Sunday, November 15, 2015

Tucson Airport, Memorials, Vets, And More Art Exploring


 


                As always this page thanks you for stopping by!  Please share this link with anyone and everyone you feel might enjoy it.  After a long pause to take care of many issues--I am working on many posts.  Many of you might see this as a waste of time.  But I find everything involved from the picture taking, to the Exploring, to the actual blog writing---very stress relieving.   Not enough so, judging on how grey my hair has turned in the last year or so, but still helps.  ;)    I hope you enjoy this post and any others you may stumble across. 

 
Busy in the sun --snapping pictures.
 
 
 
 
First off to share about some Exploring near the Airport.
I stopped at the Am/PM just off of Valencia.
Cheap gas, cherry Pepsi on tap, and crushed ice!  Keeps me coming back.
The service keeps me wondering why I come back.
But that's for a different story.
From there I hiked down the middle lane towards the airport.
 
 
 
 
Natural cactus ashtray
Please don't mind my foot in the shot.
 
 
 
 
Full on sunshine on this day.
No surprise there.
 
 
Go Cats!
 
 
 
 
 
I really love this one.
I grew up in Wyoming and bucking horses and cowboys are on everything.
Including the licence plates.
So with the mighty cactus in the background I find this a fitting welcome
to landscapes and climates of great extremes in my life.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Last weekend right before Memorial Day the
traveling vet wall came to Casino Del Sol were I work.
And I got a chance to check it out on Sunday afternoon before it left.
As I said in my last post, I mention my amazing work place a lot in posts.
And always favorably   not that that is a hard task.
Because the place rocks, and in hopes that they do not bring any action towards me  for
using there images on my blog page.
This was set up near the pool and a great chance to see some green  green grass.
Although the pool was empty, it was hot, and I had a great urge to just jump in.
 
 
 
 
 
Just inside before visiting
A great way to send well deserved tribute.
 
 
 
 
 
Some numbers to try and put things in perspective.
 
 
 
One small section.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have been to the real stationary wall in DC  but this is the first time I have caught up with the travailing wall. 
The travailing wall is nothing like the one in Washington DC as far as size goes.
But still very impressive at 300 feet long.   With all of the names.
 
 
 
Again thank you!!!
 
To all of those that have served, are serving, and will serve this amazing country!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Super Urban Exploring Greater Tucson Off Valencia



                  First off I would like to thank everyone for staying with this page.  And for sharing the link!  I have had a ton on my plate lately-and it is still long before Thanksgiving.  Long story short, with all of my new found free time I am trying to detour my negative mind set with new posts and long picture taking hikes.   Trying is the key word.   At any rate--I hope to post here much more, and I hope you enjoy each picture filled post.
      When we lived in beautiful Washington state I used to find an amazing looking parking lot on the outskirts of town and than just disappear into the woods or such surroundings.  Many times it lead to some great Exploring.  Please check out more of these, and some amazing pictures, at least in my eyes from all around Washington all from another blog sight of mine, that has takin' a back seat  since we have moved from the area.  http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/




                Also for some more Exploring and defiantly much random rambling--my first blog page is full of everything including more pictures, jokes, and lots of coffee love.  At   www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com     


   And now onto today's post.   I was up near the casino I seem to work at.  Way up Valencia Street.  I have posted several times from this area--of course slipping in some pictures of the amazing resort I am lucky enough to work at.  

 
I started by parking at the old Chevron now turned Shell gas station.
Than jumped out and ran around snapping pictures in the desert for awhile.
 
 
Nailed it!??
 
 
 
 
I was discouraged to soon run into private property and ventured on.
 
 
As like most of Tucson  art can be found every where. 
That is what most of this post Explores.
 
Running beside the casino and the golf course this great wall is covered.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Between the larger tile art.
 
 
 
 
 
A better blog page would research the meaning behind each of these. 
This is not a better blog page.
But I really hope you enjoy the pictures
and enjoy not having to walk this stretch to see them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Time to return to my car and journey on.
 
 
More tile art---this one of the Mission!
I have a whole blog post about this amazing sight.
 
 
 
 
I had hoped to get more Exploring done here
but this is all private land. 
 
 
Of course I managed to get a few pictures with out
jumping any fences.   This time.
 
 
Dead creature
 
 
 
 
Next post we venture further down the same long road.
To see some art near the Tucson Airport. 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Willcox Exploring Part II ---A Hike In The Hills



                I really do enjoy Exploring and taking pictures.  And I find that the more of this I do the more I wish to do.  Long to do when I am sitting at home, or flustered at work.  Or when it is raining all day outside, like today.  Or just when it is sunny!  Arizona has some amazing trails and places to discover.   It also has more than it's share of sunny days.  I am busily working on taking more pictures and lots of posts and features for this very page!    So please keep coming back to see what is new.   For Exploring from all over please also check out my longest running blog page at www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com    
    
              It is rare that I visit an area where I feel a two part post is needed.  Even rarer still is that I post part two directly after the first post!   Willcox was such a visit for me.  And I really hope you enjoyed the first post from Willcox.  And shared the link with everyone you know.  Today -please join me as I venture up in the hills for a mind clearing, much needed hike. 


All arrows point to great sights from here!
Down the dusty trail to Chiricahua National Monument.
Click back a page to read and see more about a great down town district.
Speaking of that I just read that the Rex Allen days
are coming up in Willcox  so I think the whole family is going to Explore that. 
Pictures to come of course. 


Rex Allen    himself


Soon down the road I found myself lost in the beauty of it all.
This was a paved road, not dirt but still a great journey. 
The hike was about 30 miles out of Willcox 
so I was soon in the middle of no where for sure!


Just across from the above water tower 
I spotted this old family cemetery.
Cemetery's always fascinate me  although I am not sure why.
I found several on this day trip-but this is the only one I stopped to take pictures of.


Again the whole area was surrounded by mountains.
Not so normal, there were also lots of trees--water and rock formations.
I guess the area was recently hit by a devastating fire.  And many of the trees were lost.
But for someone that lives in the full on desert---it seemed like tons of trees survived to me.
The tree loss and general erosion also created flooding.
From what I read the park has just recently re opened. 


A great place to start any hike here.







Magical shrooms on the trail? 

I know for a fact they grown in Oregon.
Pretty whatever kind of mushrooms they may be.


Just behind this sign is a nice trail map and several picnic tables.
The water trickles down just to the left of this.  
A very nice visitors center also is in this area. 
Small but nice.


As is often the case
So many trails  So little time!

Also usually the case in Arizona, trails are very well maintained and groomed.

It was an over cast day --another rare factor.
But nice because the trail started to go up just out of the parking lot.
Yet another rare thing for me--I had an actual back pack with me
AND a packed lunch. 








The further onward and up ward I traveled, the better the sights!
Although I did not travel to many miles on this fine day.




As in many trips in the last few weeks,
I was very impressed at how much green I saw.










Evidence of the fire and probably an amazing sight when the water was flowing.


Rocks   Rocks  every where!




I was fascinated to find that most if not all of the dead trees, had
something living and or growing all over them. 

















As always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**