How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Mesa: renewal, kitchens)

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Did the state ever blow up the Blue Point rock wall where every year someone would become a para- or quadriplegic diving off into the river? There was talk of that when I was in HS in the 70s. Merely fencing it off wasn't sufficient.

It was mentioned earlier, but during the summer, and especially Memorial and Independence Day weekends, there was a near continuous stream out-and-back of DPS and medivac helicopters from the rivers to the local hospitals.

They did eventually dynamite the rock by Blue Point bridge so it was impossible to jump off. Most of the jumpers moved further downstream to the mud cliffs about half-way to Coon Bluff. Accidents were greatly reduced except for the occasional idiot jumping and landing on a passing tuber. What continues to amaze me is the number of people who can't swim and get into the river. You really can't fix stupid!

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by desertratz

They did eventually dynamite the rock by Blue Point bridge so it was impossible to jump off. Most of the jumpers moved further downstream to the mud cliffs about half-way to Coon Bluff. Accidents were greatly reduced except for the occasional idiot jumping and landing on a passing tuber. What continues to amaze me is the number of people who can't swim and get into the river. You really can't fix stupid!

Darwin would argue that you CAN fix stupid.

[learicalAZ]

Speaking of stupid, I missed but one day of college from being ill (missed many days from being sick of school). It was a Monday in September, and some friends had talked me into tubing the Salt the day before. I hadn't been out all summer, and I fried my legs. The beer kept most of the pain away on Sunday, but Monday morning, I took about 3 steps out of bed and collapsed on the floor. I swear you could read a book by the glow of my legs. I peeled 4 times over the next few days, and 3 years later, you could still see the tan/burn line on my legs. That was probably the dumbest thing I ever did. Which reminds me, time for another physical exam and skin cancer check.

[Donalumni]

Originally Posted by learicalAZ

Speaking of stupid, I missed but one day of college from being ill (missed many days from being sick of school). It was a Monday in September, and some friends had talked me into tubing the Salt the day before. I hadn't been out all summer, and I fried my legs. The beer kept most of the pain away on Sunday, but Monday morning, I took about 3 steps out of bed and collapsed on the floor. I swear you could read a book by the glow of my legs. I peeled 4 times over the next few days, and 3 years later, you could still see the tan/burn line on my legs. That was probably the dumbest thing I ever did. Which reminds me, time for another physical exam and skin cancer check.

Tubing on the Salt was a rite of passage as a high schooler in the valley. Many a time there we would be floating along and a sheriff's posse inflatable boat would come past us, pulling divers in the water searching for a body. Being invincible teenagers,we kinda looked at eachother and shrugged and hid the beers. The best place to do cliff jumping was at Canyon Lake by the bridge. It was HIGH but the water was deep so nobody got hurt and nobody cared. I remember the smell off the water and the smell of the coppertone suntan lotion on the girls. The Beismeyer boats with inboard engine and wet headers and the metalflake painted hulls. The name of the beach there at Canyon was Beismeyer Beach for all those beautiful boats.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by desertratz

One thing that hasn't really changed in this valley is tubing down the Salt River in the summertime. I first remember tubing with my parents and their friends when I was a kid in the late 50's. When I was in high school in the late 60's, my friends and I would load up the trucks with tubes and away we would go for an all day excursion of sunburning and illicit, underage beer drinking. We would start just below the dam, well above where everyone starts today, and we'd float all the way to Granite Reef Dam. This was way before they had the buses and tube rentals that they have today and the sheriff's office rarely made an appearance.

I remember one time on the return trip to pick up the 2nd truck upstream, my friend Lowell, who was sitting on the tailgate fell off as we started up an incline on the old dirt Bush Highway. All of us in the back were yelling and pounding on the cab to stop and the people inside thought we were just cutting up and kept going. After a mile or so we finally got them to stop and go back. There was Lowell sitting by the side of the road waiting for us, none the worse for wear except for a few scrapes and bruises.

They have buses and tube rentals!!! To float the Salt? Serious! Wow how things have changed. Spring fever in high school was just as you described it...we couldn't have afforded tube rentals or to take a bus...we piled into a car, generally mine and everyone just anted up for the gas and the refreshments but then again gas was less than $0.30 per gallon.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by trillcatz

They have buses and tube rentals!!! To float the Salt? Serious! Wow how things have changed.

gee, trill, you haven't been up there in a while, eh??!!!!

that's been going on for many years!

http://www.saltrivertubing.com/

but I did drive by it recently after many years and they have it all organized now....upgraded parking areas, rules signs, numbered launch areas or something, the whole bit....

I remember in the old days (70s), we'd be pretty much on our own....buy tubes at some gas station in town, clamber down to just below the dam to start, get caught in some snags and try to rescue the kid who went under as a result, take the wrong fork and have to scramble back to the main channel....I remember how far voices would carry, too, on that water

[baby sinister]

Lived here all my life and never tubed down the Salt. That much water and me, just don't get along.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

gee, trill, you haven't been up there in a while, eh??!!!!

that's been going on for many years!

Salt River Tubing and Recreation - Arizona's Floating Picnic!

but I did drive by it recently after many years and they have it all organized now....upgraded parking areas, rules signs, numbered launch areas or something, the whole bit....

I remember in the old days (70s), we'd be pretty much on our own....buy tubes at some gas station in town, clamber down to just below the dam to start, get caught in some snags and try to rescue the kid who went under as a result, take the wrong fork and have to scramble back to the main channel....I remember how far voices would carry, too, on that water

I graduated HS in '71 so I'm guessing it's been since then. I left Phoenix in '77 and really didn't get back til last year. Phoenix is a beautiful city but unfortunately it's not my city anymore. In the old days, like many others I'm sure, if you gave me an intersection I could tell you what was on all four corners...now I just look around in amazement and wonder where the heck I am. It just reconfirms that one can't go back.

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

gee, trill, you haven't been up there in a while, eh??!!!!

that's been going on for many years!

Salt River Tubing and Recreation - Arizona's Floating Picnic!

but I did drive by it recently after many years and they have it all organized now....upgraded parking areas, rules signs, numbered launch areas or something, the whole bit....

I remember in the old days (70s), we'd be pretty much on our own....buy tubes at some gas station in town, clamber down to just below the dam to start, get caught in some snags and try to rescue the kid who went under as a result, take the wrong fork and have to scramble back to the main channel....I remember how far voices would carry, too, on that water

LOL sounds like we were on the same float trips but I was done by about '71. It looks like the float operation covers everything...we would have loved something like that as kids...

[kirk nervig]

Originally Posted by baby sinister

Lived here all my life and never tubed down the Salt. That much water and me, just don't get along.

Planning a river float in the near future.