randall – Travel Cures

Coolidge Dam & San Carlos Lake

randall — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 06:41:37 +0000

Coolidge Dam is located about 2 hours East of Phoenix or 2.5 hours North of Tucson. On your way to the dam you will pass through the old mining town of Globe, AZ. I recommend taking a quick drive through the downtown historic block while you are passing through. If you come through at breakfast or lunchtime (before 2PM), I recommend eating at La Luz Del Dia at N Broad St. and E. Mesquite St. just East off of Highway 60 (W Ash St.).

I found the Coolidge Dam particularly interesting because I have never seen a dome and buttress dam before, I am use to the traditional style arch-gravity dam as you see at the Hoover Dam or Roosevelt Dam. It was constructed between 1924 and 1928 at a cost of $10 million (over $120 million in 2021).

The dam is named after United States President Calvin Coolidge and dedicated by him on March 4, 1930. The engineer was Herman Neuffer and much of the construction was done by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who are the current owners. As the dam controls flow of the Gila River it forms the San Carlos Lake pictured below:

The San Carlos Lake has approximately 158 miles of shoreline. The San Carlos Lake is stocked periodically with fish and after winters with average or above average rain it is one of the largest lakes in Arizona. Both the lake and dam are located on the 3,000 square mile San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Thus, access could be restricted during times of COVID-19 and you will need to purchase a permit even when it is open.

At the time of this writing the fee was $10 per day. You can contact the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department at 928-475-2343. You can also check their website here.

As you drive across the bridge, you can enjoy some awesome 1920's architecture in the lamp posts shown below:

Like most dams, the Coolidge Dam did have a hydroelectric power station at one point, but flood damage in 1983 rendered the station inoperable. Plans to repair the station were scrapped when deemed infeasible.

Later, in 1988, the Bureau of Reclamation determined the dam needed modifications to prevent failure in the event of an earthquake or major flood. The earlier flood had topped the dam and caused erosion to the abutments and buttresses. In 1991, reinforcement work was started and completed in 1995 at a cost of $46.5 million.

Google Maps location and directions:

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolidge_Dam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos_Lake

Abandoned Seneca Lake Resort

randall — Wed, 05 May 2021 01:28:17 +0000

The abandoned Seneca Lake Resort is located about halfway between Globe and Show Low Arizona just off highway 60. The San Carlos Apache Tribe began construction in 1970 and it opened in 1971 as Cinema Park. The Tribe borrowed $524,000 to build the existing buildings that you can see the remains of currently.

They were planning to expand the park to include an 80-unit motel, golf course, and riding stables were also planned in the near future. However, for unknown reasons shortly after the park opened, the tribe defaulted on their loan and abandoned the resort. The buildings have since seen considerable vandalism as shown below.

Despite the vandalism, the buildings are currently still largely intact as of May 2021. Some of them are starting to see considerable decay though, so you might want to try and make it out before it's too late if you're into abandoned buildings and ghost town type stuff. If you simply cannot, enjoy my YouTube video tour of the main building below.

My video tour of the buildings was during the height of the pandemic and the road to the lake itself was blocked with a sign "Closed due to COVID 19." However, when I returned on April 29, 2021 the road had been opened back up and I was able to shoot some footage of the lake and campground area shown below.

If you follow the paved road all the way back, it eventually dead-ends (you can take a dirt forest road just before that, although I'm not sure where that road will take you). The paved road is heavily eroded, so take it slow, especially if you're in a standard sedan with little ground clearance.

This area further back kind of gave me the creeps, but this may simply be due to the fact that I happened upon an ornery looking character that stared me down until I turned back around. This might actually make for a nice peaceful area for a picnic if you're in a group and happen by when no one else is there. Below are a few more pictures of some of the structures.

As you can see, while the buildings are still standing, all the windows have been broken out, the doors kicked down and the elements are starting to take a foot hold. Below is the location on Google Maps if you would like to visit before it's too late.

Does travel cure depression?

randall — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 22:53:15 +0000

So will travel magically cure your depression and anxiety? Well, maybe but probably not. No amount of travel will cure the underlying issues of why you are depressed. But I feel, at least for me, travel goes a long way towards maintaining a healthy attitude and outtake on life.

In order to fully enjoy travel, I think you first need to get the rest of your life in order. This means finding a source of income that's enough to provide for your needs. But before this, I believe you really need to think about what you need.

Get rid of that competitive and entitled attitude. You know, so an so has a 3,000 square foot house and a brand new BMW so I really need and deserve to have that too.

While I would like to have a big house and luxury car, I thought how much happier a big house and luxury car would really make me over living in my condo and driving a Subaru. When I really thought about it, the answer for me was not a whole lot.

People often purchase more than they need to fill a void but without accepting who they are and finding their true love, it only temporarily fills that void and then they need to buy more and more and eventually most people end up in a ton of debt. After this they lose their things and become more depressed than ever (unless of course they are super rich or know someone super rich that constantly bails them out).

Once I got rid of this baggage by just focusing on what I really needed, I was able to focus on finding what I really enjoyed in life and stopped spending money on things that were pointless for me because so and so has them or did it. For me I really thought about what I needed and came up with these main items.

Reasonably safe home big enough for me and my stuff (in my case about 859 square feet).

Reasonably safe and reliable transportation (For me a Subaru Outback)

Healthy food that I make at home (sure being wined & dined is nice but does it really make you that happy? It can costs up to 10 times as much as eating at home)

A decent set of clothes, brand doesn't matter (other than maybe one nice suit for interviews and special occasions)

Computer for entertainment and work.

The above list is all I could come up with for true needs. I currently have enough money to pay for the above needs which once you obtain enough income to meet your basic needs your primary source of depression for a lot of people is now eliminated.

I can't really tell you how to make enough to meet your personal basic needs if you're not but that's not the point of this article. The point of this article is to help you decide if travel might help with any remaining depression you have.

So then I thought about what makes me happy. The first thing that popped into my mind was traveling around seeing new things, especially new nature. If this isn't the case for you, then travel probably won't resolve your depression.

But since it was for me this added to my list of needs. I needed some good camping and travel gear. However, since travel and camping are my source of true happiness, this a very good investment for me personally.

As I've thought more and more about each purchase, this has exponentially made me happier. As I quit wasting money of in the moment purchases this left me more money for purchases that would actually make a real difference in increasing my level of happiness and reducing depression.

I'm not the best writer. But here are my take away points. Do you genuinely enjoy travel (like you're not just doing it for that selfie to post on your Instagram to make your friends jealous)? Do you genuinely enjoy cheap travel (camping, staying at cheap hotels, etc.) and all that really matters to you is getting to see the new scenery? If you answered yes to these, then once you meet your basic needs, I think there is a pretty good chance travel will help with your depression.

But always keep in mind that travel is unlikely to ever magically fix underlying issues of depression (not having enough income, relationship issues with a significant other, etc.) It may temporarily distract you from such issues but you will still need to deal with them when you return.

Feature photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Antelope Island

randall — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:53:48 +0000

Antelope Island was originally owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then John Dooly Sr until 1969 when the state of Utah purchased the Northern part of the island. In 1981, the state purchased the remainder of the island where the historical Fielding Garr Ranch established in 1848 is located and formed Antelope Island State Park.

You enter the park from Syracuse taking the 127 to the 7 mile causeway that crosses the Great Salt Lake viewed from a window in the visitor center in the photo above. The mass of land you see jutting out from the causeway on the left in the above photo is a veteran memorial and beach area with parking.

The visitor center also offers some great views and statues of bison and antelope that can be found in the park. The below photos were taken near the visitor center parking lot.

After the visitor center, I recommend heading to the Buffalo Point Trailhead. The trail is all uphill but offers some great views on the way up and 360 degree views once you reach the top along with some interesting rock formations. Below are a couple of photos I took. The first photo is looking towards White Rock Bay on the way up the trail and the second photo is looking towards Bridger Bay at the top of the trail.

After the trail on your way out of the park, get back onto Antelop Island Road and take it all the way to Fielding Garr Ranch. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owned the ranch and island from 1848 to 1870 when John Dooly Sr. purchased both. He established the Island Improvement Company which managed the ranch and island until the state of Utah purchased the Northern part of the island in 1969 and then the remainder in 1981 at which point the it was turned into the state park it is today. Below are some photos taken at the ranch. You can also view my video walk-through on my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeMfhRNS6DY

While on your way to and from Fielding Garr Ranch keep an eye out for bison as it's along this stretch of road where you are most likely to see them. Below are some photos I took along this road.

Google Maps Location Below:

Point Dume

randall — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 01:35:49 +0000

Point Dume is a promontory near Leo Carillo State Park in Malibu, California. I visited in March 2021 while on my camping trip in Leo Carillo. Point Dume Beach / Westward Beach is to the West and Big Dume Beach is to the East.

If you follow Google Maps directions up Cliffside Drive it will likely take you to a very small parallel parking lot which 9/10 times will be full even on a weekday. The surrounding neighborhood is entirely a no parking tow away zone.

However, don't fret if this is the case. Head back down Cliffside and Birdview Ave towards Point Dume Beach. You will find more free parking along Westward Beach Road. If that's all full or if you don't want to hike as far to Point Dume you can proceed to the pay parking that ranges from $3-$6 for most of the day depending on the day and time. Your view from the end of that parking lot will look like below.

View from Point Dume Beach

Just to the right of the sign you can see the trail head to go up to the top of Point Dume

The trail to hike up to the top of Point Dume is well defined and actually has boardwalks on the Southeast side so you don't have to trudge through sand. There is one section along the South that is right on the cliff and is a little sketchy but they have installed metal guide ropes to help prevent accidents. I don't believe dogs are allowed and I wouldn't recommend you take one if you care about him/her.

Point Dume Trail

As you progress up Point Dume Trail, parts of it are along the cliff edge. Take care to be extra careful as a fall would be almost certain death.

Point Dume Trail Boardwalk

As you progress to the Southeast part of the trail it turns into a boardwalk that approaches the tiny parallel parking lot that was probably full.

A little before you reach the boardwalk section, Big Dume Beach comes into view shown below.

Big Dume Beach

Along the Southeast part of the Point Dume Trail you get a view of Big Dume Beach. I only saw a couple people down there the whole time, I also didn't see an obvious way down so that could be the reason.

Now for our history lesson via the plaque at the top of the promontory. "On November 24, 1793, English Explorer George Vancouver, Commander of an expedition to determine the extent of settlement of the Northwest coast of America, named this rocky promontory, Point Dume. After his Franciscan friend, Father Francisco Demetz, at mission San Beuenaventura. Point Dume is the Western terminus of Santa Monica Bay and has been an important landmark for navigators since Vancouver's voyage in 1793.

California Registered Historical Landmark No. 965.

Plaque placed by the state department of parks and recreation in cooperation with the Malibu Historical Society and the Malibu Lagoon Museum October 10, 1988."

Plaque at the top of Point Dume

Plaque giving the history of Point Dume at the top of the plateau.

Google Maps location of Point Dume.

Old Safford Bridge

randall — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:18:55 +0000

Old Safford Bridge

Walking on top of the Old Safford Bridge built in 1918.

The Old Safford Bridge is probably a lesser known area. I don't recall recall ever reading about it in any Arizona Tourism books and I have perused quite a few.

The area around the bridge has been turned into a nice picnic area (there are picnic spots on both sides of the bridge) and also serves as a river put in for the Gila River for those of you who may want to float down the river.

Sign Detailing the Rules & Fees

Day use fee for the river put in is $3 per person with a maximum group size of 15. For additional information call BLM Safford Field Office at 928-348-4400 or visit at 711 14th Avenue Safford, AZ 85546. Photo taken August of 2020. Rates and contact info may have changed since.

The Old Safford Bridge Put In is a day use only area. However, the Owl Creek Campground is located only 1 mile East of the put in and offers some scenic views at a reasonable rate. I believe it was $5/night when I visited, definitely not more than $10. You can call the BLM Office at 928-348-4400 to verify the current rate. The campground has 7 camping unit spaces, picnic tables, grills, ramadas, and pit toilets (non-flushing chemical outhouses). Bring your own water.

Owl Creek Campground

Looking down on the Old Safford Bridge from Owl Creek Campground

Turn off for Owl Creek Campground

Look for this sign to know when to turn for the Campground

If you search for Old Safford Bridge on Google Maps it will provide correct navigation to reach the area. However, it will bring you in from Clifton, AZ skipping most of the Black Hills Scenic Byway.

If you have some time to spare, I recommended taking the scenic route via Black Hills Scenic Byway. If you are heading North on the US-191 from Safford, AZ look for the turn around milepost 139 on the left. When I drove the road back in August of 2020 just about any car would make it but something with a little clearance would be best. I doubt you would need 4WD in good weather.

Horse Trifecta

I spotted these horses on the side of the road as I was driving along the Black Hills Scenic Byway on my way to Clifton, AZ.

Once you get to the Old Safford Bridge Put In, it is a short walk (maybe 20-50 feet) to the Gila River and the area offers the shade of many trees.

Now that you know what to expect when you get there, here's a little history for those who are curious.

Back in 1917, part of the Black Hills Scenic Byway was known as Clifton-Solomonville Road. Most of it was designed to follow the mountain ridges avoiding the need for costly bridges. However, one was necessary to cross the Gila River.

It was originally going to be a steel deck arch bridge designed by State Engineer Thomas Maddock. Thomas estimated the bridge to cost $60,000 but actual construction bids exceeded the budget so that bridge design was scrapped.

The state changed the design to a single 270 foot open-spandrel arch with concrete girder approaches. But that was also scrapped.

In March 2018, the design was again changed by the new State Engineer B.M. Atwood to two equal-span Luten arches. This brought construction costs to within $200 of the original budget and the bridge was built.

Below are some quick facts about the bridge:

Built 1918 by the Topeka Bridge & Iron Co.; rehabilitated 1997

Total length: 287.7 ft.

Length of largest span: 122.7 ft.

Deck width: 16.7 ft.

Average Daily Traffic (As of 2015): 50

Sources:

https://hikearizona.com/dexcoder.php?PID=1667480

http://bridgehunter.com/az/greenlee/8152/

B& W Photo From Arizona Historic Bridge Inventory

BH Photo #195080

Why you should get comfortable camping

randall — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 21:08:10 +0000

When I first started travelling I couldn't have imagined not staying in a hotel. The idea of camping in tent with only thin nylon type material protecting me was terrifying. I was constantly worried about being attacked by animal or human.

The chances of this is exceedingly rare though. According to decideoutside.com, "the chances of being attacked is less than 0000002.98%, or 1 in 58 million."

Here are the major benefits of camping in my book.

Even at pay campsites the rate is often much cheaper than at hotels in the area. This is particularly true in areas like California. I have a 3 night vacation booked at Leo Carrillo SP for $142.99. Getting a hotel room in the area would cost around $400 when I booked my campsite.

There are many free places to camp, particularly in the West of the U.S. (check out freecampsites.net or UC Public CG is a great app for both free and pay). An important note is that some pay campsites come with flush toilets and even showers. Sometimes the showers are free some are pay (most will cost you about $2.00 for enough time to have a thorough washing).

Camping is a different experience than staying in a hotel. You often won't have heat or cooling unless you're in an RV but you get to be out in nature and often closer to the attractions you are going to see (like National or State Parks).

Even with pay camping, there are rarely any surprises or worries when it comes to your bill. You don't have to worry about them tacking on extra charges claiming you stole towels, pillows, etc. And there is no expectation to tip the room service.

Here are the major drawbacks to camping in my book.

It is debatable you have less security. While I feel like I am less likely to run into nasty people out camping versus staying at a motel/hotel in a seedy part of town, you can't really lock anything up and your walls are literally not just figuratively paper thin.

If you're tent or van/car camping, you probably will not have heat or air conditioning. You can use propane or diesel fuel heaters but both of those have some safety concerns and limited fuel supply if you're out of the city for days.

Sometimes you will not have running water at all and when you do, you have to be comfortable sharing a toilet and shower with others. I will note, I have never seen a communal style shower. Everywhere I have been you have at least a private stall if not a closing and locking door.

Here are some items I recommend you bring on any camping trip in addition to the obvious tent, sleeping pad, pillow and sleeping bag. I also want to emphasize the importance of getting a good sleeping pad. Not only will the sleeping pad provide comfort but it provides crucial insulation from the ground which will suck warmth out of you far faster than the air above you come night time.

Rechargeable light bulb with hook to light up your tent at night.

Rechargeable battery pack to provide a few charges of your phone.

Headlamp, this is especially great if you need a late night bathroom break.

Something to read, maybe a travel book about the area accompanied by an atlas.

I personally like to bring my portable DVD player with a complete DVD set of one of my favorite shows. This can uplift your mood if you're feeling lonely at night.

Snacks that you don't have to refigerate.

Consider bringing a small cook set and standalone coffee filter if you like coffee in the morning.

If you're camping at pay sites, sometimes they have power hookups even at tent sites, so bring an extension cord and power bar/surge protector.