Archive for the ‘Events and Things To Do’ Category

San Pedro River Birding

September 26th, 2013 by Mike Hug

The Migration is starting and the San Pedro River Birding is getting better.

In Southeastern AZ, the San Pedro River birding will be really good as the migration south is starting and should reach it’s peak in another couple of weeks. The hummingbirds that have been around all year are at the feeders a lot. They are putting on fat so that they will be able to make the migratory trip south without stopping. We do have some that stay around into November but most leave the San Pedro River by the end of October. This is also the time where the bats are out and we have to take the feeders down or all the feeders will be empty by morning. We have a friend on Facebook that has actually photographed the bats at the feeders.

San Pedro River Birding picture of a Vermillion Flycatcher

I was able to get 3 shots of the Vermillion Flycatcher through a screen. Some of the bluriness is caused by the screen but it isn’t too bad.

Our resident Phoebe will probably stay again this year but I don’t know where she finds food. She eats insects on the fly and it is fascinating to watch her swoop and turn when she is after one. The gold finches will also be at the feeders over the winter as the finches, sparrows and doves. One of the favorites of San Pedro River Birding that will leave is the bright colored Vermillion Flycatchers that have brightened up the trees at our B and B this year. I finally got a couple of good shots of the female a couple of days ago. The Northern Cardinals, Scarlett Tanager and the Summer Tanager that we see frequently will also be heading to warmer climes.

After 20 minutes the cranes are still arriving at The Draw.

There will still be good San Pedro River birding as we will be getting new resident birds over the winter. These birds like Arizona in the winter just like our guest do that hail from the Midwest. The Sandhill Cranes and the Snow Geese take up residency here in Southeaster Arizona. Wings Over Willcox celebrates the birds with a week long event for birding enthusiasts. So make your plans and take a loot to Down By The River as your San Pedro River Birding B and B. We will take good care of you.

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Cochise County Events In October

September 20th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Southeastern AZ B and B is centrally located to Cochise County events

The Heldorado Days celebration, a Cochise County Event, is held on the weekend near the date of the historical Gunfight at the OK Corral.

There are many Cochise County events that happen during October. We have already mentioned some in our earlier blog on Tombstone events in October. These Old West events include The Vendetta Ride, Helldorado Days and the Cowboy Action Shooting State Championships. During Heldorado Days there are many people that dress up for the event. But there are other Cochise County events that are close to Down By The River B and B, “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County.”

Both Willcox and Bisbee will be holding Wine Festivals. The Bisbee Wine Festival will be held on the 6th of October, only a few weeks away. This event takes place from 4 to 7 PM at the City Park in downtown Old Bisbee and features wine from all over the world, including Arizona wines. There will be food to go with the tastings from many of Bisbee’s restaurants, including Café Roka. If we are in Bisbee for the evening, Café Roka is the one outstanding restaurant Angie and I love to go to. The cost of the festival is $45.

The Willcox Wine Festival booths of Arizona Stronghold, Kief Joshua and Gallifant were represented at the last festival.

Willcox Fall Wine Festival will be held in Railroad Park on the 19th and 20th from 11 AM to 5 PM. This is on the same weekend as Helldorado Days making Down By The River a perfect Lodging Choice to be able to make both events. The festival has 16 wineries participating and will also feature live music both days. The cost is $15 and you get 8 tastings and a commemorative glass. There is also food available at the festival but we like to walk across the street to Rodney’s for catfish sandwiches. Rodney’s is a little hole in the wall shop but he does serve good catfish.

Other Cochise County events in Willcox include Rex Allen Days on the 4th through the 6th. Rex hailed from Willcox and was among the first singing cowboy movie stars. We have had many guests from the UK that come specifically to go to the Rex Allen Museum. The Museum is on Railroad Avenue and the Marty Robbins Museum is also close by. Sierra Vista will have the Art in the Park on the 5th and 6th and then the weekend after that they have a rock and mineral show.

The Tombstone stage ride give a historic tour of the town and is similar to the ones used on the Butterfield Stage Road.

Then last but not least is Benson Butterfield Days which will be held on the 12th and 13th. This celebrates the Butterfield Stage line that ran from St. Louis to San Francisco carrying mail and passengers. In conjunction with the Butterfield days events is a Rodeo at the Arena. Fireworks are scheduled for the Saturday evening.

So as you can see, it will be a busy time if you want to see all of the Cochise County events. The events are spread to all the corners of Cochise County. And of course Down By The River B and B is the perfect lodging location in Cochise County. That is why we are known as the “Lodging Hub of Cochise County. So check us out and see why our guests think we are the perfect choice for a getaway.

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Parker Canyon Lake

September 14th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Parker Canyon Lake – our back road adventure trip.

The road to Parker Canyon Lake from Coronado National Memorial is an unpaved road.

Parker Canyon Lake is just 15 miles west of the Overlook at Coronado National Memorial or a little over 70 miles from Down By The River B and B. The distance is not very far in freeway terms. When you go “boondocking” down the Arizona back roads, it will take you more time but can be quite an adventure. While growing up my dad used to take us out into the desert on unpaved back roads to explore what was out there. He called it “boondocking” and he would have agreed that the road to Parker Canyon Lake was right up there with his type of trip. Our guests have told us that they think Down By The River is off the beaten path but if they were to travel on Forest Road 61 from Coronado National Memorial they would know what off the beaten track really is.

There was a location on the road to Parker Canyon Lake that appeared to be a turtle head and neck outstretched. Quite appropriate for the desert..

After our trip to Coronado National Memorial, Angie and I had a choice to make about our return back to the b and b. We decided to head for Parker Canyon Lake and then back via Arizona 83, through Elgin and the Sonoita Wine Country. You can read about our visit on Coronado National Memorial from our last blog. We started down the west side of the pass and headed toward the Canelo Hills and the San Rafael Valley. This valley is home to the Vega Ranch which was a Spanish Land Grant. The ranch is southeast of Patagonia and Barb and I had been there one time before. The Santa Cruz River headwaters start in the San Rafael Valley and meanders south into Mexico before returning back north into the US and through Tucson.

During the monsoon times there are many streams and creeks that flow out of the Huachuca Mountains.

The road we traveled was dirt but well maintained. There were notices on the road to watch for flooding as we drove along. During monsoon season it is always a good idea to watch where you travel and not cross fast flowing water at washes. As we traveled along we were skirting the southern and western side of the Huachuca Mountains. This is cattle country and you will find many cattle guards on the road. We crossed side canyons and at times came to rough sections of the road but not bad enough to cause problems. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery. We stopped at different times to check out the views and things of interest. One interesting stop was a rock jutting out of the side of the mountain. I though it looked a little like a tortoise head and neck stretching out from the shell.

As we traveled we had to navigate over streams that crossed the road. One stream was at the junction of forest road 488. We decide to stop because of the amount of water running under the bridge. There were pools that were waist deep. As we walked on up the river we notice a lot of red flowers along the stream. These brilliant red flowers turned out to be Cardinal Flowers. After our short break we started off again. To our surprise, we could see a ranch from the top of the hill as we dropped into the canyon. The ranch was nestled on one side of a creek that flowed out of the Huachuca Mountains. The ranch was definitely off the beaten track and they need to travel about 40 miles to find the nearest grocery store. At the bottom of the canyon, we finally did come to one stream that gave us pause. The stream was flowing when we reached it. The water didn’t appear deep but there were some larger rocks that had washed down onto the roadway. We took our time maneuvering around the rocks and had no problems with the stream. It wasn’t too long before we were stopping at Arizona 83. 83 runs from Parker Canyon Lake through Sonoita and over the Santa Rita Mountains to Interstate 10 near Vail. We found that the 15 mile trip didn’t require us to have a high ground clearance or a 4 wheel drive vehicle. However we also drove during the dry part of the day. It took us about an hour and a half to do the 15 miles but we also did stop and walked around photograph what we found on the road.

Parker Canyon Lake overview with the San Raphael Valley in the distance.

Parker Canyon Lake is a man-made lake about 5 miles north of the Mexican Border. It is at about 5400 feet elevation and covers about 130 acres. The lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout, bass and catfish. Boat rentals are available and there are boat ramps for those that want to bring a boat. Fishing requires a license but that can be purchased at the concession shop. The Oak forest is great for birders. We watched the Barn Swallows as the maneuvered into their nests at the concession store. Bald Eagles and Osprey are also found in the area.

After we finished our wandering around the lake, we had something to quench our thirst and headed back to Down By The River B and B. The 160 mile loop trip took us about 6 hours from when we left until we got home but with all the stops and photographs we took it was a very pleasant day. If we had gone to Bisbee it would have been about 40 miles shorter but it would not have been as adventurous. “Boondocking” is some much more fun.

Boating is allowed on Parker Canyon Lake and people were taking advantage to the great conditions for sailing.

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Coronado National Memorial

September 8th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Coronado National Memorial – a short day trip visit.

The map is courtesy of the National Parks Brochure for Coronado National Memorial.

The entrance to the Coronado National Memorial is a photogenic setting.

Coronado National Memorial is located on the Mexican Border. It is south of Sierra Vista where Arizona Route 92 veers away from the Huachuca Mountains and heads east to Bisbee. Close to the Coronado National Memorial’s location is the route traversed by Francisco Coronado when he was sent to find the fabled cities of Cibola or the Lost Cities of Gold. He was following the orders of The Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) Antonio Mendoza to mount an expedition to find these cities. A Fray, Marco De Niza was sent along because he had reported seeing these cities. The expedition failed in finding the cities but the members of the expedition did record what the land and the inhabitants were like from Northern Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and on to present day Kansas. The Grand Canyon was first seen by Europeans on this expedition when part of the group ventured to the Northwest. If you want to read an interesting book, find the one Douglas Preston wrote titled “The Lost Cities of Gold”.

Paintings that document The Coronado Expedition are placed in the Coronado National Memorial Visitor Center and give a description of the event.

The Coronado National Memorial sits at the southern end of the Huachuca Mountains and it is one of the unique locations in the United State. It is a crossroad of diversity with the Rocky Mountains ending, the Sierra Madre Mountains beginning, and where the Chihuahuan and the Sonoran Deserts meet. There are many plants and animals that can be found in the park. This is one of the few areas in the US where you can find the Lucifer Hummingbird. Coatimundi can be seen in the park along with Javelina. Bird watchers enjoy the Huachuca Mountains and these sky islands are home to many birds that are seen nowhere else in the US. The visitor center is about half way into the park on East Montezuma Canyon Road. It has items for purchase and has good information on the Memorial and surrounding area. There are paintings on display depicting Coronado and the expedition. It is well worth the stop.

The Border Patch Butterfly is one of many species found in Coronado National Memorial.

Hiking along with nature watching are the main things to do in the park. There are trails in the park with two starting at the Visitor Center. One hike heads north to Coronado Cave from the Visitor Center on a trail that is ¾ of a mile in length and gains about 500 feet in elevation. This is a limestone cave with some formations. You will need flashlights and it requires a permit to enter. The second trail is Joe’s Canyon Trail and it is about 3 miles long and rises 1600 feet in elevation. This trail ends on the Coronado Peak trail. Near the 2 mile point on the Joe’s Canyon Trail is the junction of the Yaqui Trail. This trail goes south to the border and marker pole 102. These poles weigh about 700 pounds and they were placed by the government in the 1890s to designate the border. The poles start near El Paso and head west. Poles 100, 101 and 102 are located inside the Coronado National Memorial. From Montezuma Pass Overlook there is The Coronado Peak Trail of almost a half a mile in length. The peak is 6864 feet in elevation and gives you a great panoramic view of the San Pedro and San Raphael Valleys. The Arizona Trail starts in the Coronado National Memorial at border Pole 102. It heads north out of the Memorial over the Huachuca Mountains for 800 miles until it stops at the Utah border north of the Grand Canyon.

Many different flower varieties can be found throughout the Coronado National Memorial grounds. These flowers are from the Firecracker bush.

For this trip, Angie and I decided that we would hike the Coronado Peak trail. The road to Montezuma Pass turns to dirt about 1 mile after leaving the visitor center. It is narrow but in good repair and a normal automobile will not have a problem navigating the road. There are places to pull off to see items of interest. With all the rains this monsoon season, there were a lot of flowers blooming on both sides of the road. The Century plants were in the process of blooming and some of the stocks were 15 feet tall. With all the rains we have had in the mountains, the vegetation was very lush. When you reach the top of the pass, you can park and there are tables if you want picnic. We started the hike to the top and it was a pretty steady climb with a 300 foot rise in elevation from the parking lot. We had lots of opportunities to take pictures and we made the best of it. Coronado Peak is less than a mile from the border. At the top of the mountain, you can see into Mexico at least 70 miles and to the foothills of the Sierra Madres and the copper mine at Cananea 30 miles away. To the west we could see Baboquivari Peak over 80 miles away. The peak is sacred to the O’odham Native Americans. The views were wonderful with deep blue sky.

The view from Montezuma Pass overlook is toward the San Pedro River Valley. The River is defined with the tree line. The border fence is the dark straight line that runs east and west.

As we got back to the car we found that we had only traveled 59 miles from Down By The River B and B. Our b and b is perfect hub location for the guest that wants to take short day trips to many sites throughout Cochise County. After the hike, we discussed our options. It was starting to get a little too warm to start another hike. The Yaqui trail was a 2 mile hike one way down to the border and we didn’t feel we had enough water for that. We decided that we would drive a loop trip back to the b and b instead of returning straight

On Top of Coronado Peak in the Coronado National Memorial.

Mike on Coronado Peak with the backdrop of Mexico behind him to the southeast.. Some of he peaks are over 70 miles away.

home. There are 2 choices we considered. One is to go to Bisbee, prowl the shops and get something to eat later. The second option was to continue west on the Montezuma Canyon Road, stopping at Parker Canyon Lake. From there we would travel on to Sonoita. Since neither of us had been to Parker Canyon Lake, we decided to take the dirt road and see what it was like. When we were young my dad took us out on back roads, he would tell us that we were going “Boondocking”. We knew it would be an adventure since you never knew what you would find or where we were going. We will tell you about our “Boondocking” adventure to Parker Canyon Lake in our next blog.

From the top of Coronado National Memorial looking to the Southwest into Mexico.

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Southeastern Arizona Stargazing

September 3rd, 2013 by Mike Hug

Southeastern Arizona Stargazing Will Improve Soon.

At the end of May the three planets aligned at sunset.

Southeastern Arizona stargazing will soon be back as the monsoons will be ending and the night skies will be clear. With the end of the monsoons, the view of the Milky Way will be unobstructed by clouds and directly overhead in all its glory. The late summer and Autumn constellations are full of nebulas for the Arizona stargazing astronomer to see. We have many options for the amateur or avid astronomer who wants to view planets or objects in the night sky while being guests at Down By The River B and B . One option is to bring your own telescope; some of our guests have done exactly that. Another option is to use the Dobsonian telescope that is available to our guests here at Down By The River. Another option is to make a reservation at San Pedro Valley Observatory in Benson. If you want to do some night photography like David did at our b and b, then you can set up your camera and tripod and give that a whirl. David has a website where he posts his blogs and pictures. He does some outstanding things with a camera and a telescope. I am hoping to take some of the lessons he taught me and try my hand at this type of photography in the coming months.

References for Southeastern Arizona Stargazing

Our Stargazing B and B has a 13″ mirror Dobsonian Telescope

There are numerous online sites that are good references for stargazing. One is Star Date which will give you information on planets, constellations and events during the year. I did find one interesting site on line which is a YouTube video that compares the size of many of the planets and stars. This video is from 2009 and is a little out of date since larger stars have been discovered but it is interesting to view. It is amazing just how big things are and how small we are in comparison.

Viewing the Arizona Night Sky

In September, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will all be morning stars. I took a photograph of the alignment in June. Saturn will be setting early in the evenings and Uranus will be up all night. Uranus is the hard one to spot. You need a telescope and there are no good reference points at this time to help sight the planet. I have seen Uranus and Neptune before but not with a Dobsonian Telescope. I was lucky because these two planets were close to a brighter reference point at the time. February 8 to 10 will be the best time to see Uranus, since it will be close to Venus. The best time to view Neptune is now but with monsoon clouds the chances of clear skies may not be good. Also there is not a good reference to help spot the planet.

San Pedro Valley Observatory

Saturn to the naked eye doesn’t have much color through a telescope.

I wrote a blog about the San Pedro Valley Observatory. It was originally a B and B called Skywatcher’s Inn and then changed to Astronomer’s Inn. It no longer is a B and B but we do work with the observatory and give discounts to people that go to the SPVO for Arizona stargazing. Angie got her first real chance of Arizona stargazing on her birthday. The astronomers are very knowledgeable and gave us a great experience. At the end we saw Saturn and we left with a picture of Saturn and its rings. Angie had never seen that before and moons too!

As a special, we will give a 10% discount for a one night stay to guests that have a one night reservation at the observatory. If they have reservations for 2 or more nights at the observatory we give a 15% discount on each additional night, This is all subject to confirmation of the SPVO reservation.

If you want to view the stars and see what Arizona Stargazing is all about, take some time and head for our San Pedro River B and B for a night of fun. Down By The River is out in the country and it has dark night skies. Leave the lights of Tucson and Phoenix behind and see what it is like to see the Milky Way in all its glory while staying in comfort at Down By The River B and B.

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Tombstone Events

August 24th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Tombstone Events In October

The Tombstone stage ride give a historic tour of the town.

October is a good month for Tombstone events that are fun for the whole family. After the summer heat is gone the town comes alive with things to do including the following:

Corvettes & Ghost Riders – Tombstone –3 to 6
Wyatt Earp’s Vendetta Ride – Tombstone – 13 to 18
83rd Annual Helldorado Days – Tombstone – 18 to 20
Cowboy Action Shooting State Championship – Tombstone – 23 to 27

Corvettes & Ghost Riders is a corvette car rally that raises funds for Phoenix Children’s Hospital, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and some Tombstone Charities. The rally is a fun for car buffs and the main event on Saturday is a car show. There are other fun things to do during the 3 days of the rally.

Tombstone Event for Vendetta Riders Picture

Smile when you say that!

Wyatt Earp’s Vendetta Ride is a 6 day event that is for the hardy horseman. This ride starts early in the morning and goes most of the day. We had a couple of wranglers from Texas that stayed with us and wanted to do this event for a long time. They finally did and told us that it was a rugged ride in the back areas of Cochise County. This ride follows the trail of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday as they hunted the cowboys that they believed were responsible for killing Morgan and wounding Virgil Earp.

Helldorado Days has been held since 1929 and is the main signature event in Tombstone. It is held on the weekend closest to the date of the anniversary of the towns founding. It also happens to be close to the date of the Shooting at the OK Corral. There is family fun for everyone and the streets are full of people dressed in the period clothing. Not all of them are the actors who do the street skits. Many are people who dress up and just like to become part of the Old West.

Cowboy Action Shooting State Championships are an SASS sponsored Tombstone event. This event is a timed event sponsored by the Single Action Shooting Society and has been going since 1999. The event draws up to 300 participants and currently all the slots for the event have been filled. It only took 8 days to fill the sign up sheet. This Championship is popular with Old West aficionados. There are different types of events with different types of guns. All the shooters must have aliases from real to fictional characters of the old west or movies and must dress appropriately to reflect the era. It should be a full 5 days of old fashion shooting. I would think that a person would have some great photographic opportunities during this event.

If you go to the Tombstone events then you need to have a place to stay. October tends to be busy in Southeastern Arizona since the birder watchers are here during migration, people attending all the Tombstone events, and with many other events in Bisbee, Benson and the wine country. What could be better than a B and B that is close to Tombstone but is not as rustic. Where you can sleep in king beds instead of full size. Where peace and quiet at night is followed the next morning by a hearty breakfast that will get you through the day. Check us out at Down By The River “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County.” Plan your visit before every lodging place is filled up.

Tags: Tombstone events
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Arizona Wine Challenge at Down By The River B & B

August 18th, 2013 by Mike Hug

The Arizona Wine Challenge at The River

Cheers

Announcing the “Arizona Wine Challenge at the River” on November 2, 2013. We have put it up on Facebook for all of our fans for about 3 weeks so that they had the first chance to sign up. Now we are opening the special up for anyone that would like to participate.

What is the Arizona Wine Challenge?

Well let me explain the highlights for you. Angie and I believe that Arizona Wine can stand up to wines that are made anywhere else in the country or in the world for that matter. So we decided to have an Arizona Wine Challenge at Down By The River B and B. Each guest will be able to sample different wines and to rate each. We want to have a fun evening with wine tasting and some finger foods for pairings with the wine. The event should be fun for everyone and you will be able to taste some wines from wineries that you may have seen but never tasted.

We have a pdf with the information that you can download here. But I will give you the simple synopsis right here. The event will start at 6 PM on Saturday, November 2. Each guest will bring a bottle of their favorite NON-ARIZONAN grape wine ie 2 bottles for a couple. Couples should not bring the same wine so that there is a variety, besides you have 2 chances to win then. The bottles will be given to Angie or me upon arrival and preferably in a bag to conceal the type of wine from the other guests. Angie and I will provide two bottles of Arizona Wines.

Prior to the contest, Angie and I will open the bottles to let them breathe and we will number them for the taste test. Rating sheets will be given to each guest. We will begin with the first wine and everyone will taste that wine and rate it. Then we will move on the the next and rate that. This will continue until we are done. After the rating sheets are turned in we will reveal the wines that are in the taste test for everyone to examine. The remaining wine can then be sampled again by everyone. We will then take the rating sheets and determine the winner.

The person that brought the winning non-Arizona wine will be given a bottle of wine from an Arizona Winery.

This will require a 2 night stay for the guests and only guests will be allowed to participate. There are special rules that you will find on the pdf that you can download. Reservations for this event can only be made by phone but you can email us your phone number and tell us that you want to attend and we will call you back. We will not be allowing any online reservations for this event. Oh and one last thing – You have to be at least 21 to attend and we will be checking IDs.

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Kartchner Caverns B and B has The Caverns News

July 24th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Kartchner Caverns B and B – Photograph the Caverns?

Kartchner Caverns State Park is the most pristine live cave in the United States.

Would you like to take photographs at Kartchner Caverns while staying at Down By The River, the closest Kartchner Caverns B and B? Maybe you would enjoy the view out the west windows of our Kartchner Caverns B and B. The view is toward the Whetstone Mountains and you can see the hill where Kartchner Caverns is located from the Prospector Room private patio. I have written about the Caverns before and you can read that blog by clicking here.

Kartchner Caverns has special events over the year beside their tours. They do stargazing at certain times of the year but there is a special one that they haven’t done before, to my knowledge. It is called Bug Night. Bug Night will cost $6.00 for a vehicle to enter the park. The agenda is for the people that come to view the insects that can be found around the grounds of the Park. Entomologists, insect experts, will be there to give information and show the insect world to the participants. The bat population at Kartchner Caverns in Southeast Arizona feasts on the many flying insects that are in the area. This should be an interesting experience for anyone that is a little buggy about insects. Bring a flashlight and water. But that really isn’t the big news.

With Bug Night there is also a limited tour of Kartchner Caverns specifically to allow up to 15 people to photograph the inside of the caverns. This special event may be a once in a life time opportunity for the lucky people that get their ticket. This will be a private tour of the Throne Room. During that tour, photography will be allowed. There are a couple of catches. One is that photographs that are taken must only be for personal use, not for commercial use. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Photographers must be able to carry all their gear and tripods will be allowed. The last item is that this tour will cost $150 per person. The money raised will benefit the programs of the Friends of Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Kartchner Caverns news release stated that Bug Night will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2013 from 6:30 to 9:00 P.M., weather permitting. The photo tour will be held on the same night from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. You must arrive at the Discovery center at the park by 4:30 P.M. to participate in this event.

The contact information for those interested, you can email Gretchen@fkcsp.org or visit the Friends of Kartchner Caverns State Park website at to make a payment. For more information about the photo tour call the Friends of Kartchner Caverns State Park office at (520) 668-7707.

If you wish to do a tour of Kartchner Caverns at a time other than on Bug Night you can make reservation by visiting the website or by calling (520) 586-2283 between 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. (Mountain Standard Time) seven days per week. And if you are staying at our Kartchner Caverns B and B, make that reservation after 11 A.M. so that you aren’t rushed at breakfast. The Throne Room tour is open all year but the Big Room tour is only open from October 15 until April 15.

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Field Trip Attendees Given Warm Welcome by Tucson Audubon B and B Affiliate

July 17th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Tucson Audubon B and B Affiliate Hosts Field Trip Attendees

Black-chin hummingbirds gather at the feeder for nectar.

When we decided to build Down By The River, we wanted to be one of the Tucson Audubon B and B affiliates. We looked in Southeastern Arizona for the location that would allow us to be a Tombstone B & B but also near the San Pedro River for the birding activities. Our desire for the combination of the two things wasn’t feasible, unless we could find a way to reroute the San Pedro River. Oh and there wasn’t even a small glimmer of hope for that, don’t you know! The next plan was to find a location on the San Pedro River for our B and B but near Tombstone. After a long search and with some help, we found the land here in St. David to build our San Pedro River b and b.

After we finished construction, we became a Tucson Audubon b and b affiliate. Our first encounter with the staff at the Tucson Audubon was a great experience and we were introduced to the wonderful staff at the University Street office. We were beginning bird watchers; we didn’t have enough experience to call ourselves birders. We signed up for field trips with guides mainly in St. David and down at the San Pedro House. After a while, we began gaining some knowledge and found the game of identification of the LBJ, little brown jobs, was a challenge that all birding enthusiasts know. Luckily we have a resource as a

The birders tools vary but usually binoculars, camera and book to ID the birds are the main items used.

Tucson Audubon B and B affiliate, and I always thank Jennie who is willing to help me out with some ids when I have sighted something I can’t identify. It usually is a morph of a common bird that I have found and I get an answer relatively quickly. Along with Sibley’s reference, we have found a website that does help out with many identities so I don’t have to bother anyone very much.

We have had many Audubon members come and stay at our Tucson Audubon B and B, some of which have found us through the Tucson Audubon website others by word of mouth. We have a great time with the birders that come and many show us the wonderful photos that they have taken during their visit to the area. Some even give us copies to put up on the website and we do credit them when we post a picture. In February, we had two guests, who were working on their big year. During their stay with us, they were able to add to their list right here from the patio and on the back property toward the river.

Our Tuscon Audubon B and B affiliate hosted a field trip lead by Cliff Cather.

The Tucson Audubon does many field trips down to locations in Cochise County and the San Pedro River specifically. In June, the Audubon had a scheduled field trip to Cochise County with a stop in Willcox and then they were stopping in St. David as they returned to Tucson. We kept in touch with Cliff, who was guiding the tour and he was able to stop here at our Tucson Audubon B and B. When the group arrived, Angie and I introduced ourselves and gave the group a tour of the B and B and the grounds. We also provided them with some light snacks and drinks. We had many compliments about what we have here and many told us that they would like to return to further explore the area and the San Pedro River. They discovered that we are centrally located and why we call ourselves “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County”. The next time you are planning a trip check us out and see for yourselves how great this birding area is.

Cliff Cathers, The tall man in the back, and Audubon field trip group photo taken during their visit.

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Tombstone Vigilante Days lodging at our B and B nearby Tombstone

July 10th, 2013 by Mike Hug

Our B and B nearby Tombstone is close to all the action

Take a guided tour of Tombstone in a stage coach and learn about the history of the town.

Down By The River B and B nearby Tombstone is the perfect choice for lodging when you attend the 65 th Annual Tombstone Vigilante Days event. The three day event has something for everyone and starts Friday August 9 and runs to Sunday August 11 between 10 AM to 4 PM daily. The Vigilante Days Event includes live entertainment throughout the day such as gun fights, mock hangings, no one is actually hung by accident like the grave stone says in Boot Hill, an1880 fashion show and the pretty saloon girls are wandering around looking for the perfect guy to buy them a drink. There are period children’s games available for activities for the younger set. The Tombstone Vigilantes will raffle off a .45 caliber long colt lever action rifle which is the 27th in a series.

Saturday there is a chili cook-off that starts at 8 AM and the chili can be sampled at 1 PM. The samples are available until the concoctions run out. This will take place on Allen Street in the center of town. Sunday will feature the 27^th Annual 10K race that is mapped out on the website.

The cost of the race is $18 with a shirt and $8 without. There is also a 2 K race that costs $15 with the shirt and $5 without. The race starts at 6:30 AM with registration starting at 5:30 AM or you can preregister if you wish. Visit the Tombstone Vigilantes Website for more information or call 520-457-3291.

There are other lodging choices for a B and B nearby Tombstone, but we feel that our San Pedro River B and B, Down By The River, is actually a better place to stay. Being the Lodging Hub of Cochise County, our B and B nearby Tombstone is a short day trip from many attractions throughout Cochise and Eastern Santa Cruz Counties. After you have had your fun in Tombstone you visit other locations in the area or just sit on the patio and watch the monsoon storms that are should be in the area.

Tags: B and B Tombstone
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