Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Searching for Poppies

While in Coolidge, several members of our group had ideas of a day trip to do. We decided to combine them all into one loop drive. We drove over to Florence, then to Kelvin on the Florence-Kelvin "Highway" (really a dirt road), then north to Superior, then back to Coolidge through Florence Junction.


Our first side-trip was Chuck's idea. He was looking for a place to take out kayaks. This is near Cochran, probably not on any map. We found the Gila River, but didn't think it was doable.


The trees on the road leading to the river were not tall enough for cars with kayaks on top.


So on to our next goal. On the way, the cactus were gorgeous.


Bill and Lois remembered seeing these stray boulders out in the middle of nowhere on the Florence-Kelvin "Highway," and wanted to show them to us. Wow! Combined with the cactus, they were just beautiful.


We decided to have lunch here.


And look at some of the graffiti.


On the way north to Superior we went by this copper mine that is 6 miles long!


That is a huge electric shovel down there. Compare it to the size of the tiny trucks around it. (The trucks on the left are gigantic in their own right.) The shovel was powered by a VERY long extension cord.


But my goal on the trip was to find poppies. They are early this year, and I found on the internet that there was supposed to be hillsides of them just north of Superior on Silver King Mine Road.


Sure enough, you could see them for miles around!


I was very happy! (And also relieved that I didn't let the group down.)

12 comments:

  1. Nice fields of golden poppies. You guys always find great places to go.

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  2. I like seeing the poppies best. The mine is a soar on Mother Earth.

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  3. Six mile long copper mine? That's a lot of pennies!

    You have the best timing, seeing all the poppies blooming. :c)

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  4. Oh, my, those poppies and the hills are beautiful with color on them!! Thank you!

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  5. The poppies are fantastic. We have yellow poppies in Wales surprisingly called Welsh Poppies, as opposed to the traditional red ones, but never in the numbers you have shown.

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  6. such pretty poppies!!..looks like you all had a great day and a good place for a picnic!

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  7. A hillside of gold ... beautiful.

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  8. You are an excellent poppy guide Diana!! WTG! I want SOOO bad to see those poppies in bloom, maybe next yr--Looks like a great area, Im sure you get Arizona Highways magazine, in every issue there is a senic drive section chock full of awesome places to add to the Gotta See List and Im adding the Florence-Kelvin Hwy to mine!!

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  9. Poppies galore, lovely! I guess they did come early this year. The rest of the country is having a snow storm :( Thanks for sharing.

    Virginia

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  10. Poppies are so beautiful. Have you ever been to the California Poppy Preserve? In a good year, it is even more spectacular that these you saw in Arizona.

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  11. All I can say is WOW very beautiful pictures of the poppies thanks so much for sharing and I am so glad you found them also :o)

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  12. COOL!!! I was looking for poppies too but am way late apparently! Just saw a handful at Organ Pipe & Catalina SP last week. :( Hoping to go Globe direction this weekend but I guessing I am way too late for up there too! Glad I at least got to see your pics! :-)

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