HikeArizona.COM

Gatorade in glass bottles
Sleeping bags that were as-big-around as a spare tire
Salt tablets instead of Gookinaid/Vitalyte

azbackpackr wrote:I think I still have a Whole Earth Catalog.

Me too.

Holy cow. Now that website is a blast from the past! I loved that Whole Earth Catalog. I wanted to do back-to-the-land, build a cabin, all that stuff, starting when I was about 15. I finally did do it, starting when I was about 26.

I probably would do it again...but it is very time consuming. There is a lot of cheap land over the boundary in New Mexico where people are doing that. A lot of them have to haul water, though. It becomes a LOT of driving, rather than a lot of staying home on your land. Not very sustainable, I don't think, unless you have a good well.

azbackpackr wrote:Holy cow. Now that website is a blast from the past! I loved that Whole Earth Catalog. I wanted to do back-to-the-land, build a cabin, all that stuff, starting when I was about 15. I finally did do it, starting when I was about 26.

I probably would do it again...but it is very time consuming. There is a lot of cheap land over the boundary in New Mexico where people are doing that. A lot of them have to haul water, though. It becomes a LOT of driving, rather than a lot of staying home on your land. Not very sustainable, I don't think, unless you have a good well.

That's a big part of the problem with this kind of thing, most people lack the skills going in to live off the land. I don't think I could do it, either, don't get me wrong. Instead, they drive their lifted diesel truck or old VW bus (Neither of which is a low emission vehicle, of course) into the nearest McDonald's three times a week and still wax superior about how sustainable they are to the city dwellers.

I really don't think it is very sustainable unless you have a fair amount of arable land, plenty of water, and a good strong back. For many people around where I live, they grow vegetables and can them, they build up a year's supply of food, they raise a few chickens and a calf or two, they hunt and fish. They have a big freezer and a big pantry. They also have jobs and internet and big diesel trucks, etc. However, push come to shove, they have a lot of knowhow that most city people don't have. They are by no means paranoid survivalists. They just grew up that way, and they know how to live that way.

One fellow I know went to the Valley last year and purchased 17 pregnant Jersey milk cows, brought them up here and sold them to families. So now there are milk cows all over the place. I really need to talk to someone about getting a regular supply of milk. Fresh milk is so good...

I often make fun of my neighbors, but they really are nice folks. One story I should tell that will tell you something about the people in my town. A girl with Downs Syndrome ran for prom queen this year. She is a very friendly lovable person, but definitely challenged, and has the physical appearance, also, of someone with Downs Syndrome. The other girls who were running for prom queen announced that if Cara didn't win, whoever did win would give over her crown to Cara. But Cara won, by a landslide...

azbackpackr wrote:A girl with Downs Syndrome ran for prom queen this year. She is a very friendly lovable person, but definitely challenged, and has the physical appearance, also, of someone with Downs Syndrome. The other girls who were running for prom queen announced that if Cara didn't win, whoever did win would give over her crown to Cara. But Cara won, by a landslide...

I saw something like that in a TV commercial recently.

I heard about that. It may have influenced the local kids that it might just be an ok thing to do to elect her for prom queen.

You should make some local White Mt Mozzarella with some of the milk you guys are producing. Everyone loves fresh Mozzarella! Everyone!

jhodlof experience wrote:You should make some local White Mt Mozzarella with some of the milk you guys are producing. Everyone loves fresh Mozzarella! Everyone!

Then we could open our own pizzeria and tell people which mountains to climb in order to burn off all the calories they just ate!

Yum! How difficult is the process of making mozzarella, I wonder? I know how to make yogurt and cottage cheese...

Quartermaster Sloan taught me an old trick, just write in mozzarella where you'd print cottage cheese

- Heck I remember Art Brock the weather guy and his "humididity" reports. I suppose they could start a Facebook group for those that grew up in the '50s in Phoenix - all 100 of us most of whom aren't too good at that socialnetworking stuff.

-

Art Brock? Then you remember Bulldog Kent and Tito Montez, down at Madison Square Garden!
There is a website that people have posted Phoenix memories I ran across last year, but I don't remember the address. Lots of Wallace and Ladmo stuff, and the great alligators in the canals scare in the '50s.

I have an 'Arizona Days and Ways' Arizona 50th anniversary book from 1962 which has articles and advertizments from that era. It's great to look at the businesses that are no longer, like Suggs and Hallcraft Homes, Arnold Pickles, Redburn Tires... Plus the pictures my family's dairy west of Tolleson.

My parents met at the Riverside Ballroom off 7th Street and the Salt River. That may be where Waylon appeared; either that or the 'Willow Breeze' or Mr. Luckys.

Ah, nostalgia is fun...

BTW, the Phoenix memories site I referenced earlier is a forum at http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoenix- ... es-65.html.

Moovyoaz wrote:My parents met at the Riverside Ballroom off 7th Street and the Salt River. That may be where Waylon appeared; either that or the 'Willow Breeze' or Mr. Luckys.

I was thinking about JD's on the west side of Scottsdale Road between Tempe and Scottsdale in the late 60's. I remember the Riverside Ballroom but you got me on the Willow Breeze. Not saying I never went there just that I don't remember it. But I can say that about a lot of bars As a kid I loved going to John's Green Gables at 24th St and Thomas with the Knights in armor on horse back. The stables were near where the Granada Royale hotel went in. I had one of those little lead Knight on Horse toys for the longest time.

Al_HikesAZ wrote:

Moovyoaz wrote:My parents met at the Riverside Ballroom off 7th Street and the Salt River. That may be where Waylon appeared; either that or the 'Willow Breeze' or Mr. Luckys.

I was thinking about JD's on the west side of Scottsdale Road between Tempe and Scottsdale in the late 60's. I remember the Riverside Ballroom but you got me on the Willow Breeze. Not saying I never went there just that I don't remember it. But I can say that about a lot of bars As a kid I loved going to John's Green Gables at 24th St and Thomas with the Knights in armor on horse back. The stables were near where the Granada Royale hotel went in. I had one of those little lead Knight on Horse toys for the longest time.

I took my senior prom date to the Green Gables.
Remember El Nido on Third Street and McDowell and Woody's on 75th and Indian School? (Macayos) That was back when they had GOOD mexican food and actual hot sauce (not salsa). Don't get me started on that one...

Moovyoaz wrote:I took my senior prom date to the Green Gables.
Remember El Nido on Third Street and McDowell and Woody's on 75th and Indian School? (Macayos) That was back when they had GOOD mexican food and actual hot sauce (not salsa). Don't get me started on that one...

Dang Randy from your house that was a long drive. And yes I remember those. I also think I remember a Macayo's on 35th Ave and McDowell? But I can't quite remember.

And I remember that year the Salt River flooded so bad that all the fish drowned because they had all forgotten how to swim. ;)

Moovyoaz wrote:

Al_HikesAZ wrote:

Moovyoaz wrote:My parents met at the Riverside Ballroom off 7th Street and the Salt River. That may be where Waylon appeared; either that or the 'Willow Breeze' or Mr. Luckys.

I was thinking about JD's on the west side of Scottsdale Road between Tempe and Scottsdale in the late 60's. I remember the Riverside Ballroom but you got me on the Willow Breeze. Not saying I never went there just that I don't remember it. But I can say that about a lot of bars As a kid I loved going to John's Green Gables at 24th St and Thomas with the Knights in armor on horse back. The stables were near where the Granada Royale hotel went in. I had one of those little lead Knight on Horse toys for the longest time.

I took my senior prom date to the Green Gables.
Remember El Nido on Third Street and McDowell and Woody's on 75th and Indian School? (Macayos) That was back when they had GOOD mexican food and actual hot sauce (not salsa). Don't get me started on that one...

Oh shoot. I think I just messed this thread up. That'll teach Joe to trust me with super powers. I meant to quote you Randy and I think I edited you.

Al_HikesAZ wrote:

Moovyoaz wrote:I took my senior prom date to the Green Gables.
Remember El Nido on Third Street and McDowell and Woody's on 75th and Indian School? (Macayos) That was back when they had GOOD mexican food and actual hot sauce (not salsa). Don't get me started on that one...

Dang Randy from your house that was a long drive. And yes I remember those. I also think I remember a Macayo's on 35th Ave and McDowell? But I can't quite remember.

And I remember that year the Salt River flooded so bad that all the fish drowned because they had all forgotten how to swim. ;)

The 35th & Mcdowell restaurant was Garcias, which later moved 1/2 mile north. It's the only location owned by the original family, thus it has decent 'non gringo' food. We used to go to the first location as well when I was a kid (from 115th and McDowell), anything for good mexican food (not this black bean stuff)! Like I said, Phx ended at 43rd Ave. But there was no freeway into town, but that didn't stop dad from driving 75 most of the way.. must have rubbed off on me!

I just moved away from the Green Gables neighborhood earlier this year. A friend was telling me about the Knight on the horse walking the streets. Always wondered what Mr Lucky's was, so I just read some articles on the place. Interesting

Just glad I'm old enough to remember Phoenix before Starbucks, Casinos and identical coast-to-coast strip malls. I even walked from Camelview Plaza to Fashion Square before they combined and many good strolls through Los Arcos, Christown, MetroCenter, TriCity & ParkCentral before they became undesirable. Guess the real old timers would gasp at that crap...lol Moving here in the mid 80's I was pretty surprised to learn my locker at school was outside. Then again I was most pleasantly surprised to learn that the students were very friendly whereas where I came from it was rumbles and total disorder on a constant basis. I've been to East LA, those kids wouldn't make it a day in rural Oklahoma...lol

I find Arizonans in general have a pretty friendly attitude.