Bridges

I love historical bridges and if I can walk under them and explore - even better.  There are two in Arizona that I explored recently, the McPhaul Bridge of Yuma AZ and the Gillespie Dam Bridge of Arlington AZ.

The McPhaul Bridge is also know as the bridge to nowhere.  It is an 800 foot long suspension bridge which spanned the Gila River when it was built in 1929 and was named McPhaul Bridge in honor of Henry Harrison McPhaul, “the only Yuma resident who ever became an Arizona Ranger.”  But it was consider to be too flimsy for modern traffic, and when a dam was built upstream in 1968 the river was diverted and the highway was rerouted over a much smaller bridge....  which was destroyed in a flood.  The McPhaul Bridge stood tall.

The Gillespie Dam Bridge is a through truss bridge spanning the Gila River in Maricopa County, Arizona. The bridge was constructed to bypass a concrete apron through the river in front of the Gillespie Dam. Construction of the bridge started in 1925 and completed in 1927. From its opening until 1956, the bridge was part of US Route 80.

Arizona Dateland

once you have tasted the taste of sky, you will forever look up.  

Leonardo DaVinci

 I arrived at 11 a.m. and I am glad I did, by 3 it was full.   

In Tucson there has been sleet, rain, snow, hail...  cold windy days.  Before I left my residence I double checked the weather.  I don’t mind cold nights, warm days and the forecast was predicting exactly what I wanted.  I arrived at my campsite and started setting up camp.  When I was all done... I put on my hiking shoes and a few seconds later it just started pouring.  

We will be having a beautiful spring thanks to all this moisture we are receiving now.

Tomorrow hikes, books, campfire.

Right now I will feast on chicken wings, sip some beer and watch the clouds.

All Is Done

Heading out tomorrow to the petroglyph place that I love so much.  Just a few days of privacy and quiet.  Hopefully I will run the van out of propane so I can take it down to Yuma for repairs.  I have a plan and the plan looks good.

More to come.

Rain Beautiful Rain

 I camped outside of Parker California and decided to spend an extra night because of the rain.  It was intermittent rain, very soaking, very healing.  I took the following pictures.

Oatman AZ

 Oatman is a great place to go and spend some time stepping back into history along with souvenir hunting. This mining ghost town has plenty of shops, eating establishments, and historic sites to see along with burros that you can buy food for and feed. There is still a working gold mine as you enter the town and many remnants of the days gone by.  

Saw the burros, tamed by tourists and then down the road I went...   

Laughlin NV and Bullhead City AZ

The windy city of Laughlin Nevada is home to several casinos.  Located on the might Colorado River it is also known for water recreation. 

It also has a few interesting panhandlers.  One of which I had the pleasure of meeting at Nevada Made Marijuana.   He wasn’t asking for money he was asking for flowers...  I had no idea what that was so I had to ask.  It was Weed, he was panhandling for weed.  That is a first for me.     He just wanted me to buy him some flowers.  Which makes me wonder why can’t he go in and buy his own. 

Laughlin also has 9 labyrinths! My favorite shape is definitely square because the center is big enough for 4 people to sit.  

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site Part Three