We headed out early in the hopes of catching a train unawares. It certainly would have been better if we were on horseback.
I doubt the bank robbers of old paid much attention to the saguaros. These were probably babies when they rode by.
Around the ridge we went, bushwhacking across the canyon to the train tracks.
March 20, 1880 the first train rolled into Tucson over these tracks. Well not THESE tracks, because I'm sure they have been replaced several times, but this is the exact same route.
Today it is part of the Union Pacific Railroad. By the way, two days after the shooting of Morgan Earp, Wyatt hunted down and killed Frank Stillwell in the Tucson rail yard.
Somewhere along the line they discovered the tsunami's of the desert called flash floods and built this underpass in 1925 to allow water to flow into Cienega Creek.
Unfortunately taggers have found this location and made a big mess. I just don't understand how defacing someone else's property is entertaining.
We crossed under and headed off down the gully. This is looking back at the underpass.
We finally spotted the Arizona's SUPER bloom!! I guess it's still a little too early with the snow and all.
Surprisingly, there is water flowing down the creek bed. Dan said he's never seen water this far south of the dam. I thought about robbing these two, but alas, they flew away before we could get close.
Why are we surprised that there is water here? Because Pantano Dam was built in 1911 to divert water through a system of pipes for irrigation purposes. Now owned by the Vail Water Company, the water WAS used for the golf course. That completely cut off the supply of water below the dam.
Here's what the dam looked like many years ago ...... lots of poured concrete and MUCH more water than we saw.
Unfortunately we discovered the taggers had found our secret hideout. Gosh this makes me mad!! At any rate, you can see how the water has undermined a lot of the concrete.
This is where the water is diverted into a concrete waterway, which eventually dumps into a piping system that runs a few miles to the golf course. Dan said the last time he was here he could hear water running through the pipes.
I'm happy to report that Mother Nature won out on this deal, even if it took her 108 years. There must have been a few epic flash floods because the back side of the dam is completely full of sand to the very top, as is the pipeline leading out and down the wall of the canyon.
With no more water being diverted, it is falling over the top of the dam and down the stream bed, as it should be. That's why we ran into water so far down the hill. I LOVE IT!!
In the end, we didn't get to rob anyone. The train came by a little too fast for us to jump onboard and I don't think Union Pacific guys carry much cash. Maybe another day. There's more to tell about our little jaunt, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.
What a fun hike you had exploring more interesting desert, too bad about the foiled train robbery, better luck next time.
ReplyDeleteIt was so much fun! I love exploring new places.
DeleteThe desert is in full bloom up here, so you should see it any day.
ReplyDeleteIt's just finally starting up here. Can't wait to get some pictures.
DeleteAn article that appeared in the news the other day
ReplyDeletePHOENIX (FOX 10) -- A Phoenix hiker survived a rattlesnake bite thanks to a new type of anti-venom, which was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Sam Evans
us he was enjoying a hike over the weekend and was bitten while trying to remove the snake with a stick -- and it's not the first time this has happened to him. In fact, he says this was his fifth snake bite!
Evans' hand isn't doing so well after the bite.
Samuel Evans was bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking. He’s the first patient in the US to receive Anavip, a new type of anti-venom.
He tells us he had an allergic reaction to the normal anti-venom, CroFab, so his doctor had to find an alternative.
"Found out if they can get a hold of this new stuff, told me it was new. I didn't know how new until after the fact," said Evans.
Dr. Ayrn O'Connor says this new anti-venom, Anavip, prevents any late complications, such as bleeding.
Related Headlines
Rattlesnake season begins for Arizona
"The new anti-venom is going to last in the body longer. Once you get it, you can control the signs of envenomation," explained O'Connor.
So far, Evans says he's doing great and is feeling a lot less pain compared to the last time he was bitten.
"It feels okay. Most of the pain is gone. The part that does is isolated to the thumb. The rest all the way up to here is on the tender side."
Speaking of which, he later found out that this wasn't his first run-in with Dr. O'Connor. She was the same doctor who treated him 14 years ago when he had a previous snake bite.
"He and I, we've talked and you know, it's not like we walked in and he said he recognized me and I kind of was like, you look familiar, which is why I looked," she said.
She jokingly says she hopes to never see him again -- as a patient, of course.
Being an avid hiker and dealing with his fifth snake bite, Evans says he has finally learned his lesson.
"I'll try to stay away from them."
Dr. O'Connor with Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix says if you come across a snake while hiking, the last thing you should do is try to remove it. If anything, get away from it as quickly as you can. And if you are accidentally bitten, she says there's nothing you can do to treat it in the field, so get to a hospital as soon as you can
He was pretty dumb after the first bite. I doubt he has learned his lesson!!! I AM glad about the new anti venom. It's about time they revamped it!!
DeleteWhat a lovely walk and a wonderful Saguaro. Tom and I were just talking about the "taggers" the other day. Why do they have to put there mark on ever surface out there. I especially dislike seeing it on the hillsides.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the tagging thing. I think they just like being destructive!
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