I went up Bell Pass today. It was a tough hike of approximately four miles with the last two miles being steeply vertical. The pass bridges the mountain range between the western and eastern aspects.
The Sonoran Plain has large dry river beds not unlike the NSW western plains. The largest of these is the Gila River which runs through the West Valley of Phoenix. It is a wide stretch of trees, shrubs, rocks and sand which presumably carries the water out of the city when the monsoons hit.*
Water occupies a central role in the desert city of Phoenix. The city is criss-crossed with canals and public spaces are dominated by either water fountains or water misters off the commercial buildings.
I played paintball up in the North East ranges. It was a group of guys that do it once a month for fun, and the purposes of doing it without the hassles of playing through a commercial operation.
One of the things I loved about Germany was its alt stadt or old town. Every large city you went to would have one of varying sizes, such as Munich's massive one, or Aachen's smaller one. It was great. They were paved and pedestrian friendly; had hotels on their perimeter, and contained plenty of pubs and restaurants inside them.
Phoenix has been overcast, cold and drizzly all day. It is very unseasonal. The photograph below is from my car heading north up the 101 and looking toward the McDowell Ranges.
Phoenix has city hikes which are large out crops of rock in the city and its surrounding suburbs. They are now public land and an entwined part of the culture to hike them. Camelback and Squaw Peak are the most vertical of the city hikes. They are tough.
Last weekend I went quadding up in the high plains desert of Arizona. The photo below is taken just above an old stage coach stop in the rolling hills of the high plains.
The high plains desert is a lot like the Australian scrub. There is very little water but an awful lot of vegetation that has adapted to the water sparse environment. About thirty metres to the left of where I took the picture was a natural spring. Which probably accounts for why it was a 19thC stage coach resting place. (more)
The high plains desert is a lot like the Australian scrub. There is very little water but an awful lot of vegetation that has adapted to the water sparse environment. About thirty metres to the left of where I took the picture was a natural spring. Which probably accounts for why it was a 19thC stage coach resting place. (more) With the commission money he earned from the Falling Water home in Pennsylvania Frank Lloyd Wright bought 500+ acres in Scottsdale, AZ. At the time Scottsdale was a little desert outpost with about two hundred residents, not the trendy fashion-laden suburb it is now. Wright used his land, Taliesin West, to develop ideas on Organic Architecture as well as establish an architectural school for many students. Plus it allowed him to avoid the bitter Wisconsin winters.
