Peoria, Arizona (June 3, 2017) There are more than 30 bike trails covering 300+ miles in my hometown of Peoria. This day, I rode my mountain bike northeast along the Beardsley Canal.
The canal was named for William H. Beardsley, whose company built the 30-mile long canal that stretched south from beautiful Lake Pleasant to irrigate farms and ranches in Maricopa County. The trail was mostly hardpack dirt, although in places I had to be mindful of larger rocks. About six miles into my ride, I looked to my right after I passed an elevated viaduct and spotted what appeared to be shimmering blue water. Was it a desert mirage? My inquiring mind wanted to know, so I left the trail and rode through scrub. Soon, I “discovered” a scenic lake created when water from the underground aquifer filled an abandoned gravel pit. The lake was lined with green shrubs and trees. There were reeds growing near the shoreline. A flock of ducks glided across the water. Mother Nature had transformed an eyesore into a beautiful oasis in the desert! I’ve ridden this trail several times since – it remains one of my favorites. |
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We followed a short trail along a creek and through a grove of trees to reach Montezuma Castle.
This five-story dwelling, with 20 rooms, was constructed high on a 150-foot limestone cliff – hard for enemies to penetrate and easy to defend. It was built and used by the Sinagua people in the 12th to early 15th centuries. In the 19th century, people mistakenly thought it was once occupied by the Aztec emperor Montezuma – thus its name. Montezuma Castle was declared a U.S. National Monument in 1906. As we gazed up at Montezuma Castle, we were fascinated by the engineering skill and ingenuity of the Sinaguas. It was spectacular!
In the foreground of the photo is Mealt falls, which plummets 180 feet to the rocky shoreline of the Sound of Raasay. The falls are fed by nearby Mealt Loch (“Lake”).
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls were spectacular sights - a “WOW!” start to our day of sightseeing on this beautiful island!
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Short Stories
On this page are short stories - quick reads, always fewer than 300 words - about some of my favorite travel moments and memories.
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