Kay's Photo Journal - January 2016

1/31/2016 Picacho Peak, AZ (3.2 miles) - This peak is located west side of the highway #10 between Phoenix and Tucson. The Hunter Trail that we have hiked, shorter hike but use many steel cables to climb up the steep walls. View from the peak is gorgeous, Newman Peak was just front of us.

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1/30/2016 Flatiron, Superstition, AZ - It is located above the Siphon Draw and part of the Superstition Mountain Range. It is very distinguishable to identify not only outlook, also flat at the top that the reason called Flatiron. The view is great especially the below the Siphon Draw.

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1/30/2016 Superstition Ridgeline Hike, AZ (11.8 miles) - Total three groups and 42 peaople, started three different times, slower group, which I joined, started early shortly after 6am. This is 20 years anniversary hike, each year different direction, at this year, we have hiked from Carney Springs TH to the Siphon Draw (SE to NW).

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1/29/2016 Mystery Castle, Phoenix, AZ - Life magazine headline title was "Life Visits a Mystery Castle", since that this place called the Mystery Castle. It is built by Boyce Luther Gulley and daughter Mary Lou inherited it and she lives there for over 60 years. Boyce was idea man that sure, and he never throw a way anything, a means he kept everything.

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1/29/2016 Mystery Castle Petroglyphs, Phoenix, AZ - They preserved petroglyphs that found from the property, rightmost red color rock is a replica.

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1/28/2016 Pfeiffer House, Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ - FLW desined to the Jester House in CA, but never build, after he pass the way, his 3rd wife suggested to change scale to buit it for Arthur Pfeiffer House in the Taliesin West property. Uniqueness of this house is 3 cylinder buildings for separate 2 bdrms and one living room under the one roof.

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1/28/2016 Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ - This is my 2nd visit here. "Extended Insights Tour", which I joined that 3hrs tour and cost me $72, with nice tea and snacks. This place has 620 acres that include the mountains. Architect students will receive a master degree after complete 3yr study, cost is $40,000/yr that include dormitory and meals for year round.

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1/28/2016 Taliesin West Petroglyphs, Scottsdale, AZ - There are few petroglyphs rocks spread out in the property. They try to place rocks where they found it. 1st dnd 2nd photos show the interconnected lines, which is origin of the symbol of Taliesin West.

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1/26/2016 David Wright House, AZ - Frank Lloyd Wright designed house for his 5th child David. "The house on the desert" suppose to cooler in summer by lifted house 10 ft from the ground. David was working on cement company that the why using bricks everywhere in this house. The Camelback Mountain view from this house is just gorgeous.

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1/24/2016 Gu Achi Peak, AZ (2.4 miles) - We climb up this peak at shortest possible route, which means we have to scramble up/down the steep route. Amazing thing that we have hiked 11 hrs yesterday and we got at campground at 11pm, but we complete this peak, we don’t know where we got that energy.

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1/23/2016 Coytote Mountain, AZ (9.3 miles Attempt) - There is a trail, who built the trail for his wife for horseback ride, however trail is covered/blocked by trees, bushes, cacuti or weeds. We spend too much time to finding the trail and time was running out. We were on the trail for 11 hrs, tough day. Couple helicopters fly over to check us ok at night.

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1/22/2016 Gillespie Dam South Petroglyphs, AZ (3.1 miles) - I was north side of Gillespie Dam Petroglyphs site on 11/25/16. This is 1/2 mile south from it. North side petroglyphs are on the columns, south side petroglyphs are on the individual rocks. There are so many nice petroglyphs, impossible to take all petroglyphs photos within short period of time.

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1/20/2016 Pinal Peak, AZ (12 miles, attempt) - Hike up on the snow for about 6 miles, I was not reached the peak, I started later and time was running out. One of the tower workers told me, there is waist high snow to get to the Pinal Peak. Oh well...I tried and will try again after snow melt.

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1/18/2016 Camelback Mountain, AZ (3 miles) - We have hiked from Echo Trail TH to the Cholla Trail TH, west to east. This is a fun hiking trail and about 8,000 people come to enjoy each week that ranger told me. At the Echo TH has parking and toilet, nice place to meet, however Cholla TH has nothing.

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1/17/2016 Silly Mountain, Apache Junction, AZ (2 miles) - Superstition mountain range is gorgeous view from this Silly Mountain. It is kid and dog friendly, and variety of trails for fitness run in this mountain. There is botanical walk area to show the name of the plants.

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1/16/2016 Barry Goldwater Peak, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, AZ (14.2 miles) - I thought 7.2 miles is the total mileage of the hike, but that is the one way, I ended up 14.2 miles. I don't drink water much in winter, but food was shortage. The peak was not visible until midway. I missed turn couple times. But overall it was nice hike.

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1/15/2016 Dinosaur Mountain, AZ (attempt) - Google Earth doesn't show the steepness of the mountain or need to scrambling. I thought I was hike/scramble up to the peak, when I got at the peak, I can see the higher mountain just front of me. I have to find more easier way to hike/scramble up the peak at next time.

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1/14/2016 Black Mountain, AZ (2.5 miles) - It is in the Carefree community that located northeast from Phoenix. It is short hike but steep on the rocky surface trail. I confused trails when way back and endup loop hike.

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1/13/2016 Lykes House, Phoenix, AZ - My Frank Lloyd Wright Field Guide book indicates address is 6696 N 36th St, however actual address is 6836 N 36th St. I was at wrong address few years back and one of my site viewer mentioned that was wrong house, so I re-visited at right house, I asked a neighbor to make sure at this time.

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1/13/2016 Pieper House, Phoenix, AZ - My Frank Lloyd Wright Field Guide book indicates address is 6442 E Cheney Dr, however actual address is 6430 E Cheney Dr. There is no such thing book indicated address. I asked couple neighbors and second person knew and told me the right house.

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1/11/2016 El Dorado Hot Springs, Tonopah, AZ - It is not far from the highway #10 at the Tonopah exit. They have few different soaking areas, private soaking area and communal soaking area, where Communal area is all nude. Hot water temperature is little cooler side in winter.

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1/11/2016 Indian Springs Petroglyphs, AZ (7.5 miles) - I didn't know the exact petroglyphs site of this place, fortunately I found it, not only one area, I found 4 different areas. The mountains view of between TH and petroglyphs sites are just gorgeous especially way back when sun was behind me. Today was a good day!

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1/9/2016 Atascosa Peak, AZ (7 miles) - We hike up to the two peaks today, Atascosa Overlook and Atascosa Peak. Until Atascosa Overlook, there is a trail but after that scramble to get to the Atascosa Peak. There is snow on the trail on the higher and shaded area, and snow melted under the sun that made muddy trail.

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1/8/2016 Phoenix Central Library, AZ - Actual name of this library is "Burton Barr Central Library" but everyone understand with Central Library. Outside and just step in to the main floor, where elevators are naked and water deposit below the stairs, are unique but other than that just like any other library.

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1/8/2016 Phoenix Art Museum, AZ - This museum floor plan is little complecated but volunteers are standing every floor to help us out that was nice. They have several galleries, and Asian Gallery has displayed Zodiac Heads, where this is year of Monkey. There are variety of art works to meet anyone’s desire.

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1/5/2016 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ - This airport floor is everywhere beautiful. Currently there are terminal 2, 3 & 4, but near future terminal 2 will close and only 3 and 4 will remind that the information desk told me. PHX Sky Train is free of charge to ride and there is no driver to operate it.

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1/5/2016 Japanese Friendship Garden, Phoenix, AZ - What’s a place...this is my initial reaction when visited this place because tall condominum is building very close to this place, very noisy now, and no privacy at all in future. Phoenix and Himeji, Japan, is the sister cities that I learned today. They have 500 Koi fishes but water is not clear.

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1/5/2065 Pueblo Grande Museum, Phoenix, AZ - It was use to middle of the flat desert area, currently middle of town, and water canal was enough water to run at that time, currently no water by many developments around here. This museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits, and outdoor trail is all paved and easy to walk around.

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1/4/2016 Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ - There are total 21 Native tribes exist in Arizona, and this place is show place of their cultures. But totally modern way to show off all kind art works, which impressed all visitors that sure. When I was there, it was crowded because of rain outside that someone told me.

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1/4/2016 Phoenix City Hall, AZ - The Phoenix City Hall building is larger and beautiful than the State Capitol building. Much more attract outside and inside the first floor, I didn’t go other than 1st floor. There is own museum, and staircase is larger and wider than imagin.

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1/4/2016 Arizona Capitol Museum, Phoenix, AZ - Old capitol is the museum now and current capitol is behind the old capitol building, top row rightmost photo right side of the building. No public access to the current capitol, so that walk around in the museum, a means old capitol, which doesn’t impressed at all.

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1/2/2016 Desert Botanical Garden, AZ - Chihuly’s glass art works are front of the entrance of the garden, which privately donated to purchsed those for $1,000,000. All kind cacti are everywhere in this botanical garden. I find that Dyana Hesson, who is my kind botanical artist and lives in AZ and exhibit her art works soon.

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