Our first morning in Bisbee started out just as any other, Ava trying to drink her warm milk from the sippy cup that Mila is trying to grab while I am trying to stay asleep with Marlene using the camera to document it all.
Since we are staying here for a week, we needed to get our hands on some fast Internet access. I know most people want to get away from technology like mobile phones and email when they are on vacation, we, on the other hand, need to work to keep the gravy train rolling along so we can stay on the road.
The Shady Dell provided free Wi-Fi to their campers but getting connected to the router that broadcast from the back corner of the front office is the tricky part. Being on the far edge of the campground, I rigged up my high gain Wi-Fi antenna and was able to eek out a couple of bars of reception.
Ever since Ava was a baby, she has always seen us with cameras in our hands taking pictures of her. Now that she is a toddler and wants to do everything big kids do, she occasionally is allowed to take the camera and take pictures of everything around her just like mama does.
Here is what you see around our campsite at The Shady Dell if you are 3 feet tall:
“Here is dada’s big van.”
“Here are mama’s shoes.”
“Here is my shoe.”
“Here I am trying to get into Dot’s Diner for breakfast only to find it full of weekend diners!”
This is our third time staying at The Shady Dell, we wanted to finally eat at Dot’s Diner. Unfortunately it landed on a 3-day Valentine’s day weekend and everyone had the same idea. We resorted to making breakfast back at the trailer and hope for better luck during lunch time.
Here is Ava helping me with scrambling eggs.
Before we try Dot’s again for lunch, I needed to get some work done so Marlene wanted to take the kids for walk around the neighborhood. The kids bundled up and got ready for a little field trip to the Bisbee Food Co-Op with the stroller.
Right around the corner is Erie street that takes you under the train bridge and leads to a few of the stores still surviving in this part of town.
At the end of the block there are a number of abandon structures that were once used during the mining days as well as a chain link fence that prevents people from getting too close to the edge of the mine.
For some reason, Ava asked Marlene if Chuck E Cheese is down there in the mines. Are we missing something? Is Chuck E Cheese an old Bisbee miner?
Much of this part of Bisbee is nostalgic over the aesthetics of 1950’s Americana with The Shady Dell as the focal point. Erie street is no different and Ava found a few vintage cars and a genuine Texaco gas pump for a quick photo op.
Back on the other side of The Shady Dell is Evergreen Cemetery. The girls did a quick loop to see if any spirits there had recommendations what the best lunch items is on the menu at Dot’s.
That’s right, we finally made it into Dot’s for a bite. We have been waiting for this day to come for years.
Dot’s is an authentic diner from 1957 that operated in Los Angeles on the corner of Ventura and Topanga Canyon. In 1996 it was transported via a flat bed truck to The Shady Dell and was operated by Dot Bozeman until l1999, hence the namesake.
The 1/3 lb bowler’s burger with cheese was perfectly cooked and delicious.
Ava could not wait to get her kid-sized ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top. It was well worth the wait. Although it turns out she is not so much a fan of the maraschino cherry.
We have been excited to finally have some quiet days at the camp site so we were determined to not drive anywhere today. Marlene tapped into the toy bin in the van and got out some much needed toys to swap out the already-stale toys in the Airstream.
A little arts and crafts time was just what the doctor ordered and a nice break from all the cartoons and movies Ava had been watching.
To top off the day, how about a home cooked dinner featuring soft tacos!
over and out,
dan
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