I used to live in the Phoenix area for 28 years or so. Like many of the valley residents, we would take time to go to the Flagstaff or the Payson to escape the summer heat. We spent time in Cottonwood, Sedona and Prescott before buying property in Munds Park. We discovered how a little higher elevation reduced the heat of the day and lead to cooler nights. It also help that the concrete of the city wasn’t around to hold the heat and radiate it back at night. We didn’t really do much traveling to Southern Arizona for a simple reason. We traveled through Yuma on the way to San Diego like most Arizonans. We didn’t consider going to southeastern Arizona because of the prevailing theory that everything south of Phoenix was hotter than Phoenix. We used Yuma for the example.
Then we discovered that here in Cochise County we could find
The monsoon storm that lasts to the sunset always gives some colors for all to enjoy.
elevations that were similar to Cottonwood and Prescott. We also found that the temperatures were similar and that there are pine forested mountains here that go over 10,000 feet elevation. Not only that, but during the summer, Cochise County gets the monsoon storms earlier than central Arizona. The area actually experiences storms that bring rain up to one or two weeks prior to reaching the metro areas. In fact, on the 16th of June this year we had a storm that dropped rain and hail for almost 30 minutes. The cool rain really felt good. While Phoenix gets the dry haboob that doesn’t reduce the 110+ degree day, St. David will get a half an inch of rain and the temperature will drop into the 80s. It is really nice and you can sit under the porch and enjoy it.
Now for the news that I want to tell you about. The Arizona Tourist News has written and article on page 3 of the summer 2012 edition.
Down By The River is on the front cover of the paper.
The article give you an itinerary for a 2 day trip to see this area of Cochise County. Down By The River is mentioned in the article and we are noted on the front cover of the paper, along with many of the businesses that we tell our guests about. Actually it might be a little hard to do the tour in two days and be able to see all the things that are available in the area. The AZTN tells about the wineries, San Pedro Observatory and other locations and things to do.
Down By The River B&B is near Tombstone and is the Cochise County Lodging Hub with easy access to all of the Cochise County attractions. We are a great place for San Pedro River birding at the BnB since we are at the river and just at the north end of the San Pedro River National Conservation Area.
We thought that this would be a grand opportunity for people that haven’t been in the area come down to visit us and do the tour of Cochise County. To that end we have decided to celebrate and offer to future guests a special from now until the end of September of 2012. If you go to our website and click on the specials (or to save time clink on this link) and read about our special. Follow the instruction and you will know what needs to be done to get the special deal. Hope that you will consider viewing a wet monsoon and not have to watch all the dry ones that are normal for the Phoenix area.
Tour Southeastern Arizona During The Summer
June 23rd, 2012 by Mike Hug
Raptor On The Hunt
May 28th, 2012 by Mike Hug
Early in the morning during March and April and again late in the afternoon, we would see a great sight. In the morning while we were working on breakfast but before serving, we would see the raptor flying low over the fields behind the Down By The River B and B. Our southeastern AZ B and B is on the San Pedro River, one of the best migrating birding areas in the US. I later confirmed from a friend at The Tucson Audubon Society that the raptor was a female Northern Harrier. I wanted to be able to take some birding photography of the hawk in flight so that I could send the pictures into the Audubon for substantiation.
The hawk would only be 4 or 5 feet off the ground and moved with such agility that the guest and I were amazed at the quick twists and turns that she made in the pursuit of breakfast. Amazingly at times she would hover over a spot waiting for something to run and this ploy succeeded sometimes but not very often. Other times she would be gliding along and then would just drop down on the ground. Many were misses and she was right back up on patrol. Other times she was down on the ground for a period of time. One afternoon while we were out working on the yard, we watched as she glided by then dropped down for a little while. After a period the Harrier started flying but it took her a while to get altitude as she flew off towards the river. The hawk had something held in her talons that she had caught and though we were pretty far away we think it was a small rabbit.
When I am trying to do birding photography, like many other people, I find that the birds don’t cooperate. The frustrating thing for me was when I had my camera the Harrier was on the other side of the property. When she was close then I didn’t have my camera. One time I had the camera and the Hawk was close but my battery died just as my camera was firing up. By the time I got the new battery in the camera, she had flown into a different part of the property. Such is the life of a photographer but at least with a digital camera you can take a lot of shots and discard ones that aren’t any good. In my case this is good since I couldn’t afford the film I would end up wasting.
Northern Cardinal perched in the mesquite at Down By The River B & B
Finally one day I had the camera but I was trying to get a picture of a Northern Cardinal that was in a mesquite tree near the house. All of a sudden, the birds went quiet and flew into the mesquite and brush. I knew something had sent them to cover and started watching. I just thought it was one of the American Kestrels that frequent the property. Then I saw the Harrier gliding over by the garage and come across the back. As I watched she flew toward the river and then made a turn parallel to the river over the brush. The hawk made the circuit in the back and then moved back across the fields coming closer to the house. I found a spot at the wall so that I would have a steady hand and worked the focus on my zoom lens. I was hoping that the Harrier would get closer and that I would be able to get a shot or two before she moved away.
Finally she got into range and I was able to take some pictures of her as she made a pass, turned, and then glided by us as we watched. It turned out to be the closest that she came to us because she kept on going south and left the property. The Harrier is so graceful in flight and it would be so much fun to be able to glide like that.
If it hadn’t been for Angie telling me that there was a cardinal in the back yard I would probably have been on the computer and missed this whole show. I wasn’t expecting her during the late morning since she was always around earlier or later in the day. I just love the cheap seats when you can get them. Now because of a lot of luck and having a little skill, I can share this with you.
Northern Harrier looking for some lunch.
Near the end of the flight run the Harrier turns to go back over the property
Northern Harrier flying back south on the property.
Poached Cranberry Pear with Walnuts
May 3rd, 2012 by Mike Hug
This is a yummy side to the morning breakfast at Down By The River B and B
During the fall of the year, the cottonwood trees along the San Pedro River are starting to turn the golden hues that forecast the coming of winter. Down By The River in St. David is the Lodging Hub for Cochise County and so we have many opportunities to treat our guests to breakfasts that use ingredients that fit the season.
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Tombstone Archives
April 21st, 2012 by Mike Hug
On March 9, 2012, the City of Tombstone Archives had their Grand Opening in February and since Down By The River Bed and Breakfast is a member of the
Pat Kelly, Maria Untalan, and Angie at the Tombstone Archives
Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, we were invited to the Open House. The Archives are open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM. The Archives is located in the Marlowe House on the corner of 6th and Fremont Streets. The Marlowe House is a very green colored building and is on the National Historical Registry. Catherine Marlowe offered the use of the house for the archives. The building was moved from the original location to the present location after the July 1882 fire that burned in Tombstone.
While we were there, we met two people with the Tombstone Vigilantes, Pat Kelly and Maria Untalan. Pat and Maria were gracious enough to pose with Angie in front of the Archives during the Grand Opening. The Tombstone Vigilantes were formed in 1948 and do reenactments in Tombstone during special events throughout the year and on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays of the month.
Nancy Sosa Tombstone's Archivist
Nancy Sosa, the archivist, was kind enough
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Angie’s Caramel Souffle French Toast
March 17th, 2012 by Mike Hug
At Down By The River we serve a variety of breakfasts. We
Angie's Caramel Souffle French Toast
try to make sure that our repeat guests get to try something new when they return to our Southeast Arizona b and b. To this end we have developed some different styles of French Toast. The caramel souffle French Toast is but one. We are putting this into our blog at the request of a recent guest that wanted the recipe.
This is updated since Sharon found an error in the recipe instructions. We have corrected it . Thanks Sharon.
Hope you all enjoy this as much as we do.
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Down By The River – The Lodging Hub of Cochise County
February 1st, 2012 by Mike Hug
Down By The River B and B is located in Saint David, AZ and offers you a wonderful place to stay within a short drive to many different types of activities. There are historical sites, ghost towns, a movie studio set, museums, national and state parks and monuments, outdoor activities, festivals, stargazing and the Southeastern Arizona wine country. The B and B is located within an hour of the Tucson International Airport and is close to Interstate 10 and the major highways that span the county. This is why we call Down By The River B and B “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County”. The B and B is also a short distance from activities in Santa Cruz County.
Cochise County land area is as big as the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined with a total area of 6,218.77 square miles. It is the 38th largest county in the United States. While Cochise County is large and Arizona is the 6th largest state in the union, there are 7 of the 15 counties in Arizona that are larger than Cochise County. To see it all, you want to stay at a location that gives you easy access to the area via simple day trips. Down By The River B and B fits that bill. In looking at the attached map, you can see that the B and B is located in an area that has a variety of things to do and places to go. For your convenience, click this to see the larger map.
Some of the highlights of the county include Parks and Monuments. Many of our guests are here to visit these locations. The Chiricahua National Monument has fantastic rock formations although it did have the Horseshoe 2 fire go through there in June of 2011. I have some past blogs about the Chiricahua N.M., both before and after the fire. Kartchner Caverns State Park contains live wet caves and offers two tours that are both unique. Tours of the Throne (or Rotunda) Room is open all year and the Big Room is only available between October 15 and April 15. Reservations are encouraged for these tours. There are more
1000 year old pictographs can be seen at Council Rocks
parks and monuments in the county that offer fascinating items such as Native American pictographs over 1000 years old, the location where Coronado is thought to have entered into what is now Arizona and more modern history locales.
Birding is also a major activity in the county. The San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area is one of the 5 best migratory birding areas in the United States. The B and B is located on the San Pedro River at the north end of the riparian area boundary with easy access to other birding areas throughout the county. Birding can be done any time during the year since there are birds that live here all year round. In the winter, the area is inhabited by birds that are from the northern climes such as Sandhill Cranes and other water birds. Spring and fall is when migratory birds visit on their way to other areas, while summer has birds that make the area home while nesting.
There are many historical places to visit. Old ghost towns, sites of old forts including a Spanish Presidio that was build in the 1700s, the Butterfield Stage
The Bird Cage Theater is now a museum with many things to see from the late 1800s.
road and way stations and towns like Tombstone and Bisbee. There are museums scattered throughout the county and this year there will be a big celebration for the 100th Anniversary of Arizona Statehood. The events and festivals will be occurring in the area during the entire year, so check out the calendar on the B&B website for upcoming things to do and see.
There is also much that you can do and see if your interest lays in hiking the many trails that are in the county. Many of these hikes will take you into the back country to old mines, ghost towns and ruins. This is also a great way to observe nature here in Cochise County, as it is home to many animals and birds. Many people think of Arizona as a flat desert but here in Cochise County there are peaks almost 10,000 ft in elevation. The mountain trails will lead you through pine forests and, at certain times of the year, these trails are snow covered and inaccessible. If you do much outdoor hiking you will see just how rugged the county is with the many canyons and mountains that are located here. It is easy to imagine why it was so hard to capture the Apache People during the Indian Wars that took place in the county in the late 1800s.
Southeastern Arizona is also where most of the grapes are grown for the wineries in Arizona. There are many tasting rooms available and these are located in two areas. One is in the Sulphur Springs Valley with Willcox as the focal point and the other is in the Elgin/Sonoita area. Both locations have some
Sunsets in Arizona are fantastic to see.
fine vintners featuring a variety of wines for you to choose from. When Down By The River BnB started in 2005, there were only 3 tasting rooms in these locations. Since that time it has grown to include about 15 wineries that feature their products. Some of our guests have come back to the B and B at the end of the day, sat out on the patio to enjoy the wine that they had purchased and watched the sunset.
At night when there is little or no moonlight, the stargazing can be phenomenal. There are a few ways to enjoy the night sky. One is to just sit and look at it. Most people that live in the city have never seen the Milky Way. During the fall and winter this view of the sky is spectacular. Some of the guests have brought their own telescopes and have set them up on the property to do viewing. Down By The River also has a 13” Dobsonian telescope that is available for use by guests. This telescope is not computerized so the user will need to know locations of objects so that these can be found in the sky. Lastly there is an observatory that is in Benson. San Pedro Valley Observatory has many telescopes and rents them out for the evening. I did do a blog on SPVO so you might want to read about what I wrote on that facility.
So when you come to visit Cochise County and all it has to offer, choose Down By The River for a great place to stay while you go about exploring all that makes this a wonderful place to call home.
Gammons Gulch Movie Studio
December 22nd, 2011 by Mike Hug
There were many films shot in the Tucson and Benson areas back in the 1950s and 60s. A John Wayne movie was shot in St. David, not too far from where Down By The River B and B is located. Even today there are movies shot in
The Main Street in Gammons Gulch
Mescal at Tucson Movie Studios. We want to let you know about a little jewel known as Gammons Gulch. This is a movie set that is located between Pomerene and Cascabel, northeast of Benson and surrounded by arroyos and beautiful mountain vistas. Down By The River B and B, the lodging hub of Cochise County, gives you access to this intriguing location with a short drive of about 24 miles along the picturesque San Pedro River.
At the beginning of December, we wandered out to Gammons Gulch with some family to visit the old movie studio set.
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Arizona Centennial
November 21st, 2011 by Mike Hug
Arizona is celebrating the centennial of admission as the 48th State in the Union on February 14, 1912. Arizona official centennial events run for many months and at many different locations in the state. Events can be found on the official website.
New events are being added to the calendar so check back to find out when events are happening and where. There is also a section of fun facts that give you trivia about the state. Some facts are “ All of New England and Pennsylvania would fit inside of Arizona.” and “Arizona is the 6th largest State in the Union having 26 peaks that are over 10,000 feet in elevation.” No Arizona is not just flat with nothing but sand and cactus. In fact as you travel either north or east from Phoenix you actually gain elevation and find some of these peaks.
For a little background history, the New Mexico Territory was established in 1853 and at that time the territory consisted of New Mexico and Arizona. The territory also included the southern part of Nevada. When Nevada became a state during the Civil War this section west of the Colorado River became a part of Nevada. On March 16, 1861, the southern New Mexico Territory around Mesilla and Tucson declared themselves independent from the United States and joined the Confederacy. The Confederacy considered the territory a vital link to the Pacific and would have allowed the Confederates to trade with the rest of the world. This would have caused the Union logistical problems with blockading ports. Additionally around 1860, Southern California was close to becoming a separate territory apart from the State of California. That never happened even though the area was sympathic to the Confederate cause.
On April 15, 1862, the Battle of Picacho Pass was fought in between Tucson and Phoenix, near the present day town of Picacho. The Civil War battle was the furthest west of any battle and is reenacted yearly. The Confederates were driven back to New Mexico by California Volunteers and later withdrew back to Texas. In 1863, the U.S. split up the New Mexico Territory and created the Arizona Territory, which was to become the state of Arizona.
Arizona became known for mining, cattle and railroads.
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Chiricahua National Monument After The Horseshoe Fire
October 30th, 2011 by Mike Hug
As you may have heard, Arizona was stricken by many fires. In particular, Southeastern Arizona had a lot of fires. There were many days at Down By The River B and B that the smoke was so bad it covered the area with smoke and made the sun an orange ball. Many people stayed indoors and some in the area with breathing problems left their homes, traveling to locations that weren’t affected by the fires.
Horseshoe 2 Fire In The Chiricahua National Monument
In July, Angie and I were over by the Chiricahua National Monument and the park was closed at that time. During this last week in October, Angie, her friend Mary and I went to the Chiricahua National Monument to see what was burned, what was open and what structures were saved. We had hiked in that area about a year ago and I wrote on the blog what it was like.
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Sonoran Toads
August 13th, 2011 by Mike Hug
Sonoran Desert Toad and Sonoran Green Toad
In mid July at Down By The River B and B, Angie came running in and told me that I had to see this. Now since she is from Wisconsin has been living here almost a year now, I wonder if she had found something I didn’t want to know about – like a rattlesnake. Having lived on the Arizona and California desert almost all my life, I am familiar with and have seen many plants and animals that survive in the dry climate. Well she found something a little different this time.
I went with her and she pointed at a pot with a tomato plant in it and said “What is that?”, I didn’t see anything at first but then I noticed movement in the mulch. There was a big eye and a head there and as she watered the head a little more a
6 inch Sonoran Toad
6 inch Sonoran Toad jumped out of the pot. I hadn’t really seen many toads until I had more down to St. David. The Phoenix area is pretty much paved over so toads don’t exist there as before. During our first monsoon season in St. David, we had our first encounter with a cacophony of noise at night. We would sit out and watch the rain and lightening and we would see the toads hopping around and croaking. I learned about these amphibians and their unusual lives in the dryness of the desert. I have seen two types of toads here at the B and B.
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