Part One of the Journey to South Korea Phoenix to Los Angeles

Deborah Kade
18 hours ago
3 min read

We are off to South Korea for vacation. Unfortunately, we couldn't go from Phoenix to Los Angeles and then onto Seoul, South Korea because of flight times, so we are spending the night at the Marriott near LAX. Early tomorrow morning, we will board the plane to Incheon International Airport. and then on to Seoul.

Camelback Mountain

" The PHX Sky Train is a free, 24/7 automated people mover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, connecting Terminals 3 and 4, East Economy parking, the 24th Street/44th Street stations, and the Rental Car Center. It operates every 3–10 minutes, providing a quick connection to Valley Metro Rail at 44th Street."

Looking south after taking off.

Wonder what is planted in the fields below!

It was a short one hour flight, so they only served mixed nuts with our beverage.

Easy to tell when you reach the Colorado River. The Colorado River tumbles down the Rocky Mountains, rushes across the Colorado Plateau, and weaves through canyons before trickling out across the desert on the Arizona-California border.

"The Colorado River Compact, signed in 1922, laid out how Colorado River water would be managed between the seven basin states (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, California, and Wyoming). In 1944, the U.S. signed a treaty with Mexico promising Colorado River water. All together, over 5 trillion gallons (16.5 million acre-feet) of water was divvied out on paper."

"Demand for Colorado River water outpaces the supply. Over the past two decades from 2000-2023, Colorado River flows averaged 4 trillion gallons (12.5 million acre-feet) of water annually. This amount is 13% less than the average from 1930-1999 (4.6 trillion gallons or 14.3 million acre-feet) and 30% less than the flows between 1906-1929 (5.8 trillion gallons or 17.9 million acre-feet), which is the period from which the compact allocations were determined."

"The math doesn’t work out — the compact vastly overestimated (and over-promised) the amount of water available in the Colorado River. Collectively, we use more Colorado River water than what flows downstream, making water levels in the storage basins of lakes Powell and Mead drop substantially over recent decades."

As the Colorado River flows downstream, its water is diverted along the way. About 79% of Colorado River water is used to grow crops, irrigating alfalfa for livestock feed as well as fields of cotton, wheat, corn, and other produce.

"As drought deepens and water demands increase, the West faces tough decisions about how it uses or saves water. Because as we look to the future, one thing is certain: every drop counts, and change is needed to sustain the river and its communities."

Wonder what airport this is! It probably is March Air Force Base.

Catalina Island is off in the distance. Santa Catalina, one of California’s Channel Islands, lies southwest of Los Angeles. It's known for its wildlife, dive sites and Mt. Orizaba, its highest peak. The resort town of Two Harbors lies to the north. To the south, in the city of Avalon, palm trees and cabanas line Descanso Beach.

Catalina Island, located 22 miles off the Southern California coast, is a popular resort destination featuring the city of Avalon and the rustic village of Two Harbors. Known for snorkeling, diving, and hiking, it is accessible via one-hour ferry rides ($92-$94 round trip) from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point.

"The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the City of Los Angeles. It occupies 7,500 acres (3,000 ha) of land and water with 43 miles (69 km) of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "America's Port", the port is located in San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro and Wilmington neighborhoods of Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown."