so far i have gotten poked by about 100 cactuses. (i know the real word is "cacti" but it seems more legitimate and ferocious to be attacked by many, many cactuses.) this high rate of pokage is a result of two things. 1. EVERYTHING in arizona is a cactus. there are plants that look like trees and regular old plants, but they are just very well camouflaged cactuses. 2. cactuses are bigger than they appear... because they have spines sticking out of them which makes them sometimes 4 or 5 inches closer to you than you think. but i find out very quickly when i get too close. and its worth it. the scenery here is absolutely amazing. during my hike, i captured this view while crossing a very dangerous thoroughfare. this is what it looks like in EVERY direction.i have spent a significant amount of time underground ... yesterday i toured kartchner caverns, a remarkably well-preserved limestone cave. apparently some guys were wandering around in the desert in the 70s and came across a hole in the ground, which they then decided to climb into for a few hundred feet, first coming to a "lake of mud" that ranges in consistency fr
om peanut butter to sour cream, and finally discovering the huge cavern. i did not think this sounded like the best idea, which is probably why i've never discovered anything. i also toured 2 mines -- the good enough silver mine in tombstone, and the copper queen mine in bisbee -- and learned about how miners dug these giant tunnels in the 1800s with an iron pole, some dynamite, and 3 candles for $4/day. whoa. eventually they got electricity and water and telephone lines down there, but it was still DARK and dangerous and cold. here i am calling for help about 1500 feet in. (the only other person on the tour was an old guy, who was impressed with my knowledge/interest in the mine and offered to take a lot of funny pictures of me pretending to use the antiquated equipment. joe and i are now best friends.) unfortunately a lot of my pictures came out entirely black, but that is kind of accurate.
om peanut butter to sour cream, and finally discovering the huge cavern. i did not think this sounded like the best idea, which is probably why i've never discovered anything. i also toured 2 mines -- the good enough silver mine in tombstone, and the copper queen mine in bisbee -- and learned about how miners dug these giant tunnels in the 1800s with an iron pole, some dynamite, and 3 candles for $4/day. whoa. eventually they got electricity and water and telephone lines down there, but it was still DARK and dangerous and cold. here i am calling for help about 1500 feet in. (the only other person on the tour was an old guy, who was impressed with my knowledge/interest in the mine and offered to take a lot of funny pictures of me pretending to use the antiquated equipment. joe and i are now best friends.) unfortunately a lot of my pictures came out entirely black, but that is kind of accurate.last night, i stayed at a magical place, the shady dell trailer park. when i pulled up, i thought there was no way i was going to fit, let alone sleep and exist in something so
small, but the 12-foot "crown" is the highlight of my trip so far. (see left, behind the gas pump.) absent having to walk across the parking lot to use the ladies' room every 15 minutes, it was perfect. the interior was decorated 50s style with one of those funny old radios and ... who remembers the viewmaster !??! i was able to visit paris, the hoover dam, and san francisco from the comfort of my "3/4 size" bed. allegedly, the bed sleeps 2 -- it would have to be someone i REALLY liked -- and the first pers
on to rent it was 6'3" 200 lbs. i fit really well, but i havent yet hit the 200 lb. mark. although, you can see the cookie jar in the background that came stocked. i had breakfast at the diner pictured above, which seats a grand total of 7 people at one time. the food was good ! and of all things, we talked about grits. it was like being back at clemson where i was amazed at the northerners who put raisins and syrup on their grits. bleh. i even met a lady who lived in her RV full time at the trailer park. she seemed pretty crazy, but i like that.
small, but the 12-foot "crown" is the highlight of my trip so far. (see left, behind the gas pump.) absent having to walk across the parking lot to use the ladies' room every 15 minutes, it was perfect. the interior was decorated 50s style with one of those funny old radios and ... who remembers the viewmaster !??! i was able to visit paris, the hoover dam, and san francisco from the comfort of my "3/4 size" bed. allegedly, the bed sleeps 2 -- it would have to be someone i REALLY liked -- and the first pers
on to rent it was 6'3" 200 lbs. i fit really well, but i havent yet hit the 200 lb. mark. although, you can see the cookie jar in the background that came stocked. i had breakfast at the diner pictured above, which seats a grand total of 7 people at one time. the food was good ! and of all things, we talked about grits. it was like being back at clemson where i was amazed at the northerners who put raisins and syrup on their grits. bleh. i even met a lady who lived in her RV full time at the trailer park. she seemed pretty crazy, but i like that. anyway, i am back in tucson for a few days, crossing my fingers for sunshine, and looking forward to the arizona-sonora desert museum tomorrow. i will continue to recognize monsoons as "mere thunderstorms" but had the joy of riding through this one today. as i said, the views, even from the highway, are spectacular.
3 comments:
The museum is pretty darned good. My recollection is that it is all outside.
If you have time at sunset, consider driving out to Saguaro East (national park) -- I think it is "East. It's the smaller of the two Saguaro parks.
You will be all alone. It is deserted (pun intended), and it's pretty neat to be in a wide open space with nothing but you and some cact(uses) to poke you.
Should have lent you my "Roadside Geology of Arizona" book. But perhaps you already know all that stuff.
i am wondering if the shady dell has a place in va?
i sure hope you stopped and looked both ways at that crossing! you just never know what might be going down the road...
i hope you are taking lots and lots of pictures...so i can continue to travel "with" you.
sign me...lonely at homee (LOL)...
i see "roadside geology of AZ" everywhere i go and have considered buying it ... but as a geology major for a couple years i decide that i know enough to get by and just enjoy the rocks and mountains. of which i have taken 1000000 pictures that no one will ever want to look at :)
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