May 18, 2004
Yesterday, Dave Daiss and I left at six in the morning and drove up to Young to visit the historical Tewksbury Ranch where one of the gunfights in the Pleasant Valley War took place. The ranch is owned by Bobby Sicora, of Bobby McGee’s fame, and he bought a full page ad to advertise the ranch for sale in the next issue. Dave is always in the ranch buying mood, and I wanted to see the place because this is the gunfight where they had to stop the shooting because the hogs were eating one of the bodies (sound familiar, Deadwood fans?).

It’s about a three hour run up the Beeline. Stopped in Payson at the Knotty Pine Cafe and had the special (ham and eggs, hashbrowns and sourdough toast, I bought $16 cash, includes tip).

Got up to Young at about 9:30, met Linda, who drove us out to the ranch. Rough roads, many dry creek crossings, which she told us are normally wet and running. She showed us one spot where she got trapped and had to walk out.

Ranch is great. Found the graves of the two victims, took photos. Checked out the guest house (picture Bobby McGee’s tricked out ranch style). Got back to Young at noon, and took our host to lunch at the only cafe open. Worst service I have encountered in a decade (didn’t get menus or drinks for a good twenty minutes. Waitress surly and curt. Had a cheeseburger with green chiles and iced tea (bill was $15, and I left a twenty. Why do I tip bad service?! It must be Lutheran guilt).

Came back the Globe way, All dirt roads with a smattering of pavement at odd places. Got back to Cave Creek at five. On the road for 11 hours. Fun and informative. I think we’ll get several articles out of it.

Got an e-mail from my son Thomas in Spain. He is busy studying abroad, literally:

“Frank just got back from Italy with his mom and his sister and was in France the other week. The verdict on the girls is in and I happen to agree with him. France and Italy have some really drop dead gorgeous girls but the rest are really sub par. Neither can compete with Spain. Spain has probably the biggest middle class of good looking girls we´ve ever seen and some drop dead gorgeous girls on top of that. So the US has the biggest economic middle class and Spain the biggest cute girl middle class.”

“It’s a wise man who knows his father.”
—Dave Daiss quoting Shakespeare