Comments on: We Take Open Space for Granted http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/ Musings of a Mad Man (@dneighbors) Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:55:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brian Driggs http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-854 Brian Driggs Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:42:44 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-854 @Tyler, I will never understand what's so special about "amber waves of grain" in the midwest. To me, it represents the mechanized commercialization of nature. The desert, meanwhile, remains rugged and untamed (at least until Del Webb gets his hands on it). Our national forests are something else. Everygreens reaching to the sky, casting shadows all around, and the smell of pine with every cool breeze, but in the desert, the Creosote smells of rain, even on the hottest days. It's not hard to find yourself some place so quiet that your ears will ring. When I make the drive to LA, I never find the scenery boring. I scan the peaks and rock faces north and south of the I-10 and wonder, "Has anyone been there in the last 100 years? How many wild animals are within my field of vision, even if I can't see them?" The desert is wild with life and I can't get enough of it, personally. @Tyler,

I will never understand what’s so special about “amber waves of grain” in the midwest. To me, it represents the mechanized commercialization of nature. The desert, meanwhile, remains rugged and untamed (at least until Del Webb gets his hands on it).

Our national forests are something else. Everygreens reaching to the sky, casting shadows all around, and the smell of pine with every cool breeze, but in the desert, the Creosote smells of rain, even on the hottest days. It’s not hard to find yourself some place so quiet that your ears will ring.

When I make the drive to LA, I never find the scenery boring. I scan the peaks and rock faces north and south of the I-10 and wonder, “Has anyone been there in the last 100 years? How many wild animals are within my field of vision, even if I can’t see them?”

The desert is wild with life and I can’t get enough of it, personally.

]]> By: Derek Neighbors http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-848 Derek Neighbors Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:27:06 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-848 Tyler, The Sonoran desert has very little "sand"... Tyler,

The Sonoran desert has very little “sand”…

]]> By: Tyler Hurst http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-847 Tyler Hurst Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:31:15 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-847 I will never understand why so many people think endless amounts of sand is beautiful. I will never understand why so many people think endless amounts of sand is beautiful.

]]> By: Brian Driggs http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-845 Brian Driggs Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:58:44 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-845 I love the wide open spaces around Phoenix. There's plenty of wide open space in Kansas, where I lived before 2001, but it's flat, processed, farmland. I know several people who do their damndest to keep have their travels across Kansas be at night and at speeds above 100mph. Arizona, on the other hand, is beautiful. I love the open desert, with it's deep reds, oranges, and browns. I like to think it looks a lot like it did 100, 200 years ago. It's awe inspiring and to be able to venture out into that is a truly special benefit to us living in the Phoenix area. I didn't know about any of this trail, but I'm going to check it out that's for sure. I love the wide open spaces around Phoenix. There’s plenty of wide open space in Kansas, where I lived before 2001, but it’s flat, processed, farmland. I know several people who do their damndest to keep have their travels across Kansas be at night and at speeds above 100mph.

Arizona, on the other hand, is beautiful. I love the open desert, with it’s deep reds, oranges, and browns. I like to think it looks a lot like it did 100, 200 years ago. It’s awe inspiring and to be able to venture out into that is a truly special benefit to us living in the Phoenix area.

I didn’t know about any of this trail, but I’m going to check it out that’s for sure.

]]> By: Shailesh Ghimire http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-838 Shailesh Ghimire Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:37:39 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-838 Wow, that's a massive trail. But a great idea and a worthy cause. Love it. Wow, that’s a massive trail. But a great idea and a worthy cause. Love it.

]]> By: Jay McGavren http://derekneighbors.com/2009/12/we-take-open-space-for-granted/comment-page-1/#comment-831 Jay McGavren Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:09:20 +0000 http://derekneighbors.com/?p=6490#comment-831 Oooh! Looks like part of it will pass really close to Red Mountain (Mt. McDowell)! Like, over the reservation! (I've always viewed that as mysterious and forbidden territory.) Oooh! Looks like part of it will pass really close to Red Mountain (Mt. McDowell)! Like, over the reservation! (I’ve always viewed that as mysterious and forbidden territory.)

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