CC Trip - Arizona

On our way here, we followed our GPS which sent us on the scenic route, which, while it had fabulous scenery, it also had a downhill 6% grade ......for 9 miles !!! Even with our exhaust brake, we smoked the brakes on that hill, and had to do 35 mph or so in a 55 mph zone.

We visited Montezuma's Castle (he was an Indian chief) which is a cliff dwelling built right into a cliff about 3200 feet high. It is actually 3 layers of rooms, and it is thought about 35 people lived there.

There was an Indian Casino at the exit for our campground, and it featured Texas Hold 'Em, so TZ was happy. He wore his newly purchased horsehair belt and silver and turquiose buckle for luck.

Here's Tony's new Steam Car:

We spent the day in Sedona, which is too beautiful for words. On the way there, we visited the Chapel of The Holy Cross:

A famous tourist attraction, it was built in 1956 by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. It's built on a spur about 250 feet high, and jutts out of a red rock wall, about 1000 feet high.

The mountains of Red Rock country are magnificent - stunning actually! They just take your breath away.

This is Bell Tower:

Well, we spent 2 days in Arizona before we realized we were in the Pacific Time Zone! For two days, it was an hour earlier than what we thought. Turns out, Arizona does not have daylight savings time!

Friends Doreen & Bill came to our campsite for a delicious dip in the pool ( its 110 degrees), and dinner.

We visited Goldfield, a booming mining town in the 1890's, when it had 50 working mines.

Here's the actual jail:

And the gallows:

And here's Tony, waiting for the Bordello to open:

We drove through the Superstition Mountains, where legend has it there is a Lost Dutchman Mine. People still actively search for it. We stopped in an old stagecoach town called Tortilla Flats, and visited the Cowboy Bar:

A little further along, while negotiating the severe switchbacks and drop-offs, we came upon Canyon Lake. It's a beautiful mountaintop lake, very active with boaters and swimmers as it was about 115 degrees !!

Click the arrow for a short video:

Visited with Millie & Chuck in Scottsdale.

Had a wonderful time with them, but it was just too short!

Visited with Uncle George, Carol and Amber in Phoenix.

Enjoyed their pool in the 115 degree weather, and Uncle George made us a delicious home cooked meal of Pot Roast, which we all devoured. The babies, Jackie and Scooby, were glad to see us, too!

It's been so hot here, you feel like you're in an oven, and we are looking forward to heading north tomorrow to the cooler temps (80's).

Reached Seligman, a Route 66 town all the way.

It's a trip back in time when Route 66 was the Main Street of America - Every store is "Route 66..." something or other. When I-40 bypassed Seligman, it was in danger of becoming yet another Route 66 Ghost Town. However, the old timers and storekeepers banded together, and developed the small strip as Arizona Fun Run, and it is now known among roadtrippers worldwide.

There was no moon out last night, so there's a full menu today at the Route 66 Roadkill Cafe!

The Snow Cap Drive Inn diner, a fun family run business built in 1953, has business cards, photos and emblems from around the world, posted everywhere. The owner is an off the wall character who keeps everyone laughing with his crazy antics. He gave Tony one of his famous milk shakes, no charge, because Tony was wearing his Viet Nam Veteran cap.

Everywhere you look, there are funny storefronts and antique cars.

It was a fun stop before we head out tomorrow to scorching Las Vegas, to see some friends.