My brothers and I have converged on Arivaca, Arizona, a very small town in the Sonoran Desert, for our father's 70th birthday on March 19, 2005. Brother Paul has offered his two street motorcycles, a Harley Davidson Dyna Glide and a Yamaha FJR1300, to Eric and me as transportation from his home in Tucson to Arivaca, a sixty mile ride. Arivaca, just a few miles from the US/Mexico border, was originally a Native American village. European Americans started mining operations in the 1850s and as the mines played out, ranching took over. Today, Arivaca is a fascinating mixture of contrasts: 

• The peacefulness of the desert landscape and the virtual martial law environment caused by the constant battle between Border Patrol and the illegal immigrants, and the DEA and the drug smugglers.
   
• The constant environmental stewardship required to maintain the vast Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge just West of town and the environmental damage being caused by the illegal drug and people smuggling trade.
   
• The old, crumbling abode buildings mixed in amongst the modern homes of residents.
   
• Superb micro-roasted coffee at The Gadsden Coffee Company in the middle of what should be pure Folgers country.
  
• The pro-Marijuana residents, the survivalists, the retirees, the ranchers and the tourists; an eclectic and diverse community to be sure.

Between time spent with family, cruising the local roads, feasting on good home cooking and drinking excellent coffee, a superb time is had by all.

• The Gadsden Coffee Company, A superb micro-roaster and eatery in "downtown" Arivaca. I always buy several pounds of various blends and bring them back to Seattle for a nice change of pace.
   
• Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge: A landscape of rippling grassland flanked by mountains, and riparian zones rich in bird life. Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge provides approximately 118,000 acres of habitat for threatened and endangered plants and animals.
   
• The official Arivaca town website