March 5, 2005

March 5, 2005

Casa Grande, Arizona

DAY 260

 

Today was one of those days where the weather changed on about an hourly basis. During the night, it rained. When it rains in the desert, it's usually not a peaceful, gentle rain. It's usually accompanied by a violent thunderstorm, with high winds and lightning. Last night was no exception. Bo is afraid of those kinds of storms. We think it's from having lived through Hurricane Ivan. Something else about desert storms. After an overnight rain ... the desert changes from brown to green ... and it blooms ! Little brightly coloured flowers all over, both on the ground cover and on the cacti. All the dried, brown ground cover turns green. It's quite amazing.

We slept late again, and after morning chores, we left for Casa Grande. First stop was Dave White Park & Golf Course, a municipal park in the northwest corner of Casa Grande, where the 27th Annual Arizona State Open Chili Competition was being held. Whooo ! They sure do take their chili seriously down here. We walked around the park from about noon to about 2:30 P.M., sampling many of the competitors' entries. During that time, the sun was shining, and it was warm. A "classic rock" band was playing in the park. There was an area of vendors' booths, selling all kinds of things. We both really liked the golf cart modified and customized to look like a miniature antique truck. Regular $18,000, today only $16,000 ! That says something about the demographics of this area, doesn't it ? Lots of affluent, old people with money to spend on hot rod golf carts to drive either around the golf links, or the RV park ! There was an antique and classic car exhibition. Nice '58 Rambler ! What a great afternoon. We cast our "best chili" votes for the Palm Creek RV and Golf Resort. What a grand effort by this large group from a very large RV park. We checked our camping directory later to find out that this resort has 1600 sites, which would put the population of this RV resort at over 3000 people. No wonder they had so many people involved in this chili competition. There were probably a dozen or so people dressed in chili pepper costumes hawking their booth, and passing out home made cookies that were shaped and coloured like chili peppers. They had much more chili available for sampling than any other competitor, and they were more generous with their sampling portions than the other competitors. Most importantly, their chili was the best !

About 2:30 we left Dave White Park & Golf Course, and headed for Casa Grande Municipal Airport, and the 47th Annual Cactus Antique Aircraft Fly-In. We were walking around looking at old airplanes when suddenly another storm blew in. From the time the dark, ominous looking clouds first appeared, until the rain and hail started, was about 20 minutes. Heavy rain, strong winds, and hail, brought the air show to an abrupt halt. Most people went inside the small airport. We walked in the storm back to where the truck was parked. We drove back into the city, heading for Wal-Mart to buy some groceries before we leave tomorrow. The streets were flooded ! They don't design their streets here to allow for rain water to drain. I guess they don't get enough rain to justify it. The traffic was moving slowly, because all the streets were like rivers. Even after we came out of the Wal-Mart, and the rain had stopped about an hour earlier, the streets were still flooded.

As I type this late in the evening, the rain has begun again. I wonder if these rains signal the beginning of spring in the desert ?

By the way, the cactus that jumped out and bit me the other day in Saguaro National Park was a Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus, also known as a Jumping Cactus. HMPH ... with good reason !

DSK