This may be a good day for us to lay low, get the laundry done, hang out at the pool, etc. On Wednesday we went out to Tortilla Flats which was an old stage coach stop back in the hills. Really pretty area. Yesterday we went to the Casa Grande Ruins, which was very interesting. Apparently the native people began inhabiting the area around the year 300. The great building, which is 4 stories tall, was constructed prior to 1350, and the entire area was abandoned in the 1400's due to severe drought. The buildings were built out of the subsoil material known as caliche which is composed of sand, clay, and limestone. They flooded the caliche so it would soften, dig it up, then transport it to the building site where they placed it in layers to dry as concrete. The building had no reinforcement with walls 4 feet thick at the base. The inside walls were plumb, with the outside walls battered to become approximately 2 feet thick at the top of the fourth story. Floors were built at each level with pine logs. The site was aandoned in the 1400's, and the buildings stood unprotected from the elements until A canopy was erected over the grand structure in 1932. In the 1800's the area was almost lost to the souvenier hunters who came by stage coach. Grafiti existed even then, as they scratched their names into the buildings.
I took lots of pictures, but I was using a different camera setting, and I'm not sure if I can post them.(Don't ask) Technology may have jumped up to get me again!!
The sun is shining brightly again today, as it has done every day. It's amazing to see a sunrise and a sunset every day!
Wherever you are stay warm and dry. Adios, Ernesto
Hello from Joyce - yes I am also on this trip even tho I rarely make a written appearance. As you have read, we've been exploring AZ. It's a beautiful place, esp. bcause so far unfailingly the sun actually shines every morning and you can see it. The sunsets are spectacular. The sun really does lift your spirits tremendously. We walk almost 3 miles every morning (and believe me, it's a challenge for me to keep up with Ernie). The area we're in is rural so we see horses, quail, rabbits, etc. on our walk (and one dead snake in the road yesterday). Our 'neighbors' in this RV park are all very nice and friendly. Just heard the weather report - it will be warming up progressively over the next week and predicted to hit close to 90 degrees in a week - oh I am a happy camper.... Ernie mentioned that yesterday we went to the remains of an ancient Indian village. It was mind boggling to realize how old that massive structure is. Time for a walk. Till next time, Joyce
2 comments:
wonderful pictures, I love the store front pic (very cool) Happy Friday the 13th (its not a bad luck day) Sheila
WOW, I'm jealous. The ruins sound fascinating, my kind of place. It always amazes me too Joyce how the structures were constructed so long ago before machinery and heavy equipment and they are still standing. The pyramids in Eqypt are even more mysterious. That store in Tortilla Flats looks like it might have some real cool junk in it. You can't go on vacation and not buy some cool junk to bring home (at least thats my story). How far away from where you stayed was all this stuff?
I'm with Joyce on the weather, sunny and warm.....ahh!!!!!
Ernie don't feel alone about being electronically challenged. Everytime I try to use a different setting on my camera besides "idiot proof", I screw it up.
Send us some sunshine....Diane
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