The train

I should have posted this pic first, anyhow, this is one of the trains that used to run between Chicago and Los Angeles before Amtrak. I remember as a kid getting on the train in Rock Springs and riding to California to visit my sister. Sorry about the date stamp on the pic, I was fooling around with the menu and got the time stamp activated. Got it off finally... Supposed to get some much needed rain the next couple of days.

Globe Az

Had a great time riding a train around Globe Arizona today, went with a bunch of folks from the RV park. We were on the train two hours and had a great meal served like they did 40 years ago. The scenery wasn't all that great but had lots of fun. Our meal was comped to us because they bumped us on the 11:30 run and we had to sit and wait around till 2:30. The folks from the train station did a guided tour of downtown Globe Arizona and an old territorial jail etc. The picture of course, is inside the dome car of the train.

Name that bird

I thought this was a roadrunner at first but it's too small and doesn't have a crown on it's head. It's not a Grackle, I'm thinking it might be a slimmer version of a cactus wren?? Went with cousins from Nebraska today to South mountain park south of Phoenix then to lunch downtown Phoenix. Great day!!

Weavers' needle

There's weaver's needle way off in the distance. Took this yesterday from our hike near Superior Arizona. I post a lot of these on my facebook page so if you look at both of them don't think that I keep re-posting the same picture.

An old car

This vehicle has seen better days, on the trail in to where we hiked today. Probably an old gold miner's transportation???

Picinpaugh hill

A famous mountain during a battle between Mexico and U.S. years ago. In the shaded area of the mountain you can see a "man made" slit that runs parallell to the hill. The mexicans hauled big guns up into that "slit" and held the high ground during the war. I'm only quoting the hike leader today, not sure when the war was or what they were battling about, the picture above this one is an old gold mine that goes into the hill. That mine shaft all man built went back into the hill for a long ways. Trip today was about 5 miles round trip and wasn't terribly streneous. This area is near Superior Arizona about 12 miles southeast of Apache junction.

Saguaro lake

Was up to Saguaro lake a couple days ago with our cousins. Amazing how in just a few minutes around here you can be out in the boondocks. Of course there's lots of people running around out there in the "boondocks" in the wintertime....

More superstition mountains

Saguaro cactus dotted on the hillside and a streak of "sulphur"??? Anyhow it's yellow and I assume it's sulphur. Almost 70 here in Apache junction Az today, keep em coming!!

Peralta trailhead

This was about 3/4 way up the hill yesterday on the Fremont saddle hike. Looks like a long way down to the valley floor. We rose from 2,500 ft. to almost 4,000' in about 2 miles. 4 advil later, I'm surviving!

Fremont saddle hike

Went on a fairly streneous hike today out of Peralta canyon trailhead. Shown in the back is Weaver's needle. This was an excellent spot to photograph it. Win Farnsworth and I trekked up there today, took 3 hours to go up and 1:15 to come down. It was pretty steep, bet I'll sleep good tonight!!

Canyon lake area

Lots of pretty country around Mesa Az area. This is canyon lake kinda in the same area those folks went hunting for the lost Dutchman gold last summer and didn't make it out. They have recently found their bodies according to the local news. These 3 went in to the superstition mountains in the hottest month of the year in 120 degree temps with little or no water and of course perished. The local search and rescue searched last summer in thos hot temps with no results. Apparently hikers found the bodies recently within 3 or 4 miles of where their car was parked. Sad

Weavers needle

Wow, had to almost crop all of the picture out because of power lines etc. Hopefully in a week or two we're going to hike much closer to the "needle" and get some close ups. It's about the same structure (geologically) as Boar's tusk in southwest Wyoming. Oh the weather is warming up down here. Supposed to be 72 all week with overnight lows in the 40's.....I think I'll just go hug a palm tree or something!

Arizona Wildlife

Went out to Tortilla flat (northeast of Apache junction Az) today with my cousins from Nebraska. Had a good lunch and enjoyed the wildlife!!!

Late August in the Cliff creek area 50 miles north of Pinedale Wy. We're in a warming spell in central Az. supposed to hit the low 70's this weekend, we'll take it!!

A land full of culture (cultured buttermilk?)

It's sure good to be here in Arizona where the culture is so diverse. I've learned so darned much about life, it's great!!!!

Some of the local peaks around Pinedale Wy. Not sure if I took this pic. or if I snagged it off the internet somewhere. Survived 3 hours of dental surgery yesterday, ah, yes, my last visit!!

Wood haulers

Son Tim and daughter in law Myndi stacking wood last September. Sounds like they're using plenty of it this winter. Warming up to the 60's here, off to the dentist this afternoon for a lovely 2 hour session to install 2 new crowns...

Dry wash

A dry wash north of Apache junction. Pretty country up there. Warming up down here in Central Arizona. I'm ready for some "80's".

"The Tent"

"Mike", the park photographer photographs me (go figure) as I photograph him. This was at our Christmas dinner under a huge tent erected to keep the winter chill off. They put big propane heaters under the tent and it really makes it comfortable. Now let me see??? Would I rather be here, or in Wyoming where it's well below zero.....wow, that's a head scratcher.

New Years Day 2011

Bottom picture shows ice on the fountain by the pool. The other
picture shows two of our hearty RV park folks participating in
the Arizona version of a polar bear plunge....Yikes 28 degrees
f. here this morning with a wind chill of 18.