Saturday, March 19, 2011

March 14-18 Arizona Trip

Well, back in the midwest now. Gone are the 90 degree temperatures and abundant sunshine! However, with a shot at thunderstorms over the next several days I suppose it isn't the worst time to be coming home. I don't foresee any storm chasing expeditions in the next week, but hearing some thunder would be nice.

I don't have a lot to write, but I figured I would post a few photos from the last several days in the Phoenix area. The photos can do the story-telling, I suppose. The bulk will be from the White Tank Mountain Range, west of Phoenix.


Halo around the moon on the first night in town with one of the many palm trees that dot the Phoenix city scape. The high level clouds are under-lit by the city lights.

Some of the interesting petroglyphs that can be found all over the rocks in areas around the mountain range.

Tia in yellow, and then my sister Kaylin a little bit further down.

The view to the north up on the little ledge that I was photographing the petroglyphs from. Whoever it was that etched those carvings into the rocks many many years ago had quite the view!

I love these cholla cacti!
More petroglyphs a little bit further up the mountain.

Tia admiring the canyon at the top of the mountain, where a little water "fall" trickles down. During the monsoon season this place is surely hopping, but around this time of year a little pond is all that was to be found.

My poser Tia, and then Kaylin in the background photographing something. We sat here for half an hour eating some sandwiches and enjoying the cooler air. It's amazing when you're out in the desert how drastic the difference between the open sun, and shaded areas really is. Here in the midwest when the dew points start pushing 70F during the summer, it's hot wherever you go, shade or no shade.
Looking up toward the top of the canyon where the waterfall trickles down.

Heading back down the mountain now.

Looking east toward 'the valley'. The city of Phoenix can be seen way down there.

Just classic desert landscape.


Looking back toward the mountains that we were just playing on. I miss this already!

More cholla fun!

Sunset on our final night in Phoenix was quite spectacular!

4 comments:

p said...

Amazing shots! Any chance you'll be able to slip in a desert trails while you are there?

Christa said...

picture postcard perfect! these are simply beautiful.

Dann Cianca said...

Great shots, man, your exposures are impressive.

Andrew Pritchard said...

Thanks all. @Paul - I was really hoping to do just that, but I just wasn't able to work it into the few nights that I was around. I would love to go back soon and stay a little bit longer and tackle a few more goals such as that. To be honest, id love to DRIVE out there sometime and make a nice long road trip out of it.

If only we all lived in time and money abundant worlds.