Is always fun to go, and always good to get back home.
After working 3 days in ATL, I made it home Wed night. Was good to see palms, although AZ has awesome, it was good to smell and see the ocean.
Will go to the Saturday downtown market today and maybe check-out the new Trader Joe's...if not too busy, has only been open a week.
As I laid in bed this morning I looked over at my little lime green "bucket"!! A cute little thing I decorated several years ago and put many slips of paper in of things I wanted to do....My Bucket List.
I decided it was time to see how many I've done.....actually about 1/2!
So I suppose I either have to create more....or move on to the great beyond soon....isn't that the purpose of a bucket list...get it all done, then go to heaven!!! I think I will just add more....not ready to meet my makeer just yet...but one day!
Here are the things I've done from my bucket:
Take a Ceramic Wheel Class
Eat at a Paula Deen Restaurant
Take a hot air balloon ride
See the Tuscan Wine Country in Italy
See Paris
Take a cooking class
A Saturday road trip no-where....very impromptu
Take a Yoga class.....
Wow....I've done many things...and didn't really realize it. You see, my bucket list had easy and less expensive things as well as more costly things......if you don't have a bucket list, I really advise making one. It's loads of fun to just write down things you want to do one day. You can add to them, as I will do, and it's great fun to go back through and see all the things you have done.
So there is your task for today....have fun!!!!
I'm off to ride my bike, do a little marketing and plop on the beach!!!
Lazy Saturday's are the BEST!!!!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
The ghost town of ....Jerome
After I worked 5hrs we had a History Tour sched to start at noon. We were there in plenty of time...it was only about a 20min ride. We headed for the Mile High City built on the mountain....
Can you see the J in the mountain right above this small winery?
We were the only ones on the tour...so instead of our 1.5hrs...we got a bonus 30min, a 2hr tour.We got in a van and were driven around town. Jerome was a BIG mining town back in the 1890's. Copper/Ore/Gold and Silver....they were all there. This brought in the wealthy to invest and the laborers to just make a living...jobs were hard back then.
There are a few structures left that were original, and a few walls left from buildings...but that's about it. Fires destroyed much....and there was "voluntary destruction" once most of the mining was done. This was done so that taxes did not have to be paid on buildings/homes anymore....you see, if the roof is gone you don't have to pay taxes, so people were paid to come and destroy the homes...that's one way to avoid taxes!!
One old street with some of the old things left behind....
The tour guide, Rick, told us about the many hands that have owned the mining and the different things that happened during each "rein". With mining came men....and generally single....so then came saloons and prostitutes....and there is where much of the story and mystery lies. The head Madam was the richest woman around. When fires broke out, she used to yell out....save my house and you will have "credit" here!!! So, save the grocery store....or save your "recreation"....hummm!!! Part of the miners pay was a once a week visit to her house....they used to line up on the side walk in a line and wait their turn.....her ladies were busy!!! The first JC Penney's in AZ was in Jerome and the 2nd...the 1st one burnt. Jerome is built literally on the side of a mountain....a mile high. ...Thus the name of the restaurant
So some things did slide off the mountain....the jail for example slid down....and part of it is still where it landed. The rich lived highest up...cause back then...there were only "slop jars" tossed out the windows doors each day....thus the saying "shit rolls downhill".....so if u could not buy higher up....too bad for you. Then outhouses came....and finally plumbing. When plumbing came they just added a bath onto an existing structure....like adding a room....kind of cool.
It was at one time one of the 3 largest cities in AZ...now it is one of the 5 smallest...population 444. There is some mining still, but not much. It is said that the ghosts of many of the folks that were prominent here still "visit". They do ghost tours at night and carry this "ghost finder" meter things with them....we opted to pass on that. The hotels have caught things on their security cameras and it does make one wonder.
We had lunch a Quencie's....great Southwest/MEX.....the pork was wonderful...as was the open faced hamburger and the FF with their "special" sauce and cheese....that did it for us for the day!!!!
We left Jerome and headed to Montezuma Castle....a beautiful Cliff Dwelling from long ago. The Indians lived in them years ago. They were very clever...they built interior ladders to go between the levels, and used mud/clay to create walls. Very smart.
Then it was time to see more scenery....a drive thru Red Rock Canyon and then home. We got a great look at the Cathedral Rock while in the Canyon...and it was approaching sunset, so the colors were terrific.
Back "home" for a nice swim and a little pre-packing.....have to head to PHX tomorrow via Prescott and whatever else we find.....
Stay tuned we aren't done yet!!!!
Can you see the J in the mountain right above this small winery?
We were the only ones on the tour...so instead of our 1.5hrs...we got a bonus 30min, a 2hr tour.We got in a van and were driven around town. Jerome was a BIG mining town back in the 1890's. Copper/Ore/Gold and Silver....they were all there. This brought in the wealthy to invest and the laborers to just make a living...jobs were hard back then.
This shaft used to take workers down to work
There are a few structures left that were original, and a few walls left from buildings...but that's about it. Fires destroyed much....and there was "voluntary destruction" once most of the mining was done. This was done so that taxes did not have to be paid on buildings/homes anymore....you see, if the roof is gone you don't have to pay taxes, so people were paid to come and destroy the homes...that's one way to avoid taxes!!
One old street with some of the old things left behind....
The tour guide, Rick, told us about the many hands that have owned the mining and the different things that happened during each "rein". With mining came men....and generally single....so then came saloons and prostitutes....and there is where much of the story and mystery lies. The head Madam was the richest woman around. When fires broke out, she used to yell out....save my house and you will have "credit" here!!! So, save the grocery store....or save your "recreation"....hummm!!! Part of the miners pay was a once a week visit to her house....they used to line up on the side walk in a line and wait their turn.....her ladies were busy!!! The first JC Penney's in AZ was in Jerome and the 2nd...the 1st one burnt. Jerome is built literally on the side of a mountain....a mile high. ...Thus the name of the restaurant
So some things did slide off the mountain....the jail for example slid down....and part of it is still where it landed. The rich lived highest up...cause back then...there were only "slop jars" tossed out the windows doors each day....thus the saying "shit rolls downhill".....so if u could not buy higher up....too bad for you. Then outhouses came....and finally plumbing. When plumbing came they just added a bath onto an existing structure....like adding a room....kind of cool.
It was at one time one of the 3 largest cities in AZ...now it is one of the 5 smallest...population 444. There is some mining still, but not much. It is said that the ghosts of many of the folks that were prominent here still "visit". They do ghost tours at night and carry this "ghost finder" meter things with them....we opted to pass on that. The hotels have caught things on their security cameras and it does make one wonder.
We had lunch a Quencie's....great Southwest/MEX.....the pork was wonderful...as was the open faced hamburger and the FF with their "special" sauce and cheese....that did it for us for the day!!!!
We left Jerome and headed to Montezuma Castle....a beautiful Cliff Dwelling from long ago. The Indians lived in them years ago. They were very clever...they built interior ladders to go between the levels, and used mud/clay to create walls. Very smart.
Then it was time to see more scenery....a drive thru Red Rock Canyon and then home. We got a great look at the Cathedral Rock while in the Canyon...and it was approaching sunset, so the colors were terrific.
Stay tuned we aren't done yet!!!!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
101 Omlets......OMG..and Oak Creek Canyon!!!
Well...after working a few hours this morning...it was time to go explore and get something to eat. We'd been told by more than one person about The Coffee Pot (named after a rock that looks like a coffee pot)...so we had to go. YEP...they have 101 omlet choices....and much more. I opted for the patty melt, was not feling like eggs and it was great. Then we were off to explore. Had heard much about Rt 89A and Oak Creek Canyon....so we drove through the tiny tourist main street of Sedona and out the other end on 89A.....the longer we drove the more breathtaking it was. I've been on lots of mountain roads, but not like this. LOTS of curves and canyon views you would not believe. Took about 30min to get to the other end and the top of the canyon 6000 elevation.....amazing views. Looking back down I took a picture that shows 3 curves in one picture.....wow!!
There were some native Indians selling things at the park at the top. I asked the Ranger about them, he said they were real and had real items for sale....didn't buy anything, but I wondered. We drove back down and back into Sedona....I could do that drive again.....was truly awesome.
Now we were off to find The Chapel of the Holy Cross built in April 1956. On the way we found a neat outdoor shop with tons of what I call "yard art".....and other cool stuff. Stopped there and looked for some time and finally bought a few gifts...(can't tell what those were)...and moved on. We followed the easy signs to the Chapel which was only a few more miles. It is actually built on a hill in a neighborhood, I bet they love getting all that traffic but they had to know before they moved in!! It's not very busy out here so we got a closer parking spot and walked the ramp up the the chapel. The view was amazing. It is tiny and very serene.the front wall is all glass and it is a bit of an A frame. a few pews and candles for lighting...is Cathloic..and a bowl of Holy water. I bought a small pamphlet about the history....which is pretty simple, we took some pics and we were off. Marguerite Brunswig Staude built this after seeing the construction of The Empire State Building and thinking that at a certain angle she could see a cross....this inspired the entire building. It is much smaller than origianlly hoped, but is still very nice. There are no services there anymore but it is a great place to sit for a bit.
It was time to go find Montezuma's Well and Castle. We had spent much time riding the canyon so it was pushing 5p by now. We found the entrance to the Well but it closed at 5p and it was 510p...so have to do that another day. It is suppose to be about cliff dwellers....so should be interesting.
So we did a little more exploring of some unknown roads and headed "home". They rent movies here for $3/nite....cheap and big selection....so got 2 movies and vegged. We have been going steady.....so was nice to have an early nite. Since brunch was huge, just had a few snacks and popcorn for dinner.....hummmm, another nice day amongst the great Red Rocks.
Tomorrow is Jerome.....old mining town.....now known for it's ghost population...we'll see!!!
At the top...what a view
There were some native Indians selling things at the park at the top. I asked the Ranger about them, he said they were real and had real items for sale....didn't buy anything, but I wondered. We drove back down and back into Sedona....I could do that drive again.....was truly awesome.
Now we were off to find The Chapel of the Holy Cross built in April 1956. On the way we found a neat outdoor shop with tons of what I call "yard art".....and other cool stuff. Stopped there and looked for some time and finally bought a few gifts...(can't tell what those were)...and moved on. We followed the easy signs to the Chapel which was only a few more miles. It is actually built on a hill in a neighborhood, I bet they love getting all that traffic but they had to know before they moved in!! It's not very busy out here so we got a closer parking spot and walked the ramp up the the chapel. The view was amazing. It is tiny and very serene.the front wall is all glass and it is a bit of an A frame. a few pews and candles for lighting...is Cathloic..and a bowl of Holy water. I bought a small pamphlet about the history....which is pretty simple, we took some pics and we were off. Marguerite Brunswig Staude built this after seeing the construction of The Empire State Building and thinking that at a certain angle she could see a cross....this inspired the entire building. It is much smaller than origianlly hoped, but is still very nice. There are no services there anymore but it is a great place to sit for a bit.
Built right into the rocks....beautiful and very peaceful
The Chapel of The Holy Cross...built in 1956 by Maguerite Staude....she had been inspired by the Empire State Building...
The inside shot got dark, but you can see...it was gorgeous.
It was time to go find Montezuma's Well and Castle. We had spent much time riding the canyon so it was pushing 5p by now. We found the entrance to the Well but it closed at 5p and it was 510p...so have to do that another day. It is suppose to be about cliff dwellers....so should be interesting.
So we did a little more exploring of some unknown roads and headed "home". They rent movies here for $3/nite....cheap and big selection....so got 2 movies and vegged. We have been going steady.....so was nice to have an early nite. Since brunch was huge, just had a few snacks and popcorn for dinner.....hummmm, another nice day amongst the great Red Rocks.
Tomorrow is Jerome.....old mining town.....now known for it's ghost population...we'll see!!!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Up...Up and Away!!!!
We floated at about 615a as the sun was rising!! A hot air balloon ride has been on my bucket list for some time....and now I can check that off!!! We decided to go with Northern Lights Balloons http://www.northernlightballoon.com/ ......they have smaller baskets and we thought that would be nicer.
NOW getting up at 430AM was a kick...but it was worth it!! Our condo is actually in Cornville...about 15min south of Sedona so we had to drive to town and meet them in a parking lot at 530AM....we were early and so were they, so we headed for the launch site. There were 6 in our basket, pilot made 7....it was tight but was ok. It didn't take our pilot and helper but about 15-20 min to have the balloon attached tot he basket and blown up. They first used a fan that had a small engine on it...then they began to use the burners. The balloon is 80'....and was a gorgeous green and yellow. We were all in the basket and off in no time. Northern Lights had 5 baskets going up today and the others were still on the ground when we left. You go early so it is not hot yet and because the winds are not too strong.
These pics show them getting the balloon blown up...it went really fast........
These shadow pictures were so cool.................that's us against the mountain!!!
We just floated up so easily and quickly...it was just so smooth. Wish all my flying was that easy!!! Then we floated/flew across the Coconino National Forest. It was wonderful. I'm out of adjectives to use to describe this trip!!! It was so quiet until he pulled the handle on the burners to keep us floating. We saw a few deer and rabbits....but mostly the mountains. And from a vantage point I've never had before.....very enjoyable and serene. Our pilot, Doug has been flying for 38yrs.....so I felt just fine. We would go up and then he'd let us float down...one time we even scratched across a tree top!!! And before you knew it....our time was up and it was time to land. We had been warned we would get at least an hour, but if the winds kicked up and we could not get to the normal landing spot we may go for a while.....well....the winds were ok, so we landed..bummer!! We were all told to brace for landing...but it was sooooo good. We barely bumped the ground.
Then our Crew Chief, Matt grabbed us and skidded along with us until we stopped which was not very far. I can tell ya I've had some MD88 landings that were not that nice!! then we all climbed out. They folded up the balloon, detached it from the basket and put it in the "envelope" and put the basket back on the trailer with the balloon and off we all went to meet up with the others.
4 balloons were back....#5 had a tougher time landing but finally got there. Then we had the traditional champagne toast. You see this tradition started way back with the French and it is still done. We also had strawberries and cream and a pastry.....a lovely morning. All that and it was only 830am.
Now the only thing I needed was a bathroom!!!! We were delivered back to our car and we bogeyed for the potty inside the grocery store. What a cool way to start the day.....can't top that one!!
We have been here 3 nites and had not really seen Sedona yet....so we drive thru the town and around just a little and headed for "home".....tired was hitting and I needed to work a bit. We might be lazy the rest of the day...but it was surely a terrific morning!
Tomorrow, we will likely visit Jerome.....the ghost town........we'll see!!!
NOW getting up at 430AM was a kick...but it was worth it!! Our condo is actually in Cornville...about 15min south of Sedona so we had to drive to town and meet them in a parking lot at 530AM....we were early and so were they, so we headed for the launch site. There were 6 in our basket, pilot made 7....it was tight but was ok. It didn't take our pilot and helper but about 15-20 min to have the balloon attached tot he basket and blown up. They first used a fan that had a small engine on it...then they began to use the burners. The balloon is 80'....and was a gorgeous green and yellow. We were all in the basket and off in no time. Northern Lights had 5 baskets going up today and the others were still on the ground when we left. You go early so it is not hot yet and because the winds are not too strong.
These pics show them getting the balloon blown up...it went really fast........
We loaded up and had a quick lift off
Balloon #2 was not far behind us!
And then we just floated along, across this beautiful area....as our pilot pointed out things, and controlled us with the burners.
We just floated up so easily and quickly...it was just so smooth. Wish all my flying was that easy!!! Then we floated/flew across the Coconino National Forest. It was wonderful. I'm out of adjectives to use to describe this trip!!! It was so quiet until he pulled the handle on the burners to keep us floating. We saw a few deer and rabbits....but mostly the mountains. And from a vantage point I've never had before.....very enjoyable and serene. Our pilot, Doug has been flying for 38yrs.....so I felt just fine. We would go up and then he'd let us float down...one time we even scratched across a tree top!!! And before you knew it....our time was up and it was time to land. We had been warned we would get at least an hour, but if the winds kicked up and we could not get to the normal landing spot we may go for a while.....well....the winds were ok, so we landed..bummer!! We were all told to brace for landing...but it was sooooo good. We barely bumped the ground.
After the landing, the dis-assemble was quick, and it was back on the trailer in no time.
Then our Crew Chief, Matt grabbed us and skidded along with us until we stopped which was not very far. I can tell ya I've had some MD88 landings that were not that nice!! then we all climbed out. They folded up the balloon, detached it from the basket and put it in the "envelope" and put the basket back on the trailer with the balloon and off we all went to meet up with the others.
4 balloons were back....#5 had a tougher time landing but finally got there. Then we had the traditional champagne toast. You see this tradition started way back with the French and it is still done. We also had strawberries and cream and a pastry.....a lovely morning. All that and it was only 830am.
Now the only thing I needed was a bathroom!!!! We were delivered back to our car and we bogeyed for the potty inside the grocery store. What a cool way to start the day.....can't top that one!!
We have been here 3 nites and had not really seen Sedona yet....so we drive thru the town and around just a little and headed for "home".....tired was hitting and I needed to work a bit. We might be lazy the rest of the day...but it was surely a terrific morning!
Tomorrow, we will likely visit Jerome.....the ghost town........we'll see!!!
The GRAND Canyon....
Ya know.....you don't really need to say anything else than that...it is THE Grand Canyon...and it is gorgeous. We drove from Sedona on 17N to Flagstaff (cute town, but we went thru rather quickly), then to the canyon on 180 Scenic Highway.....among the Ponderosa Pines....beautiful. We stopped to look at this little chapel that was just on the side of the road....
On the inside it simply said the landowner built it for any and all to enjoy....Chapel of The Holy Dove
Stopped in Tusayan just before entering the park to watch an IMAX film about the discovery of the canyon, was pretty good. Then entered Grand Canyon National Park....to the visitors center and Mather's Point.
My last visit to the Grand Canyon was in a motor home with my family 35+ years ago....this visitors center was not even here.....is really nice. We got the low down and walked to the lookout....WOW!!!
It's just breathtaking........I could sit there all day and just look at it........
I remember the canyon from years ago...we even flew over it in a small plane....but as age will do, you can appreciate it more now. A ranger was there give is lots of cool info....we were at 7000 ft elevation and the bottom of the canyon is approx 2000 ft....big difference! He has hiked it many times, to stay at Phantom Ranch in the bottom, and he said it was interesting to see and experience the different eco-systems along the way as you go up and down. I can only imagine. With the binoculars we could see the very eco-friendly buildings of Phantom Ranch for hikers. Without binocs you would never know they were there.
We moved on to see Lookout Studio and Kolb Studio and the El Tovar hotel. The Kolb Brothers were photographers and built this house in 1904 to take and develop pictures of people taking mule rides in and out of the canyon, and then sold them to them. What a sweet job...and their house is literally on a cliff....no stepping off the porch....not a bad backyard view. Then in 1914 Mary Colter built a home, Lookout Studio, just a few yards away to compete with the Kolb Brothers....it too had a lovely view and was nice, for those times. Many of the original walls and windows are still there and in 2014 it will be 100yrs old.....geez, not sure we make them that good anymore!!!
Inside the Kolb Brothers home...now holds all the neat things from their lives and photography
Then....on to the El Tovar.... an older lodge, but very kept up and somewhat modernized for us spoiled folks. We were lucky enough to be able to eat dinner there...at a table with a view....wonderful.
This was built for the "rich and famous" back in the day.....the wide porches are sooooo nice to sit on and just watch the canyon. Sunset was amazing! For those that have visited me in FL, you know I call the folks that come to the beach for sunset..."beach zombies"....well, I was a "canyon zombie".....the colors on the walls of the canyon were terrific. I even took a few pics with the camera looking through the binoculars....pretty neat trick!!
We looked at Bright Angel Lodge and few others as we were leaving, and saw some really tiny hiker cabins....bunk beds and enough room to turn around, but it beat sleeping outside with snakes and scorpions!!!
It was getting dark fast and we had a 2hr ride ahead of us...so we headed south for Sedona.
It was a wonderful day.....I think I'll come back before another 35yrs go by!!!
On the inside it simply said the landowner built it for any and all to enjoy....Chapel of The Holy Dove
Stopped in Tusayan just before entering the park to watch an IMAX film about the discovery of the canyon, was pretty good. Then entered Grand Canyon National Park....to the visitors center and Mather's Point.
My last visit to the Grand Canyon was in a motor home with my family 35+ years ago....this visitors center was not even here.....is really nice. We got the low down and walked to the lookout....WOW!!!
It's just breathtaking........I could sit there all day and just look at it........
I remember the canyon from years ago...we even flew over it in a small plane....but as age will do, you can appreciate it more now. A ranger was there give is lots of cool info....we were at 7000 ft elevation and the bottom of the canyon is approx 2000 ft....big difference! He has hiked it many times, to stay at Phantom Ranch in the bottom, and he said it was interesting to see and experience the different eco-systems along the way as you go up and down. I can only imagine. With the binoculars we could see the very eco-friendly buildings of Phantom Ranch for hikers. Without binocs you would never know they were there.
We moved on to see Lookout Studio and Kolb Studio and the El Tovar hotel. The Kolb Brothers were photographers and built this house in 1904 to take and develop pictures of people taking mule rides in and out of the canyon, and then sold them to them. What a sweet job...and their house is literally on a cliff....no stepping off the porch....not a bad backyard view. Then in 1914 Mary Colter built a home, Lookout Studio, just a few yards away to compete with the Kolb Brothers....it too had a lovely view and was nice, for those times. Many of the original walls and windows are still there and in 2014 it will be 100yrs old.....geez, not sure we make them that good anymore!!!
Inside the Kolb Brothers home...now holds all the neat things from their lives and photography
Lookout Studio...built in 1914 by Mary Colter
Then....on to the El Tovar.... an older lodge, but very kept up and somewhat modernized for us spoiled folks. We were lucky enough to be able to eat dinner there...at a table with a view....wonderful.
The El Tovar was gorgeous from a distance...was built in 1905 and renovated in 2005, has that great out west feeling and ambiance.
This was built for the "rich and famous" back in the day.....the wide porches are sooooo nice to sit on and just watch the canyon. Sunset was amazing! For those that have visited me in FL, you know I call the folks that come to the beach for sunset..."beach zombies"....well, I was a "canyon zombie".....the colors on the walls of the canyon were terrific. I even took a few pics with the camera looking through the binoculars....pretty neat trick!!
We looked at Bright Angel Lodge and few others as we were leaving, and saw some really tiny hiker cabins....bunk beds and enough room to turn around, but it beat sleeping outside with snakes and scorpions!!!
It was getting dark fast and we had a 2hr ride ahead of us...so we headed south for Sedona.
It was a wonderful day.....I think I'll come back before another 35yrs go by!!!
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Great West!!
Well...it was time to see something other than palm trees and beach....though I love it, a change of scenery was past due. I love the west, the mountain, the animals....and has been way too long since I've been there. So, it was time for a trip.
Flew into Phoenix and spent one nite. Then we headed to Boulder City, Nevada to see Hoover Dam. The drive across 93 was very diverse. We kept being amazed at how much the landscape changed depending on if the area got rain or not. It's like there are "pockets" where rain happens and it's nice and green. Then, no rain and lots of brown. There were even different cactus in different areas. There were a few palms, but again it seemed to depend on if there was rain or not. We also decided if you lived here, you needed to have a satellite phone....cell is not good enough!!!
There is no real good way to describe this marvel called Hoover Dam. It was constructed in the 1930's....way before computers and it is amazing. At it's base, it is 2 football fields thick...was built to last 1500-2000 years and an earthquake of 9.0...I think it will be just fine. We did a tour of the power plant and went "inside" the dam. When they built it, they built in tunnels (yes you walk, you don't crawl), so they could keep a check on concrete cracks. They also built the tunnels for tourist. Even back then they expected to make money on tours...smart folks. It is truly a site everyone should see. We walked across the top and drove across. Until 2010 it was the only way across the Colorado River...now there is a big huge new bridge.....so the dam and its road are for touring, not necessity. Boulder City is where all the workers and families lived. It is a quaint town with way more square miles than people. They increased the size of their town way more than necessary to keep Las Vegas from coming over and having gambling in their town. Vegas is only 30miles away. You see, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River are split down the middle 1/2 in Arizona, 1/2 in Nevada....but seems to work ok.
On top of the bridge looking down....wow.
We stayed at the Hoover Dam Hotel....a sort of B&B. It has about 30 rooms, but you do get a full hot breakfast in the restaurant...very nice. The hotel was built back in the 1930's and has that era of charm. Antiques....a piano in the lobby....very nice and the feeling of "back when". Famous folks used to stay here when they came to "see" the dam being built. You see it was the only place in town that had private bathrooms with the rooms....wow! They have a cool museum on site about the dam, is small but worth it.
We ate dinner a the Big Horn Restaurant....wonderful!! In fact, we liked it so much we ate there both nites we were in town. The prime rib, pork chops and salmon were awesome. The owner Paul was very nice and chatted with us each nite about our day and things to do. He suggested a zip line of Bootleg Canyon. I'd seen this in a magazine I'd picked up and was already curious....so we signed up to do this on Saturday. For now, it was time to hit the bed we were tired.
Saturday we had to be at the zip place at 830a for a 9a run. We got there, got into our gear and headed up the mountain. Was a bumpy dirt road but was gorgeous. We did 4 zips in 2hrs.....the hikes were not bad. We watched a big horn sheep for a long time, he got a little close to us....was really cool. The guys handling the zip were great. http://www.flightlinezbootleg.com/ this is the place we zipped with, they were really great. Zipping is something you just have to experience...it's fast, fun, and the scenery is for sure a bird's eye view!!
One of the platforms where we would get "hooked up" so we could zip to the next platform
Denny is coming in for a landing....
A view of Bootleg Canyon....very rugged, lots of rocks....and bighorn sheep, and we got a bird's eye view.
After zipping , was time for showers and to hit the road to head towards Sedona. We took the slow drive as we wanted to drive the famous Rt 66. We did 80 mi on Rt 66...it was very nostalgic. They even have some of the old Burma Shave roadside signs up. We stopped at some Old General stores along the way that must have been there back during the time RT 66 was used a lot. These stores had several old cars of the 1950's outside, some in good condition, some not...but really neat.
Inside there was tons of memorabilia from that era...and all soft drinks were sold in bottles!!! It was a really fun ride. We connected up to I40 and drove to the the town of Williams. WOW it was busy...there was a Labor Day weekend rodeo in town. We walked around, got some dinner and headed for Sedona. It was late, we were tired and it was time to find our condo for the week. http://www.highlandsverderidge.com/ This is our home away from home for this week....a lovely new unit. Great location and fantastic scenery. I think I'm going to like it here!!!
We got settled in and quickly to bed. Tomorrow, Sunday, we are sched for an orientation breakfast and a train ride.
Sunday.....orientation and breakfast were great....now we know a little more about the area. However, our AAA books and info had us fairly prepared and informed. We had a little time before our 1p train ride so we drove to Jerome. It is an old mining town and known as a ghost town now. It's very thriving with little shops and such and waaaay up on a mountain, gorgeous views. And the ghost part is played up, we will likely do a tour later this week. However, it was time to head for the train depot.
Cool paint job on the engine...this area is known for having lots of eagles, we'd hoped to see some, but didn't
spent lots of the ride out on the open car...don't wanna miss anything
http://verdecanyonrr.com/ this was out train ride. Through Verde Canyon...a 4hr round trip. Breathtaking....my neck got tired from looking up. We went first class in the Sycamore car. We had some hot and cold snacks and truly enjoyed the ride. I spent much of my time in the outside open car....I'm like a kid, don't want to miss anything. The views were so varied. This area is so well known for having bald eagles that the train engines have them painted on them....however, we did not see any at all...bummer!!! This train is over 100 yrs old and is lookin' good! We went from milepost 38 to 18, then back again. It was a wonderful afternoon. There was a bit of cloud cover, but that was ok, it kept the heat down when on the open air car.
After the ride we checked out Dead Horse State Park...not much there to do but a pretty park. Good camping and some nice day use areas. We were a bit tired, had been a little busy a good bit of driving so we headed "home". We needed to do some laundry, as we did that we took a swim and hit the hot tub. Got back, watched a movie and fell happily to sleep....tomorrow....we drive to the Grand Canyon!!!
Until then.....
Flew into Phoenix and spent one nite. Then we headed to Boulder City, Nevada to see Hoover Dam. The drive across 93 was very diverse. We kept being amazed at how much the landscape changed depending on if the area got rain or not. It's like there are "pockets" where rain happens and it's nice and green. Then, no rain and lots of brown. There were even different cactus in different areas. There were a few palms, but again it seemed to depend on if there was rain or not. We also decided if you lived here, you needed to have a satellite phone....cell is not good enough!!!
There is no real good way to describe this marvel called Hoover Dam. It was constructed in the 1930's....way before computers and it is amazing. At it's base, it is 2 football fields thick...was built to last 1500-2000 years and an earthquake of 9.0...I think it will be just fine. We did a tour of the power plant and went "inside" the dam. When they built it, they built in tunnels (yes you walk, you don't crawl), so they could keep a check on concrete cracks. They also built the tunnels for tourist. Even back then they expected to make money on tours...smart folks. It is truly a site everyone should see. We walked across the top and drove across. Until 2010 it was the only way across the Colorado River...now there is a big huge new bridge.....so the dam and its road are for touring, not necessity. Boulder City is where all the workers and families lived. It is a quaint town with way more square miles than people. They increased the size of their town way more than necessary to keep Las Vegas from coming over and having gambling in their town. Vegas is only 30miles away. You see, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River are split down the middle 1/2 in Arizona, 1/2 in Nevada....but seems to work ok.
On top of the bridge looking down....wow.
A view of Lake Mead, some of the water handlers and the back/top of the dam
The new bridge..now folks don't have to cross over the dam ....is much more efficient.
Got a cool nighttime picture
The inside tour....very cool, these make electricity
Some steps going to another level
In the evening these Bighorn Sheep just wander around this park....cool
We ate dinner a the Big Horn Restaurant....wonderful!! In fact, we liked it so much we ate there both nites we were in town. The prime rib, pork chops and salmon were awesome. The owner Paul was very nice and chatted with us each nite about our day and things to do. He suggested a zip line of Bootleg Canyon. I'd seen this in a magazine I'd picked up and was already curious....so we signed up to do this on Saturday. For now, it was time to hit the bed we were tired.
Saturday we had to be at the zip place at 830a for a 9a run. We got there, got into our gear and headed up the mountain. Was a bumpy dirt road but was gorgeous. We did 4 zips in 2hrs.....the hikes were not bad. We watched a big horn sheep for a long time, he got a little close to us....was really cool. The guys handling the zip were great. http://www.flightlinezbootleg.com/ this is the place we zipped with, they were really great. Zipping is something you just have to experience...it's fast, fun, and the scenery is for sure a bird's eye view!!
One of the platforms where we would get "hooked up" so we could zip to the next platform
At the next platform the guys were waiting on you...
Here I come....when in doubt legs out....that's what we were told...helps to slow you down....
A view of Bootleg Canyon....very rugged, lots of rocks....and bighorn sheep, and we got a bird's eye view.
After zipping , was time for showers and to hit the road to head towards Sedona. We took the slow drive as we wanted to drive the famous Rt 66. We did 80 mi on Rt 66...it was very nostalgic. They even have some of the old Burma Shave roadside signs up. We stopped at some Old General stores along the way that must have been there back during the time RT 66 was used a lot. These stores had several old cars of the 1950's outside, some in good condition, some not...but really neat.
I think he died trying to fix it!!!!
Will the real person please stand up???
Denny was having find memories of all the old cars...
Santa is alive and well on Rt 66
Road Kill Cafe'......YUM!!
Inside there was tons of memorabilia from that era...and all soft drinks were sold in bottles!!! It was a really fun ride. We connected up to I40 and drove to the the town of Williams. WOW it was busy...there was a Labor Day weekend rodeo in town. We walked around, got some dinner and headed for Sedona. It was late, we were tired and it was time to find our condo for the week. http://www.highlandsverderidge.com/ This is our home away from home for this week....a lovely new unit. Great location and fantastic scenery. I think I'm going to like it here!!!
We got settled in and quickly to bed. Tomorrow, Sunday, we are sched for an orientation breakfast and a train ride.
Sunday.....orientation and breakfast were great....now we know a little more about the area. However, our AAA books and info had us fairly prepared and informed. We had a little time before our 1p train ride so we drove to Jerome. It is an old mining town and known as a ghost town now. It's very thriving with little shops and such and waaaay up on a mountain, gorgeous views. And the ghost part is played up, we will likely do a tour later this week. However, it was time to head for the train depot.
Cool paint job on the engine...this area is known for having lots of eagles, we'd hoped to see some, but didn't
We headed down the tracks and pretty quickly spotted these old cliff dwellings...neat
spent lots of the ride out on the open car...don't wanna miss anything
Coming around a big curve.....
headed into a tunnel......
We went "first class"...gave us some snacks and a table....was very nice
We crossed lots of bridges and saw some beautiful country .....the rugged red rocks, cactus streams, it was all very peaceful
http://verdecanyonrr.com/ this was out train ride. Through Verde Canyon...a 4hr round trip. Breathtaking....my neck got tired from looking up. We went first class in the Sycamore car. We had some hot and cold snacks and truly enjoyed the ride. I spent much of my time in the outside open car....I'm like a kid, don't want to miss anything. The views were so varied. This area is so well known for having bald eagles that the train engines have them painted on them....however, we did not see any at all...bummer!!! This train is over 100 yrs old and is lookin' good! We went from milepost 38 to 18, then back again. It was a wonderful afternoon. There was a bit of cloud cover, but that was ok, it kept the heat down when on the open air car.
After the ride we checked out Dead Horse State Park...not much there to do but a pretty park. Good camping and some nice day use areas. We were a bit tired, had been a little busy a good bit of driving so we headed "home". We needed to do some laundry, as we did that we took a swim and hit the hot tub. Got back, watched a movie and fell happily to sleep....tomorrow....we drive to the Grand Canyon!!!
Until then.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
