Tucson Newbies and Monsoon Rains
June 19, 2009
Post Tags: do not enter when flooded , rain and creosote , smell of rain
In Tucson We Don’t Build Bridges
Don't Even Think About It
At least unless we absolutely have to. In other parts of the country you take your bridges for granted. Small steam, a bridge, run-off area after a rain, a bridge, bridges are a common part of our lives. Don’t get me wrong, we have bridges in Tucson, just not any where near as many as you will find in the rest of the country. There are a lot of rules for building roads even in the rest of the country that don’t apply here. Fore instance, crown a road, you know the center is higher than the edges so the water will run off, LOL, there are a lot of roads in Tucson that seem to be just the opposite. The center of the road seems to be the lowest point.
We don’t get ice, we only have rain for short periods of time, and we see so little water that turning our streets into mini rivers for a few minutes seems more like a part of life here than an inconvenience.
Horses Don’t have air filled shoes
But cars do, remember is tire, is a pontoon. Your car has 4 of them on it at all times. Try and drive through water and yes, like a battleship in the desert it will float. And it will float right off the road and down the wash. You are familiar with the term “washed away”. Perfect for Tucson streets during monsoon. When you see those signs “Don’t Cross When Flooded” They aren’t there because the state had too many signs and too much yellow paint on their hands.
The water comes quickly. It disappears almost as quick.
Running water in Tucson is something to be enjoyed. We take our rivers when and where we can get them. We all learn where the places are that flood, and routes around them. We also know that sometimes you simply pull over and wait. Enjoy the smell of rain and creosote in the air.
