Chapter 7: The Blue Wilderness

The Outlaw Trail through the Gila and Blue Wilderness Regions

We rode into Alpine. Settled in 1876, it owes its name to the mountain scenery that surrounds it. At the local store we bought ice cream, cookies and coke, then rode for the Robart's place in the hope of camping overnight.

Dink Robart spotted us riding across the meadow a mile away. We were cordially invited into their characterful house. A Cambodian pot-bellied pig had to be negotiated in the hall, and a goat was asleep on the sofa. The goat's name was Piddle; we did not care to ask why.

We slept under the stars, then the following morning we made for Bear Wallow Café and met Judge Bernardo Velasco. Simon asked the judge about the penalties for horse theft.

'You can still get seven years and a few thousand dollars fine, depending on the value of the horse.' said Velasco. He pondered for a moment, then added:

'Take my card, in case you get trouble.'

Clearly Simon was still fantasizing about stealing that handsome pinto, property of the hostile giant near Outlaw Canyon, the guy with a dog big and menacing as a Mexican fighting bull.

Dink was short and bearded, and wore overalls and a baseball cap. After carefully checking the horses over he applied cherry juice, a secret red concoction for sores which he produced from a huge outside fridge that doubled as a medical cabinet. It contained a vast array of potions, needles, syringes and lotions - including teat balm, an item which seemed to Simon to be full of intriguing possibilities.

Back to Extracts