Thursday, January 3, 2008

Views of an Arizona Christmas Trip


Guess what? My camera was in my truck! :)
These pictures are pretty much in a time line
The Big Smokey Valley: Very nice drive any time of year, lots of scenery, not much of anything else. Between Austin and Tonapah. One year we were traveling to AZ, when the kids were younger we traveled at night, and the Valley is so dark, we could actually 'see' helicopters from the nearby military base outlined against the myriad stars! Another year we saw comet Hale-Bopp from here, a truly magnificent sight with a tail much longer than what we could see anywhere else!
Boulder Dam: They are building a by-pass over the dam, this picture really does it no justice, it looks WAY bigger in person.
My Family on Boulder Dam
The Arizona Desert: This picture has a bit of everything in it; mesquite, paloverde, jumping cholla, prickly pear, saguaro cactus, there is probably a barrel cactus close by too.

Picacho Peak: This mountain is actually a volcano plug, the dirt has eroded away.

Kevin: big prickly pear! and another type of jumping cholla
Joshua Tree Forest in Northern AZ

5 comments:

Purple Fuzzy Mittens said...

I just returned from Tucson, too. There was quite the wait to cross the Dam, so I have lots of pictures. Did you make it to Kiwi Knitting Company?

Sharon said...

The Sonora desert is pretty spectacular, for sure, though I'm fine with our's. Great that you had such a wonderful family event and trip. Wishing you the best in 2008~

Kathy said...

Yeah, but did you stop at the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Farm on the south side of Picacho Peak? :)

Glad to know you had a safe trip and are home safe and sound. Isn't that by-pass over/under/around Hoover Dam amazing? I don't know if I will have the nerve to go on it when it's finished. We make it to LV a few times a year - my DH grew up in Henderson and his mother lives in Pahrump with his sister.

Too bad there weren't more blooms in the desert for your visit.

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

LOL no I didn't, but I wanted to :)

The AZ desert blooms in April, and yes, it is a sight to behold! If it wasnt such a damned unfriendly desert I might want to live in it! I will stick with my high desert though, no jumping cholla's or cats claws to impale me :)

Kathy said...

Amen to that! We usually hit the Sedona area in April, through Oak Creek Canyon as 89 is right near the house. A nice visit, but I'll take the cooler temps and the pines, thanks. :)