Cacti Trail

Someone here had a great idea.. They took the no-mans land under the huge hydro towers (where no one wants to build) and turned it into a beautiful park walk, right in Mesa. Volunteers turned it into a memorial for a local conservation pioneer. Lots of wildlife & signs telling about the plants.

I think I am in trouble

Please do not try sticking your head in a cactus at home. Mary is a professional

Half way down the trail, we found this box mounted on a water pipe with a shut-off on it and a cup on a chain. Yep, it was a spring inside !!!!!!! 

"It's not a Tumor !!!"

Direct from Saskatchewan

Cousin "IT"

Another hike

This one was a bit more of a climb but still scenic (Chex the poodle led the way). A few more wild horses can be seen across the river.

This area definitely does not suck !!

Saguaro Cacti -- Dead or Alive !!

This is a good example of the life of a saguaro cactus. They can live for centuries and be over 30' tall and when they die, the centre and outside rot away leaving very hard "Stays" which make great walking sticks and are even used for fences, etc.

                                                                            Before

                                                                              During

After

More Wild Horses

Sure wish I was a horse person to appreciate this but I'm not.. We joined the hikers this week to go to Pebble Beach (no, not the golf course) and we ran into more horses and this time with a foal. The mares wouldn't let us close to it but it was neat. We also got to witness a fight between a gang of young stallions (Equine Hooligans). Didn't want to get too close to that one.

Walking back along the river bed, we saw a Great Blue Heron land on the top of a large tree. It was kinda neat to watch it hovering down but then we realized that the tree had another 10 to 15 herons in its branches. The water was real low & in small pools so we figured it was their fishing lookout. No one had ever seen herons clustered like that. Not a great place to be a frog (or a newt).........................

Not sure about more hiking though. The park rangers were putting the "Beware of Rattlesnakes" signs back out. Apparently they hibernate all winter but start to re-appear as it gets warmer...YIPPEEE !!

VALENTINE'S DAY "SOCK HOP" DANCE, AT DOLLBEER RANCH

                                   My "HOT" DATE FOR THE VALENTINE'S SOCK HOP!
                                       (He kinda looks like a Roy Orbison/Elvis cross!! :o))))
                                                       And we are "going steady" too!!

"COOL".....is an understatement!!

Loved my glasses........too bad I could not see a thing with them on!!

There were "Poodle Skirts", greasers, saddle shoes, (some original ones) and lots of white socks!!

Go Girls!!!!!!!

We had a blast making our costumes and even more fun at the dance:o))

Give me a "T"........(for Taylor).......or maybe Tacky???

Tortilla Flats Revisited

Went here in a car last year but decided to do it again as a road trip through the mountains on the scooter which is now dubbed "Hardly Dangerous" (We stole that from Tom Fisher).
Road is curvy & steep so had no problem. It's like an old mining town and a neat tourist place.

Canyon Lake lookout

Overlooking Canyon Lake

Bridge just before TORTILLA FLATS

Tortilla Flats

Main Street