The Old West

During lunch today we drove down by the original post area established when Ft Huachuca was an isolated western outpost. Although restored in modern times, the stables and old buildings are still in use as residences and office space.

I can remember when I was stationed here, we passed these old buildings on a 15 mile hike with weapons and ruck sacks. They were magical then and still stir the imagination.

When Marj gets here we will visit the Buffalo Museum and take in its exhibits. It is supposed to be a really good museum. I can't imagine, as I stare out into the desert around our training area, what it would have been like to have been a soldier here when the fort was first built.

We stand out in the sun for a few hours and then return to our air conditioned training room. We drive in an air conditioned car to the dining facility and eat a hot meal with cold drinks and lots of desserts available (in air conditioning). We return to a hotel where a maid has freshened up the room, pick up our clean laundry from the desk, and sleep in the comfort of air conditioning.

The old soldiers worked outside, drilled, or patrolled all day with no air conditioning anywhere to retreat to. They travelled on a rough leather saddle mounted on a dusty old horse in the heat of the sun. They probably ate pretty bland food and rolled out a bedroll at night to sleep. And often, they probably had to sleep beside that same horse, in clothes that only got washed once in a great while.

As much as I can't imagine what their lives would have been like; they would have never thought how ours would be either. Ironic.

I will blog about the museum and post pictures this weekend.