BEFast Drone
A Tool Not A Toy
BEFast Drone is a DJI Mini Pro
BEFast Drone is NOT a toy
BEFast Drone and I are BOTH registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. I have completed and passed the Recreational UAS Safety Test and received my TRUST certification.
BEFast Drone is a valuable tool
BEFast Drone offers the opportunity for unique perspectives and allows me access to sights I would not have from the ground. As well as the ability to take photos in areas I am unable to reach on foot.
Empire Ranch near Sonoita, Arizona
Explore and find the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area near Sonoita, Arizona. The Empire Ranch in the center of this 42,000 historic area is operated and maintained by the Bureau of land Management. Open to the public 24/7 for self guided tours with on-site camping available. The entire ranch house is open to walk through, no locks. There is furniture in some of the rooms, the table is set in the dining room and various tools and equipment from the early 1900s in the storeroom. Nothing is disturbed. There is NO litter and NO graffiti. There aren't any security cameras, actually no security at all. There are signs that explain the property is managed by the BLM and to please not take or destroy anything. But otherwise the entire ranch is open to public display. Well worth the short drive, just 3 miles off AZ Highway 83.
The Coke Ovens in Cochran, Arizona
The Coke Ovens are considered an historic site on private property 1/4 mile west of the old Cochran town site along the Gila River and the Southern Pacific Railroad. They were constructed in the 1870s and were used to reduce mesquite wood to coke, a hotter burning fuel for the purpose of smelting gold and silver ore taken from surrounding mines. The beehive shaped stone ovens are each about 25 in diameter and 30 feet high. Each has a ground level entry and several upper level vents. The mesquite wood burned slowly in the ovens which yielded the coke. The new fuel was then transported across the Gila River to the community of Cochran (now a ghost town) where it was used in the smelters.
24 Hours in the Old Pueblo
24 Hours in the Old Pueblo is an off road endurance bicycle race. 2024 is the 24th annual event organized by EPIC Rides and sponsored by TMC Health. It's more than a bicycle race...it's a campout, it's a party, it's a spectacle of people and landscape. Set on the site of the Willow Springs Ranch, the race course covers 16 miles of desert terrain beginning and ending at "24 Hour Town".
Roosevelt Lake Marina
Roosevelt Lake is located 80 miles northeast of Phoenix. Popular for it's fishing and boating activities, it is actually a reservoir created by the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River between 1906 and 1911. The Roosevelt Dam, operated by the Salt River Project is the first and the oldest of a string of 6 reservoirs operated by SRP for the purpose of flood control. The lake is the largest body of water located entirely within the state of Arizona.
Big Lake Arizona
Big Lake near Alpine, Arizona. Managed by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Big Lake is actually a reservoir In the White Mountains of Arizona. Stocked yearly with 480,00 fingerling rainbow trout by the Arizona Fish and Game Department. The 575 acre lake boasts 5 campgrounds, 3 boat ramps, a marina and a general store. Boat rentals are available with motors restricted to 10hp or less.
Parker Canyon Lake
Saloon Canyon
Located east of Mammoth, Arizona, Copper Creek Road runs the length of Saloon Canyon following Copper Creek before ascending into the Galiuro Mountains. Starting at the dry crossing of the San Pedro River, it showcases breathtaking scenery and a treacherous road best traversed by 4 wheel drive vehicles. The highlight of the journey through the canyon is the abandoned Copper Creek Mine mining operation left behind a hundred years ago.
Parker Canyon Lake is located in southeastern Arizona, 28 miles southwest of Sierra Vista around the Huachuca Mountains and about 5 miles north of the border with Mexico. The lake is a reservoir formed by a dam in Parker Canyon in the south end of the Canelo Hills in southwestern Cochise County. Surrounded by a beautiful hiking trail, the lake is very popular as a fishing and camping destination. The area is managed by the U.S. Forest service so a fee is required to use any of the facilities however a Senior National Park Pass (if displayed on your dashboard) is all that is necessary to avoid the cash payment. Photography is allowed and drones are not forbidden. One of the hiking trails completely circles the lake (4.6 miles) and is a relatively easy walk with a very identifiable trail. The lake covers only 126 acres and the trail never gets more that 30-40 feet away from the water. There is a small general store at one end of the lake where bathrooms (pit toilets) are available near the parking area.
The Copper Corridor
The Copper Corridor is an area north of Winkelman and south of Superior, Arizona. Named because of the high concentration of copper in the mountains, the many, many mines and the predominant mine, The Ray Mine. The Ray Mine is a main feature of this video.
The Convict Highway
The Superior-Miami Highway was officially opened in April 1922. Nicknamed The Convict Highway because convicted felons were used as labor for digging the original Claypool Tunnel. The highway was rebuilt and opened in 1952 when the new tunnel was completed. The old highway bed is a popular hiking trail and well worth the drive.
The San Pedro River is one of the few rivers in the U.S. that flows south to north. It originates in Mexico and merges with the Gila River somewhere near Winkleman, AZ. During the late 1700s, the Spanish military established several outposts along the river including the Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate and in 1882 the town of Contention was established along what was then the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad. It is an excellent area for hiking and birding (when there is water in the river). There are several established and well marked trails in the area with parking and restroom facilities.
San Pedro River
Gila River Gorge
A dramatic flight through this chasm of incredible beauty. Located east of State Hwy 77 between Winkleman and Globe, Arizona. The pass was used by Stephen W. Kearny on his march from Ft. Leavenworth, Kansan to San Diego.
Owl Head Ranch
Owl Head Ranch Road is located 35 miles north of Tucson at the northern base of the Tortolita Mountains. Owl Head Buttes dominate the landscape and offer a valuable opportunity for hiking and exploring. Most of the area is State Trust Land but some of the area is privately owned.
The Salt River and Roosevelt Lake
Roosevelt Lake is one of my favorite places to fly. There is great scenery and landmarks everywhere. It is easy to get to and just a 2 hour ride from where I live. This video features another one of my favorite picnic locations, the steel bridge over the Upper Salt River. Located on Hwy 288 just a few miles north of Globe, Arizona. This is also very close to the diversion dam. The diversion dam was built to allow the construction of the Roosevelt Dam which forms Roosevelt Lake. I apologize for the poor video quality, the sun did not cooperate with my lens.