Clifton, AZ

Last night was clear and cold and we watched the stars come out. This morning it continued clear and cold....well, chilly. But blue skies! We looked at weather reports farther east and decided to stay in Clifton for the day.


Our $8.50 camping spot at Clifton RV

After breakfast we took a walk toward the town. There is an old jail here that was built right into the rock hill...and below it are 2 cells with little holes in the ceilings for light. Spooky!


Judy and Harris outside the jail window blasted out of the rock

Inside view of jail cell

Next to the jail is an old steam engine locomotive, used to transport ore, mostly copper. Clifton began as a mining town in the 1880's, and is still one today.


Judy in charge!

This RV park has 55 spaces. Only 2 were available when we came yesterday. The rest are occupied by people who work for the mine in one way or another. Our next door neighbor, Robert, came here to work for 3 months,and is still here working construction 2 years later. He's been all over the country and several places around the world and was fun to talk with.


World traveler Robert, our next door neighbor

When we came back from our walk, we drove a few more miles up highway 191 to see the mine itself. It is one of the world's largest open pit mines. It is North America's leading producer of copper. From a brochure: "We move more than 700,000 tons of rock each day. More than 2000 employees work around the clock producing about 840 million pounds of copper each year."

Giant trucks working the earth

Looking at the mine from the vista point

Panoramic view of the mine

Close up of men working on a truck

After we came back to camp, we made lunch and ate it outside...a little chilly, but sunny and we couldn't resist. Then we rode our bikes around camp, up and down a dirt road (until the hills defeated us), then back into the town of Clifton. There is a road off the main highway that is the "old" town...most buildings were boarded up, but luckily the historical society museum was open. Harris took a picture of the high chair Sandra Day O'Conner used as a baby!



Sandra O' Conner's high chair

Judy riding down "historic Clifton"

After we returned to camp once more, Harris decided to do a couple of close by caches. Then he returned to post pictures and cook a great dinner of salad and parmesan chicken with penne rigate. (we bought it at Costco).
The night is turning cold as the sun goes down behind the hills. But Howie is warm and toasty!


The cache clue was "looking head on, you're on the right track"

Total miles driven today= 22