Bonita....Wilcox....Duncan.... and Coolidge Dam....
In the last two weeks we went on a few drives in the area.  The weather has been hit and miss, it has been cooler than normal and we are getting a bit of rain, a bit as to measures in the Midwest but for this area when you get 7/10 of an inch on any day it is a lot of rain.  It seems it has rained about every 2 or 3 days.  The lake here is way up and the mountains had snow down to about 4,000 feet which makes for some good pictures.

One day we drove around the west side of Mt Graham starting at the long lost town of Bonita.

This was the only store we found...

Some interesting rock formations along the drive

The town of Wilcox has an annual celebration called Wings over Wilcox.  They celebrate the fact that sandhill cranes winter in the area.  So we drove down to Wilcox for a day.  We had a good barbeque dinner in a café located in an old railroad passenger car.  Then we drove around Wilcox and Duncan looking for sandhill cranes.  We found a few groups of them along the way.

Last Wednesday we were looking at the incoming weather  and decided we had to go for another drive before the rains came.  So we looked at the map and decided to check out the Coolidge Dam just south of San Carlos.  The roads to this dam are not used much anymore but at one time they had to be the main route.  The dam was built in 1928 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and it was dedicated by President Coolidge.  The attention to detail was first rate and the unusual round domes over the turbines were also unique. 

There were two eagles made of concrete, in great detail on one side of the dam.

Note the round concrete domes over the turbines

The detail in the concrete was very unusual as were the light fixtures that no longer are functioning.  This at one time was something to see.  It still is but again, the roads to the dam are not really used anymore.

Because of the weather we had to stop our exploring as those old dirt roads get a bit muddy and we are both too old to push the truck out of the mud...But heavy clouds do create great sunsets....

On one of our walks around the lake here, we came across the game and fish dept as they were stocking the lake  with trout.   As we watched the egrets and blue herons started showing up.  They know when a meal is being served!   Poor fish did not even get a chance.....

Our view of My Graham covered in snow this week.  Not sure but the forecast sounds like there may be about 3 feet of fresh snow at the top.  Mt. Graham is about 10,000 feet.  The park is around 2700'.

 Until next time, be good..........