Views From The Air - Phoenix To Albuquerque

Left: Gammage Auditorium at Arizona State University, Tempe.

Left: Highway 101 separating Mesa and Tempe, and its intersection with the Superstition Freeway (looking south).

Left: Falcon Field. I once blogged about this airfield, where the Commemorative (formerly Confederate) Air Force is headquartered, among the citrus orchards of the East Valley, near Gilbert, AZ, and where WWII bombers are on display.

Left: In the suburbs of Phoenix, swimming pools glitter like jewels in the morning sun!

The pools are brightest along E. Legacy Hills Dr., near the intersection of E. Eagle Crest Dr. and E. Las Sendas Mtn. Dr., in the neighborhood known as Las Sendas Golf Club, at the base of the Usery Mtns.

And we wonder why we have water supply problems in the desert Southwest!

Left: The Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction. On the ground, these mountains present a formidable wall. From up here, the mountains look - cute!

Left: Highway 88 bridge and Theodore Roosevelt Dam, on the Salt River.

According to Wikipedia, TR himself dedicated this dam in March 1911.

Left: Theodore Roosevelt Lake, featuring the island landmark known as Windy Hill.

Left: Meadows along the Mogollon Rim. I believe the small, elongated lake that is visible may be Carnero Lake, southwest of Eager, Arizona.

Left: Springerville, Arizona.

Left: It almost looks like a natural dam site, and a prehistoric lake bed! (With the lighting and all, it may be deceptive, however.)

I'm not sure where this view is - it may be the Agua Fria Creek watershed, near the AZ/NM border. That's probably Red Hill, NM down there!

Left: This amazing linear feature seems to be a volcanic dike at the south end of the North Plains. It shows up on Google Earth too! It's SO straight!

Left: Blue Water Creek Canyon, on the boundary of the Laguna Indian Reservation, SSE of Acoma Pueblo.

Left: Peculiar badlands (volcanic in nature?) southwest of Highway 6, west of Belen.

The southern Rio Puerco River Valley, featuring the Ladron Mtns. in the distance.

The Interstate 40 bridge over the Rio Grande River. I spent much time along this river and along these bluffs in high school!

Left: The intersection of Interstate 40 (lower left to upper right) with Coors Blvd. The little green oval in the upper quadrant is located at West Mesa High School, where I graduated in 1974!

Left: "The Big I": the intersection of Interstate 25 (left to right) with Interstate 40 (upper left to lower right).

Left: Downtown Albuquerque, with the Rio Grande River in the distance.

Left: Bank of the West Tower at San Mateo Blvd. & Central Avenue - for many years, the tallest building in New Mexico (but since superseded). The smaller building is located at Copper Blvd. & San Mateo Blvd.