have some kind of road or 4WD trail. When the weather permitted, I explored many of the canyons and enjoyed both the scenery and the wildlife (mainly birds).
Of course I love sunrises (which I never see) and sunsets . . . and your birds are great . . . will check to see if my friend is still on your list . . . she's an artist who is currently doing birds and would love yours . .
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