DESERT SCENERY

Just a couple of random shots in the desert in all its beauty. I am still trying to get that "perfect" shot, one good enough to paint.

EYE OF THE EAGLE

This is a natural phenomenon in a rock formation part of the mountains here. I understand the hole is 12-15 feet high. Paul has already tried to hike there, but the going was rough and steep. He plans to try again soon with some other crazy person.

LITTLE GRAND CANYON

I'm not sure if that is the official name of this place, but is what folks around here call it. It's different and pretty, quite a gouge in the ground. We happened to be 4-wheeling with a geologist (amateur palientologist), and a botanist! It was great, I drove them crazy with questions.

Isn't it amazing how the huge Saguaro cactus can grow from a rock? Saguaros fascinate me. They can grow to be over 50 feet in height, and have up to 40 or 50 "arms" growing on them. (that many branches are rare, tho) A tall Saquaro with lots of branches can weigh as much as 8 tons!!

Cactus Wrens, owls, doves and other birds utilize the holes in these huge cacti as homes and nests.

Palo Verde trees are the state tree, and are quite lovely. They can "drape" a bit like a willow, and glow with their fine brilliant green stems and trunks.

Brittle bush grows here, with a lovely blue/green foliage that stands out from the other plants. They have yellow, daisy like flowers that look like greenhouse landscape bushes.

Petroglyphs show up here and there in the desert, beautufully crisp and clear. Wish I knew what they all depict.

The desert here is NOT dead and brown, believe me!

SOUTHERN CROSS 2

2/12/08

Today we made another trip by RZR into the Southern Cross mine, a fascinating area. It's about a 20 mile trip through the desert, a twisty-turny, rough and dusty ride.

Gary and his wife, Jeri accompanied us with their RZR. We explored a mine we hadn't gone into before, and what a cool one it was. Lots of off-shoots , old wooden ladders and wood frames. The walls were a pinkish quartz like rock, really quite pretty.

When we decided to go home, Gary suggested an alternate route, through a mountain pass! What a BLAST traveling this high desert road home! Steep and rocky, a bit scary in places, and beautiful vistas to reward us at the top of the pass.

I was exhausted and exhiliarated when we returned. (and filthy with desert dust to boot)

Paul treated us all to dinner at the cafe after our much needed showers.

PARKER DAM

Parker Dam

Parker Dam is located on the border between Arizona and California. It was completed in 1938, and was created to bring both power and drinking water to Southern California. It is 320 feet high and 856 feet long. It separates Lake Havasu (the high side) from the Colorado River (the low side).

We saw Goldeneye and Ringneck Ducks along with Mergansers here.

POSTON MEMORIAL

Poston Memorial Monument.

This monument marks the site of the Poston War Relocation Center where 17,867 people of Japanese ancestry, most of whom were United States citizens, were interned during World War II. All persons of Japanese descent living on the west coast of California were forcibly evacuated from their homes and moved to relocation camps, including four that were located in Arizona.

When in operation,the camp in Poston became the third largest city in Arizona. The camp at the Gila River Indian Community was the fourth largest city after Phoenix and Tucson. Plaques and a kiosk recall stories of the people who were interned in Poston from May 1942 to November 1945.

LONDON BRIDGE IS......

Now located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. :)

In 1962, it was discovered that the London Bridge (then in London England) was "falling down," sinking into the Thames because it was not adequate for the increase in traffic. The City of London decided to put the 130-year old bridge up for auction, and construct a new one in its place.
Robert P. McCulloch, founder of Lake Havasu City, AZ, submitted the winning bid for $2,460,000 in 1968. McCulloch spent another $7million to move the London Bridge to Lake Havasu City which took a total of three years. The bridge was shipped by boat 10,000 miles to Long Beach, California. From there, it was trucked to Lake Havasu City where it was stored in seven-acre fenced storage compound. On September 23, 1968, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Gilbert Inglefield, laid the corner stone. Robert Beresfornd, a civil engineer from Nottingham, England was in charge of the reconstruction of the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City."

Reconstructing the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City was done in the same manner as the Egyptians built pyramids. Sand mounds beneath each arch were carefully formed to the profile of the original bridge arches, serving the same function as molds. When work was completed the sand was removed. a one-mile channel was dredged and water was diverted from the lake, under the Bridge, then back into the lake. The reconstructed London Bridge was dedicated in Lake Havasu City on October 10, 1971 with many British and Arizona officials participating in this event that drew 50,000 spectators.

George and Rachel graciously gave us a grand tour of this historic landmark. Very very interesting, and really quite beautiful.