Verna and Bob's Weblog

August 2011

One Year Ago Today

Exactly one year ago today, we stopped at a rest stop along I-10 near Whitewater, CA, on our way back to the California House. The Arizona house would be scheduled to start construction in a couple of days, so this was a short visit before heading back to Arizona. I posted this story and image of a roadrunner we saw at the rest stop. We have seen several roadrunners at the Arizona house, but I have yet to capture an image of them.

We were at a rest stop today among Interstate 10 when this handsome road runner darted across the dog area. I guess it should be labeled “dog and road runner area.” The species in this picture is called Geococcyx. I think they look like prehistoric birds, but here he is. Click on the image to enlarge.

road-runner.jpg

August 13, 2011 by Arizona Critters Photography

Ebbing Twilight

I had been threatening to get this image for a while now. I wanted to take the tripod and the little Canon SX110 Power Shot down to the road after sundown to capture the accent lighting we placed under the “Big Guy” 13 foot saguaro cactus. I think I succeeded and got some bonus items in the image. You can see one of Verna’s dark-sky-friendly sconces, the blue neon glow from the “Route 66” clock in the garage, the courtyard gate and a couple of stars among the passing clouds. Taken around 8:15 PM. Click on the image to enlarge.

ebbing-twilight.jpg

August 12, 2011 by Arizona Home & Garden Photography Retirement

The Time Sink Returns

football.gifPre-season NFL Football returns to the tube tonight. We watched the Seattle Seahawks play against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego at 8PM eastern (5PM Arizona time) on ESPN. Verna and I tuned in an hour early for the pre-game show. There will also be televised games tomorrow evening, Saturday and Monday.

Before we terminated our California DirecTV service, we had the full-on NFL Sunday Ticket watch-anything package. We did not opt for it in Arizona since our viewing habits changed due to time at the shooting range and other weekend activities. Plus, it was expen$ive.

We’re huge football junkies, so watching the games is a time sink that takes away from blogging. It will continue intermittently right up through Superbowl Sunday in February.

August 11, 2011 by Culture Leisure Retirement

Fiery Sunset

Quite often, during monsoon season, we enjoy colorful red sunsets like this one. Notice the virga falling just below and to the left of the center. Click on the image to enlarge.

flaming-sunset.jpg

August 9, 2011 by Arizona Climate Photography

Oversized Load Coming Through Town

oversize.jpg

I hope someone gets a picture of this heavy-hauling behemoth as it crosses the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. I honestly don’t know how this rig will be able to navigate through the two traffic circles in Wickenburg but I guess they have thought it through.

Photo Credit : Precision Heavy Haul.

PHOENIX – What weighs 285 tons, moves uphill at 15 mph and takes eight days to travel from Hoover Dam to the mining town of Miami, east of Phoenix? It’s a huge anode used in the electrical process for refining copper.

The largest oversized load to cross the new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge will enter Arizona from Nevada [tonight] and start a 380-mile journey that’s expected to create significant travel delays for some drivers who wind up traveling behind it.

A Phoenix-based hauling company, Precision Heavy Haul, is carrying the anode on a specially-designed truck and trailer rig stretching 225 feet long. The oversized load started its trip from Salt Lake City on Aug. 2.

It is now scheduled to cross the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge just after midnight Tuesday morning (Aug. 9) and continue a slow trek to its destination – the Freeport-McMoRan mine in Miami – about 80 miles east of downtown Phoenix.

Motorists should expect delays in the vicinity of the oversized load, which will take up to two lanes, and will be escorted by Department of Public Safety officers and pilot cars. There will be no traffic impacts for weekend travelers.

A complete travel schedule may be found here.

August 8, 2011 by Weirdness

Avalon 1998

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