Goo Goo Dolls & Switchfoot

We thoroughly enjoyed a great concert downtown at the Dodge Theater last night.  Normally bands that are unknown and hauled along as opening acts leave me yawning but with Green River Ordinance (GRO) that was not to be the case.  They are an energetic young band from Texas that fit right in with the sounds of Switchfoot and the Goo Goo Dolls.  Definitely a band worth checking out.

When Switchfoot hit the stage the fans were ecstatic.  Singer Jon Foreman fed the frenzy by going out into the middle of the floor seating area to sing a song on two separate occasions.  Their positive message and great vibe make them a fantastic band to watch live.  This was about the fourth time we had seen Switchfoot and each time they have gotten better and better and their music has been delivered with a little harder edge each time.

The Goo Goo Dolls came out to play the favorites and several tunes from their new cd that goes on sale this Tuesday.  The hits sounded great and the new material was played like they had been playing every song as long as their anthem, Iris.  That encore brought down the house and ended a fantastic show featuring three upbeat bands that put a smile on everyone's face.

Evolve Through Scars

After trying out a few projects since he walked away from Saliva, the band he co-founded with Josey Scott, Chris D is in the final stages of signing a record deal with a band he joined called Evolve Through Scars.  They just launched their first single On The Outside on their myspace page.  Go to
http://www.myspace.com/540988079/music/playlists/2612945?songid=73037777&ap=1&sms_ss=facebook 
to give it a listen.  Chris, Christine's brother, is based out of Memphis, TN and is looking forward to getting back out on the road with a touring metal band and we wish him all the best and look forward to catching a show whenever ETS makes their way out west.

Waterfall Trail, White Tank Mountains

It was just another hot day in the desert but perfect for a hike without too many people crowding the trail.  The Waterfall Trail is a two mile out and back hike with the first and last half mile being very smooth and wheelchair accessible.  Where the barrier free section comes to an end is an area heavily populated with ancient graffiti, otherwise known as petroglyphs.

After viewing the rock etchings we continued on up the trail and made our way to the waterfall.  Even though it was just a trickle you can imagine what it is like during a rainstorm.  With boulders the size of cars resting in the dry wash the monsoons have wrecked havoc for countless centuries.  There is a small pool at the base of the waterfall that always contains water even in the driest months.  I can only assume that every animal within miles knows of this watering hole.

Just up and to the right of the pool is the waterfall and a second pool.  These "white tanks" etched out of the rock by water is the reason for the name of this mountain range.

There is some give and take with hiking in the Southwest during the summer months.  It is, obviously, very hot but the heat keeps most people indoors and those that can stand the heat enjoy a little more freedom on the trail.

Hole in the Rock, Papago Park

Just east of downtown phoenix and north of Tempe lies Papago Park.  The desert preserve is home to the Phoenix Zoo, Botanical Garden, hiking trails, picnic areas and Hole in the Rock.  Ramona and I hiked around behind the weathered sandstone rock and up into the hole.

The view from inside the rock is very nice as you look out over the zoo and off in the distance is the skyline of downtown Phoenix.

After the hike we went to the zoo and walked around looking for the animals but they were much smarter than us.  They know that when it's 110 degrees at midday to seek shelter and watch the silly humans walk by.  But, even with half of the wildlife camouflaged from the sun and curious humans we still had a great time wandering through the Phoenix Zoo. 

Skywalking at Grand Canyon West

Ramona flew to Las Vegas from Messel, Germany Monday evening and spent the week riding roller coasters and jumping off of the Stratosphere.  By the time I got there after driving up work Friday evening she had seen and done enough in Vegas and was ready for the trip to Phoenix.  She had heard about the SkyWalk at Grand Canyon West so we decided to make a pit stop there on the way home Saturday morning.  Unlike the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon West is not part of the National Park Service but is on tribal land and privately operated by the Hualapai Nation.  The sign on the side of the highway between the Hoover Dam and Kingman, Arizona simply points east and states that the Skywalk is 49 miles away.  After driving 32 miles we found out that the asphalt ends and the dirt begins.  After another 17 miles of dirt road we arrived at the Reservation and staging area for the Skywalk.  There is a very large tent structure that serves as the gift shop and tour sales office.  We already knew that the Skywalk fee was around $30 per person but we were not aware that there is also a mandatory $40 shuttle bus fee as private vehicles are not allowed.  So buyer beware; if you want to go to the Skywalk you will be driving 34 miles (out and back) on a dirt road and the Skywalk fee is $75 per person.  That being said, had we known that going in it would have softened the blow.  Once we boarded the bus it was a mere five minute ride to Eagle Point where the Skywalk is located.  The view from the rim is stunning as it is everywhere along the Grand Canyon.  We looked over the edge for a while then got in line to do the walk.

The location gets it's name, Eagle Point, from a rock formation that looks like an eagle with it's wings spread and head down.

The Skywalk looks out over Eagle Point and has a glass floor so that you can see down to the bottom of the canyon.

After our turn on the Skywalk we boarded the bus and headed to the second stop for a few more photos then back to the truck and down the dirt road again.  By this time we had worked up an appetite and were not about to give the Hualapi any more of our money (they also wanted $30 per picture on the Skywalk and prohibit taking your own camera out there).  I was thinking BBQ.  I have driven past Eat AT Joe's dozens of times while driving back and forth between Phoenix and Las Vegas and between Phoenix and Laughlin.  Everytime I passed through the tiny village of Wikieup I noticed the BBQ sign but never stopped.  This time I'm glad I finally did.  Ramona had the Boudin sausage (sausage made with pork, rice and spicy herbs then grilled) while I tried their Heaven on a Bun.  The sandwich was a combination of brisket and pulled pork with bacon mashed potatoes and coleslaw on the side.  Yes, it was deserving of it's name.  We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the fantastic service.  In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger "I'll be back".

Two hours later we arrived in Phoenix and Ramona is happily enjoying the triple digit heat of August in the summer.  Now we are off to find ingredients for dinner!

To Facebook or Not to FB

I have been luke warm lately about facebook until this morning.  For years and years and years I have sought to maintain a very low profile on my birthday.  It's not like I'm embarrassed about my age or any other type of hangup, I just have never understood making a big deal of another day passing us by.  This morning I got up at 5:00 as usual to head to the gym.  When I pulled my phone off of the charger it began buzzing like crazy and the bulk of the messages were facebook notifications of folks around the country wishing me a happy birthday.  Well, I must admit, that put a smile on the birthday scrooge's face.  So I went and did my standard m-f workout at Gold's (which is literally right across the street from my office building) and had a better than average workout.  Then later on I thought I'd finally do something to celebrate after all and decided to ride my age in mileage every year on the big day.  So after work I went home and peddaled 47 miles.  Fortunately we have had a cool spell in Phoenix lately and it was only 105 degrees for the 2.5 hour party.  When I got back home Christine had a nicely wrapped gift for me on the table.  She had gone across town and picked up the exact pair of new running shoes I had been wanting.  The Vibram Five Finger KSO Trek is a fairly new piece of footware that allows you to mimic running barefoot but with a Vibram sole protecting your soles from punctures.

I also had a package from Germana and John with a hilarious book titled Sh*t My Dad Says and a couple nice shirts.  Thanks Christine, Germana and John.  After being disenchanted with facebook lately it was actually the vehicle that started turning a ho hum day into a great birthday.  Thanks to everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to think about me!