For Anyone Dropping In - Part 2

 I have been blogging for a while (since 2005?), in an earlier blog incarnation about science and politics, lately about science only on this site.  Though activity has sagged during the last few years, partially due to Facebook posts, including science posts and photos, things trundle on here. 

A current state of mind (angst?) urges me towards writing on this blog about the science of past travels and hoped-for future geo-travels (including perhaps some "Geo-Bucket List" travels), with my second wife (she enjoys nature photography, as I do).  With her, I no longer have to endure the frustrating question from travel companions "Why do you need to take 10 photos of that wildflower (or that rock outcrop)?"   (Not making value judgments upon others, but a fellow photographer understands these things.)

In some cases, this blog may take on characteristics of a "geo-travel blog", perhaps in an effort to encourage pre-preparation prior to a family journey.  With the current wealth of internet resources, some advance planning (reading) can offer added educational benefits, even with after-the-fact narratives about a vacation. 

Woven within descriptions of past travels may include additional thoughts and notes regarding "what I might do differently".  If I travel some of the same particular treks, if life and Providence allow,  I want to do it better.  And to write well about those travels.  (20/20 hindsight being what it is.)  As my interests have evolved beyond "just Geology" - as discussed below - other things will be covered.

I don't pretend to be any sort of international geo-traveler, my travels have only included a brief round-trip from central New Hampshire to Ottawa, Ontario 40 years ago and several field trips from El Paso southward into Mexico, between 1977 and 1990 (or so.)  

My most recent spate of travels (in mid-2015, mid-2016, and early 2017) have been in the wake of 1) Job transitions and the difficulties of finding meaningful full-time science-related work in my mid-60s; 2) My first wife's passing two years ago; 3) The moving of my daughter's family from the Atlanta area to Phoenix, two years ago; 4) The return of my daughter's family to the Atlanta area, earlier this year.  (Details as to Items 2, 3, and 4 have been related in earlier posts, for the sake of relevance.)

During my years (2001 - 2017) of employment as an adjunct instructor at several Atlanta-area and North Georgia junior colleges, teaching Environmental Science classes and leading field trips and nature hikes triggered within me a desire to improve my plant, wildflower, and animal ID skills.  The ability to ID at least some of what I see makes field trips and nature hikes more interesting and fulfilling.  Thus when I stop along a roadway for photos, I am as likely photographing plants and wildflowers, in addition to geological features.

Finally, this not an exercise - solely - in self-promotion or for  "graybeard" reminisces, but as an extension of teaching and promoting science education.  If I can at least provoke increased nature curiosity in readers, that will be a goal met, if that curiosity is followed-up with new learning experiences.

Lone Pine, California Area Sites to See

 

The Alabama Hills are just East of the Sierra Nevada (and Mt. Whitney) and West of the Inyo Mts, in Owens Valley, Inyo County, California.  In contrast to the jagged granitic high peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the Alabama Hills (of a similar geological age) consist of low to moderate granite hills that exhibit the classic "Spheroidal Weathering" terrain. 

Despite the similar age and composition of the granite, the difference in weathering and erosion "styles" for the Alabama Hills vs. the Sierra Nevada is probably due to initial structural position, i.e., tectonics and Tertiary to Recent temperate climate of the Alabama Hills - favoring a mix of mineral dissolution and secondary ice-wedging vs. cold-climate Physical Weathering (dominated by ice-wedging) for the Sierra Nevada peaks.

This particular blogpost includes a number of photographs of the granite arches and other distinctive rocks in the Alabama Hills. 

The Wikipedia entry for the Alabama Hills is here.  According to this entry, the hills received their name from local Confederate sympathizers in recognition of the exploits of the Confederate warship C.S.S. Alabama, during the Civil War. 

The Geology Underfoot Series for Death Valley and Owens Valley can be ordered here.  There is also a "Roadside Geology" guide for Southern California, but I am not sure how far east the book coverage reaches.

If in the area, the Lone Pine Film History Museum seems a very worthy stop.  In Owens Valley, the Alabama Hills, and the surrounding area was popular for the filming of numerous movies.  Reportedly, there is a local film festival during the Columbus Day weekend (if not interrupted by the Pandemic).

My interest in the Alabama Hills was kindled after I started watching recorded "old western movies", perhaps 7 or 8 years ago after getting tired of "the modern Hollywood stuff".  One example of an iconic Henry Fonda movie with scenes filmed in the Alabama Hills was 1942's "The Ox-Bow Incident".  

"How the West was Won" was just another of the numerous movies filmed in the Lone Pine, California area including John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, and Glenn Ford.  I haven't yet researched whether Audie Murphy and Lee Marvin were among those that walked and rode horses in the Alabama Hills, but it wouldn't surprise me. 

While traveling between Phoenix and Zion National Park in 2016, I considered visiting some geological sites in Eastern California, e.g. Death Valley, Alabama Hills, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake.  But I decided that crossing Death Valley in early August was not a good idea.  When I did daytime high temp comparisons between Phoenix and Death Valley, Death Valley seemed consistently 15 - 20 (F) degrees hotter.

I had especially wanted to visit the Mammoth Brewing Co. (actually within the Long Valley Caldera), but ... it was just the wrong time of year.  Thus it and the other sites were consigned to the "Bucket List".

A Roadside Shopping Center for Rockhounds

 ...a little west of Elberton, Georgia, on the Northside of GA Hwy. 72 is "Tiny Town".  It consists of a convenience store and a granite monument production company.  The approximately one-acre lot behind the store is a veritable shopping center for rockhounds, geologists, and Earth Science teachers.  

My wife and I visited there again last Saturday and I picked up a couple of nice Xenolith specimens.  A link to that post with photos is here.

  

Figure 1.

For those stopping there, for the sake of manners, please ask permission in the store and so as not to "mess things up" for everyone else that follows you, please be careful.  It is your responsibility to pay attention to the hazards of heavy slabs of waste granite.

 

Figure 2.

For those unfamiliar, Elberton, GA calls itself "The Granite Capital of the World" and the granite body itself covers about 200 square miles and hosts dozens of quarries.  This small monument-cutting operation predominately cuts Elberton Granite, but amidst the rockpiles, one can occasionally find pink granite, gabbro, and other dimension stone varieties.

  Figure 3.

Probably 99+% of the rock is Elberton Granite.  Among remaining <1%, the best treasures to find are xenoliths.  For dimension stone, xenoliths are probably considered blemishes at best and potential sites for breakage of the finished product.  In other words, in terms of a cemetery memorial, unless the dearly-departed was a geologist, a high-contrast xenolith wouldn't likely be appreciated by onlookers.

 Figure 4.

This xenolith/host rock combo probably weighs 50 - 60 lbs., so it took a bit of wrestling to get it in the car.

Figure 5.

Figure 6.

Mountain Effects on Climate

 

Writing Blue Highways: William Least Heat-Moon - May 28, 2014

For Anyone Dropping in - Part 1

A revisitation of my plans and methods.  (Partially to stay motivated in this difficult year.)

One of the things I am currently doing is retiring my other Geology blog, which I began three years ago.  It was to be primarily dedicated to travel-related Geology (mainly based upon my past experiences and future travel hopes within the continental U.S.).  [I plan to move most, if not all, of the posts to this blog.]  

As I hope to someday traverse much of U.S. 66 in a systematic way - while looking at the local geology - there will be a plethora of U.S. 66 videos. [Over the years, I have traveled sporadically on parts of "old" U.S. 66 from California to Tulsa, Oklahoma on vacations and various road trips, without giving the highway the respect it deserved.]  Ditto with SW Colorado videos, as that is the corner of that state I am most familiar with.

I am trying to inspire people to keep a road log or travel diary, even as periodic blog posts.  I greatly regret not keeping notes on my 1974 Road Trip, which helped inspire me to move to El Paso two and a half years later, for grad school.

I boldly planned to post daily on both blogs, with the intention of becoming consistent enough to "monetize" one or both.  What I didn't recognize was that posting daily on even one of the blogs, with any sort of accompanying text, links, and references was "a lot of time and work".  

For several reasons, my employment situation has declined in the last three years to a status of "unwilling" semi-retirement.  Especially with the 2020 Pandemic screwing my two remaining employments (one worse than the other, but the "other" job has been scaled-back and seems facing uncertainty in the next few months).  

These things being the case, it would seem that I would have more time for blogging, addressing my writing projects, and other plans (perhaps a few of those "Bucket List" items, as well).  

I have managed to "check off" a few minor Bucket List items in the last couple of years, e.g., seeing and photographing "the Georgia Guidestones" 2 and 1/2 years ago and eating at a Newnan, Georgia branch of Duff's Famous Wings early this year (which soon after closed permanently due to the Pandemic).  Both of my adult children had eaten at the Buffalo, NY (reputed "original") location during church-related mission trips to Buffalo a few years ago and as I didn't foresee being in Buffalo anytime soon, thankfully I made the Georgia location before its regrettable closing.

Having "more time" would seem to be favorable to getting more outdoor projects done, but as life has its "twists and turns", in the household that includes me, my second wife, my 90-year-old mother-in-law, my wife's twin sister (who is still employed and lives in a furnished basement apartment), and four spoiled dogs, we have our own changing responsibilities and un-planned occurrences.  

A year ago, my second wife was injured in a car accident (not her fault, she was rear-ended - for the eighth time in the last 40 years along with a time she broadsided a car that ran a stop sign).  With this most recent accident, there appears to be a legal settlement coming that covers the medical expenses and a little more, but that doesn't fix the cumulative effect of this and the other accidents.  Those cumulative effects sometimes don't crop up until years later.  

The accident's aftermath, e.g., her recuperation from the neck and back injuries and a knee-replacement (maybe indirectly-related to the wreck, but couldn't be proven) interrupted the "writing mojo" for my slowly-progressing three nonfiction writing projects.  I just find trouble in "getting the proper mood" to isolate myself and write, even though I now have an office/study in a repurposed spare bedroom.     

As yard work projects are awaiting (before tomorrow's expected rain), I plan to write "Part 2" tomorrow.

Hadley Cells and Deserts Revisited

 

As were some other pertinent videos, this one was earlier posted on December 1, 2019.

It's a Good Day for Xenolithophilia

 At the previously-mentioned "Tiny Town" within the Elberton Granite, my wife and I managed to escape from home duties for a little while this afternoon.  I was rewarded with two manageable-sized Elberton Granite specimens, both with Xenoliths composed of Biotite Quartz Schist (from an unknown local metamorphic unit).  [There might be a formal name, but I am not yet familiar enough with the local Piedmont metamorphic units.] 

To refresh, the Xenoliths I have found in the waste dumps of this small monument-cutting firm have been dominated by a Biotite Quartz Schist (with varying degrees of Quartz).

Here is additional Xenolith info and links to other past Xenolith posts.

A Secondary Cause of North American Deserts Revisited

[Revisiting of an earlier post from December 1, 2019, because aside from the primary cause of the four North American Temperate Deserts being The Rain Shadow Effect, it is useful to remember the secondary cause as being the Mid-Latitude High-Pressure Zone.]  (There were a total of five pertinent video posts on December 1, 2019.) 

From the time that I took a Weather and Climate course while in grad school, during the Fall of 1987 until I started teaching Environmental Science in junior college in 2001, I didn't give much thought to Hadley Cells.

After I met my first wife, Marla, in early 1983, I gained much more focus and purpose than ever before.  I made an "A" in the Weather and Climate course and in the Physical Geography Lecture and Lab courses, as well, for a "4.0 semester". 

Though we did cover the concept of Hadley Cells, I don't recall if it was described as being responsible for vertical air-circulation patterns that produce most of the world's mid-latitude deserts, a process that can locally be enhanced by the Rain Shadow Effect.  (As briefly covered, yesterday.) 

For the sake of review, in 1735, George Hadley proposed a single, large vertical atmospheric circulation cell (in each latitudinal hemisphere) as a major factor behind global wind patterns.  Uplift provided by Equatorial Heating was the driving force behind each circulation cell, with the atmospheric winds cooling and falling as they reached the Poles.

Over time, further study revealed that Earth's circulation likely prevented the existence of a single large circulation cell, making the 3-cell model more plausible.  With the acceptance of that model, the term "Hadley Cell" was re-applied to the two cells adjacent to the Equator and driven by persistent Equatorial Heat in the "Equatorial Low-Pressure Zone".

In both cases, the upper Troposphere Winds "fall" at approximately 30 degrees North and South, creating a persistent zone of High Pressure, now referred to as the "Mid-Latitude High-Pressure Zone" or the "Subtropical Ridge" (of High Pressure).  As with the Rain Shadow winds, the falling air warms and dries, suppressing cloud formation and growth.  Between 30 and 60 degrees Latitude (North and South), this cell is now referred to as the "Farrell" or "Ferrel" cell.

At approximately 60 degrees North and South of the Equatorials are weak zones of Low-Pressure and rising air, called the High-Latitude Low-Pressure Zone."  Between there and the North (or the South Pole) is referred to as the Polar Cell, in each hemisphere.

Rain Shadow Effect - Revisited

 

As recounted here and in other recent posts, the Rain Shadow Effect is the primary Regional "cause" of the four North American Deserts with the Mid-Latitude High-Pressure Zone being a secondary cause.

While the Rain Shadow Effect is a Regional Climate Effect in the case of the Western United States, on a smaller scale, it can be a temporary, local Weather Effect (paired with Orographic Lifting) in a direction "contrary" to the regional (Prevailing) trend.

In regard to the Organ Mountains in Southern New Mexico and the Franklin Mountains in extreme West Texas (part of the same Basin and Range Fault Block), the prevailing winds are generally from West to East.  But on rare occasions, Weather Fronts from the Northeast and East do happen in the region. 

Downtown El Paso is about 3,700 feet above Mean Sea Level and it often gets below freezing, but it is usually dry, so to get a rare "good snow", the moisture has to come from one direction, while the frigid air comes from another.

As with early 1985 (I think), a Cold Front arrived into the El Paso area from the Northeast and due to Orographic Lifting, the east side of the mountains received a coating of ice on the streets and 2 - 3 inches of snow.  Normally, that small amount of snow would not be much of a local travel impediment, but when it overlays a coating of ice, that's a different story.

While the eastern slopes were getting the ice and snow, downtown El Paso and the western slopes were just getting cold rain.  

Orographic Lifting and the Rain Shadow Effect can happen in wetter parts of the country where there is sufficient Topographic Relief.  The mountains of Rabun County, in the northeastern corner of the state, is the wettest part of Georgia, averaging about 70 inches of rain per year.  In contrast, the Augusta area, on the edge of the Coastal Plain gets about 40 inches of rain per year.  

Chihuahuan Desert Rain Shadow Effect

 

Not to over-dwell upon this subject (with this and the two following videos), but the Rain Shadow Effect is the primary "cause" of the four North American Temperate Deserts, the Mojave, the Great Basin, the Sonoran, and the largest, the Chihuahuan Desert.  

The Rain Shadow Effect is the "2nd half" of the Orographic Effect.  The first "half" occurs when prevailing air currents bring moist air masses into contact with linear mountain ranges.  Over the long-term climate effects, due to our Jet Stream position, usually westerly wind currents bring moist air masses in from the Pacific Ocean.  As the moist air is uplifted, it chills, condenses, and brings precipitation to the Windward side of the mountain ranges.

Once the air currents "top" the mountain range(s), as it starts to fall in altitude (down the Leeward side of the mountain ranges), it expands, warms, and dries.  Due to the mountainous areas west of the Rockies Front Range and west of the eastern-most parts of the Basin and Range Province, the Rain Shadow Effect is the primary reason for the prevailing dryness of the "American West".

A secondary "cause" of the four North American Temperate Deserts is the "Mid-Latitude High-Pressure Zone", related to vertical atmospheric cells, called the "Ferrel Cell", in which persistent Atmospheric High-Pressure cells (and associated falling winds) tend to suppress cloud growth.

White Sands: White Wilderness

 

The blindingly bright, "soft" gypsum sands of White Sands National Monument were our giant outdoor sandbox.  Of the "backyard" sites outside of El Paso, White Sands were probably most visited during my 14-years of living there (1977-19910.

[As these are 40-year-old 35 mm slides, there are some issues with dust spots, emulsion flaws, and such.  Just haven't had time to Photoshop them all.] 

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Flowers and Grasses of the Chihuahuan Desert

 

As the Flora of a region supports the Fauna of that region, by way of providing food, shelter, shade, water retention (sometimes), and nest-building materials, understanding the Flora is a good starting point for a broad understanding of a particular Desert Ecosystem (and its Sub-Ecosystems).  

As referenced in yesterday's (and previous) posts, there are numerous Museums, Botanical Gardens, and Research Centers in the Texas and New Mexico portions of the Chihuahuan Desert, ranging from the Fort Davis area in the Davis Mountains of West Texas to the western slopes of the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, NM and the Aguirre Springs area on the eastern slopes of the Organ Mountains.

More Chihuahuan Desert information.

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[All photos here are mine or from personal friends.]

Living Here - Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park

 

[As with other museums and parks, I am not certain as to the current status of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park - due to the pandemic.  It is on the western slopes of the Organ Mountains, east of I-25 and north of U.S. Hwy 70 in the Las Cruces, NM area.] 

But if access is available, this Las Cruces site is a good starting point from the West, for learning about this particular desert and how it is different from the adjacent Sonoran Desert, to the west.  If one is used to the greenery of the Eastern United States a first-time visit to El Paso/Las Cruces is a "nature shock" and it takes a while to learn to appreciate the stark beauty of this harsh environment.  There is beauty here, it just takes some training and acclimation to learn to appreciate it.

In El Paso, Keystone Heritage Park would be another important resource.  On the eastern slopes of the Franklin Mountains is the El Paso Museum of Archeology Wilderness Park.  [Again, please check the website for schedules, as all city museums and parks seem to be closed due to the pandemic.]  When I visited

Of note: The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest of the four North American Temperate Deserts.  With less development of the slopes of the Organ Mountains (than of the nearby Franklin Mountains) it is a better place to see some of the factors involving ecosystem development and location (in my humble opinion).

Additional learning resources are available through the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center in the Davis Mountains.  Especially if traveling from the East on I-10 and I-20.

As a former 14-year-long resident of the El Paso area (1977-1991), before venturing out of either city, do some research to inquire about "desert safety" and certain areas to avoid, due to current "border issues". 

There are places I used to go - 30 years ago - by myself that now, I would either not go at all or go armed with an armed buddy.  These are south and west of I-10, in relative proximity to the International Border.  This includes area near Aden Crater, Kilbournes Hole, and other volcanic features.

The Chihuahuan Desert: Our North American Outback

 

[This video was previously posted on November 30, 2019.  The Chihuahuan Desert was my home for 14 years and remains influential to my thoughts of Geology and Ecology.]

As I was searching through videos related to the Chihuahuan Desert, I encountered a familiar name.  Kevin von Finger was a casual friend of mine during my El Paso years, we crossed paths often.  (I wish I had spent more time rambling in the desert with him.  He passed away too young.)  

As our personal encounters were usually during social events, I wasn't properly aware of his career as a local Ecologist and Biologist.  (To my great regrets.)  At that particular time, my primary life focus was Geology, but for the most part, my self-education in Ecology and Environmental Science had not begun in earnest.

Reasons for Ramblin' and Roamin'

 At the risk of this old rockhead repeating hisself ...

My intent with this blog was to use travels and related observations as "teachable geology moments" and/or "teachable life moments", i.e., to encourage others to observe, think, and be curious about what they see (while still safely driving).

In between times of introspection, make use of the internet to do some quick research and advance planning.  It is easier than ever.  Utilize it.

If you plan, then execute achieving a Bucket List desire, then make use of it (unless it is really deeply personal).  With self-publishing easier than ever, how might your planning and execution inspire someone to be better than they might have been otherwise?  In other words, when you "check something off your Bucket List", then make it a "teachable moment".

If on a journey to somewhere new (planned or spontaneous), make notes, even on something as simple as a $1 composition notebook.  Better now than trying to remember 40 years later.

I have a younger first cousin-once-removed - who is a globe-trotting educator (as it is difficult to maintain a large family on a teacher's salary in the United States).  Among the places his growing family has lived include The United Arab Emirates; a small town on the coast of Alaska; Saudi Arabia; Japan; and now back to Georgia. 

In light of my own failure to keep notes "along the way", at least during interesting times and travels, I have been after him for years to "write it down" so that as his six kids (I think) reach adulthood, they will have some sort of family "chronicle" to help them remember.  

I have a niece who has experienced a number of similar global address changes due to her husband's occupation.  My point here is that these younger relatives have already seen things that I have never seen (and will never see) and have lived in Asian, European, Middle-Eastern cultures. 

If my circumstances allow, I still hope to do some U.S. travel maybe within the next two years, but any international travel is not "in the cards" for a variety of reasons.  My most immediate desires are to see my second wife's hometown in Michigan and return to the Desert Southwest.  

A few years ago, I was invited to go to Hawaii with my sister's family, including her in-laws (great folks).  The actual airfare wasn't that bad, but when the rental house fees and island-to-island "hopping" costs (by air) were added-in, it was beyond my budget.  (They were staying on Oahu, and any Geologist "worth their salt" would have to make several trips to the "big island".)  So it goes.

The Angst of the Traveling Geologist

 I am not referring here to the "Itinerant Geologist" in terms of one that travels extensively for work. 

Rather, it is in terms of those anchored to a particular geography by work and family, and when they are temporarily "freed" during multi-state journeys to visit distant family.  Since 1974, I have been acclimated to long road trips, so as long as time permits, I prefer to drive.

From 1983 (when I met my first wife) to early 1991, we lived in El Paso.  From that time until early 1991, family trips were usually during the Summer and at Christmas (sometimes we flew) back to the Atlanta area.  After grad school ended, we moved to Georgia, in April 1991 and the destinations flipped and were a bit more scattered with my wife's parents and siblings in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona.

 

"Freed" - as during a family vacation is in quotations - on those journeys we are allowed to see hundreds of miles of diverse Geology, but to preserve a schedule, we can't stop.  Perhaps to suggest that we Geologists are "hostages" is a bit overwrought, but as we pass outcrop after outcrop, we long for the freedom to briefly stop and look, for just a few minutes.  To seek fossils, minerals, cool rock samples, to touch, and to photograph the "exotica" before us (later on to also include wildflowers).

When traveling, the only opportunity to visit outcrops was to sneak away from the motel at dawn, while everyone else was sleeping in until 8 AM.  One example was one night in Tulsa, after visiting the Woolaroc Ranch (a worthy travel stop, with an interesting story), 

on the way to the Tulsa-area motel, I saw this shale outcrop, so I cleared it with my wife that I would make an early morning visit to the outcrop (it was the only outcrop I had seen).  After scouring the outcrop for an hour, I came to the conclusion that the shale was barren of fossils.  I even checked a number of the tabular concretions and they seemed barren also.  I had to settle for some photos illustrating the shale characteristic of being "fissile" and the fresh air and free time.

On another journey, while at a motel in El Paso (2003?), I had better luck, as I knew the area, but still had limited time to go from East Central El Paso to Trans-Mountain Road, where there are a variety of Precambrian outcrops exposed when the highway was built.

In the middle of the "mess", the light colored rock is Proterozoic Red Bluff Granite, to the right, between the granite and the black diabase, it a tilted mass of Proterozoic Castner Limestone.  On that run, at least I scored a few good photos and some rock samples.

With subsequent "life changes" over the years, at times I am still at times "a hostage" to a travel schedule.  At least now with a good camera, shooting at high speeds, I can get some usable photos (as a passenger) at 70 mph.  Below, from 2017, as my son-in-law was driving out of Phoenix on I-17, I did get this photo of a baked paleosol (red layer with miniature faux-columnar jointing), between basalt flows.

Same journey, I-40 yielded this 70 mph image of the subtle, upturned rim of Barringer Meteor Crater.  Not perfect, but usable for education purposes.

BTW, I have confirmed the phenomenon of the angst associated with bypassing outcrops, during family trips and such with other Geologists.

To Set the Stage for Future Western U.S. Posts - Part of My Background

To set the stage for future posts - which I eventually intend to string together in a coherent chronological manner - after a series of "life events" between May 1, 2015, and April 20, 2017, the stage was set for four round-trip journeys between Atlanta, GA, and Phoenix, AZ.  The major landmark events between those dates began with the passing of my first wife, Marla, in early May 2015 and my daughter's family moving to Phoenix, later that same month.

Here is a short summary of the four trips (all by car, except for the April 2017 flight to Phoenix, followed by a quick return by car.)

2015 Arizona Trip #1: Late May - June
2015 Arizona Trip #2: Mid-July - early-August
2016 Arizona Trip: Late June - mid-July
2017 Arizona Trip: Latter April 2017

During an earlier era (1977-1991), when I lived in El Paso for grad school, I made sporadic trips to Phoenix to visit an aunt and uncle in Phoenix, as well as a Summer 1977 Geology field trip and a later trip from El Paso to the Grand Canyon in October 1978.  (Prior to my  1977 move to El Paso, to attend Geology grad school at UT El Paso, I passed through the Desert Southwest during 1973 & 1974 Summer travels.)

Sometime after my first marriage in 1984, my then in-laws moved to Phoenix for a few years, so there were a few more trips, even after I moved my family back to my native Georgia, in 1991. 

With my daughter's family's moves, my Arizona experience extends from 1973 - 2017.  So thus, that is a rough sketch of the background for upcoming western photographs and commentary.

Stay tuned.

Sustenance for the Itinerant Geologist - Part 2

Part 1:  for the story background and other places visited.   

Ben's Big Burger, Durango, CO.  (Second Trip 2015)  Having tried Serious Texas Bar-B-Q in Farmington the previous evening, I decided to search out a local hamburger place in Durango.  Ben's Big Burgers is at 1400 E. 2nd Ave.  At lunch, parking was a challenge and there was a line indoors, but it was worth the wait. 

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The Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, TX (Second Trip 2015)  Nothing says "Texas-sized kitsch" like the landmark Big Texan Steak Ranch.  As I had lunch a couple of hours earlier in Shamrock, Texas and I was headed to Palo Duro State Park, I sadly had to pass up eating here.  I did sample a couple of good beers from their brewpub and picked up a growler to go, to take to Phoenix. 

I considered staying at the Big Texan Steak Ranch motel (and having dinner there), but by the time I had finished with Palo Duro Canyon, I needed to "get on up the road" to Dalhart, Texas to get a good start on my trip through the Clayton-Raton Volcanic Field the following day.  For some, the entire "Big Texan" experience seems appropriate for a Bucket List submission.

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Chico's Tacos, El Paso, Texas (2016 Trip)  When I was leaving El Paso midday on a Sunday afternoon, after visiting a couple of old friends, I wasn't even thinking about stopping at Chico's Tacos.  But when I saw the sign at 1365 George Dieter Dr., I immediately knew what my destiny was (for that moment).

[I have to confess that during the 14 years I lived in El Paso, I never discovered this place, nor was I taken there by any friends.  I will somehow endure the lifelong loss!  Somehow.]

I had heard of Chico's Tacos by way of the comedian Gabriel Iglesias (aka "Fluffy"), on a rebroadcast of a 2009 show at the Chamizal Memorial Theatre in El Paso.  They really are something special.  [As a reminder:  This location did not take credit or debit cards, so bring some cash.  (Don't know if this applies to all locations or not.)

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Chuy's, Van Horn, TX  1200 W. Broadway, Van Horn, TX  (First Trip 2015).  The second night of our Atlanta-to-Phoenix leg of the trip, in my daughter's SUV with their family dog (we were ferrying the dog to Phoenix), we stopped in Van Horn, TX.  (It had been a good day, we had made it from Longview, TX that day (with a short photo stop in Monahans Sandhills State Park.)

[The Chuy's Tex-Mex, from Austin, TX - founded in 1982 - is not related to this independent Van Horn, TX restaurant - founded in 1959.]  When in the Dunwoody suburb of Atlanta or most other places, I recommend Chuy's Tex-Mex.  When in west Texas, it's the original in Van Horn.

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Howard's Drive-In, Fort Stockton, TX  (Second Trip 2015 & 2016 Trip)  While traveling east from El Paso in 2015, I made a gasoline stop in Fort Stockton.  While driving around seeking a place for lunch, the bright red sign at 501 N. Sycamore St. caught my eye.  Inside, it wasn't fancy, but it had that "fresh-cooked burger" flavor, which is what I was looking for. 

East Main Grill, Johnson City, Texas  (2016 Trip)  East Main Grill in downtown Johnson City, Texas represented a bright spot in an otherwise dreary Monday.  The sky was just as clear as it was the day before in Fort Stockton (above), but there were three significant smudges on the day (thusfar). 

When I left Ozona, Texas that morning, I had plans to; 1) Visit a topaz collecting locality near Mason, Texas; 2) Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, near Austin; 3) Visit Whip-In Market on the south side of Austin (for their selection of local craft beers); and 4) Reach Georgia the following day.

As I neared the exit for Mason, I made a side trip to gather info on the Caverns of Sonora, Texas, in case the opportunity to visit presented itself on a future journey.  The caverns weren't open yet that morning, I spent time reading pamphlets and I determined that a visit into the caverns would take a minimum of two hours.  Way too much time for that day.  

After a few wildflower photo-stops (example below), I continued on to the exit for Mason.  When I made phone calls to both of the most likely topaz-collecting sites (both on working ranches), to my horror I realized that I forgot to call the day before to make the required reservations!  (Smudge #1).

False Purple Thistle

I considered going back to the Caverns of Sonora, but with driving time added to tour time, I determined that this choice was unworkable.  (Smudge #2).  While stopped, I did a quick internet search about the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and found out that they were closed on Mondays.  Gasp!  (Smudge #3)

After doing a bit of fossil collecting from Cretaceous limestones along I-10, near the Fredericksburg exit, I decided that seeking lunch in Johnson City was my best option for salvaging the morning.  The East Main Grill (part of the Old Lumberyard in downtown) was my selection and fortunately, it was a good choice.

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For craft beers in Austin, TX, since 1986, Whip-In Market, 1950 South IH-35, Austin, TX 78704 is a great place to pick up local craft beers, especially if you want single bottles/cans for later sampling.  The steady growth of the market since 1986 is a testament to its local popularity.  Before Austin had its own craft breweries, when searching for craft beers while visiting the city, their slogan was "If it's in Austin, we have it!".  They also have an in-house kitchen that makes it a worthy food stop, if you are already off the freeway.   [Advisory:  Especially when driving north on I-35, getting off at the proper exit and navigating the surface streets is tricky.  Thus, please do your homework, study the maps, and plan ahead.]   

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One last bit of nostalgia is reserved for Village Inn Restaurant near the merging of US Hwy 89 & west Historic U.S. 66, just across the parking lot from the Super 8 Motel, in Northeast Flagstaff, Arizona.  While there are numerous Village Inns scattered across the country (including 9 in El Paso), the one I visited in Flagstaff (Second Trip 2015) seems to have closed earlier in 2018. 

The reason I had two meals (dinner and breakfast) at that particular Flagstaff restaurant was that it was across the parking lot from my motel and that it brought back memories of El Paso.  It was at Village Inn restaurants in El Paso where I developed my enjoyment of Huevos Rancheros (at any time of day). 

That being the case, that was my Flagstaff dinner selection.  It was OK, not as good as what I remembered from El Paso.  This may have been a function of being so far from the Mexican border (vs. El Paso) or it may have been due to the "downhill slide" of that location.  (Unfortunately, my travel schedule in El Paso didn't permit visiting any of the Village Inns there, for the sake of comparison.)

Sustenance for the Itinerant Geologist - Part 1

(These are my opinions.  Before seeking out these local or regional eateries, do some internet research.) 

Whether traveling for business, family, field trips, Bucket List journeys, or whatever, surely you have discovered that "eating healthy" (salads and stuff) is very difficult.  Especially when traveling alone, as the driver has to do all of the navigating and other "support chores". 

[Admittedly, I am "old school" still using paper maps and road atlases (to focus upon the "big picture") and my Android phone during local navigation stops.  Doing quick, simple sketch maps on a legal pad helps commit the route to memory.  But, all of that eats up time.]

Additional reasons for disruptions to "healthy eating regimens" include travel fatigue, storage issues, vehicle space restrictions, route/schedule changes due to weather events, navigating unfamiliar places to find local stores,...

To keep up with a schedule, sometimes you have to be satisfied with a combined fast food/restroom stop, especially while "burning up" precious daylight driving hours.

[Just a reminder, as these are not "fast food" places, it is just best to just relax out and soak in the local ambiance (and look at maps and make notes) while you wait for your food.]

From the time of my first wedding in 1984, most of my subsequent travels have had a significant "family component" to the routes taken.  [Just an observation, not a complaint.]  Most of these journeys were to OK, TX, NM, and AZ, except for 2009 - 2010, when my daughter's family lived in New Jersey.  This continued up through 2015 and 2016 when my daughter's family lived in Phoenix, AZ.

Unless I am lucky enough to find a good salad bar, for lunch and dinner, while traveling my choices tend to be Mexican food, burgers, or barbeque.  Most of the food stops listed below are fairly close to a freeway or major road.

These are the most memorable stops during my 2015 & 2016 travels between Atlanta and Phoenix (in no particular order):

Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, Irondale, AL (East Birmingham).  (Second Trip 2015)  This particular location (of a historic barbeque chain) has been a family stop for lunch for a number of years, during past westward journeys to visit relatives "out west".  As there are nearby gas stations, this is a convenient "combo stop".  The official location is 2504 Crestwood Blvd. (US Hwy 78), Irondale, AL.  Shredded pork with a potato salad side is my mainstay and the benchmark by which I judge different pork bbq restaurants (if Brunswick stew is not available.)

C-J's Butcherboy Burgers, Russellville, Arkansas.  (Second Trip 2015)  I had noticed the name on the blue interstate sign for Exit 81, on I-40 through Russellville, AR on a previous trip between GA and OK and I had made a mental note about stopping.  C-J's had appeared on a random internet article "Best Burger Joint in Each State" (or something like that) as Arkansas' best.  Just a good solid, fresh hamburger.

Silver Moon Cafe, Santa Rosa, NM.  (First Trip 2015)  On the return "leg" of the First 2015 AZ Trip, my friend Neal and I stopped in Santa Rosa, NM at the Best Western.  Just down the street was this little bit of "Route 66" history.  One or two local New Mexico beers and the Mexican food satisfied the weary travelers.

Serious Texas Bar-B-Q, Farmington, NM; Durango, CO; and other NM/CO locations (Second 2015 Trip & 2016 Trip).  While in this area on the first 2015 trip, Neal and I were usually dining at one of the local brewpubs and didn't have time to check out this intriguingly-named chain of barbeque restaurants.  I made sure to check out one of the Farmington, NM area locations and the Durango, CO location the following year.

Both times I had the shredded (chopped) pork, which defines the southeastern U.S. definition of "barbeque" and potato salad.  [The Austin, TX area barbeque experience is something that I have only briefly experienced and it is a world unto itself.]

(A second helping is in-progress.)