Painted Desert Trail

                 An excursion with the Hiking Club 

                                            of      

                                Pioneer RV Park

The Painted Desert Trail is in the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge 

(We didn't see much wildlife though)

The guide book mentions Hoodos.

We saw one!

Many of the areas reminded us of other Painted Deserts,

even the Artists Pallet in Death Valley.

The guide book says that miners in the late 1800's brought burros to the area to help with the work.  If you look you can see the trails and remains.

(Burros remain, miners are gone)

"Yup they were here"

 "Humh! Me say burro pass here 2 suns ago"

This was a nice hike, well marked trails, good company.

Lunch at the Lake Martinez Cantina

It's been a while since I have found good "bathroom signs"  Tehe!

This entire area has so much agriculture.  It is really pretty to see the green fields alongside the dry desert, up against the mountains that are quite rugged.

This field is just starting to get picked.  The men pick all the produce by hand, put it onto the conveyer to the truck, and the tractor pulls slowly through the field.

The men have a long day of bending, stooping and picking.

Next time I pick up the fresh produce in the store, this picture of the vast area of our food supply will fill my mind. 

90% of our winter vegetables come from this area. They are harvesting broccoli.

Fun in the sun - Air Show + Music

            There just happened to be a Radio Control Air Show in Yuma, 

                                so we enjoyed the performance.

Lots of elegant planes-

one of the unusual models.

Did Dinosaurs really fly?

Fancy flying!

(The Blogger still won't let me load videos- check Facebook)

A pleasant afternoon of music at a nearby Date Farm.

The Center of The world!- We were there!

                                                                😀

Jacques-Andre Istel has officially established the Center of the World in Felecity, California (Population 2), and he has built a town around it to bolster his claim. He's the mayor. The town is named after his wife Felicia.

The Mayor needed a way to mark his Center. Felicia had the idea: "It's in the desert, why not a pyramid?" Jacques-Andre was delighted, and had a 21-foot-tall, hollow, mirror-lined, pink granite pyramid built over The Spot, which is a dot in the center of a bronze disk set into the pyramid's floor. Placing your toe on the spot is an occasion for ceremony in Felicity, with a town official recording the exact moment on your certificate and ordering you to make an obligatory wish.

For an extra $3.00 you get a certificate of the  "CENTER OF THE WORLD"

inside the pyramid and 'make a wish'.

There are a hundred granite slabs that contain inscriptions and pictures of the 'history of the world".

It is actually quite remarkable.  

Many of the slabs are left blank for future generations to add more history to it.

A sculpture of God's arm -- from Michelangelo's Dawn of Creation painting in the Sistine Chapel -- acts as a sundial.

😀

and, of course the Hand of God points to the 'center of the world'!

It even has a "Stairway to Nowhere"

This stairway is actually from the original staircase in the Eiffel Tower.

Good fun to see the creativity in such an unusual place.

Other Decorations in the Desert

                                   

                                      The Valley of the Names

DURING WORLD WAR II, SOLDIERS training in the desert north of Yuma, Arizona, began decorating a site they called “Graffiti Mesa,” using rocks to write out their names in the clay. The tradition continued on after the war, and the graffitied area grew and grew. Today over 1,200 acres of land are decorated with signatures, messages, dates, initials, and designs. 

It reminds me of the graffiti in Hawaii 

except the background is black lava and the rocks are white coral.

Some create a bit of color in the desert.

Many have to bring their own rocks.

Hey, Monica!

added color is nice

A fun day of jeep touring in the desert.

Bisbee, Arizona

 

                                    A delightful day trip to Bisbee,

                     in spite of having to wear all 3 of my jackets into lunch.

                    (but it says it has the best year round climate on earth.)

The town is all about mining.

Mostly copper

The Lavender Pit open mine 

This is where 75 million tons of ore (copper, gold and silver) were removed

 from 1954 to 1970.

I love the signage of JC Penney store on the sidewalk.

The interior is anything but reminiscent of Penney's 

(ultra 'hippy'- for lack of a better name) 

The Bisbee 1000 Great Stair Climb

The Great Stair Climb is arguably one of the most unusual and challenging events in the world. The 4.5-mile course features nine staircases (over 1000 total steps) connected by winding roads.

Chiricahua National Monument

Chiricahua National Monument 

The Chiricahua Apaches called this the  "Land of the Standing Up Rocks"

An eruption of the Turkey Creek Volcano spewed ash over 1200 square miles.  The superheated ash melted and formed layers of gray rock called rhyolite.

The whole area has such interesting rock shapes, and the drive to the top of the mountain goes thru all types of terrains.

So many different views along the walk at the top.

Lots of moss covered rocks on the north side of the mountain.

A great view point lookout - can see for miles.

Interesting rock shapes-

Name it what ever you think it should be called.

This area could be a great place to return for camping and hiking

 (when the weather is warmer!)

Fort Bowie - National Historical Site

"Guardian of Apache Pass"

Apache Pass is half way between El Paso and Yuma.  Because the springs were an unfailing source of water, it drew emigrants, prospectors, and soldiers to this Apache homeland.  For over 20 years this was the scene of bitter struggles with the US Army and the Apaches for control of the area.  It ended with the surrender of Geronimo in 1886.

The Fort was used between 1862 and 1886.

When Geronimo surrendered, there was no need for the Fort to be maintained, 

so it was abandoned in 1894 there were 38 buildings.  

What you see here are the  remains.

Original materials of rock and adobe for walls

The Visitor Center - lovely but

lacking the checker boards like Cracker Barrel

Interesting to see how they communicated then.

Lou thought he would walk in the footsteps of Geronimo.

Notice the mountain in the background of both pictures.