Tempe & Phoenix, AZ (11/29/2019)

After a nice Thanksgiving dinner here at the RV park, I planned to spend Black Friday in Tempe, since I had not visited that part of the Phoenix metropolitan area in some years.  Heavy rain overnight and into the early morning, followed by wind and clouds, kept me indoors until after lunch when I finally made my way into Tempe.

My first objective was to tour the Arizona State University campus, and in particular Sun Devils Stadium.  I remember watching Fiesta Bowl games from there, before they moved the game to the domed stadium in Glendale.  The ASU students, unable to get student discounts for the bowl game, would climb the large rock formations adjacent to the stadium and watch from there.  That tradition probably continues today, even for regular season games.  Whether students climb up to watch a game or not, there is the obligatory climb up to the large letter "A".

Noticing a few people dressed in Muslim garb, I followed them to the Islamic Mosque and Community Center.

Since my last visit here, the town of Tempe built a dam in the Salt River, forming a lake in the heart of the city.  The lake, two miles long, attracts all forms of water sports.  Several bridges cross the lake to serve automobiles, trains, light rail and pedestrians.

The lakeshore has become a favored location for large buildings that are presumably part of the school.  Active construction is ongoing all around this area.  It appears that mirrored glass is the most popular choice for exterior siding.

Tempe has a great many parks, some surrounding the large rock formations that just seem to pop up all over town.  My favorite is called "Hole In The Wall", which is obviously a popular rock climb for locals.

I had wanted to take in the Desert Botanical Garden again, but with the temp in the 50s and a chill wind blowing, I decided to go into Phoenix and check out Roosevelt Row.  This is not only an historic neighborhood, but is well known for the murals painted on many of the commercial buildings.  Here are just a few of them.

I will be leaving here tomorrow, heading east toward New Mexico for a couple days.