Yuma Territorial Prison

January 2014

From 1876-1909 the Territory of Arizona operated a prison in Yuma.  3,069 prisoners were incarcerated there, and today it is a tourist attraction.

Their crimes:

The conditions:

Despite the looks of it now, it was considered a model institution in its time, and called the "Country Club on the Colorado", because it was one of the few places that had electricity, running water, and flush toilets.  After the prison was closed, it was used as a school.  The Yuma Union High School Criminals played 4 seasons from this home after their previous building burned down.

They had an innovative way to do mug shots, saving 50% on film

 There was a famous escape attempt:

Some of the more interesting inmates:

 Related to Senator Flake, I wonder?

And in the courtyard, some humorous decorations

More pictures.

Las Noches de las Luminarias

December 2013

Every year the Desert Botanical Garden has a series of evening shows, with live entertainment.  Last year, it also featured lighted glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly.  Very large, elaborate, lighted glass sculptures

More pictures and movies of the bellringers.

Colorado River Oasis

November 2013

A park we've stayed at twice now, as it's a day's drive from PHX toward California, is in Ehrenberg, AZ, on the banks of the Colorado River

and across the street from it is a pioneer cemetery

Not as fancy as Boot Hill in Tombstone, but a fascinating piece of the Old West.

More pictures.

Bonita Falls

November 2013

While staying at an RV park in Lytle Creek, CA, north of San Bernadino, we took a hike up the wash

on a "trail" that wasn't marked at all, using instructions that said things like "when you see a big rock with red paint on it, ..." to a cute little waterfall called Bonita Falls

More pictures.

Napa Valley

October 2013

We went on a wine-tasting tour of the Napa Valley.  The only way to do it.  After 7 wineries with 4 tastes at each one, driving yourself around is no longer a good idea.  Vicki and I split our tastes, and skipped the last one completely.

The views were pretty

we got to see the grapes during harvest time

some interesting sculptures

a very interestingly named bottle

and of course the cellars

one was in an actual cave

California was looked down upon by French winemakers until a California Chardonnay beat them all in a blind taste test in 1976.  The winner was made by a Croatian immigrant named Miljenko Grgich.

Two of our fellow tourists brought their daughter.

Being young and strong, they each had their own tastings and skipped nothing.  And they were going out again the next day!

More pictures.

Santa Rosa

October 2013

I lived in Santa Rosa for 3 years (age 5-8), so we went to see my old haunts.  The house I lived in seems now to be occupied by the Clampetts, before they struck oil.  You can't see the 6 cars parked in the driveway, maybe one of them could start.

Here's what's left of the walnut orchard that was in our back yard.

The church and school I went to is still there, but the ball field is gone.

Santa Rosa's favorite son was Charles Schulz, so they have a museum for him.  What a fun place!

It was almost time for the Great Pumpkin to arrive

and there's things for kids to do there

Santa Rosa also has an obelisk, called the cyclisk, made out of bicycle parts

More pictures.

Happy Veterans' Day

I had a surprise treat today, free buffet for vets at the casino.  We were going there anyway, because it's prime rib night.  I've been getting emails for free breakfast or lunch, or appetizers and/or desserts at various dinner restaurants, but I didn't expect anything at the Fort McDowell buffet, much less a complete freebie.

After visiting Little Big Horn and learning about the history of the Old West and the relations of the US Army with the various tribes of that area (It was a Lakota Chief, Red Cloud, who said "The White Man made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they kept only one:  they promised to take our land, and they did."); and Canyon de Chelly on the Navaho reservation, learning about the Long Walk, and knowing only a tiny bit, so far, about what went on here at Fort McDowell, I thought it would be totally understandable if the Yavapai would hold a grudge against the US military, and not be one of the places offering goodies to veterans today.  But they did, to their credit.

We also visited the Crazy Horse monument this year.  There was a Lakota man there demonstrating some of his people's music and dance for the tourists.  After the show he took questions from the audience.  The news of the day was the flap about the nickname of the Washington, DC NFL team, and that was the first question.  His answer was that he didn't speak for anyone but himself, but his view was that they had bigger fish to fry.  When his people were no longer suffering from 50% unemployment on the reservation, from alcoholism and disease, when the kids could get a decent education, then maybe it would be time to worry about NFL team nicknames.

I've long thought it one of the delicious ironies of American history that the tribes have been reaping profits in their casinos from their customers who are, for the most part, descended from their former oppressors.