27/100... tempe town lake pedestrian bridge

One of the quirky things about the desert is that our rivers often have no water in them... until it rains. And in the desert that happens infrequently. Sometimes, though, we turn a river into a lake for recreation, community improvement and even flood control.

The Salt River used to flow through the Valley of the Sun providing water to city inhabitants. In the early 1900's a series of dams were built on the river to provide power and water for farming. Eventually the river ceased to flow in the city and the Phoenix area was left with a dry river bed. Then, in the 1990's Tempe city planners had a plan to bring back the water. Tempe Town Lake was completed and "opened" in 1999 and its pedestrian bridge (#27 on my "100 Things in Arizona" list) in 2011.

The Tempe Town Lake Walking Bridge is at the west end of the lake.

There is no doubt that this bridge is eye-candy for those who enjoy art or architecture!

The lake utilizes rubber, air inflated dams bolted to a concrete slab to contain the lake at each end. The dam is divided into sections called a bladder. Each one is 225 feet long, weighs 10 tons and is an inch thick! The dam can resist flood water and debris at flow rates higher than ever recorded for the Salt River.

Never heard of an inflatable dam? There are over 2,200 inflatable dams in eleven countries around the world. The dams are simple to install, have low maintenance requirements and a long life expectancy.

Sprinklers mist the dam bladders to cool them off and to keep them from drying out and cracking.

The dam at the east end stands five feet high on a concrete base while the dam on the west end (the downstream end) is 16 feet high on a concrete base. It is the highest inflatable dam in North America.

The view from the bridge is spectacular making it a popular path for joggers, walkers and bikers.

Our group (Mike, Laurie, Matt, Richard, Kristin, Janne and Adam) enjoyed the trek across the bridge!

Thumb Up or Down: Up!

Miles Round Trip: 32.7 miles

Miles To Date: 4967.5 miles

Percent of List Completed: 55%

Date of This Trip: May 12, 2012

55,68,45/100... randomness

Often times we venture far and wide to see something new (the lush islands of Hawaii, for example) or do something we've never done before (walking on a glacier comes to mind). One Saturday a few weeks ago we set out with M and L of MR KLUD to be tourists right here in the Valley of the Sun as we checked a few more things off my "100 Things to See in Arizona" list.

After a long drive across town to Phoenix International Raceway (#55), I was ready to get a taste of the car racing world. I never understood what compels people to watch cars go round and round and round a track. I had no appreciation for the beauty of a race car or for the melody of a tightly-wound engine. So why, you ask, would I put PIR on my list? The simple answer was to see what all the fuss is about.

Located in Avondale, Phoenix International Raceway is home to two NASCAR races every year.

It was a nice day to be outside- not too warm and not too chilly. As soon as we got out of the car, I could smell the unique "racing aroma"... a mixture of asphalt, fuel, and steam. There was a tension in the air as if the entire raceway was screaming, "I feel the need for SPEED!!"

Last fall LivingSocial (the "deal" people!) ran a deal for four laps in a race car with a professional race car driver at PIR. Laurie and I each bought one for Mike and Richard for Christmas. And now was the time to redeem their deals.

Richard climbed in his race car...

... and Mike got ready to climb in his.

The track at PIR has been rebuilt, modified and enhanced several times in its 48 year history and is currently 1.51 miles long. The inside lane is where cars come up to speed to merge onto the track with other racers or to slow down before pulling into the pit. The outer track is where the racing is done.

The track flagmen communicate with the drivers via colored flags. This solid green flag means "GO!!"

Richard's car took off and began accelerating!

And in what seemed like no time at all, it was whizzing by in the outer lanes!

Much too quickly, the race was over. Their drivers told them they drove at speeds of 130-160 mph!

They are both anxious to go again... and next time THEY want to drive!

Being at the track, watching a really cool-looking car with someone I knew in it, willing that car to go faster, getting caught up in the excitement gave me a taste of what it's like on a real race day. In fact, coming back to watch a NASCAR race is already on my next list!

There is nothing like a morning of car racing to make you hungry so we headed over to one of Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives"- Chino Bandido (#68) - in north Phoenix for lunch. Chino Bandido is, quite simply, a culture explosion in a plate.

Located in a strip mall, it is not a place I would probably give a second glance (definitely a dive!) proving that looks can be deceiving!

Chino Bandido, the brain-child of Frank and Eve Collins, opened in 1990. They blend Asian and Mexican cooking styles and flavors to create delicious food that is as much a cerebral experience as it is a taste treat for your mouth! And to encourage customers to try new things, they give ample samples of most of their menu. 

I had pollo diablo with jerk-fried rice, a carnitas quesadilla and Cuban black beans- muy bueno!!

With full tummies, it was time for our afternoon adventure... the Mystery Castle (#45). I have lived in the Valley of the Sun almost my entire life and had never heard of the Mystery Castle until just a few years ago. It is, apparently, Phoenix's best-kept secret! And who doesn't like secrets?

800 E. Mineral Road in  Phoenix, Az... right at the base of South Mountain

Boyce Luther Gulley lived with his wife and daughter (Mary Lou Gulley) in Seattle in the 1930's. Mary Lou was the apple of his eye and he promised her when she was a toddler that he would build her a castle. After learning he had tuberculosis- which in those days was highly infectious and often fatal, he left his family and moved to Phoenix without telling them. 

Portrait of Boyce Gulley

Boyce was an eccentric guy who never stopped loving his family he left behind in Seattle. He dabbled in gold mining and bought some land at the foot of South Mountain that showed some promise. To protect his claim, he began building Mary Lou's castle on top of the mine. As the land was very near what was then the town dump, he probably wasn't in danger of anyone jumping his claim.

Boyce definitely had a thing for fireplaces. He built 13 in his castle including this one on the patio.

Recycling and repurposing is very popular today - not so much in the 1930's - but Boyce seemed to take great pleasure in using old junk he found (things no one else wanted) to build his castle. 

These unusual bricks were rejects that got overheated in the furnace melting the tops. One man's trash is another man's treasure!

This is the main living area of the castle. Notice all the unusual "finds"- the wagon wheel as part of the fence, the mining buckets, piece of wrought iron fencing in the arched "window" on the roof.

When this room was being built, the saguaro was very much alive and Boyce did not want to cut it down so he built the room around it. Unfortunately, the giant saguaro was struck by lightning a few years later and died- but still remains in the room. The floors of much of the castle are dirt.

This part of the castle housed the guest rooms. This stairway leads up to the roof... aka the mother-in-law room.

Even though Boyce bought land very near the city dump (neither expensive nor desirable) and scoured the desert as far as Mexico for "finds" to use in building his castle, he hobnobbed with the rich and famous of the day. Georgia O'Keefe, Frank Lloyd Wright, John Wayne and Barry Goldwater were often guests at his castle.

Frank Lloyd Wright gave Boyce some of his original furniture for his castle.

Boyce only expected to live about 6 months when he left Seattle. He began building his castle for his daughter so she would have something he built, a piece of him. When he died fifteen years later, the castle was was it appears today. His lawyer sent Mary Lou and her mother a letter that Boyce had written explaining what had happened to him and giving the castle to Mary Lou. The one stipulation was that she had to live in the castle for at least a year.

Boyce named this formation on South Mountain Lion Rock... he was particularly fond of cats.

Mary Lou and her mother moved to Phoenix in the mid 1940's and lived in the castle her father had built for her. They had no running water, no electricity (although both were added in 1992), many rooms have dirt floors and "nature" on the inside. At the end of the year, as specified in the letter she received from her father, they opened the door to the mine.

The door to the mine is guarded by this heavy alligator.

Inside the mine, Mary Lou found the deed to the house, some gold nuggets and another letter from her father. She and her mother decided to continue living in the castle her father built. Her mother passed away in 1970 and Mary Lou in November, 2010; both were still living in the castle at the times of their deaths. Mary Lou formed the Mystery Castle Historical Foundation before her death to ensure the Mystery Castle would be maintained for future generations to see.

Without leaving the metro area, we tried a couple of new things and saw something new. None of them have anything in common other than being part of our adventure that day... and a lot of fun!

Thumb Up or Down: Absolutely UP for all three!!

Miles Round Trip: 114.4 miles

Miles To Date: 4934.8 miles

Percent of List Completed: 54%

Date of This Trip: May 5, 2012

how does your garden grow?...

Nothing says "Spring" like gardening. We've all seen dozens of magazines in the check-out line at the grocery store proclaiming "Fresh & 'Free' Veggies" or "The Dirty Secret of a Vegetable Garden" and been bitten by the gardening bug.

My hubby and I have planted gardens in the past and know the truth: Fresh? Absolutely! Free or cheap? Absolutely NOT! Even so, we decided to plant a "mini-garden" this year with a few favorite herbs in a couple of  large pots and some  tomatoes, peppers and chilies in the back planter.

Growing a garden is intentional- it doesn't just sprout up with no effort on our part. First, the soil had to be prepared with mulch and potting soil. Extra drip line had to be installed.

As Christians, we need to be intentional in the way we prepare ourselves--- reading God's Word and obediently applying it to our life

Then the tiny plants were carefully planted making sure not to place them too close together.

These tomatoes, peppers and chili plants were so small, they barely peeked over the edge of the brick planter. 

The plants need sunshine and water to grow. Without either one, the garden will die. 

Likewise, our Christian life requires faith and God's Word to grow. Again, take away either one and our Christian life begins to wither.

Pretty soon the small plants began to bear fruit. Tiny cherry tomoatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers and green chilis became larger each day.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22

With faithful watering and consistent sunshine, our garden continued to grow. 

And the fruit grew larger and more ripe.

Finally, it was time to harvest some of the fruits of our labor! Homemade salsa with home-grown jalapeno and cilantro was oh-so-fresh tasting!

And these ripe-off-the-vine cherry tomatoes brightened our salad!

Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Matthew 7:20

So... was it worth the extra effort to plant and maintain a garden? ABSOLUTELY! Not only do we have fresh, delicious, pesticide-free produce but every day as I walk around our garden, I see God's handiwork and rejoice.

Arizona Eats & Treats #2- Jimmy's Hot Dog Comapany

Mustard? Ketchup? Relish? Onions? What are the accoutrements that make your hot dog perfect? Everyone seems to have an "opinion" about the perfect dog... and, perhaps,  no one more so than Chicagoans.

A long time ago (1966), Jimmy Pionke began working at the original "Jimmy's", a Chicago-style Hot Dog and Italian Beef stand on the northwest side of Chicago that was famous throughout the city for "fast service, friendly staff and mouthwatering Italian beef, Italian sausage, gourmet quality Vienna all beef hot dogs, Polish sausage and fresh-cut deep-fried French fries." True hot dog aficionados know the difference between and love all those kinds of "hot dogs" and for Jimmy, it was the impetus for a life-long search for the perfect dog.

He visited ALL the great beef and sausage stands in the city and surrounding suburbs. Besides sampling A LOT of hot dogs, he also realized that these stands were not just fast food but were places where memories were made, where people met before or after events (or both!), where generations of families ate. The owners were hardworking, and had a sense of humor; the customers were from all walks of life and all ages.

In 2007, Jimmy and his wife, Pammy, moved to Bisbee, Arizona and opened their own hot dog stand, Jimmy's Hot Dog Company.

You can't miss Jimmy's Hot Dog Company- just look for the giant hot dog on top of the building!

The secret to a great dog, according to Jimmy, is using quality ingredients. The poppy seed buns are from Chicago, the veggies are all fresh, and the relish is homemade. It must make a difference since they've won dozens of awards, have numerous write-ups in magazines like Gourmet, and have a loyal, growing following of customers. 

Jimmy's is known for their Chicago-style hot dogs and chili-cheese dogs. We opted for the Chicago-style hot dog which comes with mustard, onion, relish, tomato wedges, dill pickle, sport peppers, celery salt on a poppy seed bun. According to Jimmy, it's the best way to eat a hot dog!

Jimmy's Chicago-style hot dog... aka a flavor explosion in your mouth! 

If you decide to check Jimmy's Hot Dog Company out, you can find it at 938 W. Highway 92 in Bisbee. Or ask any local resident.

44 & 51/100... the town of Tombstone

After a fond farewell to Bisbee, we were back on the road headed to Tombstone, aka "the town too tough to die!" There were two things on my "List of 100 Things" that I wanted to see/do in Tombstone: the world's largest rose bush (#51) and explore the town of Tombstone (#44).

When I read on the internet that the world's largest rose bush was in the desert state of Arizona in the little town of Tombstone, I thought it must be a joke. However, after seeing it, I must admit it is no joke.

The Lady Banksia Rose bush was sent from Scotland in 1885 to a young bride living in Tombstone. She gave it to her best friend, Mrs. Amelia Adamson, who planted it in her patio. The house was then sold in 1919 to the Macia family who continued to nurture the rose bush. Robert Ripley (yes, that Ripley!) stayed at the house and marveled at the very large rose bush, calling it "the world's largest rose bush" in his Believe It or Not column. Today it is listed in the Guiness Book of Records and the claim has never been disputed.

Even standing as far back as I could and with my lens as wide-angle as I could make it, I could not get the entire rose bush. It spreads over 8,000 square feet of supports and grows larger each year.

It apparently blooms in April but by the time we were there, only a half dozen or so roses remained.

Founded in 1877 by a prospector, Tombstone began as a silver mining town. Cattle ranches soon followed and with them, trouble. It seems the cowboys and miners couldn't play nicely together and gunfights sprang up almost daily. Perhaps the most famous is the shoot out at the OK Corral when the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday fought the Clantons and McLaurys in 1881. The town stages reenactments every day and for  just $10/person we saw a "historama show" explaining the history of the town (very well done!), watched both the confrontation on the street as well as the shoot out back in the corral and looked through the exhibits that explained life in the wild west. 

Marshall Virgil Earp (on left) and Assistant Marshall Wyatt Earp (in the middle) confronted the Clanton boys on the street- but the shoot out didn't begin until later when they met up at the OK Corral.

Every boom town has a theater- and Tombstone had two: Schieffelin Hall where the respectable townsfolk saw plays and concerts and the Bird Cage Theater- a saloon, theater, gambling hall and brothel. 

The Bird Cage interested us because we saw a mock-up of it at Knott's Berry Farm earlier this spring. We were disappointed they charge a $10 "tour fee" to walk into the theater- we decided not to go.

Tombstone citizens are proud of their historic town and encourage the tourists to experience it. Several groups walk the town in period costumes posing for photos or just chatting with passersby. 

These delightful  folks arrested most of our group!

Who knew being a floozy was a crime??

What's worse than a politician?

A card cheat, that's what!

While Laurie (who had made herself scarce during all this!) and I were paying the "fines" (a donation to their charity, a no-kill animal shelter), Mike and Richard were getting their "Tombstone Tattoos!"

And they called me a floozy?? ;-)

We wandered through town for most of the afternoon stopping in a store or two (most sold typical tourist fare) and having a sarsaparilla out of the bottle. 

The Tombstone Epitaph, the old west's most famous newspaper, printed its first issue in 1880. Today the building is a printing and newspaper museum (and is free!). We spent some time looking at the displays and seeing how the newspaper was put out prior to the digital age.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1882) is the oldest Protestant church in Arizona and the oldest Episcopal church west of the Mississippi River. They were getting ready for a service or wedding so we didn't go in.

We stopped at the Boothill Graveyard on our way out of town. It also was free and they gave us a "map" so we could find the famous people more easily.

Because many of the people died quickly and unexpectedly, usually with their boots on, and were buried with their boots still on, cemeteries like this one became known as "boot hills." I'm sure the Clantons and McLaurys were buried with their boots still on!

Blooming cactus among the thorns in the cemetery are like the people buried at Boothill Graveyard; there are innocent women and children buried next to murderers, cattle rustlers and gunslingers. 

Strolling along the streets of "the town too tough to die" gave us a glimpse of Tombstone. While we enjoyed it's history, we all felt it was a little too commercial and touristy. I'm glad I went but I don't think I need to go back.

Thumb Up or Down: Neither for both

Miles Round Trip: 415.3 miles

Miles To Date: 4820.4 miles

Percent of List Completed: 51% 

Date of This Trip: April 28-29, 2012

39 & 48/100... the town of Bisbee

After MR KLUD toured the Queen Mine in Bisbee (see this post), Doug and Ursi had to leave us to head back to the Valley. We continued our road trip in Bisbee before moving on to Tombstone (see next post). There were two things on my "List of 100 Things" that I wanted to see/do in Bisbee: the Copper Queen Hotel (#39) and explore the town of Bisbee (#48).

The Copper Queen Hotel opened in 1902 in the booming mining camp called Bisbee. The Phelps Dodge Mining Company built it as a luxury hotel for visiting dignitaries and investors. At the time, Bisbee was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. I know... it's kind of hard to believe! 20,000 people lived in Bisbee in the early 1900's compared to 5,575 in 2010.

The hotel was built in an Italian style and retains that old-world charm today!

For those accustomed to key cards, this is an old-fasioned key rack with real keys. Very quaint!

An abundance of polished oak and Italian mosaic tile adorned the lobby. It was truly like stepping back in time.

The hotel is reputed to be haunted and has been featured in several tv programs and books. There are, supposedly, three resident ghosts- a man, a "woman of the night" and a young boy about eight or nine years old. Amazingly, you have to pay extra to "get to" sleep in one of the haunted rooms- which we did not. And we did not see any evidence of paranormal activity.

Our room was charming, comfortable, and ghost-free. And I was extremely grateful that the hotel remodeled the original rooms to include their own bathroom (rather than one per floor!) and air conditioning!

After checking into the hotel, we ventured out to see a bit of the town before dark and find a place for dinner. Like all other mining towns I've seen, Bisbee is built on hills with narrow streets, many of which are cobblestone. 

This is the main drag in town- notice that it's wider and paved! We enjoyed strolling along looking in the windows. Unfortunately for us, the shops all closed at 5 or 6 pm!

After a delightful dinner at the Bisbee Grille, we returned to the hotel to play Phase 10 until late at night. It seemed fitting that in a mining town where cards are king, we should play a card game! 

MR KL

The next morning we again strolled along the main drag and did some shopping. Some of the shops had a company name, like "Woolworth's" for example, in the transom above the door as a visible reminder of the town in its heyday. Today those same shops are occupied by antique dealers, used book stores, art and jewelry shops.

To get an even better feel for the town, we took a "Trolley Tour." Our guide had lots of stories and gave us an overview of the town. The first thing he explained is that the town is built on hills... and therefore has A LOT of stairs! In some parts of town where the streets don't go to the top of the hill, rent is actually cheaper the higher up you go.

Can you imagine carrying your groceries, children, what-have-you up and down these stairs every time you left your house? No wonder we didn't notice any gyms in Bisbee!

Official addresses are often given as the staircase number and then the number of steps to the house. The lower right section of the photo has the address for the house at the top of the photo. And I love the "graffiti!"

And speaking of graffiti, Bisbee boasts of an unusual number of "artists." After Phelps Dodge closed the mine in 1975, the town was severely economically depressed and in danger of becoming a ghost town. According to our tour driver, many of the Haight Ashbury hippies moved to Bisbee bringing their artistic talents. They acquired houses by squatter rights and "revitalized" them, then moved to the next house and did the same. They opened shops selling everything from soap and lotions to coffee and honey. The townspeople embraced the idea and pretty soon the town was up and running again. And this time, it catered to the tourists!

This "people park" in Brewery Gulch is a great  example of "hippie art!"

I love this dog park! Most of the art uses "repurposed" items- like the vinyl record in the center of the blue flower.

I mentioned the hills before. There are several and buildings pop up all over them. The city had several fires, the biggest in 1908 and it nearly decimated the town. Only a handful of buildings remained unscathed; the Copper Queen Hotel was one of them.

Bisbee is the southern most "Mile High" city in the United States and is just 8 miles north of Mexico.

While the barista at the Bisbee Coffee Co. made my coffee, I asked him what he liked best about living in Bisbee. He replied that Bisbee is a small town; very laid back and non-stressful. And the thing he liked least was that it's a small town; everyone knows your business. We enjoyed Bisbee very much and look forward to visiting again- there is still a lot we didn't see!

Thumb Up or Down: UP all the way around!

Miles Round Trip: see next post

Miles To Date: see next post

Percent of List Completed: 49%

Date of This Trip: April 28-29, 2012