LETTERS AND E-MAIL

taking the off-ramp THIS MONTH IN ARIZONA

1872 Maricopa County sanctioned the first lawyers to practice law.

1880 The Swilling Irrigation and Canal Company possessed 10 irrigation ditches in what is now Phoenix, capable of irrigation 55,000 acres.

1880 Chaplain Winfield Scott established his claim on 320 acres of land that later became the city of Scottsdale.

1908 Tucsonans petitioned their city council to establish an ordinance against spitting on the sidewalk.

1910 The elegant Adams Hotel in downtown Phoenix burned to the ground. The owners promptly rebuilt the hotel and printed postcards to advertise its spectacular new lobby with the caption "Absolutely fireproof."

In 1915 Motorists set a new record by driving from Tucson to Phoenix in three hours, 35 minutes.

Piñata Party

The next time you feel like taking a swing at something, think of this. On May 5, 1862, Mexican soldiers clobbered French invaders in the city of Puebla and celebrated a victory. That victory celebration has come to be known as Cinco de Mayo, the perfect party time for Arizona residents and visitors to clobber a piñata.

Known as the only toy deliberately made to be broken, the piñata is a tradition that dates to the 16th century, when it originated in Italy and was known as a pignatta. Today, papier-mache piñatas are made in every conceivable size and shape, then filled with toys and candy. You can take a whack at famous figures like Darth Vader and Superman. Or, if you feel like battering the boss, you can order a custom-made look-alike piñata.

And if you're searching for the ultimate piñata experience this month, head on over to one of 10 Macayo's restaurants in Arizona to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a big way. At 6 P.M. on May 5, Macayo's invites the public to swing away when a crane will suspend a 12foot-high macaw (their namesake) over each of the restaurants' parking lots. Cinco de Mayo celebrants will take swipes at the restaurant mascot with long sticks in a competition to break open the giant piñatas filled with candy, T-shirts and gift certificates, then scramble to pick up the goods.

Macayo's founder Woody Johnson could never have imagined such antics in 1946 when he and his wife, Victoria, opened a small Mexican cafe in Phoenix. Their momand-pop operation was so tiny that produce companies would not deliver to them. Woody had to drive the family's station wagon downtown, to where Bank One Ballpark now stands, to buy the day's lettuce, tomatoes and onions.

Now, Woody is gone and the company, run by his children, Gary, Stephen and Sharisse, grows its own chiles at farms near Bisbee and ranks as the state's largest chile producernot to mention the home of the state's largest piñatas.

Watch for Speeding Jaguars - the Kind With Four Paws

Most people think of a jaguar as roaming jungles, but the sneaky cat slinks through the arid lowlands of southeastern Arizona. Confirmed jaguar sightings in the state were recorded as early as 1890. As the largest cat native to the Western Hemisphere, with adult males weighing in at as much as 300 pounds, the jaguar evokes spine-tingling fear and wide-eyed awe. Civilization is fragmenting the jaguar's Arizona territory. But, just to be safe, keep your eyes open for the creatures while out in the borderlands.

The Scoop on Ultimate Milkshakes at Jacob Lake Inn

Most folks time their visits to the Grand Canyon to see the glories of a sunset or a sunrise. Others, though, make their travel plans to coincide with when the folks at the Jacob Lake Inn turn on the milkshake machine.

Milkshakes at Jacob Lake have earned a reputation far and wide. "People come here just for the milkshakes," says employee Susan Luke.

Luke says the famous milkshakes come in only one size 20 ounces but in two consistencies, regular and thick. The difference determines whether you drink it with a straw or eat it with a spoon.

The process of making one is pretty simple. Vanilla or chocolate ice cream, or a mix of both, is swirled into a waxed cup. Then, flavored syrups chocolate, strawberry, peach, raspberry, caramel, butterscotch or blackberry can be added, along with malt, if desired. The whole thing is whirred for a few seconds in the Multimixer, and the sweet cool treat is ready to savor.

The Jacob Lake Inn is open year-round, but milkshake manufacturing usually doesn't get under way until May. One day, they made 20 shakes in a halfhour for a group of firefighters. One milkshake can easily be lunch. And, if it's any consolation, it's made of lowfat ice cream. Jacob Lake Inn is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 89A and State Route 67, the entrance road to the North Rim.