What bridge? Well the bridge that might be! Up stream from the hotsprings area about one quarter mile or so there is a huge beam that is laying in the stream bed. It washed down to this general area during the big floods ten or so years ago. At that time it was a bit further upstream at the spot where the trail crosses the creek and then continues upstream on the north side to the Indian camp. It was laying a hundred feet or so from the stream. Somebody, probably with horses dragged the beam over to the stream and positioned it as a bridge close to where the trail crosses. It made an excellent foot bridge to cross the creek. This beam is huge, solid and long and if anchored solidly would stand up to any flood. I've thought about how this beam could be moved from where it is up to the trail then dragged by a few horses down the trail and then put in the water by the Arizona pool and floated down to a good spot below the springs where it could be positioned such that each end would have big solid boulders on the down stream side and then either cement it in place or pile lots of boulders on each end. I'm going to go measure this behemouth next time I'm down to OZ. Hey it would be easier than building the pyramids eh! Any body got about 100 strong friends and some horses. Just think of it, a solid foot bridge across the creek and no more cold winter wading and if we take out a few toads in the process that makes it all the better :-) Next time your at the springs you can see this monster laying in the stream bed from the trail to the Bowen parking area. When your on the trail you see Deep Creek coming from the east and then it turns south toward the springs. Right below this turn slightly down stream is where this beast of a beam lays. You can see it well from the trail. Its just sittin there waiting to be put to good use! Hey just thought I'd mention we saw amazing lights in the sky from a "solar event " that caused the atomospere to turn red in the northern sky! We saw this Friday night at Lake Mohave in the desert and it lasted for about an hour and a half. It looked like the northern lights and changed with each passing minute. Also there were white shafts of light that looked like the trail a jet leaves that would appear and disappear, lengthen and shorten and flicker. This event started in the north and faded when it was straight above us. All I can say is that it was " Awesome! ". Sittin on the dune watching the half moon set into the desert mountains after midnight Saturday night with a cool desert breeze blowing against my skin would fit this description also. I stood there for a couple of hours with my feet in the softest sand watching the changing breezes blow across the surface of the lake in the moonlight. I watched my shadow as I moved across a dune, untouched except for the ripples on its surface from the wind. At night in the moonlight you could imagine your self to be moving across soft freshly fallen snow seeing your track trail off into the distance behind. The poem I posted a while back about my shadow and the moon tells of an idea that is so true at times like this on the dune. Finding your joy and happiness in the simple things that surround us everyday. A life that is in harmony, balanced and enjoyed for the simple pleasures that give our life meaning. Like the warmth of a good friend or as simple as standing in the sand and watching the moon in nothing but skin. Oh, did I mention sippin a little wine :-) Times like this are treasures for the memory! Here I leave you with the poem with a few words changed, you'll see what I mean! " I take a box :-) of wine and go to drink it on the sand dune. We are always three, counting my shadow and my friend the shimmering moon. Happily the moon knows nothing of drinking and my shadow is never thirsty. When I sing, the moon listens to me in silence. When I dance, my shadow dances too. After all the sailing my friends must depart. This sadness I do not know. When I go home, the moon goes with me, and my shadow follows me! " Smooth Sailin and Happy Soakin!
