Sunrise and The Catwalk

First - its been a long day, and we pull into a KOA campground in Holbrook AZ, tired and hungry - looks kind of scanky - but we are looking forward to sitting down to Santo's sauce and meatballs - DELICIOUS!

Beautiful sunrise at City of Rocks - walked the nature trail, looked for more petroglyphs - no luck. Then on the road to The Catwalk of Whitewater Canyon.

In frontier days, the canyon was used as a hideout by both Butch Cassidy and Chief Victorio's Apaches.  About 1889, rich gold and silver deposits were discovered in the mountains above Whitewater Canyon.  Several mines were developed, including the Confidence, Bluebird, Blackbird and Redbird.  Ore from these mines was hauled in wagons to the mill at Graham which was located at the mouth of the Canyon.

Water to operate the electric generator at the mill and to meet the needs of the 200 towns people was obtained by constructing in 1893 a 4 inch pipeline that reached about 3 miles up the Canyon.  In 1897 additional water was required and an 18 pipeline was built.

The trip up the pipeline required steel nerves and the balance of a cat.    Everything going up and back had to be carried.  It was said that in spots you could almost stretch out your arms and touch both sides.  Today the "pipeline" is reconstructed with a metal mesh-like walkway.  While totally safe, it still gives the feeling of uneasiness - nothing like seeing rushing water 20 feet below where you are walking.

The Catwalk follows the path of the pipeline built in the 1890's to deliver water to the mining town of Graham.  The pipe up Whitewater Creek was 18 inches in diameter and men who worked on it needed the steel nerves and balance of a cat to walk the pipeline, hence the name, Catwalk.
Today a metal walkway replaces the treacherous pipeline, but you still feel as though you were suspended in mid-air.  The Catwalk is 25-30 feet above the stream in a narrow canyon.

Then over the mountains and through the woods to Petrified Forest we go.  Tommie knows the way to haul the camper o'er winding and climbing roads, oh ....

Interesting tidbits:

Big dry culverts/ditches are called "draws"

Almost all roads have "cattle guards" - they are square pipes laid across roads, driveways, and other various locations.  They prevent cattle from escaping.  They are actually pretty smooth - better than the railroad crossing on Burdeck Street. 

Some roads have free roaming - no fences - yikes.

Sometimes when the sign says "Water on Road" there really is water running across the road.  (Right dad, right ... right)

In New York we have signs to warn you to watch out for deer - in New Mexico and Arizona, its watch out for Elk.  I really want to see one.  But not on the car!

Check this out:

The mound is about 5 feet in diameter, about 1 to 1 and 1/2 feet high and has several holes - entryways.  Its the home to the Kangaroo Rat - WOW - and they are nocturnal.  Which is good, because I don't think I really want to see one.  The hole is about four inches.