Arizona Archives

Director of IT

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm working again. I'll have more photos up as soon as time permits, but at the moment I'm a bit swamped with the new position. Week three is coming to an end and I'm fairly certain I'll see some of the reasons we all take jobs in the first place coming my way tomorrow.

West from Yavapai Point

Superstition Mountains

The Superstition, Goldfield, and Usery Mountains are now my backyard. I've been out taking some photos already but the Canon 5D seems to have some problems in high temps with really bad artifacts in the final photo output. That has led to a dearth of photo posts even though these mountains present such a beautiful pose for photos.

Two mornings ago I decided to try and change that by leaving early in the morning instead of trying to get the afternoon/evening shots. This led to a good, but not great bit of photo shooting on the Lost Dutchman State Park's Treasure Loop (Trail 56). Unfortunately, bad planning on my part led to a later than perfect arrival time in the mountains. Nevertheless, the photos still turned out okay.

I'll post a few photos over the next few days.

Right now, here's the first....

Rounding Out the Red Mountain

Forgive the lack of photo material to go along with this post, but I've only recently pulled the camera out of the box it was in for the move to Arizona, and the batteries were dead, dead, dead.

Last night, and for the first time in my life I have attended a highway opening. Not the actual ceremony...I wasn't interested in listening to Governor Napolitano run rhetorical or political about the 1/2 cent tax bond enacted in the 80s that made the completion of Red Mountain Highway (AZ Loop 202) possible.

No, instead I went for a bicycle ride on the newly laid blacktop, and let me tell you, that road is SMOOTH.

Well, I went for a bike ride for a half mile or so, then I dismounted and walked the bike through an ever thickening throng of people. Based on the number of people who attended, you would think the opening of a highway was some form of gala event, and maybe it was.

Exhibit booths were set up along both sides of the highway running about half a mile each way north and south of the McKellips Road bridge, with enough free water provided to keep the attendees from dying in the heat of the Arizona sun. Two food vendors were passing out samples to encourage people to swing by their restaurants. One, Famous Dave's Pit BBQ will be getting some business from me soon. I've only been in Mesa for two weeks, and already I miss Texas BBQ.

Everyone I passed or spoke to was very friendly, and the party-goers (if that's what you can call them) seemed to be having a genuinely fun time - especially the children. Everywhere I looked, I could see children of all ages on scooters, bicycles, and skateboards. Families brought out tandem bicycles and even one dual tandem bicycle which sat four people two-abreast.

The people watching experience was great, the people were great, and the event was just all around good fun.