The Great Basin National Park's Lost Winchester 1873

One of the coolest things we saw on our 80-day trip to California and back.  On this trip, we visited 32 National Parks and Monuments.  The drive across Nevada had unexpected beauty.  Along Highway 50, nicknamed the loneliest road in America, sits the Great Basin National Park, which is full of surprises. 

The Great Basin of the Western United States encompasses most of Nevada, as well as large portions of Oregon, Utah, and California.  The National Park is an Island of tree-covered mountains in the middle of a desert landscape.  

"In the Park, an archaeologist discovered a Winchester Model 1873 rifle leaning against a juniper tree in 2014.  The gun, manufactured in 1882, was found in a remote area during a habitat restoration project.  It was left in place for research and preservation, and its discovery has become a popular story, even going viral on social media. 

The rifle, a Winchester Model 1873, is a lever-action centerfire rifle chambered in .44-40 caliber.  It has a 24-inch octagonal barrel and a magazine that holds up to 12 cartridges.  The gun was found with a round of ammunition dating from 1887 to 1911, suggesting it had been there for many years.  It was later x-rayed, revealing a live cartridge in the buttstock. 

The rifle's backstory remains a mystery, contributing to its allure.  The area where it was found was known for hunting, prospecting, and sheep herding.  While the exact reason for its abandonment is unknown, it has become a symbol of the American West and its history.  The rifle is now on display at the park's visitor center.  "

We didn't spend much time here, but it was a great stop that proved to be very informative.  Plus, we got to see the Winchester 1873.

Fort Sill and Geronimo's Grave

Today, we did the Fort Sill historical walk, which took us around the old Fort Sill.  The commanding general still lives in the same house that Gen Sherman, of Civil War fame, stayed in 1870.  

The Fort constructed by Buffalo Soldiers has been active since then.  The original Fort Sill Square, with its parade field and cavalry barracks, is still in use.  The Fort itself is now the US Army Artillery Center.  The first Fort Sill has the original stone horse stalls and corrals that were used by the 1870 cavalry down the hill.  

In the early 1990s, I was a supply sergeant for a M109 Artillery Battery in Germany.  All the Artillerymen would talk about Fort Sill because they were trained here.  Artillery is nicknamed the King of Battle.  The M109 is a motorized track vehicle that carries a 155mm howitzer.  It is followed by a track ammunition carrier.  It looks like a tank, but it's designed to fire from a stationary position.  I have pulled the lanyard of this gun a couple of times, and it is a powerful feeling. 

It has been the highlight of our trip out west so far.  The Apache Chief Geronimo is buried here, and we visited his grave.  We are camped in a Live Oak grove along Medicine Creek, about 2 miles from the grave and cemetery as the crow flies. 

Fort Sill has a long history as a Frontier Fort.  It also has an infamous history with its Indian School and its participation in the Indian Wars.  After the last Indian Campaign of 1886, when Geronimo surrendered, he and his warriors with their families were kept prisoner here on Fort Sill.  He died in 1909, and the remaining members of his band were pardoned and released in 1913.

On his deathbed, he stated he should never have surrendered, that they should have fought to the last man.  The Indian graveyard is not in a developed area of the Fort, on the backside of the post golf course.  It's surrounded by fields and woods near a dry creek bed. 

It's a peaceful place with well-marked graves, and family members can still be buried here.  We saw one headstone from 2022.  As we walk through the graveyard, we let our dog Abbey run among the graves since we're the only ones there.  I'm sure the ghosts of the warriors and their family members were happy to see a friendly dog.

Perth: Australia's Gold Coast City

Australia, I can't believe it!  We finally made it to the country of our many dreams.  We left New York on 3 January on the Queen Mary 2 and arrived in Perth on 17 February.  It has been a great voyage full of adventure, with stops in many exotic places, including islands in the Indian Ocean, South Africa, and an African safari.  Perth is a dream of a place; it's everything we imagined.  

We booked Perth on Your Own Tour. That was just a bus ride into downtown Perth.  The bus took us to Barracks Street Jetty, located on Swan River Bay, which is a good centralized location from which to see the city.  

After having $70 haircuts on the cruise ship about a month ago, we desperately needed a trim.  We walked to an indoor mall and found a barber shop/hairdresser.  We were in luck because the barber there had some canceled appointments.  The Barber from Chile had an interesting story about settling in Australia.  It was a story of perseverance and survival.  He is now making Australia great one haircut at a time.    After our haircuts, it was time for lunch.  We hadn't had fast food in over 2 months, so we walked into a Hungry Jacks that looked strangely familiar.

Well, we now know what Burger King is called in Australia.  I had the Aussie Whopper.  It was alright if you like pickled beets, a fried egg, and ham on your whopper.  I removed the egg, and the beets were good.  However, I would not order it again.  They also had a tropical Whopper with pineapple on it.  I should have had that.  Terri wasn't adventurous; she had a plain Whopper with cheese.  What a chicken!!!  It was about 40 Australian Dollars or $19 US.

After lunch, we walked around the city a little.  We walked through an outdoor mall on a pedestrian street.  During our walk, we found a city information booth.  A friendly retired lady gave us directions for the public transportation that would take us to Kings Park.  

Kings Park, the largest park in Perth, is a beautiful park that overlooks the City and the Swan River Bay.  We saw the Western Australian Veterans Memorial and the Botanical Gardens with rock formations 2.5 billion years old.  What a great stop.  It was neat to see Perth Families enjoying a picnic on the green overlooking the city.  The Botanical Gardens was incredible; with an elevated walkway, we had a magnificent view of the Park and the City.  After seeing the park, we took the city bus back to the city's center.  We then walk down to the Barracks Street Jetty for our ride back to the ship. 

  

We are now 46 days into the trip; we returned to the ship to our new cabin with a balcony.  Our stuff was magically moved from our interior cabin while visiting Perth.  The trip is winding down.  8 days left before we get to Sydney.  Before we get there, we see Adelaide and  Melbourne.  This evening, we left Perth to sail around that southwest cape of Australia.  We are traveling through the Great Austrailian Bight on the way to Adelaide.