Trump’s $25 Billion Wall needs a Math Reality Check! $200 billion is more realistic!

Captain Rick: Trump’s $25 billion Wall needs a Math Reality Check! $200 billion is more realistic! Trump wants to build a ‘big beautiful’ 2000 mile border wall between the US and Mexico for $25 billion (about $12.5 million per mile). What a JOKE!

Arizona is in process of building the South Mountain Freeway, bypassing Phoenix to the south. Its cost is nearly $2 billion for a 22 mile stretch of freeway (almost $200 million per mile).

Trumps estimate of $25 billion to build a ‘big beautiful’ wall is only about 1/8 the cost of what it takes to build a freeway per mile. I think Trump’s estimate of $25 billion is far short of reality. $200 billion ($.2 trillion) would be more realistic. I suggest Trump had better take a flash course in Math 101 before he trades away amnesty for millions of dreamers for a wall that can never be afforded.

Captain Rick’s Research
I have invested many hours over recent years studying illegal drug and immigration smuggling routes into Arizona, America’s most porous border with Mexico. I have viewed every foot of the border using Google & Bing satellite view using the closest zoom. Most of the border has no fence of any kind. Walls and fences are situated only near cities and major highways. The balance is wide open desert and mountain terrain.

America’s Most Porous Border for Illegal Drugs and Immigration is Arizona
The most porous section of the U.S.-Mexico border lies across the 75 mile southern boundary of the Tohono O’Odham Nation Reservation, which occupies a huge section of southern Arizona south of I-8 / I-10, between Sasabe (west of Nogales) and Sonoyta (Hwy 8 heading to Rocky Point). Viewing a satellite view of the area we can easily see a large geological scar … a canyon with a dry river bed / raging river during a monsoon …that runs from I-8, about 30 miles west of the I-8 / I-10 split, south past Ventana and Pisiemo and on into Mexico just east of Ali Chuk. It is the #1 illegal immigrant and drug smuggling super-route between the U.S. and Mexico. A big reason is because the entire route is virtually off limits to the U.S. border patrol due to U.S. / Nation treaties / laws. A large number of Nation Members receive payouts from the smugglers in exchange food, safe haven and lookout reports. In essence, they work for the smuggling cartels to protect this smuggling super-route from Mexico almost to the southern boundary of Phoenix. I suspect it is the most popular occupation in the Tohono O’Odham Nation, where unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse and consumption of welfare and Medicaid handouts is enormous.

Options for a Border Wall
If a border wall were built everywhere across the Mexico border, except this Arizona canyon, it would be of little benefit because a large number of the smugglers are using this super-route. The only kind of wall that would work would be dam, far more expensive than a wall, or even a section of freeway. The cost of a dam could run into the billions, eating up a big chunk of Trump’s $25 billion ‘piggy bank’ wall account. Several more problems exist. The dam across this canyon would create a lake that would flood major portions of the reservation. The U.S. government would have to strike a deal to compensate Tohono O’Odham Nation due to tribal treaties and laws. How many billions would that cost? To make the situation worse, this canyon is only one of many on the reservation, not to mention the large number elsewhere along the U.S. border. Building a dam across all of the canyons would run into the trillions and would be fiscally unaffordable and profoundly stupid.

Building a ‘Virtual Wall’ is an option, but based on data I have seen, they are a miserable failure. Unless America wants to employ military strike jets to respond, the smugglers are long gone before the ‘virtual technology’ enables the border patrol to respond, sometimes taking hours … and is almost impossible on the Tohono O’Odham Nation Reservation.

This is a story that few Americans understand … perhaps even President Trump
I urge readers to comment with thoughts and ideas to expand this post. I will revise/add to it as comments are received. I will also add new tags so that everyone in the world can search and find it via the WordPress, Google, Bing and other search engines. Together, perhaps we can help make America better.

Captain Rick: What do you think of Trump’s Wall?

Captain Rick of Atridim News Journal …among the first journalists to project Donald Trump as President of the U.S.

Captain Rick: It was shortly after Donald Trump announced his run for president that I knew in my heart he was going to go all the way. I sensed the strong movement among Americans who longed to ‘Make America Great Again’ way back when FAKE NEWS and the GOP were fast asleep, content with the political cancer in DC.

Unlike todays FAKE NEWS journalists who mostly communicate via social media … Captain Rick, a REAL NEWS journalist actually walked the streets and trails to talk face-to-face with real people to find out how they were thinking and feeling. That is why Captain Rick knew that a revolution was brewing in America. That revolution thrust Trump into the White House and shocked FAKE NEWS and the GOP. It is time for the GOP to learn from its mistakes and promote the election of candidates who support the Trump movement towards Making America Great Again.

This Atridim News Journal blog on WordPress is accompanied by its companion Atridim News Journal blog on Facebook. It was there in early 2016 that Captain Rick began publishing weekly projections of how the large field of presidential candidates ranked. Looking back, Captain Rick called all of the rankings with perfection, while FAKE NEWS got it all so wrong, week after week. Its all on record for the world to review on ANJ on Facebook. A window is provided in the left column that shows ANJ blog posts on Facebook. Helpful info links are presented below.

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Fish Creek Canyon … a scenic treasure in Arizona’s Superstition Wilderness

Captain Rick : Fish Creek Canyon is one of Arizona’s hidden treasures of scenic beauty. To experience its magnificence one must travel the Apache Trail (AZ 88) east from Mesa, Arizona. The paved road winds its way thru beautiful desert scenery in the Superstition Wilderness area and then past Canyon Lake, presenting one of the world’s most beautiful lake vistas. The trail continues east thru Arizona’s smallest original town of Tortilla Flat, once a place for workers to rest on their journey up the Salt River to build the mighty Roosevelt Dam that holds the massive Roosevelt Lake, a main source of water for over 4 million inhabitants of the Phoenix Valley of the Sun.

From Tortilla Flat, the trail climbs several hundred feet in elevation to a mountain setting that hosts beautiful wild flowers in the spring. Then the pavement ends. A gravel road continues. After a few more miles the beautiful Fish Creek Canyon comes into view around a breathtaking curve. The road descending into the canyon is narrow and treacherous. Vehicles need to tuck tightly against the cliff to allow those coming up the road to pass without falling off of a steep drop-off at the edge of the road that has no guardrail. This road is definitely not capable of handling anything larger than a passenger car or small pickup truck. A couple small pull offs at the bottom of Fish Creek Canyon allow for parking of a few cars. Great views of this magnificent canyon can be seen within a short walking distance.

 

Click the photo above to view full screen in high definition via Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream

The dark stained area running down the rock cliff at left becomes a beautiful, tall, cascading waterfall during and after a heavy rain. It is difficult to catch a glimpse of the waterfall because when it rains the road is closed at Tortilla Flat, due to water flowing over the road. The only access then is to travel the east section of the Apache Trail down from Roosevelt Lake. It is all gravel and a slow trip, however the scenery makes it a very rewarding experience.

Those continuing eastward from Fish Creek Canyon experience a beautiful vista of Apache Lake. The trail then connects with the Salt River. The scenery in the Salt River Gorge between Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake is spectacular. The trip culminates with an incredible view of the 357 foot tall Roosevelt Dam from below. A series of switchbacks quickly gain elevation to the top of the dam exposing a breathtaking, panoramic view of the main portion of Roosevelt Lake. When full the lake is 2 miles wide x 22 long and 349 feet deep.

Fish Creek Canyon is a special hidden treasure of scenic beauty at the halfway mark of the 40 mile long Apache Trail … the most scenic road within a short distance of Phoenix and one of the most scenic in Arizona.

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Have you ever been passed by an Arizona Roadrunner doing 20 mph ?

Captain Rick : I have seen lots of firsts along the morning trail on my around-world walking/biking trek, spanning 17,000 miles in 15 years. This morning I was passed by a roadrunner doing about 20 mph. Not a car … a bird running. It is the fastest runner of all flying birds. It was about a foot tall and nearly two feet long. It had a bright orange patch running rearward from its eye and a big feathery headdress. It was a beautiful bird, but I was disappointed that it did not go ‘beep beep’ like in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes I watched as a child.

I was not expecting to be passed by a roadrunner on my morning exercise walk, so I did not have my camera along. As a Flickr PRO member, I searched Flickr and found a roadrunner that most closely resembled the one that passed me. Click on the image above to view the full photo presented in stunning 4K HD captured by Flickr’s susanloellison.

About the ‘Greater Roadrunner’

The Greater Roadrunner is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, prevalent in Arizona and the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Although capable of limited flight, it spends most of its time on the ground, and can run at speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h). Cases where roadrunners have run as fast as 26 mph (42 km/h) have been reported. This is the fastest running speed clocked for a flying bird.

Greater Roadrunners measure 61 cm (2.00 ft) in length and wingspan. About half of their length is tail feathers. They measure 30 cm (1 foot) tall. They have long legs and a slender, pointed bill. The upper body is mostly brown with black streaks and sometimes pink spots. The neck and upper breast are white or pale brown with dark brown streaks, and the belly is white. A crest of brown feathers sticks up on the head, and a bare patch of orange and blue skin lies behind each eye. Roadrunners have 4 toes on each zygodactyl foot; two face forward, and two face backward.

This bird walks around rapidly, running down prey. It feeds mainly on small animals including insects, spiders (including black widows), tarantulas, scorpions, mice, small birds and especially lizards and small snakes. Venomous serpents, including small rattlesnakes, are readily consumed. It kills prey by holding the victim in its bill and slamming it repeatedly against the ground.

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117 F breaks Phoenix Temp Record for Aug 14 + Pool Temp all time record high of 95 F

Captain Rick : Yesterday was a hot day in Phoenix. Besides smashing a previous daily air temp record, it set a new record of 95 F for the warmest pool temp I have ever recorded. Pool water temp closely trails the average day and night temp. SRP, the power company, registered yesterday’s average temp at a near record of 102F. We have had some very hot nights lately, with temps only dipping to the upper 80s at dawn. I am confident that those elevated low temps are what created the new high pool temp record.

Phoenix pool temps have been making a slow, steady rise over the past couple decades. I attribute that to rapidly expanding concrete and heat absorbing materials that blanket the Phoenix Valley of the Sun which spans across 100 miles of Arizona desert with an exploding population of over 4 million.

117 F is shy of the all time high temp record of 122 F set June 26, 1990. I missed experiencing that monumental mark. Having moved to the valley in 1996, the hottest I have experienced is the fourth place record at 119 F set on June 29, 2013. It was ‘Dry Heat’, only 2% humidity, a truly unique and wonderful experience that I recorded in a previous Atridim News Journal post complete with a photo of my thermometer at 119 F: Arizona “Dry Heat”: Phoenix set 4th hottest all-time record: 119F (48C) at 2% humidity … Where is the hottest place on earth?

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Thanks for stopping by,
Captain Rick

Senna Artemisioides ~ Arizona’s Silver Feathery Cassia

Captain Rick : The Senna Artemisioides, commonly known as feathery or silver cassia, produces an abundance of beautiful yellow flowers in the spring. Endemic to Australia, it also thrives abundantly in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun.
It is a hardy shrub that can withstand temps into 20’s F and loves dry ground with full sun into the 110’s F, making it a perfect match for the Phoenix Arizona area.

Senna artemisioides is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.  It can grow to 3 meters in height, though I keep mine manicured in the shape of an inverted cone about 5 feet tall, which removes the many long flat green seed pods that grow with the flowers. At Christmas time, it becomes one of the many trees, shrubs and plants to be adorned with thousands of lights at my desert oasis. Below is a photo of my Senna Artemisioides before grooming.

Click the image above to view the photo in HDTV format in Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream

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A Gazebo in Arizona

Captain Rick: Viewed through a pair of twisted mesquite trees stands a gazebo in a lush, green, grassy neighborhood park in Chandler Arizona. A patch of yellow lantana highlights the foreground. A couple date palms stand tall on each side of the gazebo. The grassy area beyond the gazebo, which is watered daily with sprinklers to keep it green, actually forms the bottom of a flood basin that lies several feet below the level of surrounding land so that it can collect rain runoff from a storm. Parks like this dot neighborhoods across Arizona’s Valley of the Sun (Phoenix metro). This park served its purpose during the record flood of September 2014 that dropped a half-year’s rainfall (about 4”) in just a few hours, causing most of what is visible beyond the gazebo to be under water for several days.

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Tortilla Flat … the last old west town in Arizona

Captain Rick: Tortilla Flat, Arizona is a cool little old historic town nestled in a secluded desert mountain valley a few miles east of Canyon Lake, along the Apache Trail (Hwy 88), about 50 miles east of Phoenix.

Click the image above to view the photo in HDTV format on Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream

Tortilla Flat is an authentic remnant of an old west town, nestled in the midst of the Tonto National Forest, in the Superstition Mountain Range. Tortilla Flat started out as a stagecoach stop in 1904 and neither fire nor flood has been able to take away this historic stop along the Historic Apache Trail.
Mosey on down the boardwalk and visit the Superstition Saloon and Restaurant. Real saddles serve as bar stools where you can enjoy a cold brew or sarsaparilla. The unique wallpaper is made from real dollar bills from visitors all around the world. The Restaurant serves the biggest burgers, hottest chili and the coldest drinks everyday. After you have had time to walk off the great food, stop in the Country Store and enjoy a scoop of their World Famous Prickly Pear Gelato. Visit the Mercantile/Gift Shop full of amazing treasures including Indian Pottery, Jewelry, Unique Tortilla Flat Apparel and many more unique items.
You will notice that "Population 6" is posted on signs around town. It is not a joke. People really do live there and they thank you for visiting their town.

History … Tortilla Flat got its start because of the road construction to Roosevelt Dam in 1904. There was a need for a stagecoach stop for freight haulers on their way to the construction site at Roosevelt Dam and Tortilla Flat served that purpose. Shortly following the construction of the road, Roosevelt Dam became a big tourist attraction. At that point Tortilla Flat was a stage stop for tourists and mail carriers through the 1930s.

Tortilla Flat took its name from a nearby butte shaped like a tortilla.

Forest Service records show Tonto National Forest being established in 1905 as kind of a "package deal" with the Salt River Reclamation Project. The Forest Service was needed to manage the land and protect watershed for the dams because cattle grazing had denuded the land. The freight camp at Tortilla Flat, as well as the other camps along the road to the dam, were, therefore, on U.S. Forest Service land. Folks who decided to make Tortilla Flat their permanent residence kept up the lease on the land in later years whenever it came due.

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Cactus Flower Magnificence

Captain Rick: This Peruvian Apple Cactus flower puts on a magnificent show as it comes to life in my Gilbert Arizona Oasis.

View photo in HDTV format and resolution in my Flickr Photostream: Click above image

The Cereus Peruvianus (Peruvian Apple) Cactus blooms at night with gigantic pearl white flowers a half foot in diameter.
It is one of the worlds most amazing flowers of beauty.
This flower lingers into the early morning hours. By midday the flower closes forever.
It is such a shame that such awesome beauty lasts only a few hours.
Those lucky enough to catch a glimpse are truly fortunate.
I consider myself very fortunate as this cactus grows in my Gilbert Arizona Oasis and puts on a magnificent show many days of the year. 

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Arizona’s ‘ Valley of the Sun ’ becomes . . . ‘Land of 1000 Lakes’ after the ‘Flood of 2014’

Captain Rick: This grassy park in Chandler Arizona was submerged by several feet of water during the heaviest rainfall since records began in 1895. Nearly 4 inches of rain fell in an 8 hour period on September 8, about half of what is normally received in an entire year, causing the worst flooding in the Phoenix area in 44 years.

Click above image to view it in HDTV format on Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream

Most parks in the Phoenix area double as a flood basin. Their floor is several feet below that of the lowest neighboring street and are sized large enough in area to collect all of the rain from neighboring streets. Most of the basins are designed to hold rain runoff from a 50 year flood. This record flood exceeded the capacity of many of the basins. Many overflowed onto neighboring streets, converting the parks into lakes. In the days following the flood, the Phoenix area became the ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’.

The rain that produced the flood, totally submerged my back yard pool for the first time ever. It required several inches of water to be pumped out, followed by a major cleanup.

To add insult to injury, Gilbert was hit by ‘Round 2’ a few day ago…collecting another almost 2″ of rain. September has brought the Valley of the Sun nearly the total average rainfall for an entire year.

I now have permanent drainage depressions landscaped into my side yards to allow rain to flow from the back yard to the street.  I have gained total respect for the wrath that heavy rain can bestow in the desert.

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Arizona Monsoon Macroburst … July 13, 2014

Captain Rick: Massive Mesquite trees were blown over by a 100 mph macroburst in Ashley Park, Chandler Arizona on July 13, 2014. These beautiful 17-year old Mesquite trees and the shade they provided during my daily morning walks are now history. I find it amazing…what ‘mother nature’ can destroy in a moment.

Click above image to view it in HDTV format on Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream

This was the first macroburst I have ever witnessed. It is the opposite of a tornado. The wind rushes down a tunnel, rather than up. When the air aloft hits the ground, it rushes out in all directions at speeds that can reach over 100 miles per hour near the eye, as was apparent in this macroburst.

During the days after, I walked and bicycled many miles thru the neighborhood. For several days I heard the continual sound of chain saws and tree grinders. I have never seen so many trees downed, roofs and other structures damaged during my nearly two decades living in Arizona. From all of the damage I saw, I believe the above photo was taken extremely close to the eye of the macroburst.

Report from my Facebook page just after the storm:

Its been early March since we had a drop of rain in Gilbert…one of the longest dry spells I can remember.
We had our first monsoon storm blow in from the mountains to the east…with magnitude I have never experienced at my Arizona Oasis.
It brought some much needed rain…and lots of it. Part of my rear patio went under water as well as other areas of my oasis….
I measured 2.25” of rain in a pail and also in my pool, which is almost to the lower edge of the deck. That is a first during my 17 years at my Arizona Oasis.
It hailed for several minutes. I picked up one that measured almost 1/2”. That is a first during my 17 years at my Arizona Oasis.
The wind blew like I have never seen it blow…even during Hurricane Hugo which I experienced in North Carolina. I do not have a wind gage but I estimate that for a few minutes the wind blew at well over 50 mph…possibly over 100 mph. That is a first during my 17 years at my Arizona Oasis.
All is calm now and I am thankful for the much needed rain…but wow…did it all have to come at once with such vigor?

During my morning 5 mile walk and bicycle ride I toured most of the area within a half mile of my Oasis in all directions. I saw scores of trees blow over, some into houses creating roof damage. Some of the trees were huge…perhaps 50 feet tall or more. Some had their roots ripped right out of the ground. I could hear chain saws and tree grinders everywhere. From what I saw, the worst destruction happened within about a quarter mile in each direction…meaning my Oasis was the epicenter of what obviously was a microburst…first I ever experienced…and definitely the most violent weather I have ever experienced in my life, not only here in Arizona…but anywhere.
A microburst is the opposite of a tornado. The cold winds from above descend thru a tunnel and then spread rapidly outward along the ground creating tornado like winds…but in reverse. Microbursts have been measured at speeds of 175 mph+…rivaling tornadoes and dwarfing most hurricanes.
For about 2 minutes yesterday I saw the wind blow with massive rain and 1/2" hail coming down almost horizontal. There is no doubt in my mind that the wind was well over 100 mph. I have experienced 80 mph winds during Hurricane Hugo in North Carolina. Hugo was a ‘walk in the park’ compared to the microburst that hit my neighborhood yesterday. It took a couple hours to clean all of the leaves from my pool and yard. My skyline view from my patio has improved. A large tree that previously blocked the view of the International Space Station flying overhead, is mostly gone…thankfully not in my yard.

Today I extended my daily walk to 3 miles with Canon camera in hand. I got some awesome photos of massive trees that fell with roots pulled right out of the ground. I then hopped on my bicycle for an extra long 5 mile ride to tour all of the area to the east of me…also with camera. Scores of big trees down, some onto houses. Lots of tile roof damage. I captured a lot of photos. As I get time, the best of them will make it to my Flickr photostream in the full glory of Atridim WIDESCREEN…viewable full screen in 1080p on an HDTV.

All reports I have read and from the damage I have seen in the neighborhood…the recent Microburst was actually one of Arizona’s first Macrobursts…which rivals the destructive force of a tornado…except in reverse. The winds rush down the core tunnel and then outward across the surface at speeds up to 200 mph. Most of the downed trees have been cut up and removed. From what I could tell from my multi-mile walks and bike rides, the center of the macroburst occurred about 1/4 mile west of my house. There are still several gigantic roots structures ripped out of the ground remaining of large trees that all fell to the west. Several of the root structures on their side stand taller than me. It is an awesome sight. Looks like a massive hurricane went thru, but localized like a tornado. I captured some great photos that I will process to Atridim Widescreen for display on Flickr…when I get a chance.

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East Valley News Net … a great site in Arizona that everyone in our world can look up to

Captain Rick: Our world works much better…when we work together. East Valley News Net presents a header for Atridim News Journal which provides links to the previous 6 ANJ posts.

I sincerely appreciate East Valley News Net. I return the kindness by installing East Valley News Net as a trusted resource for quality information as an Atridim News Journal Resource…presented on the ANJ menu bar.

Click the image link above to view the East Valley News Net homepage.

Words of excellence from the editor of EVNN…
The primary purpose of the East Valley News Net is to give a broader audience to local independent investigative reporters like Atridim News Journal, Gilbert Watch, Westie Connect, Howards Goodyear Blog, S.H.I.E.L.D., The Education Action Network and many many more. We believe that we can do and end run around the establishment media and present information which they miss or simply choose to ignore. It is our strong belief that through independent news gathering distributed through various information sharing mediums, like social media, we can win the information war and win back our freedom.
For Liberty, Harry Mathews – Editor EVNN

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Gilbert Watch.com … a great site in Arizona … that everyone in our world can look up to

Captain Rick: Once in a while I come across a website that is worthy of my recognition and promotion. Such is the case with GilbertWatch.com. Its publisher, Anita Christy, works endlessly for no pay, like me, to convey important information. Anita…this is a tribute to you and the great service that you provide to many in Gilbert, Arizona and beyond.

Click the image link above to view a Gilbert Watch report that features Atridim News Journal and its Gilbert Council Scorecard. From it you can access the entire Gilbert Watch site. I appreciate Atridim News Journal being listed as a resource on the Gilbert Watch ‘Resources’ menu. 

ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL introduces a new page…Resources

I created this page as means to appreciate and recognize blog sites that are outstanding in excellence…especially those that promote ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL by reblogging ANJ posts or presenting links to ANJ. The world works so much better when we all work together. I am pleased to present Gilbert Watch as ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL’s first resource.

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Maricopa County GOP Straw Poll yields surprises

Captain Rick: A Straw Poll in Arizona surprisingly places Andrew Thomas in first place…well ahead of the rest of the Republican contenders…in the race for Governor.
Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas has filed nominating petitions to get on the Republican ballot as a governor’s candidate in the August 26 primary.
Thomas filed nearly twice the required number of signatures Thursday needed to qualify for the ballot. He also turned in more than enough $5 contributions to qualify for more than $750,000 in public funding for his primary bid.
Thomas promised to crack down on illegal immigration. He touted his success in doing that during his tenure as a prosecutor.

Seeing Red AZ

An unannounced straw poll was conducted Thursday evening at the Executive Guidance Committee meeting of the Maricopa County Republican Committee. The EGC is composed of 30 members, including 20 District Chairmen, 5 members-at-large and 5 officers. Republican guests can attend and cast ballots. In total, 40 people were eligible to vote.

County Chairman A. J. LaFaro announced the results of the “no advance notice” poll on statewide candidates:

GOVERNOR:

Andrew Thomas: 16

Ken Bennett:   7

Frank Riggs:   7

Doug Ducey:  5

Christine Jones:  2

Scott Smith: …

Al Melvin:     …

U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon, not in the governor’s race, garnered a single write-in vote.

SECRETARY of STATE:

Wil Cardon:  19

Justin Pierce: 15

Michele Reagan: 4

ATTORNEY GENERAL:

Mark Brnovich: 19

Tom Horne:  17

TREASURER:

Jeff DeWit:  26

Randy Pullen:   9

Hugh Hallman:  4

SUPERINTENDENT of PUBLIC INSTRUCTION:

Diane Douglas:  35

John Huppenthal:  4

CORPORATION  COMMISSION:

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Superstition Mountain looms beyond the Mining Camp in Apache Junction, Arizona

Captain Rick: The Mining Camp in Apache Junction, Arizona is world famous for its restaurant, museum and spectacular view of Superstition Mountain.

Click the above image to view it in high definition via my Flickr Photostream.

The world famous Mining Camp Restaurant is part restaurant, part historical museum and opened its doors to the public in 1961. The complex is located at the base of the beautiful and mysterious Superstition Mountains and along the romantic Apache Trail in Apache Junction, Arizona.

The restaurant’s unique exterior is made up of roughly sawn ponderosa pine hauled from brought down from the Mogollon Rim.

Today, the restaurant still follows the theme of the early mining camp cook shanty. The decor is authentically styled shanty town with mining equipment strewn here and there.

Visitors can learn about the colorful history of the area, as newspaper and magazine clippings adorn the walls and provide a historic glimpse into the legend and lore of this area. These articles include rare tellings of the stories of treasure hunters, Spanish gold, murder, mystery and intrigue.

The legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine centers around the Superstition Mountains. According to the legend, a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz (some sources offer other spellings of his last name, such as "Walz") discovered a mother lode in the Superstition Wilderness and revealed its location on his deathbed in 1891 to a woman who had taken care of him for many years. Several mines have been claimed to be the actual mine that Waltz discovered, but none of those claims have been verified.

Since the mid-1800s, well over 100 people have died among the craggy peaks. Some of those deaths were murders associated with the fabled Lost Dutchman Mine; but many were due to falls from its breathtaking – and dangerously steep – precipices. The high death toll prompted state officials in 1983 to outlaw any serious mining efforts in the Superstition range.

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