EXPERIENCE ARIZONA

arizona PHOTOGRAPH IN ARIZONA'S 'SKY ISLANDS'

Join Arizona Highways Director of Photography Peter Ensenberger November 1-5 on a photographic journey to the mountains of southeastern Arizona. Among Arizona's best-kept secrets, these "sky islands" harbor distinct species of plants and animals and contain dramatic rock formations and vibrant fall color. We'll photograph the magnificent bigtooth maple trees of Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains as well as the creekside cottonwoods of the Chiricahua Mountains. The Chiricahuas were featured by Arizona Highways magazine in November 2002. Between the two locations we'll pass through five life zones where you'll be able to capture nature's whole array of colors on film.

For more information or a free workshop brochure, contact Friends of Arizona Highways at (602) 712-2004, toll-free at (888) 790-7042 or visit their Web site at www.friendsofazhighways.com.

OTHER PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

September 23-27 & October 23-27 Enter the twisting, colorful corridors of Arizona's slot canyons September 29-October 3 Explore the unusual landscape of the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument October 2-5 Discover stunning vistas at the Grand Canyon's Toroweap campground

RAISING FLAGSTAFF July 4; Flagstaff

The most often-repeated story about the naming of the town of Flagstaff involves a group of Boston colonists who skinned a tall ponderosa pine tree to use as a flagpole for their centennial celebration of America's independence. Legend has it that flying the colors from that high point inspired the name of the mountain town that grew up around the historic site.

Relive the patriotic spirit of that celebration at an old-fashioned Independence Day Parade through Historic Downtown Flagstaff. Information: (800) 842-7293.

BARROOM BRAWL July 11-12; Willcox Most Old West aficionados don't link the Earp brothers to Willcox, but this southeast Arizona farming community marks the only spot where an Earp was buried in Arizona soil. In the dark morning hours of July 6, 1900, Warren Earp and John Boyett set the stage for murder. According to the Arizona Range News, the two exchanged threats earlier at the Headquarter Saloon. Boyett left, but returned armed and ready for a challenge. Earp advanced on Boyett with an open coat, saying that he was unarmed, but when Earp refused to back down, Boyett shot him in the heart.

Learn more about this lesser-known Earp brother and the events leading to the fatal showdown at Warren Earp Days. Activities include a parade, carriage rides and historic reenactments of the shooting and the hearing that followed. Information: (520) 384-2272.

ROUTES AND RAILS July 26-28; Seligman Since the mid-1800s, the town of Seligman has been a transportation crossroad-from the pioneer-traveled Beale Wagon Road to the kitschy kicks of U.S. Route 66. In 1886, the town was known as Prescott Junction because it was the linking point for the railroad tracks to Prescott. When tracks were laid from Ash Fork, the rails leading to Prescott were removed and the town changed its name to honor the Seligman brothers, who owned the expansive Hashknife Cattle Company. Celebrate the town's heritage at Seligman Days with a parade, live entertainment, raffles and kids' games. Information: (928) 422-3939.

WEAVING TRADITIONS July 25-26; Prescott In the Navajo Indian story of creation, the benevolent Spiderwoman, one of the Holy People, taught the Navajos the art of weaving on her loom made of lightning, sunbeams and white shell. In Navajoland, weaving represents a way of life. To this day, Navajos continue to card and spin and weave wool honoring Spiderwoman's gift.

Experience the magic of Navajo weaving traditions at the 4th Annual Navajo Rug Auction held at the Smoki Museum. Information: (928) 445-1230.

Other Events

Gary Ladd Photography Exhibit; June 20-September 28; Grand Canyon South Rim Village Historic District; (928) 638-7888. At Kolb Studio, images from the Arizona Highways book Grand Canyon: Time Below the Rim and other work by Gary Ladd representing different photo processes.

"A View From the Mountains" Photo Exhibit; June 28September 7; Wickenburg; (928) 684-2272. Michael Collier's photography from the Arizona Highways book The Mountains Know Arizona: Images of the Land and Stories of Its People.

World's Oldest Rodeo; July 1-6; Prescott; (928) 4453103. Six days of rodeo contests and activities.

July 4th Parade and Rodeo; July 4-5; Eagar-Springerville; (928) 333-2123. Parade, fireworks and rodeo.

Sidewalk Egg Frying Challenge; July 4; Oatman; (928) 768-7400. Frying eggs with solar heat.

Fourth of July Celebration; July 4; Bisbee; (520) 4326000. Parade, ballgames, fireworks and mining contests.

Hopi Marketplace; July 5-6; Flagstaff; (928) 774-5213. Hopi arts and crafts, social dances and live entertainment.

Prescott Indian Art Market; July 12-13; Prescott; (928) 445-3122. Cultural presentations and Indian crafts.

Cornfest; July 19; Camp Verde; (928) 567-0535. Corneating contest, cowpie throwing and corniest joke contest.

Arizona Highland Celtic Festival; July 19; Flagstaff; (928) 779-3817. Live entertainment and ethnic food.

White Mountain Native American Heritage Art Festival; July 19-20; Pinetop/Lakeside; (928) 367-4290 or toll-free (800) 573-4031. Indian arts and entertainment.

Wannabe BULL RIDER Is ACHIN' ALL OVER to Take On a 'MEAT GRINDER'

ARIZONA IS RODEO COUNTRY. THE WORLD'S oldest running-and still active-rodeo is in Prescott. And the professional bull riders hold an event each year in Tucson on their way to the national finals.

Why do I know this and why do I care? Because I've decided to become a bull rider. That's right. I'm a city kid who's only been on a horse one time-to get my picture taken on a pony in front of my row house-but I've decided to ride bulls for a living.

I want to impress my wife. She fell in love with these bull-taming cowboys while watching them on TV. Their toughness and resiliency attracted her. The television commentator interviewed one young rider who had just been thrown.

He said, "Well, I think I broke a leg, busted two ribs, probably sprained my ankle and dislocated a shoulder, but I'll do better with my next ride in about half an hour."

My wife said, "Now, that's a real man." I thought, what's left of him. But it was then that I decided to devote my life to riding ferocious bulls.

When I told my wife, she was delighted. I haven't heard her laugh that vigorously in years.

"You're gonna be a what?" she said when she finally got the choking, chortling and chuckling under control.

"A bull rider," I said.

She laughed harder.

Apparently, she didn't have the choking, chortling and chuckling controlled.

I said, "You'll be laughing out of the side of your mouth when I come home with a championship buckle."

She said, "You'll be eating soup out of the side of your mouth when you come home with your jaw wired shut."

I said, "You don't think I can do this, do you?"

She said, "No. In fact, I don't know how the people who do it can do it."

I said, "When people tell me I can't do something, that's when I want to do it more."

She said, "How about if the bull tells you you can't ride him, throws you to the ground, stomps on your leg and puts a horn through your ribs. Would that get your attention?"

"It's not a dangerous sport," I told her.

She insisted, "It is dangerous and you'll get hurt."

"I won't," I said. "You've got to remember, bulls are nothing but dumb animals."

She said, "Okay, so intellectually, it's a fair fight. But physically, you'll get hurt."

I told her again, "No, I won't. I'm too smart for those bulls. I've got it up here." I pointed to my brain.

She said, "That's not the part that's going to get hurt."

I said, "You're making a whole big thing about this, and it's not really that big a deal. It's just like riding a bike. You sit on it, you keep your balance and you get off."

She said, "True, but when you get off a bike it doesn't try to stomp on your head."

I ignored her comment and went on, "And you only have to stay on the bull for eight seconds. Just eight seconds."

She said, "Yeah, but that's eight seconds longer than the bull wants you on there."

"You can't talk me out of it," I said. "The smell of the arena, the roar of the crowd beckons me."

She said, "Let me try to unbeckon you one more time. What's your nickname?"

"The guys call me 'Pinky' because I wear a lot of pink golf clothes."

"And you're going to be going up against 1,500-pound creatures with nicknames like 'Hurricane,' 'Jack the Ripper,' 'Meat Grinder.' You're no match for them, Pinky."

"I've got to go buy a cowboy hat," I said, and grabbed my car keys and left.

A moment later I came back into the house.

My wife said, "What happened?"

I said, "Oh, I forgot my orthopedic pillow. You know how my back aches if I don't use that pillow when I'm driving. Do you know where it is?"

She said, "It's upstairs in the drawer with your tennis elbow brace, the bandage you wear for your bowling injury and the inserts you wear to keep your feet from hurting when you play golf."

"Thanks," I said.

She said, "No problem, cowboy." All