Bisbee ‘Too’

May 21, 2017

Hello again…

While we are still exploring the Bisbee area, we thought we’d take in the “Howlin’ Prowl” (A Vintage and Chopper motorcycle show) yesterday, Saturday the 20^th. There were motorcycles everywhere on Brewery Street (probably 300 or more cycles). There were a few vintage cars scattered hither and yon. The judging took place at Bisbee City Park. The Vintage bikes and Chopper’s were on display and a couple of bands were on hand to make sure it was impossible to communicate. The restaurants, shops and galleries were bursting at the seams – tourists rubbing elbows with the locals. Lovin’ it!

As evening approached, Patti and I found ourselves on the deck of The Stock Exchange Grill (our “fav”) sharing a “Kilt Lifter” beer (brewed in Tempe, AZ). Very nice dark beer! We watched as one-by-one (or should I say, pack-after-pack) the bikers roared down the winding Brewery Street to Main then North or South on HWY 80. Safe Travels!!!

The Stock Exchange was built in 1905, the beautiful Muheim Building housed the Brewery Saloon, the most popular libation hall in Bisbee. But in 1914 the Federal Government enacted and enforced the “Noble Experiment” which banned all alcohol sales and terminated all liquor licenses in Arizona. John Muheim was forced to shut the doors to his saloon and look for new business opportunities for the bar.

The brokerage firm of Duey and Overlock, located on the second floor, was convinced to relocate their offices to the main floor. A stock board was installed in place of the disassembled bar. A daily ticker tape was sent from the E.F. Hutton offices in Manhattan and the New York Stock Exchange in Arizona was born.

When the doors reopened in the early 1980s, John Muheim’s original intent for his building was once again a reality. The Stock Exchange Saloon proudly displays “the board” while providing a gathering place for friends and visitors to partake of their favorite spirits in an atmosphere of days gone by.

Fast forward to 2016, the entire building has been painstakingly restored. The Stock Exchange Bisbee now houses the Stock Exchange Saloon and Grill for great entertainment and grill fare, the Stock Exchange Copper Plate for fine dining and the Stock Exchange Copper Cellar for weddings, banquets, meetings and more.

We strolled back up to our RV and talked about which motorcycle we would like to travel cross-country on? NOT HAPPENING! It was fun to joke, though.

Sunday Morning Patti dropped me off at the “Room to Move” Studio in Bisbee South (not Old Bisbee), the “Bisbee Lotus Sangha” was having a “Sitting, Chanting and Meditation” happening at 9AM. I didn’t know what to expect, as I haven’t been to a chanting in quite a few years – maybe 30 or so! I do a meditation after my yoga in the mornings, but not sitting for an hour. When we began the first part it was a sitting meditation that took about 30 minutes (although I did not have a clock and there was no wall clock within my vision); then there was a walking meditation around the inner circle (walking meditation: is walking mindfully and slowly); followed by a formal chanting for which we were given a printed folder with the chants typed up. A lot of the chants were in either Hindi or Sanskrit so it really didn’t matter if they were written down or not – for me – but I did manage to mumble my way through. I don’t mean to make light of the chanting, I respect the Buddha’s teachings and all Avatars, I am merely making light of my own inadequacies that are only humorous in hindsight. After our chanting, folders were reverently picked up, there was another walking meditation, and then we did the final sitting meditation; we turned around so our backs were toward the inner circle, sitting, for another 20 minutes or so. The whole experience took about 1-½ hours… I had expected it would take an hour, but I had no idea as to how it was structured. Like I said, it has been 30 + years since I have been to a group meditation. Patti was waiting for me and expected me out in an hour… Next time I/we will plan better.

The people in this morning’s meditation were friendly, committed to their faith, open and soft. I felt welcomed and included and whenever I wasn’t right along with everyone, they just waited for me (the newbie) and then we all moved on. I will attend another meditation while we are here, and attend a yoga class too.

Leaving the Studio, Patti was waiting out in the truck, and I said I was sorry for keeping her waiting. She had been reading a book, and she also drove around Bisbee South looking for houses for sale.

Patti then offered to treat us to breakfast at the “Mornings Café” which was one block down from the Studio. How could I refuse such a wonderful offer? The Café reminded me of old diners from the 50’s for some reason. The seating was all kitchen tables (plus a few booths if you’re lucky) and chairs in a haphazard manner; artwork on the wall, every table FULL, a screen door swinging, Mom and Pop overseeing the waiting and cooking (probably all related)… all that was missing was the jukebox carousel on the end of our table. The food was very delicious: Patti and I split a Veggie Omelet (tomato, spinach, onion, peppers & cheese). The breakfast came to us sizzling, and was fresh and the cheese was all melted. There was plenty of food for the two of us to share. We will be back again, but not at 11AM on a Sunday – we didn’t mind all the people, what was hard for us (and especially Patti), was the loud noise. There was no carpet on the floor or drapes on the windows to absorb the noise. So we will experience this eating establishment again on a less crowded day.

Benedictine Monastery, St. David

I attended the Yoga class on Tuesday evening and went home tired and stretched. The Yoga instructor, Nancy, had her Yoga graduation ceremony at the Benedictine Monastery in St. David. After the Yoga class, I was talking to Nancy and she mentioned that the Monastery was closing, by order of the Tucson Archdiocese. We were shocked! Patti and I were there last year staying in the RV Park and never thought this would happen. I guess there are not many individuals wanting to become Priests or Nuns anymore. So Patti and I decided to make one last trip up to see the beautiful Monastery.

We found out that the Monastic part of the Monastery was closed this February but they are keeping the retreat and RV section open, at least for now. They are trying to generate income to keep these areas open.

The only church part of the Monastery that remains open to the public is the Chapel, which we had not been in before. It is a beautiful chapel, with extensive grounds and cemetery (I assume for the “righteous”). There was a bench in the grotto, which had a picture of the Vatican on the backrest. A rose arbor was completely covered with vines in an arch that must have taken years of training to make this stunning display (too bad the roses were not in bloom). The courtyard housed a fountain and wonderful shrubs.

Inside the chapel it was cool which was a relief for me, as it was pushing 100 degrees outside. The ceiling had beautiful hand-hewn Vegas circling the vaulted ceiling. The cross on the pulpit was very unique and beautifully artistic. On the cross was an artist rendition of Jesus with God welcoming Jesus back into heaven… it appeared to be individual paintings or tiles put together in a very artistic way.

We left reluctantly – not knowing if this would be the last time we would be able to see this marvelous Monastery. After a bite to eat at the Horseshoe Café in Benson, about 9 miles north of St. David, we headed back to Bisbee, possibly our new home in the future?

That evening I walked downtown (Bisbee) because it was too hot to stay in the stuffy RV (we don’t like to run the AC cause it freezes us out) and found yet other treasures along my walk.

There is a retention wall that retains the earth beside a parking lot and has sections (for tensile strength) and the town allows artists to paint their own visions of Bisbee on the wall. It is very interesting the view some artists choose to show. I guess if you give artists a chance to express themselves – there will be artful graffiti not destructive graffiti.

This is how word gets out for happenings in Bisbee…

As I walked a little further up Main Street, I saw a poster in a store window that I couldn’t resist taking a picture of…

Well, it is the eve of the Memorial Day Festival and Patti and I watched some of the escorts for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial come down Tombstone Canyon (HWY 80), on the way to Bisbee South for the weekend. Although I am a pacifist, I had tears in my eyes as the motorcycle Veterans guarded the Mobile Vietnam Memorial to its 3-day visitation in Bisbee South.

Next post, the Festival…