Thursday, March 22, 2007

Road Trip 1: Cool Lava Flows

There's a temptation to compare digital point and shoot cameras to the old box Brownies. Yes, both were conceived as cameras for Everyman, and, indeed, both serve(d) that purpose well. One points; one shoots; one has a picture.

The resemblance stops there. Among the wonderful features of modern picture-taking technology is the shutter speed. It's high. Stops motion like you wouldn't believe. There's nothing like taking pictures out the windshield or the side window while a friend speeds down the highway!
Our return trip from Yarnell Tuesday gave me a chance to record those magnificent lava flows and mesas at the point halfway to the Sierra Prietas. SR89 swings a series of curves as it goes up and over the mesas. Just a short little segment of the road.

Aren't they beautiful? Again, I wonder where all the lava originated; that's a question I have often asked as I have wandered the area. There is, 10-15 miles to the south, Blowout Mountain. Might be the source; then again, might not. This isn't a section of Yavapai county that excites much study. The big geological money goes into potential copper mining sites or tracing water routes.

Very sere the day we drove through. Today there was an excellent rain, with more promised tomorrow. Perhaps we will see some greening yet before the heat crisps everything out.

6 comments:

stitchwort said...

Have just drifted in from box elder's blog - the scenery couldn't be more different, but the seeing eye is similar.
It's wonderful to be able to sit at home and travel the world.

Anonymous said...

I've a sneaking suspicion that these widespread lava/basalt flows eminated from fissures overlying one hell of an extensive magma chamber/s. Methinks that the flows up Oregon way were of this type. Unless a roadcut or stream happens to intersect a fissure there's no way of identifying where the stuff came from\Hermano

Granny J said...

Welcome, Ms. Stitchwort. I love to show off the wonderful -- and sometimes strange -- world where I live!

And thank you, Bro. for the note about the lava. I'm always curious. One of my biggest curiosities is about Big Bug Mesa, topped by a lava flow, sitting up there at 7 thousand feet next to Mt. Union. That's higher than our local volcano (Glassford Hill.)

Avus said...

They look like great motorcycling roads, GJ.

Anonymous said...

Granny J, that was a nice trip. Thanks.

Granny J said...

You've got it, Mr. Avus -- the bikers just love SR89. However, the section I showed is the tame section. Up in those mountains ahead are something like 200+ big curves (depending upon how you count them). It is called the White Spar road and many people avoid it entirely. But it is beautiful through the mountains. Totally different from the sere landscape shown here.

That's why, Steve, that it's such a cool trip!

 
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