January 28
This was a day of ups and downs.

I started the day talking to woman on a ranch close by the Dragoons who knows a lot of the Apache history locally. She told me that the historic agreement between General Howard and Cochise happened only about 100 yards from where we talking, in her kitchen. She mentioned that Coronado, on his way through Arizona passed through this valley in the late 1600’s. Coronado, when crossing the Dragoons, said they were “sierra[s] muy penascosa”, very rugged mountains. She told me that the Apaches did not much use horses. The mostly walked or ran, which of course was an advantage when they wanted to disappear. They stole horses from ranchers and miners, but those horses were brought home as food. Having seen the picture of Geronimo and Naiche on horseback, I can believe that they found horses useful at some point. I have heard accounts of the Apaches running horses to death in an escape.

This woman told me I would not be able to complete my drive around the Dragoons, as the road on the northwest corner is on private land and unavailable. I drove up that way to check it out, and found that in any case the road crosses a couple of cattle guards where there are no passage gates next to. I consider that a capital crime, but there was no one to tell. EVERY cattle guard has to have a gate next to it.

I left that area and went to the east side, going into the Cochise Stronghold. This is an area where Cochise would retreat to, a favorite living place of Cochise’s people. It was easy to see why. It is what is in New England is known as a gulf, a hollow place in the side of a mountain. From a distance the stronghold would be hidden. The road winds up into the interior valley, crossing flowing water numbers of time. The trees and ground vegetation was the greenest I have seen anywhere in this area. The trees were double size.

Above the green, the cliffs were varieties of shapes and colors. The Apaches found one of the finest places on earth, a place with flowing water in a dry land.

In speaking to someone today about my project of seeing the Apache land as key to who they were and how they lived, I said how the land is the same, and as an afterthought, it is the same as seeing the land when the Apaches were there, because they would have been invisible if they wanted.

I could have spent a day in the Stronghold, but I had to pay attention to the time. I drove out to where the Forest Service road goes to the north along the hills. After a couple of miles I started to wonder if I should turn back. The road was borderline passable for a pickup truck. I was going over grapefruit sized rocks and then a few washes that were wet from last night’s rain. In one place despite four wheel drive, I could not go forward. Fortunately I was able to back up and detour. The road was only 8 miles, but it took a long time. I think I aged my truck 5 years. After those first two miles I decided I had no interest in driving the horses on this road. I came up with a new plan, which was to camp the night just outside the Stronghold, and then the next day to walk from the East Stronghold, which is where I was, to the West Stronghold, which happens to be next to the ranch where I will start. My truck and trailer will be there. I will walk back to them, and then bring the trailer to the horses. Not a full drive around the Dragoons, but at least a good part of it. And I have now driven the truck the whole way. No need to get steamed up about those few impassable .cattleguards at the north end of the mountains.

All of this seemed fine until I got home and discovered one of my horses limping heavily on one front leg. He has been in a safe paddock, with only his mate. The best I can figure is that he slipped in mud. My hope was to start Saturday - two days from now. That is now uncertain