Camelback Ranch-Glendale Spring Training Fields

Mr Wonderful pointed out to me that the White Sox are playing the Cubs at their new spring training field on my corner. No one asked me if I wanted two ball fields, or spring training facilities on my road. I much preferred the farmer's field that was there. We had a view of the White Tank Mountains, and those neighbors with horses could follow the trails through the fields to the Agua Fria River bottom. We had this BIG overgrown Mesquite tree that was right off of 107th Ave. Cops hid behind it to catch the people speeding down the road. Also, after they built the freeway, a few homeless people started living in our tree. They went through the people's trash and hauled the junk to their tree. It was hilarious. When they evicted the homeless guys, (or whatever you legally do to kick someone out of their tree) it took this HUGE dumpster to get rid off all of their trash. Then, they cut the tree way back so no one else would move into it. The guys took up residence in a tree off of McDowell for awhile.

Well, the City of Glendale bought the farmer's land to protect their Glendale Airport. The next thing we know, voila! The powers that be decided to build a ball field or two of them (divided by a fake lake no less) and cut down the tree. That tree was a landmark for our family. When we came home from vacation (visiting out of state family, I should say, as I do not think we have EVER had a real vacation) and the kids saw the big tree, they knew they were finally almost home. Now, there is no access to the river bed. The one good thing is they built their own road: Ball Park BLVD, I think it is. It is north of Camelback. South, it is called 113 Ave....Strange to think there was a farm....and now there is a ball field with a game on TV. I should go get a BIG bull horn and see if you guys could hear me on your TV's. Well, if you are ever watching games from 'Glendale, AZ' (It is really on Phoenix land by the way) during spring training this time of year, and the teams are the Sox, or the Dodgers and you hear this big bull horn noise, well, that will probably be me right before they arrest me.

The fields have only been open 3 1/2 days now, and I am already tired of the traffic on my road. The first game ever was Sunday afternoon. After church, it took me 20 minutes to get from 99 Ave to my house. (Two miles.) I told my grandson and Breezy maybe they could walk home sooner. Chewie wanted to try. I am certain he could have made it to the corner faster; we were just crawling along. The neighborhood is going to pot. The country ambiance will soon be gone. I read where they plan to build a hotel and a conference center south of the ball field. Also, they have a variance sign up that they want to put up a 13.25 foot fence along my road. Who can see mountains through a fence that tall? The homeless people were less annoying neighbors! They just lived in a tree, collected junk, and rode bicycles. You want to know the real crack up? They just planted tons and tons of baby Mesquite trees. Give it a few years, and they better have their 13.25 foot fence up, as who knows how many people will be wanting to live in those trees, as no one will have a job or a home in the first place!