The group of 4 vehicles departed the Shell station about 9AM Sunday, 12 Feb 06. Group leader was Dave. Members attending were Dave & Sue, Gordon & Kathy, Bill & Barbara, Tony, and Donnie (from Benson). 

The route was: I-10 east to US 191; North on 191 to Safford; west on 70 & 191; NE 191 at junction of 191 and 70; N on the Black Hills National Back Country Byway. The trip time to this point was about 2 hours, all paved. We found several trails to explore and some great scenery. Motels in Safford and not far from the campsites. In all we found 4 potential camp sites, however, none were very pretty. The camp site at the Cinder pit seemed the most protected but none had trees or firewood. The easiest to access for our large rigs were not far from the highway and were located in the field of fire agates. Bill & Barbara, Tony and Donnie returned early while Gordon, Dave and wives explored the alternate entrance road and the fire agate field. Returning we found gasoline in Saffore at $2.29 per gallon at a small station, very busy with only 3 pumps, however it did have a deisel pump located away from the gas pumps. The return trip for Dave & Gordon was mostly uneventful. We did encounter a terrific vehicle accident that had happened on the east bound side of I-10, but sent a vehicle completely over the west bound side which destroyed a power pole north of the highway. Also, visibility driving west at that time of day was very bad. So bad, in fact, that vehicles were slowed to 30 or 35 MPH, and invisible in the evening sun. Not to mention the stupid truck driver who decided to block the exit ramp into US 90, that we were unable to see due to the sun. Thanks to Dave's warning on the CB we managed to excape something that could be very bad. Thanks Dave!!! All in all, we decided the trip was doable, with camp sites that would accomodate everyone. Just not very pretty with a lack of fire wood.