Southern Arizona is characterised by large planes dotted with small mountain ranges. In 1982 Mike, was serving with the US Army and was stationed at Fort Huachuca (The H is pronounced as a W) which was sited at the base of the Huachuca mountains. Huachuca is an Indian name meaning thunder and I was told that during the rainy season, which I had missed by three months, the mountains were engulfed by violent electrical thunder storms. The fort was founded in 1877 for the protection of settlers in the San Pedro and Santa Cruz Valleys. It did not take a major role in the Indian wars; the most important Forts being Lowell in the east, Bowie in the West and Fort Apache in the north. However, it was one of the few still in existence and the original barracks were intact and in use. It was part of the US army communication network involved with satellites etc.. A far cry from the days when its occupants kept watch for roving bands of hostile Apaches passing to and fro the Mexican border by flashing heliograph signals to neighbouring posts from the mountain tops. It became the home of the Buffalo Solders, a regiment of Negro troops from a time when racial segregation was not officially frowned upon. The name Buffalo Solder was bestowed by the Indians as to them they resembled the prairie animals but the term was not mean derogatory as they regarded them with great respect. The land around Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca was mostly desert. However, it differed from the desert around Tucson in that the tall saguaro cactus could not grow as the altitude was too high and the nights give rise to frost. Instead, here the mesquite tree was predominant. They are stunted and twisted in appearance and looked more like a bushes than trees. They appear to be dead as they have few leaves for most of the year, with the exception of the rainy season. However, their roots go down to well over a hundred feet. Some people have suggested that if the mesquite was destroyed then other plants would have a chance to grow and the desert could be reclaimed. I spent several days exploring the region. On one occasion I rode a hundred miles south-east to visit the Chiricahua mountains. This was the home of Chiricahua Apache Indians, the most war-like of all the Apache bands, their most famous leaders being Cochise and Geronimo. I reached the mountains at mid day and then rode the winding tourist route through pine forests, pass small streams, to the highest point. This was known as Massai point and was over 7,000 feet above sea level. It was named after a warrior, "Big Foot" Massai, who staged several one man escapades following the final surrender of Geronimo in 1886. There I sat and ate my sandwiches and looked out over columns of tall rocks. These were sculptured by volcanic action many millions of years ago forming natural pillars and peculiarly shaped balanced rocks. All around the area was rich in plant and animal life. The mountains provide a forested island in a sea of desert. The Indians used them as natural fortresses to which they returned after raids, which was why they were so difficult to subdue. An area in the Dragoon Mountains, about fifty miles further west, came to be known as the Cochise stronghold and he is said to be buried there in a secret grave amongst the rocks. There were no longer any Apaches left in south-east Arizona. When Geronimo surrendered they were split up. Some were transported with Geronimo to Florida and some to reservations further north or in Mexico. I rode back by way of Pierce, a ghost town which died when the mining ran out. Only the General Store was left standing. I then took a dirt road, which my map showed to be a short cut coming out near Tombstone, but it got dark quickly and riding was difficult. I arrived back at Sierra Vista tired and with myself and the bike covered with dust. I was amazed at the number of different wild animals that I saw during my excursions across the desert. I had seen mule deer (their ears resemble those of a mule), several ground squirrels, a coyote, and even a bobcat. I saw many birds of prey and also road runners. The road runner resembles a pheasant but is in fact more closely related to the cuckoo (they sometimes lay their eggs in other birds' nests). They zoomed across the road in front of me in quite a comical manner, which is quite hair-raising when riding on a motorcycle, and I saw the remains of some which probably had similar encounters with other motorists but did not quite make it. I had many enjoyable excursions over the next few days. On one occasion Philippa, drove me into the county town of Bisby and I went down a copper mine, or rather in as the tiny train that I and my fellow tourists boarded went into the side of a mountain. The copper mines of Bisby were now redundant (it was cheaper to import from South America). and the town had shrunk in size. Philippa and I had lunch in the Copper Queen, a nineteenth century hotel preserved from the rip-roaring mining days but now it seemed quite quiet, sleepy and quaint. On another occasion I rode out alone south-west towards the Mexican border. There I visited the old Spanish mission at Tunacacori, built by Spanish priests in the late 1700s. A few miles further north was the old Spanish settlement of Tubac but only remains of the old adobe walls are left. I would have liked to cross the border further south at Nogales into Mexico, but time and difficulties with insurance cover for the bike prevented me. After eight days of wandering around southern Arizona, I decided to bid Philippa and Mike good-bye temporarily. I wanted to see the country in the north and, as Arizona is roughly the same area as England, I knew that I would be gone for several days. I still had four weeks of my holiday remaining and I planned to visit them again before it was time for me to return to California. I packed my luggage and tent on the back of the bike and then waved good-bye. Soon I was following 'I 10' back through Tucson and then north towards Phoenix.