The Lost Dutchman Park & Canyon Lake

Apache Junction, AZ 

Lost Dutchman SP

 

I have been to many parts of Arizona over the years since Steve's father lives in Surprise and our friends, Doug & Dotty live not too far and they have taken us around the state over the last couple of years.

 

I have been looking forward to the Apache Junction area and hiking in the Superstition Mountains. As we came up from the Benson area it was a beautiful site to see these peaks jutting up from the desert floor.

Entrance to the park.

The desert was still in beautiful bloom.  So green.  The park was quite full when we arrived.  There are some really great sites.  The view of the mountains are right out your door.

 

 The setting sun is reflecting on the rear of our rig.

These folks had spectacular sites across from us.  A direct view, no one between them and the peaks.

A typical back in site.  The sites are typically very long.  Large RVs would fit here easily.

Time for a little walking around.  My hike later in the week to Flat Iron is described as strenuous and I need to adjust to the altitude again.  I'm used to high altitude hiking as I regularly hiked in the Sierra Nevada's where we lived before heading out fulltime, but it's been many months on the road and we've been mostly following the coast, so I need more altitude hikes. (more on the hike on the next post).

 

The Saguaro cactus grows only in the Sonoran desert in Arizona, Mexico and Southern California.  They can get up to 50ft tall and can live up to 200 years.

 

When they begin to die you can see the ribs inside.  They are used to build homes, furniture and other uses.

 

 

 

There were a lot of blooming flowers and trees everywhere.

This wolf sundial was an Eagle Scout project.

 Some of my favorites!

 

You can see some homes near the campground in the distance.

 

We had some great neighbors, Gary & Rene.  They are a flight attendant and pilot for Delta Airlines and split their time in Colorado and Arizona.  They were fun to hang with and we shared a couple campfires and a dinner trip to Goldfield Mine.  Gary had me all pumped for my hike to Flat Iron as he had just done it that day.

Restaurant at Goldfield Mine.

And with the high temps that have come out, so have the rattlesnakes.  This one was across from our campsite.  The camp hosts were out immediately to relocate it.  They say they are starting to see them each day in the campground now.

 

We were happy to hear about the nearby Canyon Lake from Gary and Rene.  So off we went to cool down and do some paddling.  We didn't think we'd be doing any kayaking until we got back to California in May, so this was a surprise treat.

I had a hard time capturing the nice colors in the bright sun.

Look at that lake in the middle of the desert.

You can get a ride on the Dolly Steamboat and check out the lake.

We put it near the marina and then parked along the road.  Our goal was to paddle along the west side of the lake to the river inlet.  No one was here but us.  The tall walls were very deceiving and winded back quite a bit allowing us to discover beautiful views, chirping birds and some very acrobatic chipmunks running up and down the steep walls.

 

 

The sun was going down and it made for the most stunning reflections! 

 

This passage just got more and more narrow...

With beautiful colors...

Until we couldn't get paddle any further!  Time to head back.

Someone else trying to catch all the fish we could see just below the surface.

Full moon coming up.

 Nice colors reflecting on the lake.

 

 

 

Next up, hiking to Flat Iron!

(the middle peak with the think white line through it)

Photo Challenge - Day 2

About the challenge:

I was invited by Jim of exploRVistas, to take part in a five day black and white photo challenge.
 

 

Day 2
This was taken in Yellowstone at a long sequence of fumaroles.  We were about the only ones out.

As part of the challenge I am to nominate a fellow blogger each of the five days to join in and take part. So today I nominate Curt & Glenda of Camp Lowry.  We are part of the Class of 2014 Grads and have met up with them on the road during our first year of travels which has been fun.  We recently spent a couple of days in Mexico together.  They are on their way from Arizona where they've spent a few months, back to Illinois to visit family.
 

The only rules of the challenge are:

1. On five consecutive days, create a post using a recent or past photograph in black and white.

2. Invite another blogging friend each day to join in the challenge.

I hope you enjoy my photos, and hopefully Curt will accept the challenge!

Photo Challenge - Day One

 

About the challenge:

I was invited by Jim of exploRVistas, to take part in a five day black and white photo challenge.

 

This photo was taken at the jail in the Gleeson Ghost Town off Hwy181.  Gleeson was an old mining town in 1870.  The town jail wasn't built until after the turn of the century. Before the jail was constructed, prisoners were chained up to the "jail tree", a large oak located in a nearby wash with a metal cable wrapped around it. The prisoner's right hand would be attached to the cable and he would remain there for however long, rain or shine. When it rained, water would fill up the wash and "clean out the jail." 

As part of the challenge I am to nominate a fellow blogger each of the five days to join in and take part. So today I nominate Jim & Barb from  Jim & Barbs RV Adventure.  Jim, Barb & Daisy have been on the road fulltime just over a year now and have pretty much circumvented the US.  They start a really interesting workcamping job soon. 

The only rules of the challenge are:

1. On five consecutive days, create a post using a recent or past photograph in black and white.

2. Invite another blogging friend each day to join in the challenge.

I hope you enjoy my photos, and hopefully Jim will accept the challange!

Sanhill Cranes and Ghost Towns

McNeal, AZ

Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area

 

 

 

  
   
We were excited to do some boondocking here after reading a couple of other bloggers visits.  The Sandhill Cranes, among other birds, migrate here from mid October to mid March.  We were there at the end of March and unfortunately the last couple weeks of above average heat prompted the last of them to migrate further north.  So instead of 20,000 Sandhill Cranes we saw only a handful. 

There is space for about 5 rigs for overnight camping.  This is a free area with a bathroom and garbage facilities.  Not much privacy, but you're here for the waterfowl.

The sunsets were incredible!

Since the weather was in the 90s and there are no hookups to run the A/C, we took off for some road trips during the days we were there.  Mostly we wanted to check out some of the local ghost towns.  Or what's left of them.  Most only had a couple of buildings.  We first stopped in at Gleeson to see the restored jail.  All of these towns are on dirt roads and wind through the desert.

We were lucky to arrive at the old Gleeson Jail just as a jeep with a guide drove up.  Usually the jail is locked, but the guide unlocked it and gave us a nice tour.

 

 

An interesting story the guide told us was that before the jail was built they would tie up the perpetrators to a cable around a nearby oak tree that was in a wash and leave them there.  He said eventually the heavy rains would drown them.  He told us where the oak tree was and that the old cable can still be seen. 

 

The cable is still there and now the tree has grown around the cable.

It is amazing how many people live way out here in what seems like the middle of no where.

This used to be a school in Gleeson.

     

More old jails and buildings in the ghost towns of Cortland and Pearce. Below shows a sidewalk of what is the only thing left of a town that had a few businesses at one time.

 

We also did some geocaching in the area.  We took a drive that took us out of the dry desert and into a small, lush area near a river.  We were on the hunt for Jonny Ringo's grave.  It was on private property, but the owner does let you through a gated area to be able to see the grave.  It's on a very nice spot right next to the river.

 

Ringo was connected with or had dealings with Jesse James, the Younger Brothers, Doc Holiday and the Earps.  He supposedly killed himself in the crook of the tree you see fallen in the picture below.

 

We also found another cache along a road with an interesting marker.  While it was an easy hide, it took a bit to find as it was camouflaged quite well.

 

 

 Back at the refuge, we were able to get a picture of the great horned owls that were nesting nearby. 

 

One last sunset before we leave.  You can see some Sandhill Cranes if closely.