Something New...

At the end of the last post I mentioned that I'd be back when I 

had something new to report so here I am... 

Yesterday morning, Aug 19, I concluded my 3 mile walk as the sun began 

to rise.  All of the smoke from the CA wildfires 167 of them with over

20 being major fires + some AZ fires, filled the skies in AZ.

So we headed out looking for lower temperatures and smoke free 

skies.  This map shows our route of Scenic Byways as we toured

the Gila Pinal Scenic Byway from  Superior to Globe via Miami, and

then followed the Copper Corridor East down to Winkleman 

and then took the Copper Corridor West back to Superior.

The traffic was light as we headed east until we hit road construction!!!

Sometimes things happen for a reason.  Since we were stalled in

traffic I finally was able to snap a photo of this great bridge that

we were going to cross.  I've tried to capture it for many years but we

were always "flying" by too fast.

Don had some geocaches he wanted to find in Miami.

The "hint" for the first one was it's behind the 

historic Bullion Plaza School,

and "up high".  While Don quickly located it, I did my 

photographer thing... capturing the peaceful patio area also 

behind the old historic school.

Next geocache clue "it's magnetic by a large tank". (The geocache 

log container was attached with a magnet under the tank.)

I was a little apprehensive when Don told me that the next

geocache was in a park called Miami Vandal Park.  As it

turns out the "Vandals" is the same of the 

Miami High School football team. 

The hint for this one "magnetic/large box"!!!

Next we headed for Globe where we turned south to Winkleman.

The skies were clear, there were green trees, an 

elevation of over 4500'and a gentle breeze.   AHHHH

At the top of the summit was a picnic spot with 

covered picnic tables and outstanding

views in every direction.

As we headed down the 10% grade towards Winkleman, 

both of us were dragging both of our feet!!!

As we headed NW on the Copper Corridor West scenic highway,

 the terrain changed and so did the scenery due to copper 

mining at the Ray Mine.

 

The tailing piles offered there own kind of beauty under a 

partially cloudy sky.   Since we had our late lunch at 2:45

we had ice cream for dinner when we arrived home 

after a 6 hour drive, and someone I know 

went to bed earlier than usual.

But I was awakened at 1:45 a.m.  by massive rolling thunder 

and continuous lightening about every 3-4 seconds,

and then the rain started.  We hadn't seen rain since 

March and that was only .06 inches.

Last night we got .12 inches in about an hour and 

when I opened the front door to check

 out how hard it was raining is was

like stepping into a Sauna.  The temperature was 97 degrees.

Within the next 45 minutes the temperature actually

dropped 18 degrees.  The first time we've had a

temperature that low (79) for months... day or night!!!

 

Fun in the Sun... OMG

Aug 9 we headed out early so Don could gather some information

for a geocache at Flat Iron Park, Apache Jct (close to home).

There was a mural wall and you had to count the # of butterflies

on each panel 

but not the posts between panels...

I've cropped the "posts" out of this and the following 2 photos.

There were 21 panels in all.

Don had to record that information which would give him

new coordinates which  would take us to a new location to find the cache.

Another  cache we went to find  was very unusual.

You had to push a button that would light

up certain lights out of the 26 that were on the box.  For example

the first light in the first row was in the 4th spot, which meant

it was the letter D.  Correctly identifying all of these would give

you the alphabetic code that would unlock the "box" 

so Don could sign the "cache" log!!!

On Aug 13,  I was out early 5:15 a.m.  I headed east on the first street 

and it looked like this.   It was 88 degrees.

Just before sunrise (which was at 5:45) it looked like this.

And minutes later it looked like this so I couldn't resist

another shot.   If I hadn't told you I was headed East,

you might think this was a sunset.

At 6 a.m. this was the view to the East.  Thankful for

clouds so I didn't have to "chase the shade".

A neighbor had been out shopping and I loved their new sun!!!

It brought a smile to my face and earned a photo shot.

I was at the end of my walk about 6:00... all in the shade.

Today, Aug 14, at 1 p.m., we went to the resort social hall,  did some

social distancing, wore our masks and watched a fun movie

"Wild Hogs" which was light hearted and enjoyable.  There

were only 3 couples in the entire ballroom!!!  When we left

and walked outside it was 113 degrees.

With a forecast like this, one has to be creative and we

plan to take it one day at a time and at least go for a drive

now & then in our air conditioned car.  There's always

something new to see, even if we can't

 get out of the car.  If we find it, you'll see it.

 

Birds, Bunnies & Bobcats

Another blog post so soon you say....  well that's just because I'm bored.

Birds are at it again.  Building another nest. 

Then I heard a "Bobcat" out front.

Busily loading branches

and getting ready for another bite.

Blowing was the last step.

And this is what the butchered tree, that shaded the

dog park, looked like after many hours of hard work 

by the landscape crew in 109 degree weather.

This bunny did his best impression of a Prairie Dog

as he listened and watched all the commotion, and

then turned and gave me a well deserved blank bunny stare...

 

The Great Escape... to Prescott AZ

As promised in "Blistering" (the last post), we were in search  of a cooler 

location so we packed a lunch, grabbed the masks & hand sanitizer,

and jumped in the car and headed north. Destination Prescott at

an elevation of 5200' and temps 20 degrees cooler than Gold Canyon.

About half way there we did the selfie thing as we stopped at

Sunset Point Rest Stop.

We stopped here last year for a geocache and there was another

one this year but we couldn't find it...

Old Prescott was charming to say the least.

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon is both the oldest business and 

the oldest bar operating in the state of AZ, located here on Whiskey Row 

in Prescott.   It opened in 1877, was rebuilt in 1901 after a disastrous fire in 1900. 

Some famous patrons such as Wyatt and Virgil Earp & Doc Holliday

were regulars and of course were involved in gunfights and knife fights.

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon as seen from across the street.

Solon Hannibal Borglum was Americas First Cowboy Sculptor 1858-1922. 

This free spirited son of the West, sensitive to the era in which he lived 

portrayed the western epic in marble & bronze.   “Buckey O’Nell"

this Monumental Bronze is among his greatest works

and is considered one of the finest equestrian monuments

in the world!!!  It is located on the grounds of  the Yavapai

County Courthouse which was build in 1916 and placed on

the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. 

The The war memorial was one of the virtual caches 

Don had to solve, and is also located on the courthouse grounds. 

It was dedicated by the Sunup Rotary Club in 2006.

I didn't get the official name of this sculpture, I

just called it "A Cowboy & his Horse".

Nostril shot!!!

The "Early Settlers"  Monument sculpture was my favorite.  

It was dedicated June 7 1985 to those whose vision and courage made 

the settlement of this area possible. 

This  bronze is the first public artwork to be erected in Prescott 

since the dedication of the “Rough Rider” monument in 1902. 

AZ sculptor  Bill Nebeker created this “Early Settlers”  Monument.

It  is located at the Prescott Memorial Park, along

with this monument (and Don got another virtual 

geocache  here).

Watson Lake Park was my gig,  with lots of walking

trails in a very unusual & beautiful setting

.

The elevation was about 5300' and the breezy temperature

about 82 degrees, so we wandered a few trails and yours 

truly took way too many photos...

You'll definitely want to double click on these to see

the detail.  You can walk all the way around the lake

and rent kayaks as well.  Maybe next time.

We abandoned the "snack" I packed and headed for Subway

for a late lunch.  Actually the first time we've been in a

restaurant in 6 months.  Everyone was masked except

when chewing and social distancing was the norm.  What

a day.  Left home at 7 a.m. and got back about

5:30.  Traveled over 235 miles for this "outing".

Missions accomplished...