Time-traveling in a parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona


One of the most common things I hear from people is that they wish they could see what Phoenix looked like before the city was built. You know, before the freeways, the buildings, the streets, that sort of thing. And then I find that they really have no interest, because I know a lot of places like that, and all you have to do is to go there, and look, and they can't be bothered to take the time. Walk with me.

This morning I got to visit the Phoenix area the way it looked long before any people lived there, long before the city of Phoenix, long before the Hohokams, and all I had to do was to turn around in a parking lot in Peoria, which is a suburb of Phoenix.

Yes, that's it. This is a small swale on the edge of a parking lot that was simply left alone so that when it rains the water has a place to go, and not flood the parking lot. Engineers call it a "detention basin" and you can also call it a riparian area. These are the plants that have grown naturally for the past 10,000 years in the Phoenix area, after the end of the last Ice Age.

I've been finding places like this all of my adult life, starting in Los Angeles. They're right there in the city, but they seem to be miles away. As I stood and took this photo this morning I was very much aware of the traffic of the freeway right nearby, which had a steady sound, like the rushing of a river. Elsewhere people were waiting at traffic lights, going into stores, know you, doing modern stuff. But I was time-traveling. I just love these kinds of places!

If you choose to go to these places, beware. Like any wilderness area, away from civilization, there can be dangers. And I don't just mean rattlesnakes or gila monsters, I mean people who might be there, and not want to be disturbed. I tread lightly, and if I see someone, I pass on by. I have the advantage of being a full-grown man, of an athletic build, and while I may not be the biggest guy in town, I find that most people leave me alone. In decades of doing this I've never had a problem, but I'm aware of my surroundings. I respect the danger.

But you don't have to do this on foot, you can do it from the comfort and safety of your car. Find a parking lot like this, and turn around. Thank you for walking with me.
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