Tag Archives: petroglyphs

agua fria national monument video

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As promised, here’s a video from Sunday’s day trip across Perry Mesa.

Agua Fria National Monument Day Trip Correction: Mining dates should read 1882 not 32

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMzpGSN8FNc

Video Tech Info: Not aware of the consequences, I made the mistake of capturing video of our day trip in High Definition (Canon SX1). Even with endless editing/cutting yesterday, the smallest acceptable movie was still over 9 gigabytes. (YouTube only allows 2GB). Trail/error and googling and asking for help (thanks Michael), I finally got it down to a manageable size. Any jerkiness or abrupt transitions are my fault….the result of my drastic editing trying to reduce the file. I’m going to master this yet!

agua fria national monument petroglyphs

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Hike leader extraordinaire, Larry Levy, treated us to a day in the Agua Fria National Monument yesterday. Imagine walking a few miles across a field of canon balls and you get the idea of how tough it was to hike across Perry Mesa! (Not for hikers with weak ankles). Well worth it, though, if you have a love of Native American history and early mining history (Larry is a mining expert).

We visited several dwellings and also an old mining camp. Today I’m sharing two images of petroglyphs found high on a hill above the mining camp. (tough lighting conditions) Tomorrow, I hope to post a little video/slideshow of the day (maybe!).

Petroglyph and Agua Fria River
petroglyph an agua fria

Petroglyphs above Mining Camp
petroglyphs

cottonwoods and rock art

We have electricity and a wireless connection but at 1MB per second, I’m not posting as many as I planned.

Canyonlands after dark
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Some petroglyphs are well marked and easy to find.
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Some are not. The hidden ones are a treat to find!
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Cottonwoods were at their peak in Canyonlands. Here’s my favorite infrared shot.
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Shay Canyon is one of my favorite rock art sites. A trail along a cliff with non stop petroglyphs for about 1 half mile!
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Many more to share but with this connection, I’d be here all morning! For my friends with dial-up…I feel your pain 🙂

a phototographers dream day

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First I get up, walk out the door, walk a minute and I’m staring at Oak Creek. Ahhh. Here’s anotherr reflection:

oak creek reflection
oak creek reflection

A short drive north and we encounter the best fall color in years at the West Fork Trail!

West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona

Then heading toward Utah, we stop in Bluff and I get to see the famous flute playing sheep! Sand Island Petroglyphs

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Finally at our campground (see our cute RV), we get a glimpse of what we might expect all next week.
Look at the Cottonwoods!

Cottonwoods along the San Juan River in Bluff, Utah
Cottonwoods along the San Juan River in Bluff, Utah

No internet connection tomorrow and possibly the next but stay tuned for more photos.

road trip day one

(Internet access wasn’t an issue on the road…..forgetting my laptop was 🙂
Day one we head for Gila Bend. I’ve been through before but never stopped to photograph the funky hotel.

The Space Age Lodge in Gila Bend, AZ
The Space Age Lodge in Gila Bend, AZ

Space Age Lodge, Gila Bend, AZ
Space Age Lodge, Gila Bend, AZ

So…what’s in Gila Bend besides the hotel? There are several petroglyph sites including the area pictured below called Painted Rocks. Imagine a pile of boulders with almost every one being covered with rock art. Very cool!
Painted Rocks in Gila Bend, AZ
Painted Rocks in Gila Bend, AZ

Painted Rocks, Gila Bend, AZ
Painted Rocks, Gila Bend, AZ

Next stop is our Bed and Breakfast in Ajo. Having no clue what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised to see this charming historic cottage. The owner, Mike, has run his Guest House Inn for over 20 years. More about it tomorrow.
Guest House Inn, Ajo, AZ
Guest House Inn, Ajo, AZ

After checking in, we hurried out to find food before the town closed down for the night.
After a scrumptious mexican meal, we photographed the town’s historic plaza and mission.
Mission in Ajo, Arizona
Mission in Ajo, Arizona

Anemone tuberosa and other discoveries!

Thanks to Allan Willey for an awesome hike this morning! Not only did I photograph a flower I had never seen (Anemone tuberosa aka Desert Anemone) but our group had the privilege of seeing Petroglyphs that were off the beaten track. (Because these are sensitive archeological sites, I have removed the photos from this post).

Anemone tuberosa aka Desert Anemone
Anemone tuberosa aka Desert Anemone
Hedgehog cactus are starting to bloom
Hedgehog cactus are starting to bloom