Friday, December 5, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Thanksgiving in Phoenix
I had no idea there was so much to do in Phonix, AZ! Only a 7 hour drive from here, gorgeous 80+ degree weather at the end of November, and many more exciting things to do and see than we could possibly fit into our long weekend. I predict we will be going back the next time we have the chance.
We drove out on Thanksgiving day, knowing that meant no restaurants would be open so we brought lots of snacks. The drive is just beautiful, through desert and mountains. We ended up having a delicious dinner at our hotel in Scottsdale.
On Friday morning we went to the Desert Botanical Garden. What a great place! I never knew there were so many types of cactus, yucca, aloe, century plants, and desert wildflowers. The plants were well-labeled and nicely arranged. Stephen took so many great pictures that it's hard to choose a few. I think I'll do a separate post called "Plants that will creep Katie out." Watch for it.
The saguaro cactus are my favorite. Some are more than 20 feet tall, and most don't have that classic form you see in cartoons. The birds make holes in them to nest. I couldn't get enough of them!
After the gardens, we went to the Penske Racing Museum which is in the middle of a row of Roger Penske's luxury car dealerships. The museum was very well-done but I think we got a bigger kick out of walking around the used car lot. You can get a 12-year-old Ferrari for the rock bottom price of ninety thousand dollars. That is, if you can pass up the great deals on a Maserati, Bently, Lamborghini, Jaguar, etc.
As we were wandering around, I pointed at a Ferrari and asked why it had flat paint. Stephen said, "Because having a lot of money doesn't mean you have taste." A short time later I exclaimed, "Ooh, purple!" and pointed at a grape-colored Dodge Charger, proving that I have neither money nor taste.
This Corvette replica (on a modern Corvette chassis) pulled up and one of the sales reps came running out to greet the driver, who looked an awful lot like Roger Penske. Not sure, but...
On Saturday morning, Stephen had to do some work for work -- a rewrite on part of the grant he's been working on. So I took my book out by the pool. That wasn't too hard to take.
When he was finished we headed for the Musical Instrument Museum. Now THIS is a great place! There are videos everywhere, and you wear headphones that pick up the sound from whichever one you're standing near. Often the video features the very instrument you're looking at. There was a special World Drumming exhibit which was perfect for me, since I just took a class in world drumming last summer. One of the galleries is all interactive with instruments to play. I would have spent forever in that room figuring out all the scales, but there was much more to see and hear.
We had lunch at the Allegro Cafe in the museum. We could have easily spent 2 days in this museum. Stephen enjoyed it as much as I did, but he spent more time at the instrument building exhibits while I listened to lots of music. The upstairs galleries were organized by region, so all of North America was together. That alone absorbed me for at least an hour. I ended up breezing through most of the rest of the world at the end of our time because my brain was full!
We spent the remainder of the afternoon at the Martin car museum, which is a private collection. It was a very well-curated museum with informative signage and a couple of retired car guys as docents who were eager to answer questions or just shoot the breeze about cars, which Stephen happily did.
Stephen said this Deusenberg was "glorious."
After the car museum we were ready for dinner. We drove to the "old town" section of Scottsdale (really nothing in the Phoenix area is old -- it's a very modern city) and went to a funky little Mexican restaurant where we had a very nice meal.
On Sunday we got a fairly early start and took a different scenic route home. I hung out the window taking pictures of the spectacular scenery.
What a great trip!
We drove out on Thanksgiving day, knowing that meant no restaurants would be open so we brought lots of snacks. The drive is just beautiful, through desert and mountains. We ended up having a delicious dinner at our hotel in Scottsdale.
On Friday morning we went to the Desert Botanical Garden. What a great place! I never knew there were so many types of cactus, yucca, aloe, century plants, and desert wildflowers. The plants were well-labeled and nicely arranged. Stephen took so many great pictures that it's hard to choose a few. I think I'll do a separate post called "Plants that will creep Katie out." Watch for it.
After the gardens, we went to the Penske Racing Museum which is in the middle of a row of Roger Penske's luxury car dealerships. The museum was very well-done but I think we got a bigger kick out of walking around the used car lot. You can get a 12-year-old Ferrari for the rock bottom price of ninety thousand dollars. That is, if you can pass up the great deals on a Maserati, Bently, Lamborghini, Jaguar, etc.
As we were wandering around, I pointed at a Ferrari and asked why it had flat paint. Stephen said, "Because having a lot of money doesn't mean you have taste." A short time later I exclaimed, "Ooh, purple!" and pointed at a grape-colored Dodge Charger, proving that I have neither money nor taste.
This Corvette replica (on a modern Corvette chassis) pulled up and one of the sales reps came running out to greet the driver, who looked an awful lot like Roger Penske. Not sure, but...
On Saturday morning, Stephen had to do some work for work -- a rewrite on part of the grant he's been working on. So I took my book out by the pool. That wasn't too hard to take.
When he was finished we headed for the Musical Instrument Museum. Now THIS is a great place! There are videos everywhere, and you wear headphones that pick up the sound from whichever one you're standing near. Often the video features the very instrument you're looking at. There was a special World Drumming exhibit which was perfect for me, since I just took a class in world drumming last summer. One of the galleries is all interactive with instruments to play. I would have spent forever in that room figuring out all the scales, but there was much more to see and hear.
 |
| really big drum |
 |
| pentatonic |
 |
| diatonic |
 |
| preservation lab |
 |
| "player" trumpet |
 |
| Native American musics |
 |
| building a Steinway |
 |
| harmonicas |
 |
| building Martin guitars |
We spent the remainder of the afternoon at the Martin car museum, which is a private collection. It was a very well-curated museum with informative signage and a couple of retired car guys as docents who were eager to answer questions or just shoot the breeze about cars, which Stephen happily did.
Stephen said this Deusenberg was "glorious."
After the car museum we were ready for dinner. We drove to the "old town" section of Scottsdale (really nothing in the Phoenix area is old -- it's a very modern city) and went to a funky little Mexican restaurant where we had a very nice meal.
What a great trip!
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Mystery in the Open Space
A few weeks ago while hiking in the open space I noticed something light blue on the side of the mountain where nothing light blue should be. The next time I walked that way, I brought the binoculars, but could only determine that there was something light blue there and it sort of looked like metal. I brought Stephen out to show him, and he couldn't determine any more than I could. I couldn't see a path that would take me anywhere near the thing, and I don't like to go off-trail in shorts because my legs get all scratched up. But I just HAD to know what is there. So I waited until it was cold enough to wear jeans, a windbreaker, and gloves (for climbing) and for a time when Stephen was home in case I ran into a problem and needed to call him.
I set off after lunch, walking to where I could see the blue spot. I started to climb, and very soon lost sight of the spot, so I had to estimate where I had last seen it while picking through the rough terrain, moving left and right as I climbed to avoid huge rocks, cactus, slippery sandy spots and other impediments. It was steep, and I had to use my hands to help me climb. I was starting to wonder whether I would make it when I turned my head to the left and there it was!
I still can't fathom how a truck got here. Unlike the other old truck chassis I found in the open space, this one is nowhere near any of the off-road trails. It has no engine or transmission. Its presence is a complete mystery to me. Stephen looked at the photos and said it looks like a late 70's model, judging from the taillight area. But it has no drive line at all, no axles, no wheels. We looked on google earth, and there is no road along the ridge, so it didn't get pushed from above. I guess a group of strong guys could carry it if there was a path, but not over the terrain where it is. How I would love to know the whole story!
I was quite tired of going up by this time, so I decided to work my way down. I had to stop first and get all the prickly things out of my shoes. There were times when I needed to sit down and sort of slide on my butt so I wouldn't lose my footing, and a few small leaps to make. I had to duck under some branches, and crawl through a couple of openings. It was pretty fun! I did stop a few times to turn around and take pictures for context. The second picture below was taken looking down toward the highway.
I finally got to a road, or at least a trail where folks with four-wheelers had been trail riding. It curves to the left and turns downhill. The truck is about half way up the mountain behind it.
From the vantage point of the truck, I had seen this off-roading trail connect to a housing development between the open space and I-40, and I decided to walk that way, knowing I could call Stephen to come get me if I was tired by the time I got to the road. I came out in a new development with what must be million dollar houses. I walked down this paved road toward 333, which runs parallel to I-40.
Fairly soon, the road turned to dirt and the houses turned to trailers and cinder block shacks with chain link fences, "No Trespassing, Deadly Force" signs, and mean-looking dogs who barked at me. I walked past this awesome cemetery that I blogged about once before,
and down into a little valley by a stream that crossed the road among cottonwood trees.
Just past this church, I came out on 333 and called Stephen who came to pick me up.
I was out for less than 2 hours and I'm so excited that I found the blue spot! What a blast.
I set off after lunch, walking to where I could see the blue spot. I started to climb, and very soon lost sight of the spot, so I had to estimate where I had last seen it while picking through the rough terrain, moving left and right as I climbed to avoid huge rocks, cactus, slippery sandy spots and other impediments. It was steep, and I had to use my hands to help me climb. I was starting to wonder whether I would make it when I turned my head to the left and there it was!
I still can't fathom how a truck got here. Unlike the other old truck chassis I found in the open space, this one is nowhere near any of the off-road trails. It has no engine or transmission. Its presence is a complete mystery to me. Stephen looked at the photos and said it looks like a late 70's model, judging from the taillight area. But it has no drive line at all, no axles, no wheels. We looked on google earth, and there is no road along the ridge, so it didn't get pushed from above. I guess a group of strong guys could carry it if there was a path, but not over the terrain where it is. How I would love to know the whole story!
I was quite tired of going up by this time, so I decided to work my way down. I had to stop first and get all the prickly things out of my shoes. There were times when I needed to sit down and sort of slide on my butt so I wouldn't lose my footing, and a few small leaps to make. I had to duck under some branches, and crawl through a couple of openings. It was pretty fun! I did stop a few times to turn around and take pictures for context. The second picture below was taken looking down toward the highway.
I finally got to a road, or at least a trail where folks with four-wheelers had been trail riding. It curves to the left and turns downhill. The truck is about half way up the mountain behind it.
From the vantage point of the truck, I had seen this off-roading trail connect to a housing development between the open space and I-40, and I decided to walk that way, knowing I could call Stephen to come get me if I was tired by the time I got to the road. I came out in a new development with what must be million dollar houses. I walked down this paved road toward 333, which runs parallel to I-40.
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