Tortilla Flats, AZ: Apache Junction & The Lost Dutchman State Park

We rode the motorcycle out to Apache Junction and then on to Tortilla Flats. It was a great day for a ride, sunny & warm, and the roads were nice and twisty.

We stopped at the Goldfield Mine, which is a tourist trap of the first order. It seems everyplace you go has to re-enact a shoot-out that occurred 'out here' in the Wild, Wild, West, and Goldfield Mine is no exception. They have a shoot-out that goes off like clockwork three times a day,

That said, the buildings are close to an accurate representation of an old western town and a mining operation.

Afterwards we rode through The Lost Dutchman's State Park on our way to Tortilla Flats. Supposedly the Lost Dutchman was a miner who found a large gold strike. Numerous attempts were made to get him to disclose the location of the mine while he was alive, however the Lost Dutchman refused to talk. He went to his grave with his secret. 

People still search (in vain) for his mine. You have to see how rugged this ground is to understand just how difficult a job it would be to find the mine. Unbelievably difficult terrain.

We returned to Palm Creek in time for the end of year party. Most 'residents' leave around this time of year and within a month or so it will be pretty empty over the hot summer months. Then in October the snowbirds start landing and all the activities are in full swing by the beginning of November.

So what was the theme of this years end of year party? A Wild, Wild West party -- complete with a re-enactment of a shoot-out involving the Younger brothers. I've never seen so much shooting at such a close range with so few people hit. They must have fired two hundred shots, with everyone within twenty feet of each 

other, and at the end of the shoot-out, only two 'outlaws' had been hit.  Too Funny.

See Ya!