Apache Trail, AZ (3/15/2019)

Nearly two weeks after driving the first part of the Apache Trail, I returned to complete the mission.  While the first section is paved, and recently re-surfaced, the next 25 miles are unpaved.  Because of a large increase in traffic, plus bountiful rains over the winter, I found the road to be much rougher than on my previous visit in 2006.  On that trip, I only drove it one way, this time I returned the way I had come, making a total of forty miles of bad road...pot holes, wash board and hundreds of gullies across the road.  Still, the scenery on a beautiful sunny day made it all worthwhile.

 

At one point, the road can be seen far below, reached by a 1000 foot (approximate) descent in a mile.  That makes for a grade of nearly 20%.

At the bottom of the canyon, an old bridge crosses Fish Creek and invites travelers to stop for a break and photo ops before resuming the journey.

Naturally, wildflowers are a big part of the experience.

Sixteen miles after leaving Tortilla Flat, Apache Lake comes into view.  Second largest of the four lakes in the Salt River, it was created in 1927 by construction of Horse Mesa Dam.  A popular recreation area, the lake offers a marina, motel and campground.  Fishing is said to be really good here.  With all the rain over the past few months, the river and all its reservoirs are quite full these days.

Near the end of the trail, Theodore Roosevelt Dam forms the largest Salt River reservoir, Roosevelt Lake.  Its purpose is to store water, produce electricity and control flooding in the Salt River Valley.  Construction began in 1903 but wasn't completed until 1911, ironically delayed by several catastrophic floods during that time.  When completed, it was 280 feet tall (tallest concrete dam in the world) and more than 700 feet long. making its lake the largest reservoir in the world at that time. 

Starting in 1989, the dam was re-surfaced and raised to a height of 357 feet, increasing water storage capacity by about 20%.  While the original dam cost $10 million to build, the renovation cost $430 million.  The overall value of the dam is hard to assess, but it is the single most important factor in allowing the growth and development of Central Arizona.  Whether that's good or bad depends upon your point of view.

Apache Junction, Goldfield & Tortilla Flat, AZ (3/14 &3/15/2019)

Driving some of Apache Junction's back roads,  I was treated to nice mountain scenery and pretty wildflowers.

The "Valley of The Sun" metropolitan area, which includes Phoenix and a bunch of surrounding towns, has a permanent population of nearly five million, plus hundreds of thousands of snowbirds (like me) who flock here for the winter months.  A good percentage of these drive motorcycles to enjoy the many mountain roads that feature lots of curves and scenery.  The Apache Trail, at least the paved portion, attracts huge numbers of bikers, especially on week-ends.  The "ghost town" of Goldfield is one popular destination on the trail, regardless of transportation mode.

After gold was discovered in the Superstition Mountains in 1892, the town of Goldfield was formed the next year.  With some fifty mines in the area, Goldfield grew to a population over 4000, with all the commercial operations necessary to support that number of people.  However, the boom only lasted five years.  When the gold mines played out, most people moved on to other discoveries, such as the Klondike gold rush of 1898.  Very few prospectors hung on here, convinced they would find new veins and get rich.

Early in the 20th century, new mining equipment and techniques led to a second boom, but it only lasted about five years, just as the first did.  Again, a few folks stayed and worked the old mines and searched for new strikes, but even they eventually gave it up.  In 1984, Robert Schoose purchased the remains of the town and started a long process of restoring it to become a tourist attraction.  Today, Goldfield is a thriving operation with numerous buildings, a narrow gauge railroad, mine tours and characters dressed in period costumes.  Old west gunfights are staged to provide an "authentic" view of the boom days.

For bikers, an even more popular spot along the Apache Trail is the "town" of Tortilla Flat, population six.  The exterior of the restaurant and other buildings were included in a previous travelogue, Apache Trail, AZ (3/3/2019), but the place was so packed that day I chose not to fight the crowd by going inside.  Instead, I came back early on a week day, before the bikers started arriving.

The main draw is the restaurant/saloon with its colorful decor, not to mention good food and drink.  It claims to be the last surviving stage coach stop on the Apache Trail, serving travelers for more than 100 years.  Another claim is "the largest burgers, the hottest chili and the coldest drinks in the West".  Notice the Western style bar stools and walls/ceilings papered with thousands of dollar bills. 

Even the rest rooms reflect the whimsical nature of the place.  It hasn't changed at all since my first visit in 2006.

Apache Junction & Lower Salt River, AZ (3/13 & 3/14/2019)

Thankfully, I finally found a location in Apache Junction that provides a fairly unobscured view both east and west for sunset viewing.  Even if the western skies are too clear for good color, the setting sun can light up mountains in the east, giving them a dramatic look.  That's why I try to go out every evening, even if there are no clouds in the sun's path.  Here is an example where the western sky was bland, but the Goldfield Mountains north and east benefited from the effects of the lower sun.

About twenty miles from Apache Junction, Lower Salt River Recreation Area is a large tract within the Tonto National Forest.  There are ten individual sites offering hiking, biking, picnic facilities, camping, birding, and water activities in the river and Saguaro Lake (formed by Stewart Mountain Dam).  What really makes it special, however, is the herd of wild horses that roam the thousands of acres that make up the recreation area.  Depending on whom you ask, the herd numbers 350 to 500.  It is one of the healthiest herds I've seen, partly due to the lush vegetation in their territory and partly due to the efforts of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group.  This group of volunteers works with the Forest Service to care for sick or injured animals and perform birth control (via darts that are effective for a year) to keep herd size within bounds.  You can learn more about the group at their web site here .

On this day, about 150 horses were hanging out at the Goldfield site.  I took only my long lens into the desert where the horses were, since that's what I had used in the past.  This time, however, the horses kept moving closer, sometimes making it impossible to get the entire horse in the frame, resulting in many head shots.  The rule is to allow 50 feet of "personal space", but the horses don't always follow the rules.

One youngster was wandering around, separated from his mother.  When they found each other, there was a whole lot of nuzzling going on.

Stallions use "stud piles" to mark their territory, but out here they all share the same territory.  One guy started toward me on his way to a stud pile, causing me to back up quickly and open the lens to its widest, trying to get the entire horse in the photo.  He immediately trampled the stud pile, showing disrespect for its owner, who charged the transgressor to teach some respect.  Unfortunately, I was unable to capture the entire event due to being too close.

That same morning, I visited the nearby Coon Bluff site, a good place to see birds.  There's also a good view of Red Mountain.

While I was standing on the river bank trying to photograph a small bird, I looked up to see a bald Eagle flying by.  After a few shots, the eagle wheeled and came directly toward me, eventually getting so close his wings didn't fit the frame.

Heading back to Apache Junction, I spotted a backyard that was wall-to-wall daisies, except for a few farm implements on display.