Arizona (mostly)

One of the first bridges along the Apache Trail (if going west to east), over an arm of Canyon Lake which is actually a reservoir created by damming of the Salt River. All of the bridges are single lane.

Rock formations that are almost green in hue, along the early (westernmost) stretches of the Apache Trail Scenic Byway. This formation is larger and more dramatic than I was able to capture here.

Rock formations that are almost green in hue, along the early (westernmost) stretches of the Apache Trail Scenic Byway.

Cholla cactus, taken at a trailhead at what is basically the beginning of the Apache Trail Scenic Byway.

Weavers Needle (the point in the distance) taken from a short trail at the trailhead at the beginning of the Apache Trail Scenic Byway.

Taken at a trailhead at what is basically the beginning of the Apache Trail Scenic Byway. The Scenic Byway largely follows a road built in the early 1900's for the construction of Roosevelt Dam (later picture). Roosevelt Dam was an early hydroelectric project -- though the electric towers appear old, the history of the towers is unknown.

Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian bridge.

From the Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian bridge. There was construction going on in the bed of the Salt River just to the west of the bladders. My guess is that they're planning on lengthening the lake. In this distance you can see the control tower for Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and then downtown Phoenix Updated 3/7/2015: It turns out the bladder dam burst and they're building a new dam: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2014/12/02/tempe-plans-two-year-warranty-year-dam/19767515

Tempe Town Lake. Bladders that form the dam that creates the reservoir. I saw no information explaining the spray (mist) nozzles. Updated 3/7/2015: Per the article linked below, there was some debate as to whether the bladders would hold up in the summer heat. They didn't, and so now they're building a new dam: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2014/12/02/tempe-plans-two-year-warranty-year-dam/19767515

Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian bridge and dam. Underneath the bridge are the bladders that form the dam that creates the reservoir. Re Town Lake, see earlier picture and Wikipedia description: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe_Town_Lake Updated 3/7/2015: It turns out the bladder dam had burst back in 2010 and they're building a new dam to the west: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2014/12/02/tempe-plans-two-year-warranty-year-dam/19767515

Mill Ave Bridge, Tempe Town Lake, and Hayden Mill. See nearby pictures for descriptions of each.

On the Mill Avenue Bridge. See description with nearby picture.

Plaque for the Mill Ave Bridge denoting when it was finished. The bridge is described in some places as the "Tempe Bridge", in others as the "Mill Ave Bridge".

Phoenix Metro Light Rail crossing Tempe Town Lake. The bridge beyond the light rail is a standard railroad bridge.

On the Mill Avenue Bridge. See description with nearby picture.

Tempe Town Lake. The lake is actually a reservoir of the typically dry (due to irrigation) Salt River and is created by inflatable bladders that act as dams but can be lowered if the river floods. See the Wikipedia description: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempe_Town_Lake

The Mill Avenue Bridge, designed in 1929, was one of the earliest bridges to cross the Salt River. The water in this picture is Tempe Town Lake -- see a description of it in a nearby picture.

The Mill Avenue Bridge (on the right), designed in 1929, was one of the earliest bridges to cross the Salt River. The water in this picture is Tempe Town Lake -- see a description of it in a nearby picture.