I Know; finally I got off of my pre-diabetic butt and did another blog! I actually started this last Sunday; but knowing we were still going to be touring other places, I convinced myself it could wait a couple more days to be published.
On Monday, we arrived at Thousand Trails Park in Cottonwood Arizona. This area offers a good base for day trips around the area, including the Grand Canyon. On Tuesday, we visited Sedona, which is about 17 miles north of Cottonwood. Sedona is a beautiful area, with spectacular painted rock formations surrounding the town. For those who haven't visited this area, it's almost breathtaking. The town itself is kinda of yuppie, with Spas, and Salons. Not my thing; but I'm sure, Sally would love to visit some of those Spas. Of course plenty of art galleries; again, I'm not the artsy fartsy type!
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| Sedona |
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| Sedona from up at the airport |
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| Another shot from the airport |
On Wednesday, we went to Jerome, which is about 15 miles south of Cottonwood. Jerome is an old copper mining town, which sits high on the side of a mountain. There again, I wasn't impressed with Jerome. Supposedly it sat deserted for a long time, until it was 'discovered' by the art community.
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Entering Jerome
On Thursday we didn't go to the Grand Canyon as it was forecast to be a cloudy day, so we waited until Friday. We took the scenic (& curvy) mountain route up through Sedona, and Flagstaff. In Sedona, we stopped to verify our chosen route at a Visitors Center. While talking with the tourism specialist, he convinced us we should take a trip on the VerdeValley Railroad on the next Monday. The trip normally would have cost about $180 for the two of us, but if we were willing to sit through a 90 minute presentation at a nearby retirement resort, it would be free. So, we said what the heck, we can do that. We took our maps and continued with trip to the canyon. It was a very scenic trip, and was about 145miles until we arrived at the Visitors Center. Pretty spectacular! The views along the walkways at the edge of the south rim of the canyon were great, although very crowded with people. I think we were the only Americans there that day. After spending time doing the walk, and taking pictures, we jumped in the car and began heading east along the rim of the canyon. Again, spectacular views on each of the turnouts, where we stopped and took more pictures.
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On Saturday, Sally and I went next door from the campground to a Vineyard. We had to pay $10 each to taste 5 different wines; only a couple being from this vineyard. I think they gave us three tablespoons of each wine that was provided to sample. I know, I'm hard to impress!
My last wine tasting was at several vineyards in the Barossa Valley, near Adelaide, in South Australia in 1994. We didn't have to pay anything. I know, I'm just a cheap Charlie!
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| The Vineyard |
On Sunday we attended the 90 minute presentation at a resort complex (called Cornville; no, really!), just north of Cottonwood. It was a time-share resort, which for only $30K you could get 43,000 points per year to stay at 2500 different places or locations for one week. They were unable to set the hook in our mouth; but we still got the voucher for the free train ride the next day.
On Monday we traveled back to the 'Old Town' area of Cottonwood (Clarkdale), to ride the Verde Canyon Railway. It was a four hour trip that took us 20 miles; almost to Prescott, to a small town called Perkinsville (did we say small?!). It wasn't really a town, more like a farm. It was the stop for the train back when it was used for transporting copper from the copper mine in Jerome. It was very scenic, but at times became a little boring. Of course, we ended up with First Class accommodations from sitting through the resort presentation, which made it a little easier to take! (Dave did find time to take a little nap on one of those fine couches!).
On Tuesday, Sally went to Sedona shopping (disappointment in their selection of stores!), and Dave stayed home to sanitize the fresh water tank. It doesn't get any better than sanitizing the fresh water tank! Oh, and when Dave drove back into Cottonwood later on in the afternoon, there was a 'critter' in the middle road, here in the park...yes, one of those pesky rattlesnakes! And he was grumpy! YIKES!
On Wednesday we went to Prescott, which pretty much finished up all of the places to visit around this area. Again, we traveled the 'scenic' (curvy!) route up the mountain, through Jerome. Prescott was okay, but not cracked-up to all of the hype we had read about the town (it always seems to be on those lists of 'Best places to Retire'). Dave sat on a bench in the town square, visiting with some of the locals, getting the 'scoop' on WHY all of the Phoenix TV stations were in town, and WHY the Fire Dept. was there? Seems an old bar on 'Whisky Row' burned down the night before, damaging both businesses on either side. The FOX 11 local station reporter in a brown suit walked down the street looking at each person, then up the middle of the street around the taped off area in front of the destroyed bar. He found that perfect person to interview on camera; a homeless guy! Typical main stream media!!! Sally toured the town square shops and came back empty handed. And luckily there was another way out-of-the valley that led to I-17, by-passing the mountains, and a quick ride home.
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| Three Buildings Burned Out behind SUV |
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| The Reporter and Homeless Guy |
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| The Sharper Two Locals |
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| The Mayor |
We have three days left in Cottonwood (& Sally just trained the local Starbucks on how to make the perfect Iced Americano :( Then we start heading north to Monument Valley this Monday. From there to Moab, then someplace between Moab and Tooele, UT. and then Tooele, where my brother lives. Were planning on spending a week in Tooele, then start heading east to Iowa.
