Miss Daisy Drives Nervous Linda Lou To South Mountain Summit

Today Miss Daisy directed Linda Lou, Big Ed and me to South Mountain in south Phoenix.

The drive to the summit is adventurous, lots of tight curves and ups and downs.

Miss Linda Lou requested the vehicle be navigated near the center of the road, away from the drop off cliff, whenever possible.

Which was not often.

Miss Daisy estimated it to be about a four mile climb to reach the summit and lookout point that looks out from the north side of South Mountain for a panoramic view of a large part of the Phoenix metro zone.

At the aforementioned summit, at the marker device which points to the landmarks which one can look at, Linda Lou made the acquaintance of Coco, originally from Calgary, Alberta.

That is downtown Phoenix you see over Linda Lou's left shoulder.

Slightly northwest from the marker device Linda Lou photo documented Big Ed conducting an architectural engineering seminar explaining to those willing to listen the fascinating way the rock structure used a compression arch made of stone to support the roof of the structure. The seminar was well attended and Big Ed was pleased to be asked so many probing rock arch questions.

And here you sort of see one of those rock arches, looking out a window at one of the many peaks of South Mountain.

Tomorrow Miss Daisy is directing us north on the Apache Trail to Tortilla Flats where we hope to have lunch...

Trouble Finding Linda Lou In Phoenix With Miss Daisy

Big Ed & Linda Lou

This is guest blogger Linda Lou here, apparently also known as Nurse Canecracker.

I arrived in Phoenix on time, but was out of the airport much sooner than I thought I would be.

I called the person I was expecting to pick me up, Mr. Durango, and learned he had not yet made it to the location where he was to pick up his brother for guidance to the airport.

About a half hour later I heard my name shouted and looked to the source to see Mr. Durango walking towards me. Soon thereafter I saw Big Ed who took over the carrying of my extensive luggage collection.

I was soon saying hello to Miss Daisy and Durango's brother Jake. I had not seen Miss Daisy in years, but had visited brother Jake in August of 2017.

Brother Jake then guided Mr. Durango out of the airport to take the scenic route back to his home location.

A few minutes later I found myself looking at the hiking trail which leads to the top of Camelback Mountain. I do not think I will make this hike.

The oddest thing I saw today was a giant vending machine that dispensed cars. I saw this soon after we left Jake behind.

The car vending machine was seen after we drove all around Old Town Scottsdale. I hope we get to go back and explore around that old town.

Eventually the driver, Mr. Durango, got on a freeway on which we zipped along at high speed. Before I could get any sense of bearings we were in Sun Lakes at Casa Miss Daisy. We dropped off Miss Daisy and then about a mile later I was at my home location for the next three days where I chose to boot Big Ed from his private bedroom and send him to the sofa bed in the TV room....

Driving Miss Daisy To Mesa's Riverview Park For Zip Line Fishing Rope Climbs

Every day, the always wanting to please Miss Daisy asks, multiple times a day, if there is anything you would like to see or do here that you have not yet seen or done?

Usually every time Miss Daisy asks such I answer no.

Miss Daisy has been multiple times asking Big Ed her favorite question. I had warned him this would happen. Big Ed has several answers he repeats in rotation.

Such as I would like to ride the Metro light rail. And that open beer hall in Gilbert looks fun. And Saturday night in downtown Scottsdale.

Miss Daisy rejects Big Ed's suggestions, which then has me asking Miss Daisy why she keeps asking Big Ed if there is anything he wants to see or do if you are gonna say no to everything he wants to see or do?

So, today I told Big Ed to say he has long wanted to see Riverview Park, in Mesa, located by the Chicago Cubs Cactus League version of Wrigley Field on Dobson Road, and then drive the Rio Salado into Tempe.

Today Miss Daisy went along with that which Big Ed asked. Which soon had Big Ed rolling Miss Daisy on her new wheels.

Riverview Park is the most elaborate, over the top kid's playground type park I have ever seen. Zip lines, climbing rope contraptions on steroids, a big water plaza with fountains to get the kids wet, slides built into the side of hills. And other stuff I have forgotten and should have photo documented.

Oh, and a big fishing lake, which is what Big Ed is rolling Miss Daisy across at the top.

The above contraption looked fun. And a bit difficult. I was not able to look long enough to figure it, due to the fact that Miss Daisy insists on needing to keep moving.

Rolling towards the above climbing rope playground attraction I did not see how this could be safe. A closer look showed a thickly padded landing zone should one fall. Still, looks scary.

I want to be in the Phoenix zone when David, Theo and Ruby are here so I can go play at this park with them. Spencer Jack may be getting a bit too old and sophisticated for this type playing.

Leaving Riverview Park we drove Rio Salado til a wreck detoured us, eventually through the heart of downtown Tempe, back to Rio Salado where a left turn onto that road showed a giant Octoberfest in full swing. And so I was not able to park where I wanted to park so as to have Big Ed roll Miss Daisy across the long, impressive pedestrian bridge which crosses Tempe Town Lake.

I see all this incredibly cool development along a manmade waterway and wonder if seeing this type thing is what inspired some Fort Worth lamebrains to deludedly think they could work a similar miracle with the polluted Trinity River and the eyesore industrial wasteland through which that river flows.

Leaving the downtown Tempe zone we ended up in Papago Park with me unable to find the Hole in the Rock parking lot. I did find the Hole in the Rock though.

As we were driving, Spencer Jack and Hank Frank's Grandpa Jake texted me that a batch of pickled asparagus was waiting for me if I wanted to drive by. I texted we were in the neighborhood, and so with some slight directional difficulty we arrived at that destination.

Miss Daisy refused to get out of the car.

Have I mentioned before that Miss Daisy can be a bit difficult? And exhausting....

Another Anonymous Interesting Trinity River Vision Development

Last night an incoming email arrived which caused me to digitally connect from Arizona to the DFW zone to ask a question or two.

The email...

Please do not reveal me as source of this information.

Another "interesting" development at the TRV...

_________

I checked out the information and learned someone is getting married.

Getting married?

 That happens all the time. What is interesting about these particular nuptials?

Well. I think I may have some ideas.

Years ago, soon after bizarre signs began appearing on what is now known as "Panther Island", where there is no island, and never will be an island, with those signs touting "Trinity River Vision Underway", I heard from someone calling herself "Deep Moat" who also did not want her real name revealed.

Deep Moat was upset regarding things she was learning about that which was then known as the Trinity River Vision. Things like all the perks TRV employees were getting, like new iPads and iPhones, a well supplied liquor cabinet in TRV headquarters, company cars. I forget what else, due to the fact that that which has become America's Biggest Boondoggle has been limping along for so many years I have difficulty remembering it all.

But, I do remember the number one thing Deep Moat was upset about was the relationship which had developed between J.D. Granger, married with children, and a Trinity River Vision employee. At the time I did not know the name of the employee with whom Granger was philandering.

Deep Moat preferred to keep that secret, way back then.

I remember one of the things about the relationship between J.D. and his girl friend, which troubled Deep Moat, was that the two had gone on a fact finding junket together, just the two of them, ostensibly on TRV business which somehow necessitated staying over night in an expensive downtown Dallas hotel.

At TRV expense.

Deep Moat also thought all the travel junkets which J.D. was taking with groups of fellow TRV employees, including his girl friend, to various locations, supposedly to check out how those locations managed to manage successful water based developments, was a waste of public funds, which to Deep Moat's thinking were financing a frat boy's dream world.

I doubt any of those junkets ever included going to a city which had created a make believe island which necessitated building bridges over dry land to connect to that imaginary island. There are not many towns in America where the public would tolerate nonsense of that sort.

So, as the years went by, and the Trinity River Vision morphed into America's Biggest Boondoggle, J.D. Granger divorced his wife. And came out in the open with his relationship with his employee.

Shanna Cate.

And now they are getting married.

On an island in Mexico.

The Trinity River Vision was originally touted as a much needed flood control project and economic development scheme.

A flood control project where there has been no flooding for well over a half century. Unlike other areas of Fort Worth, which have flooded repeatedly, with deadly results.

And if that economic development was so vitally needed, why has the project limped along most of this century, under funded, seeking federal handouts?

While TRV employees, such as J.D. Granger are well paid. With J.D. currently making around $200K a year, plus perks and benefits. J.D.'s fiance, Shanna, is also well paid.

The pair has done well, economically, with the TRV economic development scheme.

Had J.D.'s mother, Congresswoman, Kay Granger, not nepotistically gotten this job for her son, for which he had ZERO qualifications, J.D. would likely still be a low level prosecutor, making far less than $200K a year.

And not able to afford an elaborate expensive wedding on an island in Mexico.

Reading the details of J.D. and Shanna's upcoming wedding via the website link anonymously sent it appears that with the contact info anyone can call or email and book one of the rooms J.D.'s wedding team has secured at this Mexican island resort. There is also info about making travel arrangements.

I hazard to guess that among the wedding guests will be the many others who have actually benefited from the Trinity River Vision economic development scheme.

Such as whoever has made a small fortune making copious amounts of ridiculous signage. 

Such as whoever has made a small fortune publishing the copious amounts of ridiculous printed publications.

Such as whoever has made a small fortune making America's Biggest Boondoggle's ridiculous websites.

Such as whoever has made a small fortune spewing the TRV's publicity propaganda.

Such as whoever pockets the money it costs the TRV to occupy the ground floor of the Star-Telegram building.

Such as whoever made a million bucks making that ridiculous homage to an aluminum trash can which sits in the center of the Boondoggle's unfinished roundabout traffic circle eyesore.

Anyway, it does my bitter heart good to see someone benefiting in such a hubris laden way from the failed economic scheme known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, and that those generous voters voted on May 5 to give the TRV another quarter billion bucks.

Maybe J.D. and Shanna can get another pay raise as a wedding present from the good people of Fort Worth...

Winning Many Penny At Ak-Chin Casino Before Penny's Maricopa McDonald's

What you are seeing here is my current computer room in my current abode.

We have been in Arizona since Monday, but only last night did Miss Daisy learn of our arrival.

Mom called in mid afternoon, yesterday. I did not answer. A few hours later I called mom and told her we'd made it to Arizona. Mom asked where we were in Arizona. I said I was not sure, but we might not make it to Sun Lakes for a few hours. I told mom I'd told Big Ed that I was sure there would be ice cream. Mom confirmed one of her freezers had lots of ice cream.

About the time mom confirmed the ice cream supply she said a car had driven into her driveway, and that she thought it was my sister. I told mom I'd hang up so she could go open her door. Mom said no, hang on. Mom then opened the door to see me standing there with the phone. A few seconds later mom realized she'd been tricked. And that my sister was not there.

About a half hour later I found myself deep into the first incident of driving Miss Daisy. To Wendy's to get something called Four for Four. After a lot of confusion at the drive-thru I drove away with three bags of Four for Four.

Trust me on this. You do not want to have yourself a Wendy's Four for Four. I do not know why mom has developed this unseemly affection for fast food of the Wendy's Four for Four type.

And then today I had my second driving Miss Daisy experience. This time with Sister Jackie, Big Ed and Spencer Jack and Hank Frank's Grandpa Jake along. Prior to leaving mom's abode Big Ed and I put together mom's new chair transport device.

The destination today was Maricopa. First to the Ak-Chin Casino were I once again won big whilst not having a clue what I was doing. The casino experience started with my brother insisting Big Ed and I get something called something like a Player's Card, because this would give you some sort of great deal.

I got us parked on level five of the casino parking garage, then got out Miss Daisy's new wheels to elevate to the ground floor. Eventually we made it to the location  where one gets their Player's Card. I handed the Player's Card purveyor my driver's license. A couple minutes later she said I could not get a new card because I already had one.

Huh? I have never ever had any sort of casino rewards card. Ever.

And the computer data said I had acquired this card in 1996 at a Harrah's casino in Laughlin, Nevada. I have never been to Laughlin. In 1996 I did go to Las Vegas, over Thanksgiving. I told the lady that and she suggested I may have taken the short drive south to Laughlin and that I just did not remember doing so. I asked her what address the computer data said was mine. She then read off my Mount Vernon address.

Why and how would anyone get my driver's license info and use it to get a casino rewards card? Extremely perplexing. And sort of aggravating.

Somehow Big Ed was successfully able to get one of those apparently precious Player's Cards. Sister Jackie then led us to the location of the slot machines on which I had previously won big. First Sister Jackie inserted her first husband's card into the machine. I then proceeded to more than double the amount on that card, before I cashed it out. Then Sister Jackie walked me through inserting Big Ed's card. That was more complicated due to another piece of paper needing to be loaded into another slot which somehow added ten bucks to the Big Ed Player's Card account,

I then proceeded to push the play button. This was a penny slot machine. But the lowest bet was fifty pennies. Have I already mentioned I do not understand, even remotely, these new style slot machines? Time and again I was winning pennies, in copious amounts. And then I accidentally hit the 100 pennies button to the momentary horror of Sister Jackie and Grandpa Jake. But that horror soon abated because that spin turned into a ten spin automatic bonus round where I once again accrued a small fortune in pennies.

Eventually I decided I had enough pennies so I rolled Miss Daisy to the machine in which one inserts their redemption vouchers.

As we began our exit Sister Jackie decided we might like something from the bar. So, we all ended up with very spicy Bloody Mary's. Tasty. Don't worry, mom's had no vodka in it. Nor did mine.

Leaving the casino Miss Daisy directed me to drive to Penny's Maricopa McDonald's, which seemed appropriate, what with me having won all those pennies.

I think it is fair to say that, compared to Wendy's, McDonald's is gourmet fare. I only had a fish sandwich, double cheeseburger, buttermilk chicken sandwich, fries, spicy BBQ chicken strips and Coke. But Big Ed amazed all, including Penny, with the volume he consumed. He had everything I had, plus starting off with a vanilla ice cream cone, then when all the others, but I, went into ordering dessert mode, Big Ed had another cone, plus a chocolate chip frappe and a couple chocolate chip cookies.

When I delivered Miss Daisy back to her abode, and Sister Jackie and Grandpa Jake had left, Miss Daisy asked, "So, what are we gonna do this afternoon?" I told Miss Daisy it was already afternoon.

This is going to be an exhausting month....

New Suquamish Ferry Floating Sounder Rail Riding With Spencer Jack

Incoming email with photo documentation this morning from my Favorite Nephew Jason....

FUD-

Spencer took me down to Mulkiteo to ride a brand new ferry boat, the MV Suquamish.  Still smelled like fresh paint. 

After a ferry boat ride to Clinton and back, we enjoyed Ivar’s Clam Chowder, then FNSJ caught the Sounder Commuter Train up to the Everett Station.

His light rail solo ride took him only 8 minutes.

Thus he had to wait an additional 10 minutes for me to pick him up for our journey home.

Thought you would enjoy the photos.

-FNJ

_________________

Seems like only yesterday, shortly before moving to Texas, that Spencer Jack's dad, also known as my Favorite Nephew Jason, or FNJ, took me north to Canada where we boarded the Skytrain at the then most southern boarding point. We rode the Skytrain to the Canada Place Station, or whatever the cruise ship looking building which was built for Expo 86 is called, to board the Sea Bus to float across the bay to North Vancouver.

It must be some sort of genetic disposition us Jones boys share to like public transportation of the train sort.

The email information did not make clear if the below photo was taken before Spencer Jack solo boarded the Sounder train, or after he got off the train in Everett.

If FNSJ and FNJ were to come to Arizona right now we could ride the Valley Metro Rail. But no ferry boats...

Superior Apache Tear Copper Mining With Grandpa Jake

This morning, after swimming with some of the Sun Lakes Lady League swimmers, Big Ed and I drove north to Scottsdale to Casa Jake's for a lunch buffet of ham soup, fried chicken, buttery whole grain bread and strawberries.

After lunch Spencer Jack and Hank Frank's grandpa suggested seeing some superior scenery by driving to Superior, where SJ and HF's grandpa wanted to visit the World's Smallest Museum to see if there was any validity to that museum's claim to have on display the world's biggest Apache Tear.

We got to Superior to soon discover the World's Smallest Museum was closed. Jake was determined to see the supposed world's biggest Apache Tear, so we opted to visually break in to the museum via looking through a window.

Looking through the World's Smallest Museum's window Jake was able to see the Apache Tear display and was able to determine that the World's Smallest Museum's Apache Tear was bigger than Jake's biggest Apache Tear.

After the museum visit our driver pointed the under powered Honda to a hilly mountain road, with a HUGE copper mine operation our destination goal. We got to the copper mine to find the access to the copper mine scenic overlook was closed.

Even so we were able to see a lot of the HUGE mining pit and the giant piles of earth which had been removed from that pit. We explored a couple of company towns which we assumed were occupied by those who work in the various copper operations.

I have seen copper pit mining type operations before. One near Ely, Nevada comes to mind. It was also HUGE, with big trucks making their way up and down the pit. Because we could not get to the overlook today we were not able to look into today's pit to see the giant trucks. I remember mining pits in Bisbee, which is also in Arizona. And one in Lead, South Dakota.

But this mining operation today was the biggest I have ever eye witnessed.

We are planning on returning to the Superior area to hike to some caves where we get to dig for Apache Tears, hoping to find one bigger than the world's biggest, currently in the World's Smallest Museum...

Show Low Snow Switchbacking Salt River Canyon To Home In Arizona

Well. We made it to our destination. The roadtrip to that destination was far more adventurous than anticipated.

As in driving through some of the most torrential rain in memory.

And then, soon upon reaching Arizona, nearing the mountain town of Show Low.

Snow.

Snow was something I did not anticipate. Hence totally underdressed. And cold during the multiple vehicle exits.

Being cold soon abated as the elevation dropped the closer we got to the Valley of the Sun. Where for the first time since leaving Texas we saw the sun.

The biggest surprise of this roadtrip happened soon upon leaving Show Low, via Highway 60. I knew via the map that this was considered to be a scenic route. I had assumed it would be the Painted Desert type of scenic.

Again I was wrong. Instead it was the Grand Canyon type of Arizona scenic.

A few miles west of Show Low we saw we were following along a canyon. At that point the canyon did not seem too deep or big. That soon changed. A road sign advised scenic overlook ahead, so I stopped to look over the overlook. That is the view you see at the top. This was to be the first of many scenic overlooks.

Several miles later a series of long switchbacks took us to a bridge across what I then learned was Salt River Canyon. Or, what I later learned my sister referred to as Grand Canyon-lite.

That bottom of Salt River Canyon location had a rest area on steroids visitor center. I decided this was a good location for a crackers and cheese break. Til I stepped outside and decided it was too cold to sit at a picnic table.

From the rest area I look down from the over look to see what you see below.

A group at the edge of the Salt River. After a walk across the old highway bridge which had been turned into a pedestrian bridge I decided to go down the stairs you see below to join the group above for a closer look at the river.

It had been years since I had had the opportunity to run up and down stairs such as those above. Wait. Just remembered I ran up stairs summer of 2017 when I was in Arizona, in downtown Phoenix. Arizona has a lot more vertical opportunities than mostly horizontal Texas.

Above I am at the Salt River Canyon bottom, and those are those people we saw from the overlook, posing for photos. They were taking a lot of photos. Above them, on the canyon wall, that brown streak slicing diagonal is the road we had been rolling on a few minutes prior. The route from the canyon bottom up the other side looked real treacherous with multiple switchbacks.

When I was on the pedestrian bridge a guy asked me to take a photo of him and his family. I told the guy that this canyon was a total surprise to me, that I wondered why I had never heard of it. Told him it was far more impressive to me than the famous Million Dollar Highway one drives when heading north from Silverton, Colorado. Or the Highway to the Sun in Glacier National Park.

The only road I recollect driving on which was more adventurous than this Salt River Canyon drive is the Moki Dugway in Utah.

The Moki Dugway is a relatively short one way, unpaved descent. The Salt River Canyon descent and ascent was many miles long.

Above is a look from the Salt River Canyon bottom up at those aforementioned bridges. The closest one is the old bridge turned to pedestrian bridge.

Both bridges were built over water. And I suspect the construction took way less than four years. People in Fort Worth know to what I refer.

I am sort of in recovery mode now that I am settled in my new abode. Figuring out how to operate the kitchen last night was a different type of adventure from treacherous driving.

I have no clue what we are doing today. Might go see Spencer Jack and Hank F's grandpa, also known as my little brother...

Flash Flooding Lightning Striking Windy Ride To Socorro New Mexico

The morning did not start well. Somehow on Saturday I developed the delusion that the end of Daylight Savings Time was to happen today..

And so Saturday I set all my clocks back an hour.

This morning I found out I was wrong when my phone and computer reported what I thought at the time was the wrong time.

This delusion resulted in getting out of town an hour later than I had planned.

Hours of thunder booming during the night made for a tired morning. I did not look forward to a long drive.

And then, just a few miles in, on Highway 287, past Iowa Park, before the Vernon exit on to 60 a flash flood covered the road. I did not realize this had happened til a truck ahead of me hit the water, causing a giant plume. I slammed the brakes, and then slowly made it though the water. A car had flown off the road heading the other direction, landing sideways in the flood. I hope no one was hurt.

Rain poured down, super heavy at times, all the way to New Mexico. Only a few miles were relatively dry. And then, deep into New Mexico, prior to Mountainair, on 60, all hell broke loose. Lightning was striking, thunder booming. I followed a big truck leading a caravan of fellow travelers traveling at a snail pace.

Eventually, about the time we reached scenic Mountainair, the clouds lifted, making for a dry descent into the Rio Grande Valley, where the Rio Grande was a tiny trickle when we crossed it.

Getting on I-25 and heading south was a relief, particularly after stopping at the cool rest area you see above. I have seen some interesting rest areas, in various resting places. This one is easily in the Top Ten.

That is Big Ed you see walking the boardwalk in the aforementioned rest area. Today was the first time Big Ed has seen a mountain since 2002.

Tomorrow we should arrive by mid afternoon in the Chandler/Sun Lakes zone of Arizona. I am hoping for sunshine and no flooding issues....

Final Wichita Falls Bike Ride Before Arizona Mountain Climbing

On this first Saturday of the 2018 version of October the outer world at my current location is a bit dark and cloudy.

With about an hour to go before noon I opted to exit my abode so as to roll my bike wheels one more time before exiting Texas tomorrow.

In the photo documentation we are on the Circle Trail looking south over my handlebars.

Rain and thunderstorms are in today's forecast. So far I have felt no drippage, nor heard any booms.

Last night I came to my final decision as to the route for the roadtrip to Arizona. A short distance on 287 to 70, then 60 all the way to the Phoenix zone.

When I was younger I greatly enjoyed long roadtrips. Thousands of miles never vexed me. I remember the first time I saw Texas was part of a month long multi-thousand mile roadtrip. That was the summer the whole world was worried regarding who shot J.R. I did not visit Southfork at that point in time.

Now that I am semi-elderly I am not as fond of the roadtrip concept. I am sort of looking forward to doing some actual mountain type hiking in Arizona. Maybe Camelback Mountain. Maybe Piestewa Peak. Maybe South Mountain.

Or it may be too HOT with a lot of pool time being more appealing than mountain hiking.

Nurse Canecracker, aka Lil' Miss Linda, will be arriving on the 16th.

We ordered a new transport chair for my mom. Nurse Canecracker is not yet fully recovered from getting badly injured from an encounter with a car on the streets of Mount Vernon. Big Ed may come in handy if Nurse Canecracker wants to avail herself of using one of the transport chairs.

If I remember right the trail up Piestewa Peak is paved. Maybe we will be able to push both mom and Nurse Canecracker to the Piestewa Peak summit....