Sheeps Crossing

November 1997

(Trip Report by Deano)

This trip began at the Bartlett Lake turnoff above Cave Creek, and proceeded through several water crossings through the Chalk Mountain turquoise deposit to the old sheep herders' bridge called "Sheep's Crossing."

My wife Bonnie, to her left is Jack Q. Jones' turquoise and chrome '67

Empty Broncos at Chalk Mountain, as club members scamper around the hill chipping out turquoise

Dec Thackston, founder of Arizona Classic Bronco

Mike McCarthy beams over discovery of fabulous turquoise vein (see it above Todd's right shoulder?)

Expending great amounts of energy with pick to remove very little of it soon explains why it's still here.

View from the mine

After "mining" then lunch we headed out for Sheep's Crossing. From there we could either make one more water crossing and take a longer way home, or double back the way we came.

Fording the river at Sheep's Crossing

Most of the attendees, including the trip leader made the crossing, but we all ended up coming back the same way because a few didn't want to hazard the deeper water, or didn't want to take the long way back.

Unfording as some didn't want to go that way

In the end we decided not to split up over it and all came back together

I try to follow Steve Harwood and take advantage of his bow wave. Unfortunately the bow wave ends in the middle of the river as Steve stalls out and has to be pulled out the other side by Mike McCarthy. Fortunately his truck is soon restarted and blows water out the exhaust halfway back to Phoenix.

Crossing back over proved harder than getting there.

Deprived of Steve's wake, I have to push through on my own, and do okay.

Trip Leader Jay Rountree pulls through under his own power after initially stalling out

The Darners mush through

Sheep bridge visible up river as we regroup to head back 

After backtracking through all the other crossings and hitting the Horseshoe Lake road back toward pavement, Jack Jones' '67 suddenly started spewing gasoline under the hood. A failed fuel pressure regulator seems to have been the culprit and once it was removed and fuel lines rejoined the trip resumed without further incident.