Don  Lancaster's Guru's Lair 2016 Blog Canal Excerpts
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I've gone through our What's New Blogs back to 2009
and extracted much of the Bajada Hanging Canal stuff.

These new files should give more in the way of an
ongoing timeline of discoveries and developments...

https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts09.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts10.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts11.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts12.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts13.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts14.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts15.shtml
https://www.tinaja.com/blog_excerpts16.shtml

This is getting far beyond ridiculous.

Acme Mapper is suggesting a yet unverified SEVENTY SIXTH
Prehistoric Hanging Bajada Canal around N 32.81330 W 109.94637.

It appears to be a companion to the Sand Canal complex and
seems to have a takein pond (!) and a hanging portion. The
tentative name would be the Carter Canal. Total regional
length now appears to be well beyond a world class 130 miles.

Surprisingly, there were Gila Longfin Dace fish in the area.
At least before the drought. More here.

Your help with exploration is more than welcome. Opportunities
for personal world class research abound.

The Sand prehistoric Bajada hanging canal ranges from
N 32.81814 W 109.94203 to N 32.83533 W 109.92265 and
seems exceptionally well engineered and largely well
preserved.

Except that there apparently were three very small sections
of historical rebuild attempts that appear to me to be total and
collossal failures. The terra cota pipes and the precast concrete
headgates suggest a rather recent attempt involving appallingly
bad and woefully incomplete engineering. Or possibly kids.

It is unlikely that one recent drop of modern water was ever
delivered. No CCC dominant signatures seemed involoved, but
something like a State Lands intern project appear suggested.

There is a companion mystery whose origins remain fuzzy.
A possible branch of the canal ranges from N 32.82839
W 109.93146 to a yet unexplored fork at N 32.83446
W 109.92706. It is obviously fed from a valid prehistoric canal
and has perfect slope and size. Yet it is a tad too deep and
totally lacks the spoil pile berms typical of most other prehistoric
canals in the region.

Other consulted archaeologists remain equally baffled.
Perhaps a ground survey of the fork might shed some light on
the age of this route.

Then again, it might raise more questions than it answers.

I was recently asked for my views on "global warming".

After many decades of careful observation here in the southwest
over such things as flood and fire frequency and severity, overgrazing, 
species invasion, overbuilding, water management, and drought,
I firmly believe that...

Climatic and weather VARIABILITY are dramatically
on the rise and will continue to become worse
for the forseeable future .

Much, if not most of the increase in variability
appears to me to clearly be man caused.

Business as usual will no longer hack it.

We better fervently HOPE that the majority of the
problem is in fact man caused; Otherwise, it will 
surely end up MUCH harder to fix.

Yes, the situation is enormously complex. Yes, outright
mistakes will be made. Not to mention unintended consequences
and hidden agendas. But, at least to me, doing nothing would be the
gravest and greatest mistake of all.

My own feelings are that "carbon free" is a monumentally
stupid goal. "Carbon neutral" makes infinitely more sense.

More on energy related topics here and here. 

Once again expanded and updated our Gila Valley 
Dayhikes page. We are now up to 477 main entries,
most of which now include GPS location links. 

Now including everything from castles to abandoned locomotives
to mystery Gila River tramways. No, not this one. 

Please email me with anything I missed or that needs 
further updating.

THE RABBIT FARM -At one time, this San Simon resource
included large artesian lakes and many giant trees, but drought
and falling water tables have taken their toll. Remediationn efforts 
are underway, which presumably you can participate in.
N 32.50135 W 109.33844

Much more Gila Hike stuff here.

Another approach to backing up things you feel are important
is to post them to independent and archival web resources.

The obvious first choice is Wikipedia, but you have to get 
sneaky to work around their "No original research" restriction. 
The key can often be major mainstream media coverage.

I've put lots of stuff up on Wesrcch and it has generated a
quarter million hits to date. But this resource seems to have
somewhat missed reaching critical mass just yet.

Another web resource that seems to be going gangbusters
is ResearchGate. I have yet to participate here, but it is
very high on my priorities. They prefer you have an .edu
affiliation, but there are workarounds if you are really a
legitimate independent researcher.

Much of our Bajada Hanging Canal reserach remains unique
to my website, so I've given backup copies to a number of
leading archaeologists for archival storage. Let me know if
you would like a set of these.

I definitely would like to find additional web homes for my
Magic Sinewaves and the Magic Sinewave Calculator.
ResearchGate would be an obvious first choice.

And I have been negotiating with American Radio History
to make many of my early tutorials and constrution projects
separately available.

The Barbie Index is a new method of measuring math
understanding and competence.

Ferinstance, an individual with a BI of 0.7 would have
seventy percent of the math capabilities of a Barbie doll. 

More math stuff here.

Added a classic link to our early Palaeomagnetism and
Archaeomagnetism paper. Not sure why this vanished
somewhere along the way.

More recently, this and our Thermoluminescence paper
were used as reconstruction examples for restoration
of classic papers using our Gonzo Utilities.

Added a few new natural arch entries to our Gila Valley
Day Hikes. Plus a link to the Natural Arch and Bridge
Society.

Somebody asked me about the "Smokey the Bear" font.

Apparently it originally existed only in printed documents
where it could be hand copied in larger sizes.

But the Brody font is a fairly good match.

Uh, Oops.

I seem to have lost a historical canal in rough brush
somewhere around N 32.78087 W 109.77888

This was a short canal with concrete headgates
obviously used to switch between two larger
somewhat modern reservoirs. I forgot to photograph
and GPS it last go around.

But, once you got past the concrete parts, the
rest of the canal appears to be built to prehistoric
standards. And it is newly right in the projected
path of the prehistoric Freeman Canal route.

And significantly east of reminent pipeline
fragments.

More on similar stuff here.

My best guess is that there are many thousands of CCC
water spreaders in the area. Which, except for their makework
aspects, seemed to me to be totally worthless boondoggles that
served no physial purpose whatsoeer.

The latest large and dense collection I stumbled upon are
somewhat south of the rarely visited and seldom explored
Lamb Tank.

An interesting avian collection of the usual suspects at the
Reay Lane Wetlands  ( aka the Thatcher Sewer Ponds ) can
be found here. A recently constructed viewing tower makes
for simplified photography.

Our classiest local bird is the Great Blue Heron.

While the Huachuchas and Chiricahuas are pretty much the
top birding areas in the state, local sites of interest often
include those on this list..

If you do go birding in the Huachuchas, be sure to watch out for
the extremely rare white throated aerostat.

The long awaited reopening of a local restaurant may have been
marred somewhat by its new signature dish being a fried bologna
sandwich.

Plans are underfoot for a significant Archaeological Conference
centered on Safford's Bajada Hanging Canals the weekend
of December 10th through 12th.

The "usual suspects" in the way of big time archaeologts
are expected to attend. You are welcome to join them.

Please email me for further details.

Revised and updated our directory of local springs and
tanks and related resources.

This has become more of an "aquatic resources"
directory than a listing of springs and artesian sources.

It remains woefully incomplete, and I am not too sure
exactly where it is headed.

Managed to field check some possible branches of the
Sand Tank Prehistoric Canal.

Frustratingly, the evidence is fairly weak and the best
that can be said so far is that the negative evidence
to date seems significantly less than compelling.

On the plus side, the candidate seems to start as
a branch from a known valid canal and eventually
splits at a distinct wye. It is quite long, quite linear,
and has exactly the correct slope. Width is remarkably
constant and consistent with known canal portions.

The sandy terrain seems very unfavorable to canal
preservation and there seems to be no evidence
of canal shoulders. Or, for that matter, any
other rock manipulation. Also absent are
any so far observable potsherds or lithics.

I still think this is a canal, but solid proof does
remain ambiguous at best.

"Prehistoric Bajada Hanging Canals" are the subject of Thursday
November 3rd Free BLM Brown Bag Talk.

BLM welcomes back local researcher and author Don Lancaster
to a lunchtime brown bag lecture on the area's prehistoric
"hanging" bajada canals. Thursday November 3rd at noon in the
BLM conference room at 711 14th Avenue in Safford, Arizona.

Bring your own brown bag lunch and a drink.

Portions of these local spectacularly engineered world class
irrigation structures were literally "hung" on the sheer edges
of steep sided remnant bajada mesas. The apparently brilliant
purpose of hanging seemed to be to make the canal slope independent
of local terrain, and was likely done for exceptional construction energy
efficiency.

To date, some 75 (!) of these canals have been newly identified and their
total length now exceeds 130 miles. In the Southwest, these appear to be
unique to Mount Graham, although a very few others are known worldwide.

Much more on the canals can be previewed at
https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml

An optional guided tour of BLM's Sand Canal might take place later in
the afternoon. This would be an easy hike of less than one mile
in Pima's Cottonwood Wash area and accessible by most any desert friendly
vehicle. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear, a hat, and bring a drink.

More details on Sand Canal appear at
https://www.tinaja.com/canal/field_notes/sandcan1fn.pdf

For further help, contact Don Lancaster at (928) 428 4073
or don@tinaja.com

Several of you have asked about Bruno. Bruno is the attitude
relaterization facilitator for a major eBay newsgroup. Since
he is very big on multitasking, he also combines this with his
role of being a product durability tester for a major New Jersey
baseball bat manufacturer.

Bruno also does trucking for Norfolk & Waay. Norfolk and
Waay, of course, is the only reputable dropshipper for eBay 
sellers. This week only, they are offering free sample pallets 
( limit five ) with free shipping. From their choice of Neiman 
Marcus, Land's End, Eddie Bauer, or Bruno's Trucking.

Norfolk & Waay in a Kilgore Trout sort of focus are NOT me
and NOT my website. I have no idea who their webmaster is.

The Bruno pallets may occasionally include an odd body part or
two. Naturally, this is normal and expected.

More details here.

Apparently Discovery Park has discontinued their lecture
series speakers starting back in January 2016.

Mostly because of heavy new commitments in STEM
and elsewhere overtaxing their staff and available time.

As a participant, it sure was fun while it lasted. Most of
my talks remain available on my website. These include...

Energy Fundamentals
PV Panel Intro and Summary
eBay Secrets
Mt. Graham Aerial tramway
Gila Valley Day Hikes
Little known Gila Hikes
Prehistoric Baja Hanging Canals
Prehistoric Baja Hanging Canals Images
Prehistoric Baja Hanging Canals Lecture

And four I would have liked to have done...

Magic Sinewaves
Classic Electronic Project History
Secrets of Technical Innovation
The Wikipedia Story

Um, a certain national news anchor may need to revise their
resume somewhat. As they just confused "cannibals" and
"cannabis" in describing an upcoming tasting tour.

More here and here.

The majority of our prehistoric bajada hanging canal projects seem
based on northeast trending Mount Graham perennial streams. Or on
related streambed springs often at the contact between precambrian
gneiss to pleistoscene bajada conglomerate..

There also appears to be use of independent springs and related
artesian sources, although these would presently seem to be in a
secondary minority of exploitable resources. Resources that,
while somewhat meager, almost certainly would not have been
ignored in prehistoric times.

Some springs, tanks, and related sources might include.

THE SPRING IN SPRING CANYON - Believed to
be one of the sources of Allen, Robinson, Golf Course,
Freeman, and other prehistoric canals. Postulated but
unproven is a watershed crossing feeder from Frye Creek.
N 32.74532 W 109.84042

FRYE CREEK WATERSHED CROSSOVER - While
still unproven, this link between Frye Creek and
Spring Canyon would seem the most credible way
the other canal routings would make sense. Such
a crossover is proven on the Mud Springs canal.
N 32.74523 W 109.83911

FRYE MESA TANK - Modern forest service diversion
of presumed major prehistoric canal orientation.
N 32.75688 W 109.83480

FRYE RESERVOIR - Modern lake and water supply
project likely prehistorically bypassed by an eastern
and high mesa route because of extreme typography.
N 32.75383 W 109.83400

THATCHER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TANK -
Apparently modern cattle tank with no obvious
prehistoric evidence yet found.
N 32.81737 W 109.79906

ARTESIA AREA - Numerous artesian wells and hot
springs are in the area. One is believed to be the source for
the Tranquility Canal.
N 32.75906 W 109.73285

DISCOVERY PARK - Seasonal ponds may or may not
include underlying prehistoric field origins. Possible
links to Deadman Canal or TB West Canal.
N 32.79911 W 109.72818

ROPER LAKE - Developed state park fed by modern
Roper Lake Canal believed derived from prehistoric
Marijilda Canal.
N 32.75583 W 109.70487

DANKWORTH POND - Modern recently redeveloped
recreation area site of one time artesian fish farm
possibly derived from prehistoric field destinations.
N 32.72018 W 109.70484

LEBANON RESERVOIR #1 - One of two destination
artificial lakes terminating modern redevelopment of
Marijilda prehistoric canal. Used for modern farm
irrigation and USFS and BLM firefighting.
N 32.73457 W 109.76110

LEBANON RESERVOIR #2 - Second of two destination
artifical lakes terminating modern redevelopment of
Marijilda prehistoric canal. Used for modern farm
irrigation and USFS and BLM firefighting.
N 32.74456 W 109.74641

UPPER DEADMAN TANK - Possible destination for
Deadman East Canal or part of routing for TB West
Canal.
N 32.75864 W 109.77036

DEADMAN MESA TANK - Appear to be historically
derived from the Deadman West Canal. Still in use
to this day.
N 32.75261 W 109.78997

LOWER DEADMAN TANK - Possible destination for
Deadman West Canal or part of routing for unproven
Discovery Park Canal.
N 32.77084 W 109.75139

SHEEP TANK - Possible prehistoric field site along
a larger and often flowing watershed. Evidence of
CCC rework also present.
N 32.77103 W 109.80287

COOK RESERVOIR - Possible destination for the
Tranquility Canal. Likely historic redevelopment.
N 32.77476 W 109.72774

STOWE TANK - Cattle watering impoundment along
the projected route of the Robinson Canal,
N 32.80674 W 109.78552

DALEY HOT ARTESIAN WELL - Recently has been
developed into a private homestead. Highly likely
to have seen prehistoric use.
N 32.79325 W 109.76586

DALEY GOLF COURSE AREA - Numerous ponds here
appear to once had likely artesian or spring courses.
N 32.80202 W 109.77343

RIGGS RESERVOIR - Modern impoundment along the
projected route of the prehistoric Golf Course Canal.
N 32.78419 W 109.77711

NO NAME RESERVOIR - Modern impoundment along
the projected route of the prehistoric Freeman Canal.
N 32.78851 W 109.76835

TRIANGLE TANK - Apparent historic cattle development
has yet to reveal any prehistoric precedents. A suggested
hint of a canal to the south has yet to be explored.
N 32.81812 W 109.77814

BLUE POND - Alternate modern destination for the
prehistoric Freeman Canal. Canal has been historically
modified to switch betwen Blue and No Name.
N 32.78291 W 109.77368

OXBOW TANK - Historic cattle dirt tank does not appear
to have prehistoric precedents. Topography, sources,
and destinations would also appear unfavorable.
N 32.81740 W 109.79902

PORTER SPRING TANK - Possibly prehistorically fed off the
Deadman North Canal. Near Longview Ruin and numerous
aproned checkdam resources. Also a spring.
N 32.77065 W 109.77795

HAWK HOLLOW TANK - Historic cattle development
is clearly mid route on the Allen prehistoric canal.
Numerous CCC rework projects also present.
N 32.78537 W 109.83275

REAY PONDS - Seasonal ponds behind the Thatcher
Flood Control structure. Evidence of prehistoric
interest seems weak at present.
N 32.82464 W 109.75817

THATCHER SEWER PONDS - Modern construct
is a popular birding area. Very little evidence of
prehistoric interest or use to date.
N 32.86681 W 109.76953

REAY TANKS - Apparently disused collection of
sewage ponds. Restricted area has prehistoric
fields potential.
N 32.81859 W 109.76780

LOWER FRYE CCC PROJECtS - Appear to be
modern cross dam constructs of perhistoric
feeder to Robinson Canal, Golf Course Canal,
and Freeman Canal.
N 32.75783 W 109.82805

MIDDLE FRYE CCC PROJECtS - Appear to be
modern cross dam constructs of perhistoric
feeder to Robinson Canal, Golf Course Canal,
and Freeman Canal.
N 32.75167 W 109.83726

MUD SPRINGS WATERSHED CROSSOVER -
Proven prehistoric major watershed management project
suggests absolute mastery of hydraulic technology. A
second credible crossover is suggested but not yet verified
in Frye Canyon.
N 32.79167 W 109.85398

MYSTERY TANK - Obviously historic mud tank seems to
be using the prehistoric Mud Springs Canal as its one time
exclusive water source.
N 32.82768 W 109.81892

MUD SPRINGS - Developed cattle tank is likely to have
had prehistoric use. The Mud Springs Canal is nearby but
there is no present evidence of a link between the two.
Present corrals to the south suggest underlying fields.
N 32.79829 W 109.84056

GOLF #1 POND - Small and isolated artesian source
seems to be unrelated to nearby Golf Course Canal.
N 32.80259 W 109.78083

GOLF #2 POND - Small and isolated artesian source
seems to be unrelated to nearby Golf Course Canal.
N 32.79578 W 109.78575

BLUE PONDS -- These are directly on the route of
the Freeman Canal and may have once been destination
fields. Historic rework of short canal segments is present.
N 32.78293 W

ALLEN RESERVOIR - While possibly fed only by the
prehistoric Allen Canal, presently sparse or dry artesian
sources may have fed this failed but once major lake.
Failure docs can be found here.
N 32.83339 W 109.79372

WEBSTER HILL AREA - Possible artesian sources
might have been more significant during prehistoric
times.
N 32.85038 W 109.78940

THATCHER FLOOD CONTROL - Behind the dam
area appears to have intermittent ponds that may or
may not have origins as prehistoric fields.
N 32.82414 W 109.75947

THATCHER HOT WELL - Artesian source just north
of Gila River was recently dynamited shut in a nudes
versus prudes controversy.
N 32.86678 W 109.74964

WATSON WASH HOT WELL - Artesian source just north
of Gila River was also recently dynamited shut in a nudes
versus prudes controversy.
N 32.90231 W 109.76299

CENTRAL DAM - Only hints remain of once significant
artesian pond and marsh areas. Not clear whether these
are modern flood control artifacts. Area behind the dam
may have been a destination field for the Allen Canal.
N 32.85392 W 109.79716

CENTRAL DUMP - Seasonal ponds may be modern
resulting from remediation or might in fact be
candidate destination fields for the Mud Springs Canal.
N 32.85597 W 109.81528

PIMA DEVELOPMENT - Housing project at site
of one time artesian driven gravel pit.
N 32.90629 W 109.85347

ROGERS RESEVOIR - Large Pima Are impoundment
seems to be in disuse. Prehistoric potential remains
unexplored. Suggestive of an underlying field.
N 32.87890 W 109.84532

BROWN'S TANK - One time fish farming resource
in the Cottonwood Wash area. Prehistoric use
remains little studied.
N 32.85695 W 109.88101

CHATFIELD POND - Apparent historic development
near Pima International Airport has not yet been
explored. Topography would appear somewhat unfavorable
towards prehistoric sources and destination fields.
N 32.84012 W 109.87688

GRANDMA TANK - Large and fairly remote cattle
tank in an area of possible prehistoric fields.
N 32.85313 W 109.81956

CLUFF PONDS AREA - Numerous present and
historic lakes appear to be fed from Ash Creek
and several artesian sources. This is the largest
riparian area north of the Gila.
N 32.81593 W 109.85170

SMITH PONDS - These seem to be fed from spring
or artesian sources and saw historic linkage to the
main Cluff Ponds area. While prehistoric use remains
unproven, there is a major ruin in the immediate area.
N 32.82057 W 109.84248

LAMB TANK - Historic cattle development appears
to be centered on and exploited the prehistoric
Lamb Canal.
N 32.82440 W 109.92339

SAND TANK - Apparently a modern development
with a limited watershed somewhat west of the
prehistoric Sand Canal. Not clear where the
water came from. Little remains today.
N 32.80983 W 109.94106

BEAR SPRINGS - One time hippy commune was
a large artesian source, leading to the Bigler Ponds
and a major mysterious historic canal project.
N 32.85204 W 109.93890

BEAR FLAT - Remote and small artesian source
feeds a half mile long disused historic canal that
has possible but unproven prehistoric origins.
N 32.79578 W 109.78575

INDIAN HOT SPIINGS - By far the largest local
assemblage of springs and artesian sources. This
north of the Gila and northwest of the present
study area. Heavy historic and present reuse makes
study difficult.
N 32.99811 W 109.8978

Many local artesian sources have either dramatically reduced
their presence or have dried up entirely. Likely caused in
part by drought conditions and by purposeful dropping of the
water table.

It would seem reasonable to speculate that many more
springs and artesian sources were present during prehistoric
times. Some of these are likely to have vanished completely.

"Such thinking comes from long hours in the outhouse
alone"

It also seems to me that even more excessive hype is
coming down over making the Gila Valley an  "Inland
Port".

Uh, "they" might have wanted to look at a map or
at least payed attention to grade school geography
classes for the Greater Bonita Eden Sanchez
metropolitan area .

Let's see. There is absolutely zilch, zero, nada,
commercially viable truck, train, or pipeline routes
out of the valley to the Southwest, the West,
the North, the Northeast, and the East. And the
route to the Northwest is fraught with political peril.
Sovereign nation and all.

The only local train ( er, one of two actually )
is a single track spur that goes pretty much nowhere
over dead end right of way unsuitable for higher speeds,
new multiple high profile customers, or heavier traffic .

And by simple topographic considerations, such routings
would seem to be unlikely to develop sometime soon.
Maybe right after the Ayatolla's Bar Mitzvah.

At first glance, Willcox would seem to be a lot better
positioned along an existing high traffic train and
truck corridor that clearly misses the Gila valley to the
south by 45 miles.

But, if a new Southwestern Arizona Inland Port were
to be considered at all, the clear winner would be
Benson. Which is already on a major corridor,
has two train routes, one of which is major and
national, a clean shot at Mexico, and a very viable
overdue potential new thruway route to the northwest.

I've been long fascinated by the law of the unintended
consequences.

Much more here.

Apparently a Rand Study only sees a piddling 90 percent
price drop. My prediction instead is 99.8%.

Many years ago, a certain New York editor who had
never been off the block at Lawn Guiland visited a
Texas ranch. He was amazed at how greasy the sheep
were and asked why they greased their sheep.

The ranch hands had a big laugh over this and tried
to explain lanolin. Then they moseyed up the draw to 
the cow oiler.

Shocking.

I just found out that many of the New Mexico subastas are going
to be sold at auction!

Even worse, "slippery slope" issues may also endanger 
a large number of the licitacions and even the almonedas. 

Thankfully, eBay sales and shipping to New Mexico aren't 
quite as bad as they used to be. Yeah, there is still the 
language barrier and the hassles at customs.

One main problem was that of all the New Mexico truck 
tires are all a different size and spacing, so everything 
needed  reloaded at the border crossings.

Fortunately, there are now REVERSIBLE truck tires that
can simply be insided out at the New Mexico ports of
entry.

More details at your nearest New Mexico embassy.

Two "sort of no longer there" Arizona semi ghost towns are
Nothing and Nowhere.

These are about sixty miles apart by way of easy and excellent
lightly traveled fully paved mid-elevation roads.

Which raises the obvious possibility of a Nothing to Nowhere
bicycle tour.

More off the wall stuff to do here.

A new map of the newly expanded Safford and Thatcher
Urban multi use trails can be found here.

Parts of it may be in error or at least awkward to use,
especially along US 70. Present length is around twenty
miles. Pima extensions and 8th street portions have yet
to be built.

More stuff to do here, here, and here.

Turns out the Lopez Canal appears to be a bulldozer
track instead.

While very few Acme Mapper hanging canal leads fail to
become useful, the very few losers to date include...

Lopez Lead
Jacobson Lead
Ringcone Lead
Lower Mud Lead

And this just barely needing further research....

Discovery Park Canal

Much more here.

I guess you cannot exactly call it a spectacular engineering
failure, but all is currently not well with the new Blue River
Fish Barrier.

It seems that their companion "anti scour structure" just
exceeded their wildest expectaions. But only by something
around five orders of magnitude.

The Allen Dam failulre here. And related similar stuff here.
But my favorite two disasters here and here.

Some of the many advantages of magnetic tomcats include:
(a) They will point north if you pick them up by the tail (b)
they store easily overnight on the side of your refrigerator;
(c) hearding cats is a lot easier if they are all oriented in the
same direction. And, of course (d) you can levitate them by
using an appropriately powered electric blanket.

More on totally unrelated topics in MARCIA.PDF.

Local EMT lore has it that a South Phoenix free clinic was
having all sorts of problems with prescription pads getting
stolen. Sure enough, a pharmacy called later wanting to
verify that they had prescribed a "gallon of more fine".

Well, maybe just the punch lines...

"The koala tea of Mercy is not strained".
"The thong has ended, but the malady lingers on".
"Pardon me Roy, is that the cat that chewed your new shoes?"
"Its a Hickory Daquiri, Doc."
"Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear".
"Poncho Villa" is an emergency rain shelter for NM hikers.
"It's a knick knack, Patti Whack. Give the frog a loan".
"Its the only trick I know, Sis."
"People in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones"
"Couldn't hit the barn side of a broad"
Geologists recognize sedentary, metaphoric, and ingeneous rocks.
"Old MacDonald Farm computer interface is now an EIE I/O".
"Tarzan stripes forever"
A furry with a syringe on top.
... handle so long no insect can "Fly above Cayuga's swater"
"The vet had to charge for the cat scan and the lab tests"
"Crossing a state lion with a gull for immortal purpoises"
"Opporknockity tunes but once."

Plus, of course...

"The squaw on the hippopotamus hide equals the
sum of the squaws on the other two hides."

Among those of us that were there at the time, it was
absolutely and unquestionably clear that "something"
was happening.

We did not have the faintest clue what that something
was, and we referred to it simply as "IT".

In which it did not matter in the least "what good"
something was or whether it had any use whatsoever
or was ultimately capable of being profitable.

"Stuff" was now possible that never could be done
before. To be followed shortly by infinitely better stuff.

The tasks simply had to be done. And the very best of today
absolutely had to be done in by a better tomorrow.

Speaking of bloat, I am sometimes asked about our present
listing of potentially 75 Bajada Hanging Canals of possibly
130 miles total length.

There is not the slightest doubt that there is both an "adequate
supply" and a "great heaping bunch" of these stunning world
class discoveries.

The count does include something like ten percent of losers
that did not work out. Such as cattle or ATV trails that fell
apart after attempts at field verification. With the intent of
not rediscovering the same problem more than once.

There are also canals with missing segments whose ends
might end up with temporarily different names. Ferinstance,
the Frye Mesa Canal is also the HS Canal and more than
likely the Riggs Braids and the Golf Course Canal.

But I strongly feel that the present listing is an accurate
representation of the present canal discoveries. The
field verified total length estimates are always left most
conservative.

Presently, we only have a dozen or so verified field notes.
But our main present goal is to precisely document all
75 listings in one manner or another.

Local lore has it that the spring thaw is possibly just around
the corner, with the worst of the ice is out of the Gila River.
All of which has somewhat dampened enthuasium for afternoon
Bajada Hanging Canal explorations.

New to be checked is the possible Lopez canal #75. So far
it only exists on Acme Mapper. It has a source and destination
and is straight enough and long enough with just the right
amount of highly consistent slope.

On the other hand, it is somewhat north of the other canals,
does not look quite right, and likely will be tricky to prove
its prehistoric origins.

Also in the seldom visited area are mysterious and little
explored ponds that might include duck habitat. I'll try to
add these to our Gila Valley Dayhikes after they can be
verified.

Our latest addition to our Gila Valley Dayhikes page gives
some fascinating hints on the Bob Brow Saloon Safe. AKA
the Seymour gold.

Which is one of the very few Arizona Lost Treasure stories
that seems to have enough credibility to still be reasonably
recoverable. And perhaps worth some effort.

The safe most likely headed straight down, helped along by
the 1890 Walnut Grove Dam Disaster. Which was somewhat
comparable to the Johnstown PA Flood in the same time era.
But did not receive nearly the press. Nonetheless, this was
the worst Arizona disaster until two planes crashed in the 1950's.
Mexicans and Indians, of course, were not counted in the
fatalities, so the reports ended up way low.

A favorite part of the story was that the town drunk was sent
out to spread the alarm, but decided that a good stiff drink
was first in order.

Assume you are an intern working on a SETI
program at a somewhat advanced civilization
on Iota Rectuli IV.

Strong evidence of rocky planets have recently
been discovered nearby in a minor arm of your own
second rate galaxy sometimes called the "Milky Way".
A mere sixty light years or so away.

Amazingly, one of these planets suddenly and
recently became a "radio star" with substantial
output at the VHF frequency range. Your recent
careful analysis has shown detailed comb structure
with strong harmonics related to both 60 Hertz
and 15.750 kilohertz.

Between the latest of advanced signal processing
algorithms and some exceptionally rare viewing
conditions, out pops a prefectly lucid and clear
ten second video clip of ROLLER DERBY!

As the sum total of everything known about
human civilization. We can assume that
"Captain Video" and "Kukla, Fran, and Ollie"
are yet to be discovered.

What report, if any, would you submit to
your supervisor?

Yeah, but what have I been up to lately? Here's a summary
of some current projects...

PREHISTORIC HANGING CANALS - Now up
to 75 of these stunning world class constructs with
a total length well over a world class 130 miles.
Now definitely in need of extensive help.

MAGIC SINEWAVES - Obtuse math discoveries
have led to digital sinewave generators with
astonishing low distortion and impressively high
efficiency.

MABELOSITY - Sneaky way of faking book
cover marbeling techniques can lead to profound
"Does not look like it was done on a computer"
effects. All done with a pile of distorted pancakes.

BEZIER CUBIC SPLINES - Sophisticated solutions
to high quality graphics. Latest studies also involve
Lagrange Polynomials.

GILA HIKE DIRECTORY - Many hundreds of
largely unknown dayhike projets. Including some
very obscure ones.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS - Plus continuing research
and ongoing interests in PostScript, Patent Avoidance,
Pseudoscience Bashing, Marcia Swampfelder, eBooks,
Classic Reprints, firefighting, pv solar breakeven tracking,
GuruGrams, auctioneering, our blog, the ISMM, energy,
the hydrogen debacle, videos, tech innovation, and, of
course, eBay.

Once again, we definitely and desparately need your
help on various canal projects. Especially if you are
the type of hiker that brings along your own catclaw,
just in case there is not enough along the route. The
word "trail", of course, is not in your vocabulary.

Cash in small bills would also be nice, anong with
any extra drones you might want to discard in my
driveway.

Speaking of which, funding and completing an
aerial survey of all 130 miles of the 75 bajada
hanging canals would certainly be welcome.

Google Maps and Google Earth ( And including Acme Mapper )
have just announced a very major upgrade to their available
satellite data with much higher resolution.

The only tiny detail buried in the fine print is that most of
the high zoom, high resolution settings derive their data
elsewhere than satellites.

Thus, recent high zoom viewing has not gotten any better.

The missing "Golf Course Road Gap" in the Gila Valley's
multi purpose trail system has just been completed.

The route now extends from North of Discovery Park
to Daley Estates to EAC. Per this map.

More Gila Valley things to do here.  And here.

One of the projects that has fallen by the wayside
from way back in our PostScript Desktop Publishing
class was a resume that answered the question...

"what if ONE single individual was responsible for
each and EVERY major industrial disaster over the
past few decades?"

This would be an obvious candidate for an onion
satire. Couched in words like "proven ability to
provide a commanding media presence", a
deeper investigation into his employment history
would include being an ethics officer for Enron,
honcho of the FEMA rapid intervention team,
did tanker safety training for Exxon, fire prevention
for Yellowstone Park, system monitoring supervisor
for Cherynoble, was a Union Carbide tank inspector in
India, ad director for New Coke, etc... Possibly even
starting out as an Edsel intern trainee.

What would your input be for several employers
of his and the related job titles? email me.

I still cannot seem to find any historical references to the
shingle mill in Shingle Mill canyon. It turns out these
mills are usually rather small, consisting mainly of
a three foot diameter unprotected circular saw blade.

Some fascinating videos of these have been made by
steam tractor restoration enthusiasts.

Shingle Mill Canyon does not have a bottom as it
morphs into Merrill Wash. The best lead I've
found would put the mill halfway up in the Hulda
Gap area. But there might not be enough water
here for the presumed steam engine. And delivery
to Pima would be awkward at best.

Cedar shingles can also be made by using a hand
maul and splitter. But the usual precuts would not
seem at all compatible with the Lumber Tramway.

Can you find some references here?

More on similar topics here.

New ideas are just like pancakes or children.

You should always throw the first one away.

It is interesting to rearrange our Bajada Hanging Canals by
watershed. Which suggests several conclusions...

FIRST- virtually every drop of northeastern Mount Graham
water was apparently fully exploited. Helped along by
an artesian source or two. And by an aqueduct, stunning
watershed crossings, huge cuts, and counterflow techniques.

SECOND - the project appears to be complete, with no
obvious water sources remaining unused or unexploited.

THIRD - Everything seems "perfect" with no obvious
mistakes, errors, or work in progress. Nothing apparent
seems to have interfered with the project during its
creation.

FOURTH - The takeins all appear to be perfectly
situated where the perennial water would disappear
today at the junction of the mountain's gneiss and
the valley's bajadas. Suggesting climatic factors
similar or slightly wetter than today.

FIFTH - Almost without exception, the routes all
followed the highest possible routings, carefully
traversing "pinch points" that clearly defined the
only possible routes.

SIXTH - Illusions of "water flows uphill" are found
in many places. Indicating an absolute mastery of
maintaining consistent and optimal canal slopes.

SEVENTH- When appropriate, the canals are all
purposely "hung" on the edges of gently sloping
but steep sided remnant bajada mesas. Two credible
reasons are that a hung canal can have a slope largely
independent of its terrain and that most hung
construction effort can be made across, rather
than along the canal route. Both of which suggest
extreme attention to construction energy efficiency.

EIGHTH - The engineering involved appears to
be many orders of magnitude beyond normal
riverine canals such as those of Phoenix area
Hohokam.

NINTH - Bajada hanging canals appear very rare
elsewhere. While there are prehistoric pre-Aztec and
historic Canary Island Levada  examples, temporal
instances in the American Southwest of comparable
complexity and sophisticated engineering presently
appear to be largely unknown. Which suggest that
the Mt. Graham technology may have uniquely
evolved in place.

TENTH - Mount Graham is the highest mountain in
Arizona when measured from its Basin and Range
base. Its collection of numerous reliable northeast
trending and bajada terminating streams grouped together
appears to be unique to the Southwest, and possibly to
the world.

ELEVENTH - Whatever caused the canals to cease
to function almost certainly must clearly have
been cataclysmic and catastrophic.

TWELFTH - Given the riverine Gila River
canals, strong population pressure or other
compelling factors must have contributed to
the need for the major time and effort that
went into the hanging bajada canal program.

THIRTEENTH - An estimate of fifty to a hundred
man years might appear to be a baseline for the
time involved. This estimate can be based on
a modern person using prehistoric tools being
able to build something like one foot per hour.

FOURTEENTH - These findings provide evidence in
the form of agricultural intensification and settlement
that points to a socio-political organization based on the
collaboration and collective action of small corporate
groups rather than a more complex social
stratification and socio-political structure

FIFTEENTH - No survey instruments are
known to survive, strongly suggesting the
possibility of miniature preliminary routeings
being used as water levels. Many of the canal
routes are visible from elevated points on
the mountain, indicating possible "aerial
photography" techniques.

SIXTEENTH - Present "score" is 75 study
areas of interest for at least 135 miles of total
reach. Significant lengths go three to eight
miles.

SEVENTEENTH - Also woefully understudied in the
area are totally separate riverine canals, extensive
world class grids and fields, pueblo and fieldhouse sites,
aproned checkdams, and mulch rings.

Here are the studied watersheds from southeast
to northwest...

Stockton -    Stockton Canal?
Veech -         Veech Canal
Jacobson -    Goat Canal
                       Ledford Canal
Marijilda -    Marijilda Fields
                       Marijilda Canal
                      Marijilda Aquaduct
                       Lebanon High Canal
                       Henry Canal Branches?
                       Henry's Canal
                       Sixpack Canal
                       Roper Lake Canal
                       Rincon Canal?
                        TB East Canal
                        TB West Canal
                       TB Ponding Area
Tranquility-   Tranquility Canal
Deadnan -      Main Deadman Canal
                        Deadman East Canal
                        Mystery Feeder Canal
                       Discovery Park Canal?
Frye Creek -   Frye Watershed Diversion
                          Lower Frye Mesa Complex
                          Robinson Canal
                          HS Canal
                          Riggs Complex
                          Golf Course Canal
                           Blue Ponds Canal
                            Freeman Canal
                            Longview Canal?
Spring Canyon - Allen Canal
                            Culebra Cut
                            Upper Frye Mesa Complex
Ash Creek      -  Mud Sprigs Watershed Crossing
                           Mud Springs Canal
                            Troll House
                            Jernigan Canal
                            Smith Canal
                            Cluff SW1 Canal?
                            Cluff NW1 Canal
                            Cluff NW2 Canal
                            Cluff Diversion
Shingle Mill  -    Minor Webster Canal
                            Tugood Canal
Lefthand       -    Spear Ranch?
                            Main Lefthand Canal
                            Lefthand Feeder Canals
                            Lefthand West
                            Lamb Tank
Bear Springs -    Bear Springs Canal
                            Bigler Canal
                            Bear Flat Canal
Nuttall          -     Watershed Crossing?
Carter           -     Carter Canal
                      -     Nuttall Canal
                             Sand Canal
Taylor           -      UFO Fish Filets?

More info here and here.                   

I'll be doing a talk on the Mount Graham Aerial Lumber
Tramway at the Thursday June 16th meeting of the Gila
Valley Hiking Club at 6 PM in the BLM/CNF meeting
room at 14th Street and 8th Avenue in Safford.

The meeting notice...

==========================================

Local author and researcher Don Lancaster will give a short talk
on the Mount Graham aerial lumber tramway.

A replica of the original history of the tram can be found as part
of https://www.tinaja.com/glib/tramshow.pdf

Fascinating engineering aspects of the tram are found in
https://www.tinaja.com/glib/gramtram.pdf while a rare photo
collection can be viewed in the Pima Museum whose website is
http://easternarizonamuseum.com/

Additional local hike related topics can be found at Don's
https://www.tinaja.com/gilahike.shtml and
https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu16.shtml#d06.05.16 and
https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml and
https://www.tinaja.com/glib/unusualh.pdf .

Google Earth has a seldom appreciated history feature in which
you can purposely look at older satellite imagery. You can
click on Edit View History for access. Then swipe in the upper
left corner of the image.

While the general quality and resolution improves with newness,
certain older mappings can sometimes be very useful. Ferinstance,
the new canal discovery at N 32.82996 W 109.92808 looks
best with the 2011 imagery!

The canal footprints change with season and time of day, so
it pays to check all the way back on any search. Three
years ago, we had a bloom that uniquely filled the fine grained
canals with dead flowers. For a glorious few weeks, previously
unknown canals became glaringly obvious.

A new hundred feet of bajada hanging canal has been field verified at
N 32.82996 W 109.92808.

It is small but obvious and seems single walled. There are some
Mesquites midstream. No obvious potsherds in the area.

Three photos can be found here, here, and here.

This, along with Acme Mapper suggests that the Sand Canal
may start with a combined Nuttall and Carter Canyon flow at
N 32.81895 W 109.94256

There are hints of a second and third branch at N 32.83441
W 109.92705.

Acme Mapper also hints there is a second or even a third
branch of the Sand Canal...

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=32.83377,-109.92638&z=16
&t=H&marker0=32.83441%2C-109.92705%2C9.2%20km%20S%20of
%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker1=32.83487%2C-109.92639
%2C9.2%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker2=32.83495
%2C-109.92671%2C9.1%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County
%20AZ&marker3=32.83518%2C-109.92549%2C9.1%20km%20S
%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker4=32.83303
%2C-109.92810%2C9.4%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County
%20AZ&marker5=32.83024%2C-109.93014%2C9.7%20km
%20S%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker6=32.82903

This would seem similar to the Jernigan Canal splitting off the
Mud Springs Canal.

Again, not yet field verified. But our ratio of hints to eventual
solid ground evidence remains well above ninety percent.

The "anvil test" for camp coffee...

If the anvil sinks, it it too weak.
If the anvil floats, it is just right.
If the anvil dissolves, it is too strong.

The latest imagery on Acme Mapper strongly suggests that
the Sand Canal has a takein source surprisingly far to the
west in Carter Canyon using Nuttall Canyon water...

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=32.83162,-109.93094&z=15
&t=H&marker0=32.83245%2C-109.92408%2C9.4%20km%20S
%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker1=32.82771
%2C-109.93197%2C10.0%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County
%20AZ&marker2=32.82368%2C-109.93555%2C10.5%20km%20S%20of
%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker3=32.81901
%2C-109.94166%2C11.1%20km%20SxSW%20of%20Graham%20County
%20AZ&marker4=32.82993%2C-109.92821%2C9.7%20km%20S
%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker5=32.82125%2C-109.93777
%2C10.8%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ&marker6=32.82544
%2C-109.93389%2C10.3%20km%20S%20of%20Graham%20County
%20AZ&marker7=32.83508%2C-109.92273%2C9.1%20km%20S
%20of%20Graham%20County%20AZ

Much of this still needs field verified. Some implications of this find
include that unproven but postulated Nuttall Watershed Crossing may
not be needed at all and that the UFO Fish Fillets are now close enough
to the canal complex that they should be included in their study.

More hanging canal stuff here.

A simple test in Google Earth can greatly strengthen or weaken
a long linear feature being or not being a prehistoric hanging
canal.

Check the altitude along several points and see if you have
a uniform and cosistent dropping slope in the neighborhood
of one percent.

Sudden drops or uphill portions, of course, are not permitted.
Unless they are latter day damage artifacts.

BTW, GPS altitude measurement is exceptionally inaccurate.

Better grade GPS receivers instead use a much higher
resolution barametric pressure sensing instead. One
typical instrument is the Garmin Etrex 30 or newer.

Barometric pressure, of course, is weather sensitive.

One workaround is to measure an exactly known nearby
altitude and then differentially correct.

Another sneaky trick is to find your local history of
barametric pressure versus time. Here in Safford,
we seem to consistently have a flat daily high at
8 to 9 am and a flat daily low at 4 to 5 pm.

Making your measurements at either time should
help minimize weather effects.

Sometimes a level ap on a smartphone can also be
useful for differential level measurements.

Modified, of course, for your particular file locations.

The following bajada hikes could greatly assist world class
research on the hanging canals. Typical total and return lengths
are one to three miles, often in very difficult or brushy terrain.
Needed are field verification, photos, and GPS coordinates...

DEADMAN EAST - Evaluate the Acme Mapper suggestion
of a canal between N 32.75284 W 109.78537 and N 32.75679
W 109.77612. Find link to main Deadman west canal. Find out
how water gets off the mesa. Find destination. Save energy
for the steep return trip.

VEECH CANYON- Flag a feasible route through heavy brush
from N 32.65007 W 109.73410 to N 32.64348 W 109.74235
Evaluate presumed canal further south to N 32.64252 W 109.74288.
Optionally determine if linear features around N 32.64276
W 109.74087 are natural or man made.

MUD SPRINGS - Working north from the fence at N 32.79167
W 109.85383, and following the canal, try to find the missing
portions as you approach resumption at N 32.80451 W 109.83872.
A SUV shuttle eases the return.

FRYE WATERSHED DIVERSION - Try to prove or disprove that
Frye Mesa water was routed into a watershed crossing (!) canal from
N 32.74422 W 109.83930 to N 32.74472 W 109.83843 to N 32.74555
W 109.84016.

FRYE PINCH POINT - Try to verify a hanging canal portion from the
pinch point at N 32.74747 W 109.83897 to N 32.75114 W 109.83728 or
N 32.75128 W 109.83736

ASH CREEK SOURCE - Starting under the fence at N 32.79167
W 109.85383 try to find the takein somewhere near N 32.78767
W 109.85468 Tropical Storm Octave may have obliterated any trace
of this obviously used routing.

MINOR WEBSTER - Starting north from N 32.79790 W 109.87270
and following the canal, determine where and why it changes from
historic to prehistoric construct architecture. Follow further north to
try and determine destination. Avoid getting close to private property.

TUGOOD SOUTH - Starting with the canal at N 32.81338 W 109.86993,
trace it south to try and find a takein between Shimgle Mill Canyon and
Merrill Wash, possibly around N 32.79074 W 109.88925. Canal Portions
are under the road, and others may have been obliterated by tropical
storm Octave.

TUGOOD NORTH - Starting with the canal at N 32.79074 W 109.88925,
trace it north to see where it goes. Try to find its field destination.
Avoid any private residences.

FREEMAN MID SECTION - Starting at N 32.78744 W 109.76588,
trace the canal North to where it likely disappears at N 32.78988
W 109.76252 and resumes at N 32.79066 W 109.76163.

ALL LEDFORD & GOAT- Centering on N 32.68640 W 109.74308 ,
survey photograph the extensive hanging canals. An ATV might be
useful, as might a drone. Many trips will be needed.

MISSING MUD SPRINGS - Find out how the Mud Springs Canal
gets from N 32.83062 W 109.81560 to N 32.83878 W 109.81128.

MID GOLF COURSE - Attempt to prove that the Golf Course Canal
routes from N 32.79832 W 109.78278 to N 32.78187 W 109.78707
Otherwise find an alternate mid routing.

ALLEN DESTINATION - Find out where the Allen Canal goes north of
the slight saddle at N 32.83347 W 109.80302 You might have to start
at the more obvious Cubelara Cut at N 32.83567 W 109.79810.

MUD SPRINGS DESTINATION - Find out where the Mud Springs
Canal goes north of N 32.84797 W 109.81104.

ALLEN MESA FALLOFF- Find out how the Allen Canal gets from
N 32.81187 W 109.81131 to N 32.83398 W 109.79544

NUTTALL WATERSHED CROSSING - Determine if a prehistoric
watershed crossing is physically possible at N 32.77780 W 109.95534
Seek out evidence that it did or did not occur. Latest evidence has
made the need for this crossover somewhat less likely. But it still
needs checked.

HENRY'S EXTENSIONS -- In and around N 32.73702 W 109.74305
need  explored and documented. It is not yet clear whether Henry's
Canal starts at N 32.73709 W 109.74241 or if it has a still unknown
Marijilda feeder.

LAMB TANK CANALS - Rumored canals in this area have yet
to be verified and documented. In and around N 32.82184
W 109.92386

SAND TANK BRANCHES - Explore one or more possible canals in
the area of N 32.83082 W 109.92993 and N 32.83455 W 109.92705.

JERNIGAN GAPS - Find the missing canal portions from   
N 32.83182 W 109.81814 to N 32.83662 W 109.81509 and
N 32.84139 W 109.81261 to N 32.84201 W 109.81443

STOCKTON PASS WASH - Seek out evidence of prehistoric canals,
especially near to N 32.61789 W 109.72822 and N 32.61979 W 109.72836
Note that these only show up on high magnification.

          Please send resultss to don@tinaja.com or (928) 428-4073.

The way to tell an extroverted engineer: They stare
at your shoes, rather than their own.

Some lessons learned during our initial drone debacle:

We are now into third generation drones whose sophisticated
capabilities might end up totally unsuitable for your goals.

Used was a specialized ag drone intended to map a
rectangular field over a preprogrammed GPS
set of parallel routes. This eliminated any high bandwidth
data link and did not need any heavy gimbles as the images
were always pointed straight down.

Both of which made for reduced weight and bird
complexity and consequential longer flight times.

There was no known HDTV real time link to the ground
as the repeat images were simply recorded to the internal
camera memory. And then ground processed later
with an incredibly sophisticated stitching algorithm.

Thus "follow the canal" with real time flight path
adjustments was simply not possible.

We also made the midstake of starting from the
unknown end of the survey area where the canal was
not at all  obvious. And failed to show up on the
stitched route maps.

It was also not clear how to extract the data associated
with each image. Needed were lat, lon, altitude,
time, and orientation. Somehow this data was extracted
by the elaborate stitching signal processing.

We'll note in passing that there are several methods
of directly annotating a .jpg file.

Drone projects beyond 2000 feet may prove a
problem, as may losing the drone as it vanishes
off the edge of a mesa. Any wind at all can also
trash preprogrammed flights, so early morining is
a must.

Bottom line: You must know your drone capabilities.
As must the drone operators. And your flight
goals should certainly be far in bounds for the
resources at hand .

"Truth is stranger than fiction" gets even more bizarre 
when you wander into Western New Mexico. 

The Brushy Mountain Radar Station is South of Mule 
Creek at the end of a secret mountain laboratory road
whose access is easily controlled. It likely started life as a 
cold war facility and presumably still sees use for drug
interdiction activity.

Little known is that it includes oversize kitchen and
dormitory facilities. It was supposedly used as a remote
retreat by both the Kennedy and Johnson presidental
administrations. Since then it occasionally has seen such
nefarious uses as BLM team building excercises.

BUT and IF you needed to stash some super secret stuff
( such as, say, some extraterrestrial aliens ), the facility is
virtually ready to go.

Even stranger is nearby Terrortown, once known as Playas. 
This began as a company town for a long defunct smelter
and was bought by a New Mexico school and funded by
the Department of Homeland Security for a training
facility for counterterrorism and urban hostage situations. 

More here, here, and here.

A guided tour video inside a giant wind turbine can be found here.

More wind stuff here. More on energy here. More neat places
to explore here.

Managed to get some hanging canal drone flights, but they did
not produce much yet in the way of useful results.

A pair of stiched flyby images can be found here and here.

Used was a specialized ag drone. It apparently had no
way to return real time video to the base so that
"follow the canal" flight path and altitude modifications
could be made.

It was also not clear how to retrieve the crucial annotation
on each photo, although their composite stitching
algorithm did seem superb for its intended purpose.

Thanks to Jeremy Green and Garrett Evans of Eastern
Arizona Ag for their assistance on this project.

Dr. Neely and I also revisited the potential Discovery
Park Canal and concluded that the route is just barely
credible.

A potential source might be the still unverified but
potentially spectacular Deadman East canal, while
fields underlying the present Discovery Park ponds
might be a credible destination.

Your participation welcome.

Munchies.

More here, here, and ( historic origin ) here.

Dr. Neely and I tried to reach the still unverified prehistoric
Veech Hanging Canal.

Starting with a dirt track off a 4WD trace, we managed to
cover one mile of the 1.3 mile distance in bad brush, only
to be turned around by unbearably gruesome brush.

The route would also appear too long for most drones.

But flagging the downhill return trip might simplify things
bunches.

Please email me if you are a super gonzo hiker.

And are interested in visiting a part of Arizona that the
casual tourist often bypasses.

Many thanks to all of the archaeological and related professionals
who attended our recent hanging canal guided tours.

We have just scheduled some drone flights. But it turns out that
"follow the canal" is not in most drone vocabularies. The local
drone service is ag oriented and only can capture preprogrammed
GPS flight paths that have to be camera downloaded after flight.

The Southern Arizona satellite imagry used by Google Earth and Acme
Mapper has apparently just been updated.

One consequence of which is that the Red Horse windmills are now
obvious. The companion pv stuff has yet to appear.

These are the tallest structures in all of Southern Arizona. While
TFD has the biggest, baddest, meanest 85 foot aerial tower bucket in
the area, we could only reach one sixth of the way up their 450 foot
height !

Reminders that these are sort of visible from I-10, somewhat north
of the back road from Willcox to Cascabel off the Hooker Hot
Springs Road, and that guided tours should be available from
Mallory Safety Management Services' Aubyn Avery at 
(205) 919-7936.

Other things to do in the area would include Muleshoe Ranch,
Triangle T, and Amerind Foundation.

More neat suff to do here and here.

Separately, we are seeking out professional drone operators
for limited funding present canal mapping, and possibly full
blown and well funded long term mapping of over a hundred
miles(!) of still unexplored prehistoric hanging canal routes.

A minimum drone capability of receiving a dozen waypoints,
hidef GPS tagged recording to email or thumb drives, and auto
return would be required.

Please email me if you have any interest in this.

There will be some guided tours of our bajada hanging canals
on May 11, 12, and possibly the 13th, attended by a bunch
of name brand professional archaeologists.

A limited number of others are invited to attend on these
rare, unique, and no charge tours. You can email me for details.

Some free sources of many scientific papers can be found
at http://sci-hub.cc/ with use details here and a lively
analysis here.

Somewhat similar alternatives can be found here and here.

No, I am not making this up.

The Lawrence Welk version of One Toke Over the Line can be linked here..

Much more ( 100 million entries per day! ) here, a detailed analysis 
here, and the curious origin of the analysis here.

Sometimes minor infuriations can tarnish an otherwise
great program.

Example #1- If you try and copy a lat lon out of Acme
Mapper into email or Dreamweaver, an annoying
color background may result. The workaround is to
copy the lat lon into Wordpad and then copy Wordpad
into your destination.

Example #2- For some reason, my copy of Dreamweaver
does not include a spell checker. Simply start to email
yourself a copy of the problem text and most spelling
errors ( plus a bunch of non errors ) should pop right up.

And Sneaky Ploy #3 - If you are not sure of a spelling,
simply search for it in Google. Most of the time, it will
suggest the correct spelling.

 

There appears to be emerging new interest on several
fronts by Coronado National Forest over our bajada prehistoric
hanging canals. A reasonable question is to ask how many
of the 70 canals and 100+ miles of route are on home turf?

The bottom line is that the majority of the canal routings are
on state land, with some others on BLM or private lands.
The overwhelming majority of the upstream canal water sources
lie nearly totally under CNF lands. With a very few artesian
exceptions.

Here are some potential in-bounds CNF study areas...

The Veech Canal is the southernmost known
example at N 32.64255 W 109.74288 is mid sized. 
The preservation appears to be exceptional but the 
canal remains woefully understudied.

A complex group of canals derived from John's
Dam and in the are of Ledford Tank lies primarily
on CNF lands around and also remains understudied.
These are in and around N 32.68226 W 109.74660

There are verified spectacularly engineered watershed 
crossing (!) canals in the system. One crucially unproven 
one lies wholly with CNF at N 32.74500 W 109.83889  
Whose very existence appears to be demanded to
rationalize the entire Frye Mesa delivery complex.

Another watershed crossing appears possible under a
CNF water project at N 32.77788 W 109.95537 and needs 
further study. Without this, Sand Canal sourcing
appears very weak.

Another "borrow the blueprints" modern CNF water 
project seems to overlay a crucial portion of the Frye 
Mesa Complex at N 32.74774 W 109.83898. Of 
particular concern is a pinch point and a short hanging 
portion.

Mud Springs and Jernigan Canals share a common takein
at the CNF boundary at N 32.78755 W 109.8546 Extensive
Octave Storm flood damage may have obliterated much
of the routing but needs careful further study.

Marijilda canyon has numerous sites, short range
delivery channels and a main still flowing historically
refurbed prehistoric canal. Area is around N 32.70691 
W 109.77675.

Braided delivery channels on lower Frye Mesa form
the crucial source for the HS Canal and the Robinson
Canal and definitely need major further study.
Includes a pinch point and major CCC rework in
and around N 32.75752 W 109.82602

The Deadman Canal takein has been buried under
a historic pipeline at N 32.74193 W 109.80928 It 
needs further study to prove its exact route.

An extension to the Freeman Canal has newly been discovered
from N 32.78961 W 109.76281 to N 32.78961 W 109.76281.
The constructs are both well preserved and as expected prehistoric
architecture.

The new routing clarifies some of the awkwardness of earlier
Freeman discoveries. It also suggests a possible record length of as
much as eight miles. Also suggested is the possibility of a prehistoric
origin to the historic Blue Ponds Canal.

A photo here. And more here and here.

A rather large collection of mulch rings can be found at
N 32.78810 W 109.76640 with a typical photo here. Mulch rings are
prehistoric circular  arrangements of single height rocks typically
three feet or so in diameter and a dozen feet or so apart.

A single plant is usually believed centered, often an Agave. Rainfall
runs under the rocks and thus evaporates a lot more slowly.

While only a few to a dozen rings are often present, this site is quite
extensive, perhaps many dozens or even a yet uncounted hundred.
Definitely an "adequate supply".

While often older, these do seem to have sparse potsherds in
association, suggesting a late classic era. This appears to be the
largest known collection to date.

The possibly unrelated Freeman bajada hanging canal is also close nearby.

Others refer to these as "cairns". But I strongly feel that the term
is very misleading as they are invariably only a single rock thick
or high .

Some other prehistoric bajada hanging canal drone projects come to mind...

Finding the Ash Creek takein at N 32.78794 W 109.85488
Resolving the Frye falls pinchpoint at N 32.74723 W 109.83900
Verifying the Frye Creek diversion at N 32.74355 W 109.83951
Extending the Golf Course canal at N 32.79929 W 109.78085
Exploring Robinson canal start at N 32.75981 W 109.80800
Mapping and verifying Veech canal at N 32.64272 W 109.74282
Verifying the East Deadman canal at N 32.75459 W 109.78137
Tracing the possible Discovery canal at N 32.79460 W 109.72933

  .... plus great heaping bunches more once reasonable cost, experience,
and access of drones can be made a standard exploration tool in the Gila
Valley.

Few people realize that the word "gullible" does not appear
in any major dictionary or spell checker.

Our prehistoric hanging canal studies obviously demand the
use of drones. But I have been hesitant to run out and
buy a $25,000 system, only to have it promptly vanish
forever off the edge of a mesa.

As far as I can tell, there are all sorts of utterly amazing
drone features, but a thirty day downed craft beacon
does not seem to yet be one of them.

Turns out that Jeremy Green of Eastern Arizona Ag
Services is newly offering bunches of cotton farmer
oriented drone services, some of which might be
adaptable to our prehistoric canal work.

Here is the projected first flight path, aimed at
checking drone potential and finding a missing
piece of the Mud Springs Canal...

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=32.79913,-109.84553&z=15&t=H&marker0=32.80170%2C-109.84261%2C9.5%20km%20SW%20of%20Thatcher%20AZ&marker1=32.79893%2C-109.84647%2C9.9%20km%20SW%20of%20Thatcher%20AZ&marker2=32.80310%2C-109.83943%2C9.1%20km%20SW%20of%20Thatcher%20AZ&marker3=32.79156%2C-109.85391%2C10.1%20km%20N%20of%20Mount%20Graham%20AZ&marker4=32.79686%2C-109.85008%2C10.3%20km%20SW%20of%20Thatcher%20AZ&marker5=32.80447%2C-109.83874%2C9.0%20km%20WxSW%20of%20Thatcher%20AZ

Meanwhile, if you happen to have a few spare
orphan drones, please dump them in my driveway and
I'll find some nice homes for them.

Ah, the law of the unintended consequence.

A case can be made that the ONLY positive benefit of years
of federal, state, and local mj lawmaking has been stunning
mj farm subsidies and price supports. Price supports outrageously
higher than any other ag commodity anytime ever.

Since these subsidies are obviously about to be eliminated
completely, it is reasonable to ask what a mj baseline price
might be in the absence of outrageous federal supports.

Cotton is sort of a comparable crop except that its ginning
is somewhat more involved. With cotton now at 62 cents a
pound, the unsupported mj pricing can reasonably be
expected to come in somewhere around 59 cents a pound.

And reasonably could be standardized at a similar industrial
500 pound bale. With anything less personal use.

Several side effects could reasonably be expected. The
banking issues would largely vanish, and any mj crime could
reasonably be expected to end up largely comparable in size to,
say, the heinous problems with cotton theft issues. Black market
mj could likewise be expected to end up somewhat smaller
than the cotton black market.

One other likely side effect: state and local tax income projections
could end up somewhat shy of expectations. But perhaps only by
five  or six orders of magnitude.

Much more ( 100 million entries per day! ) here, a detailed analysis
here, and the curious origin of the analysis here.

The latest Jim Neely paper can be found here. It is more on
Iran archaeology than on the Safford basin. One incredible
find is a prehistoric hydraulic grist mill.

Plans might be underfoot for a major institution doing a
long term archaeological field camp in the Gila Valley.

Much as I feel that our bajada hanging canals represent
spectacular and woefully understudied mind boggling
world class engineering, there would seem to me to be
at least seven competing issues a Safford field school
should reasonably address...

1. Bajada Hanging Canals
2. The Grids
3. Riverine Canals
4. Aproned Check Dams
5. Mulch Rings
6. Ho Hum Usual Suspects ruins
7. Training Aspects.

An argument could be made that the riverine canals
are virtually historisized or totally buried under fields.
But they clearly retain strong significance and their
study would be rather conspicuous by its absence.

The Frye Mesa Complex would appear to be the "crown jewels"
of our bajada hanging canal systems. These appear to combine
solidly verified constructs with what remains as rank speculation.

Portions also appear to demand exceptional engineering and project
management as well. which still remain unverified and unproven.

Elsewhere in the system, virtually every drop of northeastern Mount
Graham water has apparently been fully exploited. While no Frye Creek
intake has yet been verified, the absence of any such use would appear to
have been highly unlikely or unintuitive.

Instead, a "watershed crossing" diversion of Frye Creek water above
the falls is postulated that routed all the creek water northward in the
area of the spring in spring canyon, possibly following the topographically
favorable present trail routing from N 32.74403 W 109.83944 to
N 32.74553 W 109.83939.

We note in passing that there is a superbly situated Mud Springs watershed
crossover precisely and optimally located at N 32.79162 W 109.85395. And
that an unproven candidate watershed crossover located at N 32.77850
W 109.9567 likely might resolve some supply problems for the Sand Canal
via a Nuttall Canyon crossover..

The combined Frye Creek and Spring waters were then either diverted down
Spring canyon raw drainage to form the Allen Canal takein at N 32.78241
W 109.83555 or routed directly down Frye Mesa to eventually serve as
many as five additional canals.

A small dam remains at the projected  combination point and still
serves as a source for a Forest Service water project that appears to
be a "steal the plans" variation on a prehistoric original.

There is a "pinch point" at N 32.74741 W 109.83897 that appears to
clearly define the only possible down mesa canal route. From here,
the canal is believed to enter a significant hanging portion to the highest
allowable mesa routing at N 32.75095 W 109.83749. Evidence of this
crucial segment remains weak.

There appears to be CCC rework in this area in the form of cross channel
checkdams. These do seem to be remarkably consistent with similar
constructs further downstream. There is a second "knife edge"
pinch point at N 32.75747 W 109.82554 where an extremely narrow mesa
portion also defines what appears to be the only permissible constant
downward slope route.

There seem to be a mix of braided, alternate, and revised channels allong
this route, some of which seem to include apparent CCC rework. The
apparent destination is a small switchable ponding area at N 32.76012
W 109.81131 At this point a choice can apparently be made to continuing
eastwardly to form the Robinson Ditch or spectacularly southwesterly
to form the counterflowing HS Canal.

The HS Canal appears to be by far the most significant construct in the
entre bajada hanging canal system, and there is not the slightest doubt
that its intent was to continue careful delivery to further downstream
water projects. While such canals have not yet been positively
linked, they are presently thought to include the Golf Course canal,
the Freeman Canal, constructs in the Riggs Mesa area, the and reworked
modern Blue Ponds Canal.

Apparently drone rental services are becoming readily
available and seem to be of particular interest to our
local farmers.

One such service is available through Jeremy Green
of the Eastern Arizona AG Center. Otherwise reached
by (928) 322-6629 . Typical farm survey prices are
around $4 per acre.

Naturally, our Prehistoric Bajada Hanging Canals could
not care less about acres. With a canal, it is all about feet
and hours and travel time.

We also do not need much in the way of image post
processing and should be able to do much of this to
meet our own special needs by ourself.

Despite rapidly dropping drone prices, I've been very
reluctant to buy one, because I could see one just barely
vanishing forever off the edge of a mesa. And despite
spectacular new nav and stability options, I've yet to see
a drone that includes a month long downed craft alarm.

The latest Google Earth imagery is not always "better" and
the updates may be limited and not where you would like to
see them. But, in general, newer is often improved.

Here are some examples of new or improved hanging canal
discoveries with the latest updates...

Upper Robinson Ditch
Lower Deadman Mesa
Upper Frye Mesa
Upper Deadman Tank area

Two of these are newly discovered hanging canals numbers #69
and #70! For a total distance of at least one hundred miles!

As we've just seen, purposely trying any and all historical
imagery can sometimes greatly improve viewing.

There seem to be some dramatic improvements in Google Earth
lately.

As we recently saw, Earthpoint has a drop in ap that lets you
add topo map contours and callouts to Google Earth and
does so as an adjustable transparency "flyby" mode. Among
the other neat tricks, you can now work "backwards" and
find the lat-lon and elevation for a topo map location.

You can also use topo callouts to find out exactly where the
imagery you are looking at is located. The ap is free and
you simply click it into your Google Earth copy. There are
some limits to how much tilt is allowed, but the performance
is otherwise remarkable.

Apparently the satellite imagery is being continuously
improved, and you can now read the exact date of sensing
at the lower right. Even better yet, you can apparently
purposely use out of date imagery!

Which can give you a history of what happened when.
Or in the case of our bajada hanging canals, certain
previous flybys might have more or less grass or a
different time of day, or different contrast or whatever
and thus make a dramatic difference in canal observation.

One fun thing to do: Go to N 33.21442 W 109.19613 and view the entire
history of the Blue River Fish Barrier fiasco.

At the ARA paper regional, several members were praising
a product called Elephant Snot as a super effective graffiti
remover.

Many years ago, I published an image of Pacman, AZ
that hinted at the potential for selectively combining topo
maps with aerial imagery.

While it has taken a lot longer than I expected, flyable
and transparency adjustable topo overlays are now
available for Google Earth.

This US only service is available as a plug in ap for
Google Earth by Earthpoint. Simply click on their
"View on Google Earth" block. This service is free
with no registration needed.

There is a slider just above Layers that lets you set the
topo contour transparency.

While amazingly useful, there are limits to the amount of
pseudo 3D tilt available. There are also minor discrepancies
between the USGS contour values and those of Google
imagery.

Here is a .JPG saved example showing the key crossover
point on the Mud Springs canal. Of crucial interest is
the saddle at the section boundary.

More on the prehistoric bajada hanging canals here.

Yesterday's spectacular image raises the profound question:
How could such a canal be engineered and surveyed using
prehistoric 1275 CE era stone age technology?

What follows is highly speculative. If not what really happened,
it suggests that similar techniques would appear to be largely
within reasonable bounds for the technology at hand.

Firstoff, an aerial photo similar to the pix would certainly
ease the initial design. The related Mud Springs Canal
has several places where nearly its entire length can be
viewed. Which suggest it may have been one of the earlier
pilot canal projects.

Similarly, Deadman Peak is just west of the study mesa.
Numerous rises and high spots exist which can provide a similar
unobstructed "aerial" view of the complete mesa, and some of
these are as close as one mile. And at appropriate elevations.

It would seem not too much of a stretch to believe that "they"
were aware of the fact that static water was level. This belief
would seem mandatory for effective canal slope management.
on such a spectacular scale.

Small pilot versions of a canal route could be static filled
with water and then route adjusted to produce a desired
slope for the final design.

Accurate vertical references would seem possible with
a plumb bob, and these could be combined with an
equilateral triangle to also give a horizontal reference.

Whether such techniques would be accurate enough
or actually used remain to be proven.

The entire canal system seems to have consistent
attempts to select as high a route as possible while
maintaining an acceptable, consistent, and constant
slope. Which led to key terrain "pinch points" where
the only feasible canal route is exactly determined.

A very significant example of this appears on the
Mud Springs canal at N 32.79164 W 109.85373.
Where there appears to be one and only one feasible
location for a watershed crossing between the Ash Creek
drainage and the Mud Springs drainage.

Similarly, there appears to be one and only one
possible pinch point on this reach of the Lebanon
Canal consistent with highest possible routing at
N 32.73805 W 109.75140. And this one exact point
would appear to define the only feasible canal route.

Thus, given a source and a destination and a few
terrain pinch points, most canal possible routes would
appear to be fairly exactly predefined.

A new approach to showing bajada hanging canal images
can be found here. It is kinda intermediary in that it is .JPG
rather than full flyable KML

This is one of the most spectacular reaches of the known 67 (!)
bajada canals of over 100 miles total. Its "hanging" portion
is over two hundred feet above its related drainage!

"Up", of course is to the right and "Down" to the left!

The process starts with Google Earth, which is first magnified
till it is somewhat fake 3D but not yet fully flattened out.
The image is then rotated for an optimal landform presentation
and saved as a .JPG image.

The image is then moved to Imageview32 or a similar .jpg editor where
it gets cropped, brightened, gamma improved, and sharpened.

Next, the image is loaded into Paint and repetitive blue dots are placed
along your best approximation to the canal route. Acme Mapper can
possibly assist in getting the best possible known GPS locations onto
its version of the image.

The quadratic line drawing shape ( top row, second from left ) is then
selected to create a smooth path, mousing around to "bend" stuff where
and when needed.

Note that the best orienting is often "landform optimal" rather than "cardinal"
Image titles can include notes such as "viewed to the southeast".

"... and there's absolutely nothing that could possibly go wrong".

"Go wrong ... Go wrong ... Go wrong  ...   :

The recently constructed Blue River Fish Barrier seems to
have just covered itself with mud. Helped along with its
"anti scour" structure to the east.

Possibly the "anti scour structure" has very much exceeded
its most wildest expectations.

Somehow, this does not look quite right to me. This
makes for a very interesting hike, except that you cannot
get there from here. Especially if you are a fish.

More interesting hikes here.

One piece of classic cave humor from the UAAC Songbook era
was the Lost Wax Cave Mapping Technique. In which a cave
to be mapped was filled with molten paraffin and then...

Amazingly, it turns out that Bob Buecher's latest paper at
the ARA has made a variation on the Lost Wax method
eminently practical. In which a small and cheap LIDAR
unit, some steppers, and a pc can now simply and easily
scan an entire cave to ridiculous resolution.

Ferinstance, as a fund raising activity, this means that
the ARA can now offer full size 1:1 replicas of Onyx
Cave to anyone that wants one. With supplemental
bonuses of total vandalism remediation. And "inverse"
Santa Claus Machine miniature solid versions for
collectors.

Yeah, there's a minor shipping problem or two to be
worked out, so most clone replicas would have to be
presently created on site. But the project is clearly
now totally feasible.

This seems to be the most stunning technical speleo breakthrough
since synthetic spent carbide or the caver's wrist sundial.

An extremely interesting early record of the Gila Valey
can be found here that includes historic canal info.

It has also been excerpted in a new, but hard to find
book. EAC Library also has this

There were two "flavors" of prehistoric canals in
the valley, the "regular" riverine ones, and our
hanging bajada ones. Now up to 65 study items
approaching 100 miles or more of length.

The riverine ones were pretty much the same as
those in Phoenix and elsewhere, while the bajadas
represented world class mind-boggling engineering.

Doing something stupid once is just plain dumb.

But doing it often is a philosophy.

The winter cave technical regional of the ARA will be held
Saturday January 30th at Kartchner Caverns  starting at
8:30 AM with lunches and dinners planned.

Free park admission and free Sunday cave tours.

We seem to be slowly picking up new bits and
pieces of the Freeman Canal. The latest find
is a miniature "local use" canal derived off
an apparent ponding area from N 32.80067
W 109.75068 to N 32.80088 W 109.75092 with
a photo here.

A hanging portion of the main Freeman Canal has
been found from N 32.79395 W 109.75777 to
N 32.79453 W 109.75718, while Acme Mapper is
suggesting a major missing portion from N 32.79789
W 109.75457 to N 32.79958 W 109.75383.

Much more here. Your participation welcome.

In a controversial new paper, global warming is believed
to be caused by a massive star in the center of the solar
system.

Some Golf Course Canal Preliminary Field Notes has just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

Only a tiny fraction of what potentially is a long and major
prehistoric canal is known to date. Easy 4WD access.

Present field notes include...

Golf Course
Bear Springs
Frye Complex
Cluffnw Canal
Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

HS Canal redirects here
Bear Flat Canal redirects here
Bigler Canal redirects here
Tailwater Canal redirects here

Some of these need further improvement.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu16.shtml

Just found an obvious bajada canal segment that greatly
strengthens the credibility of the Freeman Canal at
N 32.79418 W 109.75744

The CCC, in their infinite wisdom, buried some of
this canal under a foot of silt. Near Alberto's signature.

IF in fact the Freeman Canal can be traced back to the
HS Canal and ultimately to an above-the-falls Frye
Creek watershed diversion, this could potentially be the
longest known canal reach, possibly in excess of eight miles!

Either way, the project is now ludicrously beyond beyond,
and is now in the running for one of the most spectacular prehistoric
world class water management engineering projects anytime ever.
Something like 68 canals spanning something like 100 miles!

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu16.shtml

Tours available. Additional researchers welcome.

Please drop off any spare drones at 3860 West First Street.

Some Bear Springs Canals Preliminary Field Notes have just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

These three historic canal structures likely have prehistoric
origins related to the bajada hanging canal system .

Present field notes include...

Golf Course
Bear Springs
Frye Complex
Cluffnw Canal
Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

Some of these need further improvement. Ten down, fifty seven
to go. Org.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu16.shtml

Some Frye Mesa Complex Preliminary Field Notes has just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

This appears to exhibit considerable elegance in infrastructure
orgination and management.

Present field notes include...

Frye Complex
Cluffnw Canal
Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

Some of these need further improvement. Nine down, fifty six
to go. Org.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu15.shtml

The ancient oriental art of tai wun on consists of getting totally snockered,
but always doing so in a professional and fully workmanlike manner. 

Some Bear Springs Canals Preliminary Field Notes have just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

This one time Hippy Commune still has its possible prehistoric
origins largely unproven. It remains a unique artesian resource.

Present field notes include...

Bear Springs Canals
Cluffnw Canal
Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

Some of these need further improvement. Nine down, fifty six
to go. Org.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu16.shtml

I've long been inolved in secrecy issues. Both sides forever
and ever. Everything from military secret clearances to
the stupidity of patents to refusing NDA's to cracking
eexec, to archaelogical ruins to caves.

In general, secrecy never has worked very well, owing to
its propensity for drawing attention to itself. And, these
days, the web has made it too easy to find out everything
about anything.

Ferinstance, with some outrageous patience and KML skills,
you sould be able to find the exact location of any "secret"
indian ruin or similar resource. Just find a site paper and
then use Google Earth and KML and look for, say, all regional
occurances of a northwest trending 3460 foot altitude line at a
four percent slope. Other hints in the legitimate paper should
give you enough info to very much narrow down the location.

My policies on the Gila Valley Dayhikes are as follows. First, this
is intended to be a definitive resource and nothing will ever be
omitted or supprssed.

For most noncontroversial items, a full description and location will
be given. For sensitive locations, they only will be mentioned in
a nonspectacularizing and minimilist way. Any specific locations will be
carefully omitted. Names might also be altered. Finally, a special area
has been reserved for bad news "don't go there" places.

Some Cluff NW Canal Preliminary Field Notes has just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

This seems to be a twice refurbed historical rework of a
prehistoric original.

Present field notes include...

Cluffnw Canal
Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

Some of these need further improvement. Eight down, fifty seven
to go. Org.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu15.shtml

RED HORSE TOURS - Free guided tours of the combined wind
and pv facility northwest of Willcox is offered by Mallory Safety
Management Services. Contact Aubyn Avery at (205) 919-7936.

While somewhat obvious as the tallest structures in all of Southern
Arizona, they still do not show up yet on Acme Mapper. Start at the
junction of Warbonnet and Hooker Hot Springs roads. Northeast
of Allen Flat.

One of the handier "rules of thumb" that sometimes apply some
of the time and can be enormously useful is this: 

Very often, one percent of what happens  nationally happens in
Arizona. And one percent of what happens in Arizona happens in
the Gila Valley.

Thus, roughly, there are 400 million people in the US, 4 million in
AZ, and 40,000 locally.While not super accurate, this rule can quickly
give you a rough estimate of an amazing variety of events or tasks. 
Where you otherwise may not have the faintest clue as to scale. 

Naturally, the "rule" does not apply to anything with a regional
bias. I suspect Thatcher has more cotton module fires than Bangor,
Maine does. And that walrus attacks may be rare in Nebraska.

My favorite rule of thumb applies to any Hazmat situation: Hold your
thumb up at arm's length and close one eye. If you can still see the
scene, you are too close.

Some Smith Canal Preliminary Field Notes has just been
posted here with its sourcecode here.

This abondoned historical canal in the Ash Creek area
appears to have indirect evidence of a prehistoric origin,
as do other near to Cluff Ranch.

Present field notes are...

Smith Canal
Veech Canal
Lefthand Canyon West
Minor Webster Ditch
Freeman Canal
Sand Canal
Tugood Canal

Some of these need further improvement. Seven down, fifty eight
to go. Org.

More Hanging Canals: https://www.tinaja.com/tinsamp1.shtml
New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu15.shtml

New Developments: https://www.tinaja.com/whtnu15.shtml

Our favorite online weaving store remains Cotton Clouds.
Amazingly, this is likely the only weaving store that
has a prehistoric hanging canal going through the 
middle of it!

          << Earlier Material can be found here >>

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