Trivia

[Grasshopper]

I really like your new addition of "Arizona Trivia". interesting and informative!

[big_load]

It's estimated that in one night bats eat 3,000 pounds of insects above Scottsdale alone.

It's really unfair of the bats to bestow their services only on Scottsdale.

[Grasshopper]

Arizona Trivia: Arizona's average elevation is 4,100 feet.

A good one to remember when discussing "why AZ" with out of state family & friends.

[Al_HikesAZ]

Arizona Trivia: John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, Paul McCartney, Ted DeGrazia, Edward Abbey, Stephen Baldwin and Geraldo Rivera have all called Tuscon home.

Who writes these. This one cracked me up. They may have called Tucson home but I doubt that they called Tuscon home if they really lived there.

[Grasshopper]

Arizona Trivia: The Grand Canyon Skywalk cost 40 million. It can withstand the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747s and winds of 100 mph.

Why 71? Seems to me that building it to withstand the weight of 1 fully loaded Boeing 747 would have been enough ..

[joebartels]

Well if you figure a 747 weighs 395,000 pounds or 198 short tons...

Okay my source seriously disagrees with Wikipedia. It's only 31 million and only holds 70 tons... lol somethang ain't kosher in Hualapai!
Perhaps they invested another 9 million to triple the weight capacity.

Holly money sponge it's expensive!!!

Parking at The Skywalk is provided but access to the Skywalk is only permitted by supplied coach buses. The cost of the coach ride as at June 20 2009 is $30, which will take you the Skywalk and two other viewing areas. There is also an additional fee of $45 for being on Hualapai land making the total cost $75 per person. No personal equipment is allowed on the Skywalk and lockers are provided. No photographs may be taken by visitors to the Skywalk; however, up to three photography stations are installed. Photographs taken may be purchased in the gift shop at $29 each.

Sweet mother of pearl I hope you love your family enough for a thirty dollar photo...

[big_load]

Arizona Trivia: About 150 people are bitten by a rattlesnake annually.

You'd think at least some of them would learn after the first or second year.

[azdesertfather]

[azbackpackr]

Arizona Trivia: John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, Paul McCartney, Ted DeGrazia, Edward Abbey, Stephen Baldwin and Geraldo Rivera have all called Tuscon home.

Who writes these. This one cracked me up. They may have called Tucson home but I doubt that they called Tuscon home if they really lived there.

And don't forget Ray Bradbury!

Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson. When I lived there one of her brothers, Peter, was chief of police, and the other one, Jim, was Parks and Rec Director. Several of her cousins are cops also. One time my son found a bike in a vacant lot. I told him he couldn't keep it, we had to call the police and turn it in. The cop that showed up (with girlfriend in tow--it was Sunday) was a Ronstadt. When I remarked he must be a relative of Linda's he said yes, a 2nd cousin. I said, "There sure are a lot of Ronstadts in Tucson." The girlfriend was right back at me with: "Yeah, they're like cockroaches!"

By the way, we got that bike back after 90 days. Since we turned it in we were allowed to claim it if no one else did. We went down there with our receipt and claimed it.

Some years later I was working as a grocery cashier here in Eagar when Jim Ronstadt and his wife came through my line. As the wife was paying her bill I asked her if her husband was the Parks and Rec guy. She said yes, but he was retired now. I said I used to live in Tucson and swam all the time, loved the pools and parks there, loved the fact they kept some of the pools open during the winter, took my kids to compete on city swim team every summer, etc. She was so pleased she called her husband back so I could say the same to him. I got the impression that he must be a bit overshadowed by his ultra-famous-pop-star sister, and was pleased to be recognized out of town by his own accomplishments.

[tibber]

Arizona Trivia: Tonto means idiot in Spanish.

Heh, watch it there... after all who do you think was the real brains behind the Lone Ranger and Tonto?

And if that's the case, why is it called "Tonto" forest? that doesn't make any sense.

And most importantly, my loyal Mazda Tribute is Tonto.... and really, would I drive an idiot?

I think the real meaning of Tonto got lost in translation ;)

[joebartels]

The Apache were called idiots for living near the white man, in turn they referred to themselves as Dilzhe'eh.

The name Dilzhę́’é is a Western Apache name that may mean 'people with high-pitched voices', but the analysis is unclear.

The Dilzhe’e Apaches refer to themselves as Dilzhę́’é, as do the San Carlos Apaches. Western Apaches from Bylas use Dilzhę́’é to refer to both San Carlos and Tonto Apaches. White Mountain Western Apaches use the term Dilzhę́’é to refer to Bylas, San Carlos, and Tonto Apaches.

The name "Tonto" is considered offensive by some, due to its etymology — it comes from the Spanish word for "stupid". However, the name has mostly stuck and is widely used by most people outside of the Western Apache community. The term Tonto is most frequently encountered in anthropology literature, especially older works.

[hippiepunkpirate]

"Arizona Trivia: The slot machines at the two Casino Arizona casinos pay out over 7.1 million dollars daily."

I wanna know how much money they TAKE-IN daily. I'm sure it's more than 7.1 million.

[joebartels]

They'd go out of business mighty quick if it wasn't more.

[Grasshopper]

Arizona Trivia: Almost the size of a football the Colorado River toad lives in central Arizona near water.

Has anyone ever seen one of these in person? I've seen some big bull frogs in my day, but never a toad the size of a football... well, maybe one or two in my much younger "bull frog hunting days" after a half-pint of I.W. Harper

[azdesertfather]

Oraibi??!! The things you teach us here @ HAZ! I had no idea.

Interesting info on Oraibi, which may be the oldest continuously inhabited town in the US, on Hopiland...the Wiki article doesn't say it's the oldest (but rather "one of the oldest"...not sure if that's just Wiki's way of playing it safe or what).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oraibi,_Arizona

[joebartels]

What is older?

[PaleoRob]

Zuni dates back to the same period, according to Linda Cordell.

[joebartels]

It's probably impossible to get a solid answer, I changed it to "among" the oldest.

[PaleoRob]

In 1991 Danny Donaduce (Danny on the Partridge Family) was arrested for assaulting a transvestite hooker.

Okay...did this happen in Arizona, or is this just for our fun and enjoyment?

[joebartels]

That's bona fide Arizona history.

[te_wa]

Bonaduce