[justcuz]

I got a kick out of driving through Skull Valley! Went by the store and 2 old guys sitting outside jawing. Real Americana there!
Drove around Prescott a lot, went by Willow and Watson lakes. Looked at houses and lot out on the east side of town overlooking Willow Lake. Saw the old stuff downtown, including the historical homes. Just west and south of Emory Riddle in that rocky area they are building some new high end homes in there. Looks very exclusive.
I think we left just before the car show. Had to come back to work. I wanted to go to Jerome, but my guests wanted me to see Prescott and the surrounding area, so I will save it for next trip.
I had a nice time sitting on their patio looking out across the valley toward Prescott and Thumb Butte. I think the new section of 89 is what runs through there now and ends up in town by the indian casino up on the hill.
The casino looks down on the old Veterans Hospital complex and the road that runs past Watson Lake. A few kayakers were on the lake when we drove up to the top where the bandstand is and some clouds came rolling in and we had a thunderstorm and rain shower. Was fun watching the boaters try to find some cover and get out of the middle of the lake. Nice area out there, but seems to be growing fast.
Reminds me of my city, Rancho Cucamonga. 27 years ago it was 53 square miles with a population of 26,000. The lemon, orange and avacado trees outnumbered the people. Now a lot of the groves are gone and the population is close to 130,000. If I move, it will be somewhere where urban sprall is unknown. That probably puts me in nortern Wyoming or someplace like that.
I love the Arizona high country though, very beautiful.