Our Lives

Okay, so I got the slideshow done!  This part of the trip was from Goldfield to the first of three lakes, Canyon Lake.  I only show the first photo of Canyon Lake, the rest will be in the next slideshow.

This part of the trip (as was most of it) rainy and overcast.  The colors didn’t come out nearly as spectacular as reality.  The canyons along this drive are quite rugged and majestic.  The entire area (Superstition Mountains) is one big volcanic bowl.  Most of the rock formations were actually strewn from eruptions.  Many of them are from molten lava that cooled.  As you look at the images in this slideshow and the others that are yet to come, you will be able to tell the difference.  It’s pretty neat.

So, I think I am going to upgrade to Windows xp.  We’re still running on 2000 and I can’t do the things I want with it because most of the software upgrades aren’t compatible with 2000.  I will have to back everything up before I install the upgrade, so that will take some time too.  It will be worth the effort!

My photo editing software has a new upgrade that will allow me to make changes such as resizing to an entire folder of photos.  That would save me so much time.  I still haven’t gotten to the photos from our Apache Trail trip because it is so tedious to resize and fix photos one at a time.  I will get to it though in the next couple of days.

Right now, I am in the middle of painting our guest bathroom, but when I’m done, I will take care of it.  So keep an eye out!

I have added the pictures for the town of Goldfield to the Photo page!  Check it out!

At the end of the Apache Trail, you are at the Roosevelt Dam and Roosevelt Lake.  This was a pretty amazing dam.  It was built from 1903 to 1911 and is the largest masonary dam in the world.  It was built from stone cut from the surrounding mountains.  Even the two buildings that were constructed were cut from that stone.  Apache laborers and Italian masons were brought in to build the dam, and cut the stone.

The dam was raised 75′ later, (I think I read in the 80’s) and concrete was used.  The concrete was poured in front of the original dam.  The photo shows the backside where you can still see part of the original dam. 

There is a serious of three dams along this portion of the Salt River.  When the first one was buit (at Canyon Lake) it would take 3 days for the workers/materials to get there.  That was when the Apache Trail was formed into more of a cut out road, than the original trail, which was literally the Apache’s trail.  Pretty interesting.  I am amazed at the history of this area.  The more I learn, the more fasinated I am.

We had a great two day trip!  I say it all the time, sorry, but HOW BEAUTIFUL!  We were on trechorous roads, but the scenery was amazing.  I always think about the early pioneers and explorers when I see this type of terrain.  It is rugged, but so beautiful.  Every turn and switchback revealed another breathtaking landscape.  How did the early settlers do it?  How did they get across the mountains to settle in the west?

I can’t wait to put together my photo journal for this trip.  I took a lot of pictures, and it will take me some time to get them resized and fixed for a proper testiment to this trip.

We started out at the recreated town of Goldfield.  It was an old mining town just outside of Apache Junction.  Very authentic.  Many antiques and replica buildings that they did a fantastic job of making look antique.  Definetly a tourist thing, but really neat.  I found a little shop that I purchased 3 live air plants and a piece of wood to attach them to.  Looks great!  Just have to mist it a couple of times a day (or once is even fine, but it looks great when just misted).  One of the plants is just about ready to open a flower!

So back to the apache trail.  Not much more to say except you MUST see the photos.  I should have them up by Monday.  In the meantime, take a look at this tarantula we saw on the road.  It was so big, that we saw it on the road, stopped and got out to take this photo.  That’s the tip of Jays finger, I was trying to get something to give you perspective of the size of this spider.  He wouldn’t get any closer.  It was as big as my hand, so about 6-7 inches long.  We later found out that Jay could have picked it up, they aren’t poisonous. 

Too cool!  I love the desert!

Well, I took that real age test and it said my real age is 50.  Not too bad.  It said if I took vitamins it would decrease my real age.

Let me tell you.  My real age today is 90.  I have been working on Christmas presents, and one of the things I am giving takes a TON of handwriting.  My hand and forearm hurts so bad tonight it’s unbelievable.  I can’t make a fist, my fingers won’t bend that way.  Bizzare.  Not to mention the fact that you can barely read what I wrote!

On another note, I have a dentist appointment tomorrow.  The purpose was to remove my bridge to see what is going on with the teeth underneath.  I dreaded them having to remove it because it wasn’t loose or anything.  They suggested (after they saw the sheer panic and fear on my face) that I eat a Nips candy and see if I could get it to pop off myself. 

It worked, one chew and it came off!  Hurray!  First time in my life I ever had a dentist prescribe candy!  : )