Wilcox Exploring Part 1---Downtown

     **Another great blog first published in my local Exploring Arizona page.  Part one of amazing Wilcox, Arizona.  Please check them all out and share the links with your friends if you enjoy!  http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/ **

      I attempt to keep this page as current as I can.  Trying to post soon after an Exploring trip with my kiddos, dogs, and, camera, or with just myself.  I also try to keep the posts in and about amazing Arizona.   For more Exploring and pictures of mine  please check out my longest running blog sight at www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com      On a recent day off I spent an entire day roaming around Wilcox.  Complete with a long hike in the mountains, surrounded by actual trees.   Good coffee, actual water, and trees, an amazing day for a desert dweller.  I have repeatably heard how crummy this town is, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the day and the amount of pictures I snapped on this day.  I probably would not want to live in this town, but we also choose to live in Benson, so I am not sure how much I would rely on my decision making skills, as a reader just based on that fact.  It does seem by the rich down town, and the relics of many a motel--that this town probably was amazing in the past.  And it is still trying for sure.  But the word of the day seemed to be closed!   Although I did find time to visit some amazing thrift and antique stores in town once they were open for business.    Now lets get on to some Exploring and pictures!

    

 

So this day started early for me, with my new work schedule I do not see many early mornings.
I was very happy to find that the Wilcox Safeway and Starbucks offers free Wi Fi. 

The Benson store does not.

Although the wait was long to get my cup of Joe,  the store was very not busy, and

I had time to chill, write a blog on another page of mine

check out the store happenings, enjoy my coffee, and return e mails   all without being bugged once or even seeing another customer in the small eating area.

 

I have said before that I do not necessarily enjoy Starbucks  BUT the shere volume of there stores and the fact that they almost all have free Internet brings me back to them.  I did kind of enjoy this visit  a lot. 

I have to say I really like the Wilcox branch of Chase bank also, because it never seems to be busy.   We also do not have a Chase bank in Benson, and I save up my tips, sometimes maybe to long.  The branches in Tucson are busy and busier.  So it is a joy to take my accumulated tips to the branch in Wilcox   were I have not seen a line yet or a teller roll there eyes, when they see all the dollar bills I have accumulated. 

 

 

Over I-10  from the Safeway parking lot.

 

 

One of the many fabled lakes I have heard about in the Wilcox area? ??

 

Nope   Just a water puddle   still in the parking lot. 

 

 

Back on the open road 

Where I belong.

 

 

 

This shot reminds me of the movie Cars  for some reason.

 

 

Heading towards the large and well maintained golf course.
I spot wind mills all the time.

And always like to add them in a shot when I can.

 

 

Twin Lakes is part of the golf course name, but I really was not expecting to see an actual body of water.

I believe there is a bigger lake up the road a little further, but this was not in my Exploring for the day.  

This is all reclaimed water, so I would stay far away from even touching it,

but it still provided for some pretty neat pictures!

 

 

And I ALWAYS take pictures when I find water in Arizona~~!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I might well have got to many pictures.

But I found it very peaceful.

And all of the birds were great.

 

 

Although I am not sure any birds show up in any of these pictures.  There were tons on the lake.

 

 

These signs warn to stay out of the water.

In case the strange water colors is not warning enough.

 

 

I was also having great fun with the reflecting actions.

 

 

Time to head back into the city limits.

 

 

I found many deserted buildings on this trip.

But I really enjoyed how the sign at this one advertised it for sale.

 

 

 

Old town.

 

 

O if only old buildings could talk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Down town really is neat!

Although I am not to sure about the towns claim to fame.

 

 

Brands in the sidewalk.  

Always neat!

 

 

As I noted before

this town has some amazing sights and is beautiful  

ALL of these pictures are in about a block area.

 

 

Salute!

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing old tree

still within a block of were I parked on this fine day.

 

 

Old train car turned BBQ joint  just down from the old train depot.

Smelled amazing and I have heard the food is amazing

but did not have a chance to stop on this day.

I thought the resident slowly passing in front made the picture better?

 

 

 

 

Sign in front of the train BBQ joint.

 

 

Train station turned government buildings.

 

 

 

 

Like many of the buildings in town

this brick building is mostly empty.

More or it below...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same building  

Not sure what the question is

But the answer is Yes!

 

 

Even the modern 

And open electric company has an old feel to it.

 

 

 

 

The main streets offer so many neat buildings

and pictures.

 

 

 

I have not looked up the history of this town

But it must have been a vacation Mecca at one point.
Now most of the motels remain empty and with free air conditioning.

 

 

 

The back main sign to this   lays on the ground

 

 

Empty place near the town library.

I have no pictures but the library was amazing too.

Complete with a sun port reading room.

 

 

Many old motels and buildings are on the main road. 

In my eyes just waiting to be checked out and

to show up in pictures to forever preserve.

Many of my Exploring blogs have such pictures.

 

 

 

But I recently heard on another page of mine, that in each case I was trespassing.

Yes  and no.

All of these buildings are on the main drag  through town

so people know if you are in them or not.

And each is full of deserted beer cans and such from recent residents   not owners.

AND most of these buildings have for sale signs attached to them. 

I was Marley taking pictures for an interested client.

 

 

 

 

 

I find old deserted buildings amazing.

 

 

 

 

Almost out of town.

This motel has seen better daze.

 

The swimmin' hole 

complete with no diving sign!

 

 

 

 

I enjoy these pictures so much I am going to show one more old motel.

Bring on the trespassing charges.

 

 

 

 

 

This place was huge and offered so many pictures.

A lot like the old Benson Motel I have pictured also

 

 

 

I was not worried about trappasing charges

but running into current residents.

No matter how short term they may be.

 

 

 

 

Sorry about all the pictures  but this place was very cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An abandoned old folks home just across the street. 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               In part two we get away from it all and head
towards the monument.       For some trails and being alone. 

 

Little Mexico In Tucson?

                                                                               Wilcox Arizona Exploring.


                           Good afternoon!   I hope everyone in reader land and beyond is having an amazing Monday.  I have found that having the day off work greatly improves ones out look on Mondays.  Drinking two pots of coffee also greatly improves ones outlook on everything.  But it also makes it hard to stand still long enough to think about it.  I have been talking a lot in the last few weeks about how much influence Mexicans have on everything here.  Yes I live right by the boarder.  But when we lived near the Canadian boarder it was a whole new ball game.   We saw a ton of Canadians at the casino I worked at --in fact they came to visit by the bus load.  And they came down to Washington to shop, shop, shop!   But for the most part they were very friendly-aye   AND mostly knew English   although they have some other words for many of our items they made an effort to use the same words someone who had always lived in Washington state would-Aye.  They may not of claimed to understand tipping-but that is a different story.   Here I would be glad to have some customers say "Aye" every other word, because it would mean they knew at least some English.  Or American as a few brilliant people in the news have called it lately.  I don't care where you are from, but fail to grasp why someone that speaks 0 English-American would expect to get fully served in any place of business much past the boarder towns.   Best yet are the ones that get angry that I do not know what they are requesting.  Heck I like a challenge---but playing Charades is NOT a strong point of mine.  At all. 

      Before someone tells me --that I live very near the boarder---and should expect this   I have to ask   should I really expect this?  Yes I did choose to live near the boarder.  But I also chose to live on the US side.  It seems that those same people that think I should expect this, and worry about everyone just getting along---also don't ever notice when some one from another country is in the US and breaks huge laws.  Because they could not read the sign---or could not tell that the gal they were raping -was actually screaming   "No!"  Before I go to deep into all of this---if I went to say Italy--and proceeded to order and speak in just English--I do not think the waiter would continue to play Charades with me or maybe even bother to come back to the table.  Although if I went to a restaurant in Mexico and flashed around a lot of cash--- the servers might spend a little extra time trying to cater to my food wants.  In either case I would not do this or expect much service with out first learning at least the basics of the language.  Any more than I would visit the Ferguson ghetto, which now seems to include almost the whole town, with out first learning how to run real fast!   Why is it expected and almost the norm here? 

        On another note---and I wish I had pictures here----- My wife and I found a Good Will we had never been to a few weeks back in Tucson.  It was not in the best neighborhood, so we thought maybe the donations and such would be great.  It was also an outlet store, and we were not sure what that meant.  All we knew for sure, is that most of the store sings near there were only in Spanish, and the Taco Bell we had just left only played Spanish music.  Upon entering the store--all I could do was laugh   the entire time.  It was the most ghetto "store" I have ever witnessed.   Everything was in huge dump bins and one just picked through the items.  A few of the items had price tags--and some of the items were even washed and cleaned up.  Most were not.   The dump bins had wheels   so that the workers could fill them in the back, and just wheel them into the store, but the wheels did not lock---so when the hoards of shoppers leaned into the bins, the bins rolled around the sales floor.  We did find out that most things were not priced -because here you bought things by the pound.   The more you bought --the lower your final price.  Bring the pickup next time Honey---because each register has it's own scale! 
     When new shopable bins where wheeled out of the back room----blankets and towels rested over all of the items.  This seemed to mean that the bins were not yet ready to shop and or rummage through.  I use the word "seemed" because the only worker we located in the store that let on that they knew English, was the front cashier.  Again this shop is in Tucson, not further south.   The store was packed full of shoppers most of them madly rummaging through the bins with one hand as the other hand held there cell phone up to there face.  When a new--blanket covered bin emerged---shoppers would circle it, but no one would lift the blankets or even touch them.  This was the workers job.  Towards the back of the store was the furniture area.  Almost every couch and chair that was not standing on end, had a tired shopper sleeping on it.  It was the most entertaining shopping experiences I have had in a long while. I have to say we did walk away with some kool items--only costing us a few Pesos.  But I will also have to say that we will not be visiting this "store" again---ever. 
      To the other extreme   when we left the thrift store---we went to a Wal Greens just across the parking lot.  I have never seen cleaner or nicer Wal Greens store.  And it was in the same Dam parking lot!   Further down the road we found a very neat sale store ran by two Mexican men.   They seemed to have one of everything and the prices were great.   I am not sure how much English they actually knew, but they knew enough to haggle with us on some great deals.  And to talk us up --and make us feel welcome while we were looking around. 

   

     I have long noticed --when I do venture out and leave our house---two things more than any other.   Well three.   People anger me.  ;)   Almost NO ONE seems to actually know how or understand how to do there job.  And very few people can actually count back change correctly.   Give it a try next time you purchase something at a retail store--and have lots of time to kill.   Ask the cashier to actually count your change back to you and not just hand it to you in a lump sum.      On this note   some posts I borrowed:

My daughter and I went through the McDonald's driveway window and I gave the cashier a $5 bill.
Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her 25c.
She said, 'you gave me too much money.'
I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar coin back.'
She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request.
I did so, and he handed me back the 25c, and said 'We're sorry but we don’t do that kind of thing.'
The cashier then proceeded to give me back 75 cents in change.
Do not confuse the people at MacD's.

We had to have the garage door repaired.
The repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.
I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.
He shook his head and said, 'You need a 1/4 horsepower.'
I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, 'NOOO, it's not. Four is larger than two.'
We haven't used that repairman since...

I live in a semi rural area.
We recently had a new neighbor call the local city council office to request the removal of the DEAR CROSSING sign on our road.
The reason: 'Too many dears are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'
IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE.
My daughter went to a Mexican fast food and ordered a taco.
She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'
He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.

I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked,
'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?'
To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?'
He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

The pedestrian light on the corner beeps when it's safe to cross the street.
I was crossing with an 'intellectually challenged' co-worker of mine.
She asked if I knew what the beeper was for.
I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.
Appalled, she responded, 'what on earth are blind people doing driving?!'
She is a government employee.....
When my husband and I arrived at a car dealership to pick up our car after a
service, we were told the keys had been locked in it.
We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door.
As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.
‘Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!'
His reply, 'I know. I already did that side.'
STAY ALERT!
They walk among us, they breed, and they vote…....

 

 

 

 

 

It's closer than you think.

Just spreading some holiday cheer!

 

 

 

Why do I not have this button on my computer?

Maybe time for a newer model laptop?

 

 

 

Today's Exploring picture of the day

Comes from Wilcox Arizona.

This is nearing the golf course and a lake I found that way.

A lake of sorts. 

Anyways as is usually the case while Exploring this part of Arizona,

mountains surround the landscape where ever you roam.

Windmills are also easy to spot.  I think I found 20 -some of these on this day trip.

I always think they make great pictures.  

 

 

For much more local Exploring  please check out my

newest blog page!

A picture filled post or two from my day in Wilcox is coming soon.

            http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/

 

 

The line is even thinner with my new screwy work schedule. 

I often leave on one day  come back very early on the next

fall asleep just before the sun rises and than wake up thinking it's the next day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair warning to all readers---Because of a huge over load of stupid and hate in the last few weeks I have closed my local Benson Facebook page for a little bit. 

I may choose to not re-open it actually.

Anyways, with all of this free time, not getting dumber as I read comments and not defending myself and my family   I will be posting on my blog pages more. 

 

 

 

 

9/14/2015 Sounds Like Hours Of Fun To Me

                       So, hello today to everyone!  For being a Friday night at work, I have not had a very good day at all.   I have been online trying to vent the best I can, drinking a few cold ones now, and blasted some Youtube music videos.  Well played maybe, it is almost two in the morning.  Now I figured some old fashioned posting on my blog pages would help bring me closer to peace with myself at least.  That is the start to forgiving the A holes right?  More stories on all of this to come    but not tonight.   To the most annoying---   I post this song   straight off of You Tube    *your gonna miss me when I'm gone**   I used to sing it a lot when I knew I was switching from the day crew at work to the night crew.   https://youtu.be/cmSbXsFE3l8

             Coffee-30 Wilcox Arizona ----Is this the fabled lake I read about in Wilcox? 

 

I did find a lake in Wilcox!

Every time I find water in the desert I snap pictures. 

   Of course my local Exploring blog wishes you would be a reader and roam around the great page!  Many new posts and pictures in the works.  Maybe even a new one tonight depending on how long I stay disgruntled and or awake.  And of course a picture filled post or two from Exploring amazing Wilcox Arizona is also coming soon. 
           http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/

 

 

Today's picture of the day

Also comes from Wilcox

Not a ton to say about this one   was roaming around the great down town area

and snapped this picture down by the old train station, now turned government offices.   The rose is framed perfectly by an old train car in the background. 

I have heard a lot of negative about the town, but I fully enjoyed my full day there.

The town must have been amazing at one point. 

But people and interest do seem to move on. 

More on this amazing town in an Exploring blog post   Very soon.

 

 

                   

 

 

 

Sounds like hours of fun to me. 

 

                         After wasting way to much time on my local Facebook page
                after a post about a local bar went very south very fast   I do believe I am going to start selling these kits.    Again more on all this   later. 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate to admit it but I used to have this songs record  by Bert and Ernie! 

 

 

                                                                   Looks legit to me!

                                              Wait   what percent healthier does that make me, jerk phone??

                                                         BUT I am going to post about it anyways.
And than post pictures of what I ate for breakfast....

Blah Blah Blah!

       And a very hearty hello to y'all in reader land!   I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming to this page.  But I have already thanked my amazing mother -and it is just strange to thank myself for reading my own page.  So..... Done!  I guess, on to my next chore on the list!   I was busy a few daze back snapping a bunch of pictures in and around Wilcox Arizona.   I have not heard much good about the area, but I had an amazing day.  And even found some water.  Something I always take pictures of when I find it in Arizona.  A blog post is to come of course. 
http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/


      And now I must vent about work just a little bit.   I have an amazing job --at an amazing place.  With real managers, good managers, for the most part.   In this economy I am extremely lucky and thankful.   The place also has a lot of workers, so they make meetings mandatory.  Mainly so the government requirements are covered by all I am sure.  Last week we had to attend meetings about all the benefits the company has to offer.  Yes they made several class option available --but the whole class was a waste of time in general for most of us.  Yes the casino offers a ton of benefits, but they are mostly for full time workers.   So the two hour class was kind of rubbing it in our face of what we could not achieve or receive.  I arrived to work early to take the class and than clock into work.  And than take some quick shots of cherry Pepsi to get me just awake enough to work at work.  A concept many workers do not seem to get, working at work.   Already prepared for a thrilling day.  Somehow I ended up in the all Spanish version of the class.   Yes my textbook was in English--but none of the speaking was.   For two full hours.   I pretty much know NO Spanish---come on, you have read my blog posts--I barely know English.   I know most of the cuss words---handy and amusing when my non English speaking customers decide to ignore me, stop ordering food, and cuss me out under there breath.  Always followed by a hearty row of laughter.  I also know a few choice words like Taco.   Helps when I go out to eat Mexican, at Taco Bell.  
     I grew up in the middle of Wyoming--and forgot to pay attention during High School Spanish classes---at all.  Because I thought---living there--why bother!?   Now that I am in Arizona -very near the boarder--almost in little Mexico it seems sometimes.  I realize I should have bothered more.  So of course I learned a ton, over the two hour, all Spanish class.   About benefits I can not even receive.  Can't receive them in either English or Spanish.  It seems.  I have many issues with all of this---that they had to have a specific class ---just in another language.  Actually two such classes.  Yes, we do live very close to the boarder, but last I checked, I still lived on the American side.  I wont go further into that mind set  just yet.  But just sayin'

    OK and now to counter this negative talk above and talk about something much greater at work.  I just got accepted in a new class that the casino is offering, and betterer yet paying for.  Last year was the first such class.  It gives me certification for motel/restaurant management.  Not only does the casino pay for the classes and the books it also counts as 21 college credits.  I do not wish to be a manager of any kind at the moment, but it will help pad my resume if nothing else.  Surprisingly very few people put in for the class.  The requirements were pretty minimal --although maybe harder to achieve for most.  You had to be with the company for over a year, few points, and almost no real discipline against you.   One also had to write an SA explaining your background and why you wanted to take the class.   So few people signed up, I do believe I could have simply wrote   Duuuuuuuuuh......... over and over again on the paper.  Or simply just explained how much I would enjoy being the annoying person/lifers at works boss.   I choose to explain more and be a little more manager sounding in my SA.   Anyways these classes start next month.  And I have to say even though it will take up even more of my time, I am more than a little excited.  I am also a little bit nervous.  I have not takin' classes of any kind for a long time.   Except for work----how to server booze to drunks and such--I don't feel count.   And have not actually studied in a long  long long time--some would say ever.   More stories, rambling and of course jokes and MY pictures in my next post!    Thank you for being a reader!! 

*Yawn!

    Hello to all this fine day>!   With my new work schedule I do not see to many mornings -unless I stay up all night.  I had big plans to wake up yesterday and take the kids down the road to Sonota and it's rodeo.   But bed felt way to good.  A few years ago we spent more on our bed than we have on any vehicle we have owned so far.   The comfort is both a blessing and a curse.  I grew up in Wyoming so have seen plenty of rodeos, in fact my home town has a whole week devoted to rodeo and beer!  But I am not sure how many, if any rodeo's the kiddos have been to.  Plus this town is very near the boarder and some Mexican rodeo action might be a whole new world indeed.  Wyoming was near no other country boarders.  Just other states, less square and boring states.  We lived near, near in deserted state terms, to the Montana boarder and through high school Billings, MT was always a destination on the weeksends.  Compared to my super small town, or village -Billings was the big city for sure.   Heck the town even had a mall.  A mall I went to visit about four years ago, and swear has not changed a bit.  At any rate I snuck off today--in the morning and ventured down the road to Wilcox Arizona.  At the moment I am waiting for the local bank to open.  Because I don't want my tip cash to stay in a truck I can not lock.  I was very happy to find that the local Starbucks inside of Safeway both has free Wi-Fi AND knew what a medium drip coffee was.   Our local Starbucks had/knew neither.  I might have mentioned before that I love coffee.  I really love good coffee.  Something that is way to hard to find in Arizona it seems.  My years of living in Oregon and than Washington --were coffee stores are opening up inside coffee shops---and 90% of them have great coffee and atmospehere.-spoiled me.   I will not necessarily ever call Starbucks good coffee--   But the shere amount of the stores, and most of them now having free Wi-Fi seems to draw me to the stores in my travels just like the siren on the signs is calling me in.  This is a very long winded way to say that I am still yawning! 

    Of course I will have new pictures up from today's Exploring very soon on all of my sights.  Especially on my newest -all local Exploring page.  Full of Arizona sights and pictures.   PLEASE take a look around the great page and share the link if you enjoy.     http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/

        From over a year ago, when I was not working and not enjoying job hunting or sitting at home--I have lots of pages online.   Mostly on Facebook it seems.  To many pages quit possibly.  The one above of course is my favorite at the moment.  And I am working on gaining tons of new readers--and keeping them.   My updates and jokes and coffee love go to one of my Facebook pages first.  It is also the fastest way to contact me --about posts you don't like or don't agree with, or something that happens far less, posts you really enjoyed!   Check it out   https://www.facebook.com/WyomingJackBobbleHeadsBlogs?fref=ts      You know you want to.  ;)

 

All of my pages need loads of "likes!"

Or hate mail.

Both seem to motivate me equally. 

 

 

                                            Just never wander to deep.

 Ok and now a few words on cell phones and such.   If you dig through my posts of past I complain about phones quite a bit.  Maybe to much for having one.  The main gripes --in a nut shell are not about people having cell phones but about them going to social events and spending there whole time in actual, non Facebook/Twitter public settings, staring at there phones.  Staring at maps, at Facebook, or at the screen video taping the very event they are at.  Possibly most annoyingly are those that are texting a mile a minute---texting people that are not at the event about how cool the event is that they are really both missing.  Because they are both not really there.   Or texting someone that is at the same event but not standing directly beside the texter.   Anyways I recently broke down and traded in my very old cell phone for a smart phone.  And I have to say it is very nice and strange to have that much technological power in the palm of my hand.  I also don't want two main things ---- I don't wish to daily prove how much smarterer my new phone is than me.  And I have seen many a great person fall to the benefits of having a smart phone.  Go from hating cell phones, maybe because they always had the space age old phones, to not being able to leave the house with out there new phones.  Constantly staring at the phone waiting for a new update, feature, or text.  Almost Zombie like, and almost to the stage of drooling all over anyone that wants to see the features of my newest phone.  I don't text much--because for the most part no one else can see my friends.  Because they are invisible.  Anyways I already do not like the auto spelling corrections.  The other day I was trying to type "luck" and kept ending up with "Lick" on my screen.  Also many times my spelling seems to be so bad that the auto correct just comes up with  "??????"  It also annoys me how hard auto correct makes it to cuss.  The words are still an option, but it makes me search for the cuss words and than post them.  I just want to say Fudge sometimes!  I have thought about using my new cell phone to type out a blog post--and might in the future, leaving in most of the spelling corrections for fun.  But fear it would take me a full day to post a few paragraphs.  I do want to use our Dragon  speak -than type program to do a blog post.  And than post below what I actually said into the computer, because that program usually just comes up with goobly gook instead of the actual words coming out of my mouth. 
     

Ok enough rambling for this morning.  I am going to refresh my cup of Joe and post some jokes for y'all to enjoy!   With any luck I will put down my cell phone long enough to finish this post and maybe even giggle or snort coffee out my nose from the jokes I will post. 

 

 

 

I call it vertically challenged. 

One of the only PC terms I enjoy using.

 

 

I don't want to talk about it.

 

 

 

Many have attempted to explain this to me.

Still don't see the point.

 

True story!