Dean wrote: It was WONDERFUL. Can't wait to get back...

This one is dedicated to Dean. Linda was so HOT back then ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kTAT4vj_hI[/youtube]

Dean wrote:With my son moving to Arizona last August, my wife and I got to spend Christmas in the Scottsdale/Gilbert area. It was WONDERFUL. Can't wait to get back. Happy Birthday indeed Arizona. Arizona HIghways magazine was always in our home when I grew up in So Cal. Beautiful areas in that state.

My wife owns a place in Scottsdale. It is a beautiful place to visit in Februray and the access to rock climbing is outstanding. They make the roads WIDE there, very easy to drive.

Arizona is beautiful ANY time of the year.

I mean ... who can forget last summer when Phoenix got hit by that huge "HABOOB "

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tQnDp0batM[/youtube]

In Arizona, you MIGHT be a redneck if ...

The blue book value of your truck goes up and down,
depending on how much gas it has in it.



(Taken at the "Granite Dells" trailhead near Payson, Arizona)

lcarreau wrote:Arizona is beautiful ANY time of the year.

I mean ... who can forget last summer when Phoenix got hit by that huge "HABOOB "

I was in Death Valley a few years ago when a HABOOB came at us. Could see it an hour before it hit, must have been 30-60 miles away. When it hit we quickly packed up camp and drove through it to the other end of the valley (near Scotty's Castle). Good decision. Was still windy up there, but no dust.

Arizona:

It's clear that there's never been an official 47-stars flag of the United States. New Mexico became the 47th state on 6 January 1912, but since the United States only adopts new flags on the 4th of July, the addition of Arizona as the 48th state changed the number of stars again before a new flag was adopted.

mrchad9 wrote:

lcarreau wrote:Arizona is beautiful ANY time of the year.

I mean ... who can forget last summer when Phoenix got hit by that huge "HABOOB "

I was in Death Valley a few years ago when a HABOOB came at us. Could see it an hour before it hit, must have been 30-60 miles away. When it hit we quickly packed up camp and drove through it to the other end of the valley (near Scotty's Castle). Good decision. Was still windy up there, but no dust.

Yeah, there's nothing like a HABOOB to brighten up your day! Does anybody else have previous experiences with HABOOBS Anybody ???

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfqKS3ENYBQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=801d8tKZklg[/youtube]

lcarreau wrote:Yeah, there's nothing like a HABOOB to brighten up your day! Does anybody else have previous experiences with HABOOBS Anybody ???

Generally, haboobs don't brighten days. They darken them.

That one in July (the famous one) was the biggest I had seen in my years here. We get about 5 or 6 per summer but they usually peter out before entering the city.

In August 1997 I drove across Interstate-10 to SoCal, leaving Phoenix at 9 pm. A big thunder and dust-storm had come through and I caught up to it west of Phoenix at around MP 45 (Vicksburg Exit). It was so thick that I could not see the hood of my car, I kid you not. There truly was zero visibility for about 5 minutes. Being on an interstate in this was terrifying. I somehow got to the shoulder, turned everything off and hope I would not be slammed into. This was the same storm that flooded Antelope Canyon up on the AZ-UT line, drowning about 10 hikers who got caught in the slots and had nowhere to escape.

Another time I was at the Diamandbacks game when a big one rolled through the city. The stadium roof and openings were closed so we weren't too aware of it, but it was all over the news that night and the visiting team's announcers had obviously never seen anything like it; they were laughing on air, having more fun than kid with a stick.

The word "Haboob" is specific to a type of dust event, where a thunderstorm collapses and pushes out a huge wall of dust in a radial pattern. The dust storms that develop in the high plateau country around Winslow and Holbrook in spring are not haboobs, but "regular" dust storms brought on by straight-ahead winds.

Nevertheless, listen to Mark Grace call a Diamondbacks game; it's his favorite word.

Scott, THANKS for your insightful perspective on HABOOBS.

Fortunately, I was just a spectator to HABOOBS in AZ, but I DID experience one inside Death Valley National Park in 1990.

I was living in a trailer, and suddenly the sky turned brown and all this dust came in ... I opened the door to go outside, and got completely hammered
by an airborne barrage of sand and dust that caused me to retreat to my chair with a good book from Edward Abbey.

Moral of the story ... beware of those huge HABOOBS that will most definitely impact the calmest of your days ..

Glad you mentioned Diamondbacks ... it's nearly time for them to begin PLAY ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaHOahO8qnE[/youtube]

By the way, HABOOBS can be pretty scary, for sure ...

especially the big ones ...

Congrats Arizona, 100 years is a long time. Somewhat surprised you didn't secceed(sic) what with all that Grand Canyon fuss you made.

Larry, when I think of Arizona, I can't help but think of Randy Newman"s "Goin' to Arizona". "Take it boys............."

Bill Reed wrote:Congrats Arizona, 100 years is a long time. Somewhat surprised you didn't secceed(sic) what with all that Grand Canyon fuss you made.

Larry, when I think of Arizona, I can't help but think of Randy Newman"s "Goin' to Arizona". "Take it boys............."

Bill, you're right ! Here I've been residing (inside Arizona) for 20 years, and I haven't did the Rim - 2 - Rim - 2 - Rim yet

Yep, this one's dedicated to Bill Reed .. OMG, I can't seem to find it on youtube, Bill ... how 'bout this one from Kenny D ?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43m7eJw1v7o[/youtube]

Yes sir, when I think of Arizona, I think of Forrest Gump running on US 163 through Monument Valley. Run Forrest run ...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKRa7rmpqJo[/youtube]

And ... here's ONE for all the "younger kids" in the audience ... ENJOY ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0ebu6MX6k[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntx1htKRQA[/youtube]



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwQs0anRuYw[/youtube]

Thanks Sean and Larry. Can't believe I forgot the frickin' title of the song. I used to play that one for gods sake! Great version with Linda and Randy, Sean. Looks like that was from a couple years ago.