Team Guthrie: May 2018

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

On The Road Again!

We are so blessed to have the time to see

these ancient civilizations in Arizona. On a two week

vacation we would have drove right past.

Montezuma Castle National Monument
A five-story 20 room dwelling.
To find out more click on the link and explore.

Diorama

It was awesome to hear Harry Seavey, a Native Flute player

while we walked around. Notice the bag on his right

which has several different flutes.

I love how he signed his CD. "Hug yourself with music"

The flute echoed throughout the whole place and was so special.

Just down the road is Montezuma Well
Who would of though about having a pool
right outside your home?

A continuously flowing spring.

Not what you expect to see in the desert.

A few miles down the road is Tuzigoot National Monument

Standing on top you can see the rooms in both directions.

It is two stories high with a total of 110 rooms which were

accessed through the roof by ladders.

The Sinagua people picked a stunning location

where they had a 360 view of Verde Valley.

As soon as we entered you could feel the temperature drop

and see the great use of materials to build their homes.

Some of the pottery they recovered in the excavation.

As we left Tuzigoot you see a "J" in the mountain.
Well, of course we have to go and find out what that is all about.
After several hairpin turns we arrived in Jerome.
Thankfully we were driving the car
because this is a road we couldn't bring the RV.
It is an old mining town that is now occupied by
an artsy community.
Scott and I immediately though of Bisbee, Arizona.
Homes scrunched together on hillsides, little shops,
and an eclectic group of people. We were there on a Saturday
so there were lots of people walking around enjoying the
fabulous sunny weather here in Arizona!

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Fred L. Whipple Observatory and Desert Blooms!

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory

is located in the Santa Rita Range on
Mount Hopkins and the elevations is 8,550 feet.
We can see the observatory from our house.

Multiple Mirror Telescope is a joint facility of the
Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona.

In 1999 the MMT was replaced by a single 6.5-meter mirror.

Tilted on its side, loaded on a semi for a 10 mile trip
on a single-lane dirt road to the top!
Amazing!

Fantastic views.

Almost there.
We stopped to see the helicopter landing pad and

a few smaller telescopes on the ridge
used by several different collages.

Here is where we stopped for lunch. They took us up
in Suburbans because of the 23% grade and there is no
place for the bus to turn around.

Check out the road to get to the top!

Not very many guide rails.

Fred L. Whipple Observatory

The whole building rotates.

They keep it very cool inside because of all the electronics.

Bring a jacket when you plan to visit.

The white and blue area is the mine and a view of Green Valley.

Rainbow cactus.

Back at the Visitor Center.

Scott & Ray playing around!
Since Scott had to get up early,
Ray thought he should take a nap.
The tour is from 8:30 am - 3:00 pm. and it is well
worth your time to learn what the observatory is all about.

We were blessed to see the desert in bloom before
leaving town for four months!
Here are a few examples.