Around 7:30am I loaded my car and had some breakfast. After eating I started my letterboxing day. I headed south from Benson on AZ 80 and then turned west on AZ 82. I made my first stop at Fairbank.
Fairbank is now a ghost town and managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
It is open to the public, they have brochures at the entrance and you can take a self guided tour. My priority was to find Wonka's Chocolate River by Katalina Madalina. I parked in the lot near the restroom and followed the clues. This was an easy find and once I had stamped in and replaced the box I returned to the car to put my letterboxing stuff away. Then I went into the site and had a look around. This was an interesting place and it was a nice way to start the day. Oh, I had the place to myself - not anyone else around. Leaving Fairbank I continued west on AZ 82 and only a short distance down the road I turned onto In Balance Ranch Road. I was going to look for Cochise Hovercraft by Kurious Jo but I couldn't find the parking area with the sign I needed. So I got back on the road and headed towards Sonoita. Along the way I stopped at a historic marker and found Earp's Vendetta Series: Box #5 Curly Bill by The Man With No Name.
This was a quick and easy find and I was on my way in no time. Once I arrived in Sonoita I turned onto AZ 83 and drove north. I then turned into the
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. I followed the clues for Angiosperm: Monocot: Bush Muhly by Desert Flower. It was a little confusing with all these dirt roads branching off and there weren't any signs. But luckily the clues described landmarks as well and eventually I found the box. I stamped in and then replaced the box and then backtracked to Sonoita. Then I got back on AZ 82 and headed towards Patagonia. There is road construction on AZ 82 in Sonoita and I ended up sitting in line waiting for our turn to follow the lead car. The whole process lasted about 30 minutes and then I was on my way again. When I arrived in Patagonia I followed the directions for Angiosperm: Dicot: Populus fremontii by Desert Flower. I parked and then followed the clues. I got to the first landmark and then there was nothing. I was looking for a snag next to a juniper - NO snag and NO juniper. I looked around and found a small stump that looked like it could be a juniper and about a foot away was another stump (maybe from the snag). The area was also covered in mulch. So I looked around the two stumps and under the mulch in the area around the two stumps. Nada! Nothing! No Box! So I returned to the car and drove back to AZ 82 to continue my drive.
At mile marker 16 I stopped at a historic marker and found Telles II by FamilyTreeShaker. This was a quick and easy find and soon I was back on the road. I drove south to Nogales and then hit I 19 headed north. Then I took exit 12 and drove west on AZ 289 to
Pena Blanca Lake. I parked at the
Upper Thumb Rock Picnic Area. Here I looked for Arizona Counties: Santa Cruz by Squatchis. I didn't have any luck finding the box. I hope I just missed it and that it is not missing. So boxless I returned to I 19 and continued my drive north. My next stop was in Tubac and the
Anza Trail to look for Thallophyta: Algae: Desmid by Desert Flower. It was a short walk to the box and I found it without any problems. I sat and stamped in and then returned to my car. I was now done for the day. So I continued my drive to Tucson, stopped for a bite to eat and then checked into the hotel. Tomorrow I have the whole day in Tucson so I need to figure what I am going to do.
It is open to the public, they have brochures at the entrance and you can take a self guided tour. My priority was to find Wonka's Chocolate River by Katalina Madalina. I parked in the lot near the restroom and followed the clues. This was an easy find and once I had stamped in and replaced the box I returned to the car to put my letterboxing stuff away. Then I went into the site and had a look around. This was an interesting place and it was a nice way to start the day. Oh, I had the place to myself - not anyone else around. Leaving Fairbank I continued west on AZ 82 and only a short distance down the road I turned onto In Balance Ranch Road. I was going to look for Cochise Hovercraft by Kurious Jo but I couldn't find the parking area with the sign I needed. So I got back on the road and headed towards Sonoita. Along the way I stopped at a historic marker and found Earp's Vendetta Series: Box #5 Curly Bill by The Man With No Name. 
This was a quick and easy find and I was on my way in no time. Once I arrived in Sonoita I turned onto AZ 83 and drove north. I then turned into the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. I followed the clues for Angiosperm: Monocot: Bush Muhly by Desert Flower. It was a little confusing with all these dirt roads branching off and there weren't any signs. But luckily the clues described landmarks as well and eventually I found the box. I stamped in and then replaced the box and then backtracked to Sonoita. Then I got back on AZ 82 and headed towards Patagonia. There is road construction on AZ 82 in Sonoita and I ended up sitting in line waiting for our turn to follow the lead car. The whole process lasted about 30 minutes and then I was on my way again. When I arrived in Patagonia I followed the directions for Angiosperm: Dicot: Populus fremontii by Desert Flower. I parked and then followed the clues. I got to the first landmark and then there was nothing. I was looking for a snag next to a juniper - NO snag and NO juniper. I looked around and found a small stump that looked like it could be a juniper and about a foot away was another stump (maybe from the snag). The area was also covered in mulch. So I looked around the two stumps and under the mulch in the area around the two stumps. Nada! Nothing! No Box! So I returned to the car and drove back to AZ 82 to continue my drive. 
At mile marker 16 I stopped at a historic marker and found Telles II by FamilyTreeShaker. This was a quick and easy find and soon I was back on the road. I drove south to Nogales and then hit I 19 headed north. Then I took exit 12 and drove west on AZ 289 to Pena Blanca Lake. I parked at the Upper Thumb Rock Picnic Area. Here I looked for Arizona Counties: Santa Cruz by Squatchis. I didn't have any luck finding the box. I hope I just missed it and that it is not missing. So boxless I returned to I 19 and continued my drive north. My next stop was in Tubac and the Anza Trail to look for Thallophyta: Algae: Desmid by Desert Flower. It was a short walk to the box and I found it without any problems. I sat and stamped in and then returned to my car. I was now done for the day. So I continued my drive to Tucson, stopped for a bite to eat and then checked into the hotel. Tomorrow I have the whole day in Tucson so I need to figure what I am going to do.
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