Fort Courage, Arizona. A tourist trading post already faded into the past. I pulled into the parking lot to find the gas station, restaurant and trading post all closed. And for what appeared to be quite some time. But that was okay with me, no crowds to worry about and I could walk freely about the area.

Fort Courage was inspired by the 1960s television show, “F-Troop.” Anyone who has seen the short-lived series (I still remember parts of the theme song) will recall that Fort Courage was the name of the wilderness outpost in the program. I imagine that during the late 1960s and 1970s, this was a very popular stop for travelers along Route 66 and I-40. Among the amenities were a coffee shop, gas station, grocery store, trading post, motel units, trailer park and campground.