Padres Spring Training Camp
Peoria, AZ
March 10th - March 14, 2024

We took the first flight out to Phoenix, arriving at 8:00 AM.
So needless to say we had a considerable amount
of time before we could check into our room in Peoria.

So we decided to visit Tonto Natural Bridge State park,
stopping off at Payson for breakfast along
the way.



Tonto Natural Bridge is a natural arch
that is believed to be the
largest natural travertine bridge in the world.
The bridge is also unique in that most natural bridges
are formations in sandstone or limestone.



The entrance of the water flow beneath the bridge.



The exit from beneath the bridge.



Another view of the exit.



With that smile, think she threw something over?



After our visit to the park, we drove back
to Peoria and checked into our room.
This is the view of the stadium from our room!
The top center of the picture is the back of the scoreboard.



We attended three games at the stadium
while we were in town.

The stadium is actually the home to both the Padres
and the Seattle Mariners.

The first game on Monday was between
the Mariners and the Padres,
with the Padres being the visiting team.
The Padres won 13-3.

In the next two games, the Padres
were the home team.

On Tuesday, the Padres played the Diamond Backs
and tied 2-2.

On Wednesday, they played the Oakland Athletics
and won 11-12.



While the games are played in the afternoon or evenings,
The mornings are devoted to the training camp.
There are about 9 fields devoted to the Padres training camp.
The fields are open to the public in the morning.



You can't beat these seats!



With a close up view of the Padres dugout.



Will it be a strike or base hit?



On Wednesday morning,
we decided to take a ride to the
Lake Pleasant Regional Park,
north of Peoria.

They sure grow them big in Arizona!




And the spring desert wild flowers were in full bloom.




  

And this is the concrete spillway facing Phoenix.
I sure would not want to be here
when it overflows!

 

Part of the New Waddell Pump-Generating Plant
at the base of the New Waddell Dam
 

 





It took hours to get Kathleen off this swing!
Weeeeeee.


That's All Folks!