Experience Arizona Interviews
In an attempt to help understand, promote and distribute news regarding outdoor activities in the state of Arizona, I will be conducting interviews with some important players in outdoor activities in Arizona.
A few notes on the interviews:
1. I am not a professional journalist and have never taken Interview 101, so I am learning as I go
2. Some of the questions are meant to be somewhat controversial and I will play the Devil's Advocate at times
3. This is not to imply that I agree with all the questions and answers given. I will post views I do not agree with
4. It is not my intent to be Politically Correct and be afraid to spark controversy, but comments that are deemed offensive or personally attack others will not be included as part of the interview (I am not another Jerry Springer either :-)
Jude Johnson, Author of Cactus Cymry - February 24, 2012
By Matt Marine
Jude Johnson is the author of a new and fascinating book on a little known subject in Arizona history: the influence of Welsh immigrants in southern Arizona. Jude has been a history enthusiast since childhood and has lectured at the Sierra Vista Historical Society.
I enjoyed her book (click here for the review) and had the following questions for her:
1. What does Cactus Cymry mean and could you tell me a little about the book?
“Cymry”—pronounced COME-ree— is the Welsh word for “Welshmen.” This language is one of the oldest in Europe, traced back to Breton and the original Indo-European languages. Yes, it is still spoken on a daily basis in Cymru (pronounced the same as Cymry)., the nation of Wales. This book is a collection of biographies about Welsh immigrants or descendants who made their mark on Arizona before it became a state, told in a hopefully entertaining and compact way.
2. Are you Welsh and what got you interested in the Welsh culture?
Far as I know, not a bit of Welsh in my heritage. I became seriously fascinated with the language about ten years ago after hearing an interview with the actor who played Hornblower on A&E (back in the days when they really did Arts & Entertainment). I realized I’d heard snippets of it before—my mom never missed Tom Jones' show back in the Sixties— and I thought it would be fun to learn something truly different. Serendipity struck when I heard about a free class starting up in Tucson,; I’ve been hooked from then on.
3. How do you say “Nice to meet you” in Welsh? And what would be a friendly response?
“Neis cwrdd i chi” (Nace chord ih chee is about as close as I can get the phonetics. “Ch” in Welsh is always a throaty sound, like “ach” in German.) In response, you would say, “Diolch, a chi hefyd” (dee-OLCH, ah chee HEV-id”) which is “Thanks, and you , too.”
4. Why did you write this book?
My husband asks me that all the time… No, seriously, I had spent hours researching Welsh immigrants and their descendants at the Arizona Historical Society’s research library at the University of Arizona as well as archives in Bisbee, Tombstone, and online. Everything was scattered in different places, so I though I’d put at least some of what I’d found in one book for other people to at least get an idea of who some of these guys were.
5. What about history interests you the most?
Gosh, that’s a good question…I’ve always been intrigued about those who walked the same path I was on, or what it was like to be the first person to see what I was seeing. I’m captivated by all sorts of history, have been since I was a little kid. I loved walking the cobblestone streets in Philadelphia that have remained fairly unchanged for centuries. When I went to Wales, the ruins of Roman forts two thousand years old just amazed me. We don’t have many sites that old in this country.
6. What is your favorite way to Experience Arizona?
I love to hike. I’m not coordinated enough to stay on a mountain bike! I’d rather be out in it than in a vehicle, and I like to take the time to really look at what’s around me. I want to do the Cochise Stronghold and the Dragoons, and someday I’d like to have the time (and the stamina!) to hike Pima Canyon all the way up to Mount Lemmon, then return through Sabino Canyon. Then I’d do rim to rim of the Grand Canyon.
7. Your book seems to shed not so fantastic light on the Hughes legacy. Have you had any contact with the Hughes family (or others) and what was their response?
Funny you should mention that. I was a little apprehensive when Sam & L.C.’s great-grand-nephew purchased Cactus Cymry from me at the Arizona Historical Society. We had chatted a little, and I knew some of the things he had mentioned were, uh, let’s say, distorted through the family’s prism. His wife sat down with the book across the aisle from my table, and I could see her reading—and kind of scowling. Imagine my surprise when she came over and told me how much she enjoyed the sections on the Hugheses, noting that her husband would probably learn a few facts. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to write this book and provide the documentation of what I’d found, so people could learn the truth. I haven’t received any hate mail yet, so I guess it’s worked out all right!
8. What did you find the most surprising/interesting while doing the research for this book?
I think it was the influence Ben and Lewis Williams, and their father, had not only of the Copper Queen mine of Bisbee, but on mining in the western United States. Between their father’s development of the water jacket furnace allowing smelters to be built more economically in remote locations, and the brothers’ partnership with James Douglas that truly established Phelps-Dodge as the mining conglomerate it became, you could say the Williams family was responsible for the wealth of the West. And hardly anyone knew they were Welsh.
9. What is your favorite trail in Arizona?
Ooh… right now I’d have to say it’s Pima Canyon. It’s rugged and full of wildlife, and the silly people who have to have a paved path avoid it like the plague.
10. I know you’ve written other books, can you tell me about them and your other writing endeavors?
It all started with Dragon & Hawk, my first historical novel. I did four years of research into the Welsh in Arizona to write that story, and I have to say it’s still dear to my heart. The adventures of three Welsh brothers and the very different women who convince them to stay in the Arizona Territory of the 1880s was great fun to write, and I’m honored that it’s now ensconced in the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth. I’ve since written two other novels in that series, continuing the Jones family saga: Book Two, Out of Forgotten Ashes, is scheduled to be released by Champagne Books in April 2012, with Book Three, Dragon’s Legacy, scheduled for July 2012. I also have a few short stories out, one with Champagne called Within The Mists, and a couple in an anthology called Gecko Tales by Gecko Gals Ink, a group of fabulous Tucson authors who are “Differently Expertised.”
11. What are your future projects?
I’m currently working on something totally different, a Revolutionary Era tale based on the true story of a friend’s however-many-greats-grandfather, who had been pressed into the British Navy and jumped ship in Boston Harbor. It will be a tale of adventure and espionage involving historical figures people already know. I’m having a blast researching, though I really think a trip to Boston is needed, don’t you?
12. What do you find is our greatest challenge in preserving our rich history?
Convincing people it is worth the effort. You have to appreciate where you’ve been to move ahead. You can talk all you want about having video of what houses were like in the 1770s, but you can’t truly appreciate how cramped and small the rooms felt until you walk through one. Kids need to see and touch and experience how hard daily living was in the past to fully understand how easy they have it now. And we need to document what life is like for us now, save those records for those who come after us. After all, who knows what your great-great-grandnephew may be told about you?
13. How do you say “goodbye” in Welsh?
Pob hwyl! (Pahb hoyle) Roughly translates to “Smooth sailing”—farewell.
Thanks for the interview, Matt!
For more information on Jude and her books:
Website: http://www.jude-johnson.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JudeJohnsonAZ
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/JudeJohnsonAZ
Blog: http://www.wordsthatremain.blogspot.com/
Books with Champagne Books: http://www.champagnebooks.com
Books on Amazon:
Cactus Cymry on Barnes & Noble:
Big Rich Klein, President, W.E. ROCK USA - January 10, 2012
By Matt Marine
My first interview was with Big Rich Klein, the President of W.E. ROCK USA. W.E. ROCK is heading up the Dirt Riot race coming to Tucson this Saturday. I was given a heads up on this upcoming race by a friend who is hoping to compete in the Ultra 4 Unlimited Class at the event. Due to my time constraints, I was not able to conduct a verbal interview with Big Rich. Therefore, I sent him the following 10 questions that I thought may be of interest to Experience Arizona readers. He was kind enough to reply quickly and his written responses are in blue below.
I would encourage everyone to attend this event, it looks like a great time! I hope to see some of the Experience Arizona members on Saturday!
1. What is WeRock and why did you start it?
W.E.ROCK Events is the parent company for W.E.ROCK National Rock Crawling Championship Series, and Dirt Riot Endurance Racing. W.E.ROCK Rock Crawling Championship Series is the only National Rock Crawling Series, we offer 4 events in the east and 4 events in the west and a Grand National Event that brings both series together for one Grand Championship. W.E.ROCK grew from our 1st rock crawling events company; CalROCS, which stood for California Rock Crawling Championship. I started CalROCS in November of 2000 with an event called “PUTUP or SHUT UP, this event lead to 4 years of CalROCS series and expansion events as moved east. In 2005 I decided to shelve CalROCS and start a national and inter-national organization which we named W.E.ROCK (World Extreme Rock Crawling Championships). W.E.ROCK is the Inter-National Sanctioning Body for the motor sport known as Rock Crawling.
Dirt Riot Endurance Racing was started in 2011 as a regionally based 4x4 endurance racing event series. Dirt Riot is actually 5 separate series (Pacific, Southwest, Mountain, Central and Great Lakes), with a national championship event called “National Rampage”. Each of the 5 series consists of 3 events all at different locations. We utilize private property for all of our events.
2. What does WeRock offer that others don’t (what’s different about your organization)?
W.E.ROCK and Dirt Riot offer sportsman classes at each events except the National Championships. We believe we need to do this to give anyone that wants to try a competitive event a place to go and just do it.
3. What or how did you get interested in four-wheeling?
I watched the movie “on Any Sunday” by Bruce Brown, I think it was in about 1972-73. I caught the off road bug from the film. I did not start 4 wheeling until 1983 with a trip to Barrett Lake, in El Dorado Co., Cal.
4. What was your favorite 4WD trail?
Also, if you’ve been four-wheeling in Arizona, what Arizona trail is your favorite?
2 Trails stick out in my mind, with my all time favorite being the Rubicon, and next would be Pritchett Canyon. I really like the Rubicon for the extended wheeling trip experience, nothing better than wheeling mid week when no one is around.
5. What do you like most about four-wheeling?
Being in nature and the quiet it can afford. I also enjoy the friendships I’ve made with others who enjoy the same thing as I do. I also enjoy the challenge that some trail can throw at you.
6. What are the biggest obstacles to four-wheeling as recreational sport (and a sporting event)?
The lack of care by of government to allow us to continue something we’ve been doing since the late 1940’s. The extremist left Lawyer driven environmental groups have much deeper pockets and an eastern influence of supporters that know nothing of the west except what they see from these leftist groups. Overcoming that influence is the only way to save our public lands here in the west. The east does not know what public lands are all about over their history.
7. How do you answer (or resolve) critics of four-wheeling that say the sport ruins the environment?
Everything effects the environment, but mother-nature has a way of fixing what it needs to. Past civilizations are almost lost because of mother-nature, the same will happen again.
8. What can be done to promote a better understanding / relationship with the Forest Service, BLM and environmental groups regarding four-wheeling on public lands?
It’s not those groups that we have to influence, it’s the supporters of those groups that fund the environmental groups that put pressure on the government that needs influencing.
9. Where do you see the sport / WeRock / Dirt Riot going in 10 years?
No real idea, but I’ll keep doing these events as long as there are teams that show up.
10. Any other comments / info you would like readers to be aware of?
The advances in 4x4 technology for the trail wheeler would not be here today without the hard work of those that have competed in rock crawling and racing events in the past.
For more information on W.E. ROCK and Dirt Riot, click here.
Comments
If you wish, you may comment on any of the interviews. I reserve the right to publish only those I deem suitable. It's good to be the boss :-)