Gallivanting Grandma

Saturday – December 16, 2017

There’s so much to see and do around Sedona, Arizona.  It’s a vibrant community of almost 11,000 people energized by 4 million annual tourists. Cool and clear weather enticed us to explore the area around Sedona known as the Verde Valley.  We drove west to a village called  Old Town Cottonwood and found Larry’s Antiques & Things.

A large sign informed us that Larry’s includes three acres of “collectibles” inside and outside many large rambling buildings.  We could have spent several days perusing Larry’s collections of endless stuff.

After a while, we drove a short distance to Clarkdale to see the Verde Canyon Railroad Station.  Some other time we’ll take the train through the scenic region.  We followed a sign on the road to the Tuzigoot National Monument which is a pueblo ruin built by the Sinagua people between 1125 to 1400.

Jeff used his senior citizen National Parks Pass to gain entry to the historical site and we climbed up to the top of the hill to see the former Native American community.  There was a fantastic 360 degree view of the entire valley.

We continued west and followed signs to the town of Jerome.  We drove up the twisty winding road around hairpin turns to the top of the mountain and saw a small sign telling us we were 5246 feet above sea level.  Another mile-high city?!  Jerome had been a copper mining town and was built on the side of a mountain.  All the houses had endless amazing views.

Since it was getting late, we turned around and went back toward Sedona.  We stopped at several overlooks or roads which had good views of the spectacular red rocks.

Many visitors go to Sedona to take advantage of the wide assortment of outdoor activities like hiking, biking, camping, boating, and fishing.  A specialized group of tourists go to Sedona to be energized and inspired by the “mysterious cosmic forces which emanate from the red rocks.”  There are supposed to be five “vortexes” of energy for the believers.  Nonetheless, the scenery is incredibly spectacular!

We drove through several residential neighborhoods and marveled at the architecture of the homes just below amazing rock formations.  If I lived there, I would spend a lot of time watching the light change across the rocks and take too many photos…..

The rock formation in the photo below is called “Snoopy.”  It’s supposed to be Charlie Brown’s dog, Snoopy, lying on top of his dog house.  (Snoopy’s round snout is on the left.)

Friday – December 15, 2017

While we were in Arizona we wanted to visit the town of Sedona, which is only 125 miles or a two hour drive north of Phoenix.  It would have been a good day-trip, but we wanted to stay and experience the famous scenery of Sedona.  We soon left saguaro cactuses and the Sonoran Desert behind and drove through the hilly and  tree-less Prescott National Forest.

After speeding through boring wilderness, the topography changed and we knew we had arrived in “Red Rock Country.”  Fortunately, there were several pull-outs so we could take pictures.

Sedona is a lovely western town nestled in the Verde Valley among impressive red sandstone rock formations.  The town seemed to be spread out into three distinct sections: Uptown, West Sedona, and Oak Creek.

We drove slowly northbound on Route 179, passing spectacular scenery with names such as Bell Rock and Castle Rock. We used our GPS to find our hotel located along Oak Creek in Uptown Sedona off Route 89A.

The sun cast long shadows across Oak Creek Canyon and accentuated the colorful rocks.  We checked into the hotel and took a walk along the shops on the main road.  It had been an interesting day.

Wednesday – December 13, 2017

Happy Birthday to Jeff!!  

We wanted to look at the countryside and explore the desert surrounding Phoenix and Scottsdale.  Jeff found a “scenic byway” called the Apache Trail, named for the Apache Indians who used the trail to cross Superstition Mountains.  Later, the road became a stagecoach trail that ran through the mountains.

We were immediately intrigued by the large Saguaro cactuses which grow in this area.  They are native in this region of the American Southwest and grow naturally only in the Arizona Sonoran Desert, Mexico, and southern California.  Saguaro cactuses can grow to be 40 feet tall.

We continued to Canyon Lake in Tonto National Forest.  It was strange to see water in the middle of a desert.  I read that the lake was a fresh water reservoir formed by damming the Salt River in 1925.  The landscape looked like it had not rained here in many months.  It’s amazing that anything grows or lives here.

The Apache Trail winds through 40 miles of steep rugged desert mountains.  The narrow twisting road is mostly unpaved east of the town of Tortilla Flat all the way to Roosevelt Dam.

Tortilla Flat, Arizona is the last surviving stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail and has a population of 6 people.  The town was originally a camp ground for prospectors who searched for gold in the Superstition Mountains.

Today, the town is privately owned and includes a restaurant, souvenir shop, and a small museum.  We continued on the Apache Trail for several miles along the unpaved section but after a while decided to turn around at Lower Fish Creek Hill because the road was too bumpy.

We stopped at several overlooks to take photos.  It was an amazing day!  We weren’t in Shrub Oak any more!

Monday – December 11, 2017

The weather was freezing cold in the teens at home in New York, but sunny, blue skies and 60 degrees in Arizona!  The heated pool looked inviting:

We enjoyed an outdoor breakfast near one of the hotel’s pools.  A falconer stood nearby with an impressive Harris hawk on her arm.  The mere presence of the hawk scares away the resident grackles.

The famous American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, built his winter home and “camp” nearby in the Sonoran Desert, which he called Taliesin West.  Since we’re big fans of FLW’s architecture, we had to visit Scottsdale’s only National Historic Landmark.  

Visitors must take a guided tour of the facilities and we were lucky to have an excellent guide and only five other people on our tour.

Frank Lloyd Wright left his home/studio in Wisconsin every winter and transported his family, architecture school, and business to Scottsdale.  He built all the structures out of natural materials and used the desert as an important component of his designs.

During Frank Lloyd Wright’s seasonal residence from 1937 to 1959, the rooms were open to the environment without glass walls or windows.  Students lived in tents or rudimentary cabins which they designed and built for themselves.  Today, the architecture school is housed on one side of the main building.

Besides living quarters for his family, Wright designed and built theaters, offices, studios, and galleries at Taliesin West.  A visit here is a feast for the eyes!

The Sonoran Desert around the property showcases a wide variety of cactuses:

Sunday – December 10, 2017

We arrived in Phoenix, Arizona late last night to celebrate Jeff’s big Decade Birthday!  It was cold and snowing when we left Kennedy airport and we were happy to be going to a warmer place.

We booked our stay at the Fairmont Princess and were happy to discover all the holiday decorations and activities at the resort.  Today we drove into Scottsdale to explore “The West’s Most Western Town” and one of the “most livable cities” in the U.S.  The NY Times described Scottsdale as “a desert version of Miami’s South Beach.”

Downtown Scottsdale was divided into several commercial “neighborhoods.”  We parked our rental car in The Old Town and explored pristine streets full of upscale shops, galleries, bars, and restaurants.  A sign informed us that an “old historic” building was constructed in 1921.

We rode the free Trolley all across downtown Scottsdale and returned to our car an hour later.  The city reminded us of South Florida with cactuses.  We returned to our hotel to relax, have dinner, and enjoy the holiday festivities.

The weather was dry and clear.  It was low 70s during the day and cool 50s at night.  Perfect “winter weather”!!