Grab a Shovel, It's Getting Deep in Here: Exploring Wilcox, Arizona---Have You Found The Thing??

And now for your enjoyment **Week Two of were was I Exploring!!**

*I am still working on this games title!*

Last Exploring blog post I gave some picture hints of were I was Exploring last.
As the game gets more popular, and some actual guesses --- I will start offering some great prizes to the first right guesser! Guesses, comments, hate mail can always be sent to MY Facebook page at:

Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

So a few days back our oldest and I made the short trip from Benson to Wilcox. We had found some free items for our house, and could not beat the price. Along the way we got stopped by a big, great Arizona storm! We were on a rush during this trip---so did not have a ton of time to Explore. But a few days later, I made part of the quick road trip again, and got more pictures. It defiantly has some sights I will take all of the kiddos to in the near future. I wish I could have on this first day. Please read on and enjoy!

Just out of Benson, there are some great mountains to enjoy and hike.

About ten miles from Benson, heading to Wilcox and possibly El Passo, you run through some of the smaller mountains.

With some amazing rock formations. If you stop at the rest area you can enjoy them more.

Stopping at the rest stop is exactly what I did, a few days later.

Before this I do not believe I have ever seen signs telling me it was illegal to vandalize the rocks.

Apparently lots of people have been breaking the law.

Silent memorial near the outer edge of the rest area.

Again I apologize for the poor quality of most of these pictures. As I am working on this please check out much better pictures of mine on my 2nd blog sight at:

http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/

Self picture of me Exploring the rocks.

I am sure if I would have stuck around -I could of got some great sun set pictures over the rocks. But I was on a mission this day to find and see The Thing.

Just past the rest area is the Dragoon exit. More about that to come. And than at about mile 13, you hit a huge gas station/tourist trap. On our first trip, I only had time to gas up our truck. And now can tell you, that this gas station has it all---including amazingly high gas prices! This place has a museum, DQ, souvenirs, a $600.00 box of fireworks, and houses The Thing. Signs talk about IT for miles in each direction. What is The Thing? On this trip I used my credit card, and never ventured inside. Again, more to come.

I have looked back and regretted that I do not have many pictures of many of our vehicles past.

Here's our truck near the end of the big rain storm.

When I ventured out to snap some pictures. And mostly get soaked to the bone.

We soon noticed that there is not a ton in Wilcox.

The normal business loop complete with a Motel 6 and such and a huge truck stop.

After a quick stop at the truck stop, we were back on the road.

I soon could spot a storm moving in but did not think it would be much of a storm.

As we climbed in altitude the air seemed to get thicker, and it grew very dark, for only being

two in the afternoon.

Soon lighting was hitting all around us.

I would have paused to snap a lighting shot, but have found these pictures near imposable for me to snap. Along with a good fireworks picture.

All of the sudden the clouds all burst at once.

And it started to dump rain so hard that I could not see out the windows even with the wipers on full blast. The highway even started to flood over a little bit.

We pulled off at the Dragoon exit, and along with much of the highway drivers, waited for the storm to pass over.

A few lucky drivers, got a parking spot under the highway over pass.

I was just getting ready to call my wife, and tell her we were delayed, when it started to hail.

Marble sized hail pounded the ground and our metal truck and I gave up on trying to make a phone call.

Smaller piece of hail, in my lap.

From our stopping point.

The before almost dry river beside us, was now flowing very rapidly.

I do not know what is going on with our camera at the moment, I apologize about most of these pictures.

It took a long while, but the storm moved on.

We than learned that home had seen only a few drops away.

Benson is only about 12 miles from were we had to pull over.

After getting some more pictures and drying off a bit,

I noticed that the road into Dragoon was all down hill.

So we ventured down the road a little bit.

A very short bit.

This rapidly flowing water was over the roadway.

Stopping traffic in both directions.

You can just see the line of cars on the other side waiting to cross.

At one point this van pulled into the other lane, and I was sure he was going to attempt a crossing.

This would not be a good idea on any thought level.

But it would make for some good pictures.

Maybe for the evening news.

In the end, he stayed put.

It was soon decided we were not visiting Dragoon that day and we made a quick, legal, U-Turn back to the highway.

During the storm a semi truck had jack knifed in the middle of I-10.

And traffic was not moving.

We passed deadlock for a good ten miles.

I am sure no one cares, but I also saw two of the new Greyhound buses.

I have ridden many of these buses in the past, and thought the new buses only existed in the company's fliers and on there web page.

Wilcox is about forty miles from our home, so this should have been a much quicker, much more boring trip. But not much is boring when I am involved.

A few days later, I had to return to find The Thing.

Many festive buildings behind the tourist trap hold treasures

but The Thing is in the last building.

After paying $1.00 you got through the back door, and follow these many feet prints.

Were they made by The Thing?

Is this The Thing?

Many old cars are in the first huge building. Including this classic truck with an even more

classic saying on the side.

There is even a full sized torture chamber scene made entirely out of wood with full sized victims and torturers. Said to be the only one in the world.

And is very Very expensive.

Is this The Thing?