Category Archives: Arizona

Petrified Forest NP

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After driving from Page we parked our RV just outside Flagstaff at the Meteor Crater RV Park, excited to explore the Petrified Forest National Parks unique features the next morning. The petrified forest is the centerpiece of this national park where Millions of years ago this area was covered by a lush forest that was home to dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Over time, natural forces caused the trees to fall and be buried under sediment. Slowly but surely, minerals from the sediment replaced the wood, creating the stunning petrified wood we see today.

Our first stop the next morning was the south entrance off of Hwy 180, where we were greeted by the park’s vast expanse. As soon as we entered the Petrified Forest NP, we were immediately  transported to a prehistoric wonderland that left us in awe. This sprawling desert landscape, located in northeastern Arizona, is home to some of the most fascinating geological wonders on earth. The park covers over 200 square miles, so we had a lot of ground to cover. We were immediately struck by the park’s colorful landscapes, which ranged from dusty reds to deep purples. We marveled at the ancient rock formations, towering mesas, and sweeping desert vistas that surrounded us on all sides. Continue reading →

Page, Arizona

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We left Kanab early taking the short drive to the Wahweap RV Resort and Marina on the shores of Lake Powell, After settling in, we decided to take a quick drive to Page to explore the town. As we walked through the charming streets, we learned that Page was once a small railroad town that grew rapidly in the 1950s with the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. It now serves as a gateway to some of the most beautiful sights in the Southwest, including the renowned Horseshoe Bend.

Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir located on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona. The lake was created in the 1960s by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, which was built primarily for water storage and hydroelectric power generation. Continue reading →

Winslow AZ and Meteor Crater

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“Standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona” . Winslow achieved national fame in 1972 in the Eagles/Jackson Browne song “Take it Easy” which has this famous line in it. We walked down the Main Street and stopped at La Posada Hotel for lunch but the dining room was closed. The last Harvey House (La Posada Hotel) opened in 1930, and closed in 1957 and was used by the Santa Fe Railway for offices. The railroad abandoned La Posada in 1994 and it was to be torn down. It was bought and restored by Allan Affeldt and it serves as a hotel. La Posada Hotel, “the Resting Place” was considered the finest building in the Southwest. We ate lunch at the RelicRoad Brewing Company and sat on the sidewalk watching the tourists go by. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Toroweap Grand Canyon NP

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Sunrise from Toroweap Point

On October 3-5, 2020, we went on another great trip while staying in Kanab. A three day car-camping trip to Toroweap Overlook (also known as Tuweep Overlook or Toroweap Point), a viewpoint within the Grand Canyon National Park on the North Rim. The overlook is the only viewpoint in the National Park from where the Colorado River can be seen 3,000 feet vertically below the rim. We got a two night Backcountry Permit at the Tuweep Campground, the only campground at the North Rim’s most remote viewpoint. We drove the 61-mile 4WD road out to Toroweap Overlook, and got the best campsite at the Tuweep Campground. After setting up camp we drove 1 mile to the Toroweap Overlook, and it is truly THE most spectacular view in all the Grand Canyon, because the canyon is less than a mile wide. Toroweap Overlook at an elevation of 4,600 feet, is on a broad platform called an Esplanade, with the Colorado River clearly flowing 3,000 feet straight below. Continue reading →

Kaibab National Forest – North Rim Grand Canyon

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September is the perfect month to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon because the fall foliage is so colorful. Our first trip was the drive out to Sublime Point on a 4WD road. The drive begins a couple miles from the North Rim’s Grand Canyon Lodge, along a dirt road in the Kaibab National Forest. About 4 miles in we came to an impressive meadow, where bright-green ferns and deep-orange Ponderosas mark the passage and many young-quaking Aspens. At about 12 miles, we stopped at the first view we could see of the Grand Canyon. The next 4 miles we were in the woods and then it opens up with sheer drop-offs close in on both sides of the road, and Point Sublime at the end. Stunning, spectacular, sensational, and sublime are the words that come to mind on our first view from Point Sublime. We were sorry that we could not get camping permits here but we stayed and enjoyed lunch taking in the amazing sight of another of Mother Nature’s handiwork, the Grand Canyon in all its glory. We left Point Sublime and looked for a campsite in the Kaibab National Forest on the way to the Rainbow Rim Trail. Click on thumbnail to view images Continue reading →

November in the Desert

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While we were in Phoenix, AZ, for the month of November we took several side trips exploring the area. We drove scenic route 89 from Wickenburg to Prescott, along a beautiful winding road with great views of the mountains and valleys as we climbed higher in elevation. Prescott is at 5,367ft and it was much colder than Phoenix. We went shopping on Whiskey Row for warmer clothes. The main street was originally known for the establishment of many saloons, gambling parlors, opium dens, and houses of prostitution. The town-site of Prescott was officially founded in 1864, as the Territorial Capital of Arizona. Many of the old wooden buildings on Whiskey Row were destroyed in “The Great Fire” of July, 1900, and replaced with more permanent concrete, brick, and stone buildings which are still intact today and give the town a very old-western appeal. While  shopping we were told to visit the Superstition Meadery, founded in 2012. Needless to say neither of us had tried Mead before so we were ready to sample it. Their mission at the Meadery is “To Reintroduce the World’s Oldest Fermented Beverage to Mankind”, and we wanted to sample the range of craft beverages, many of which are the top rated in the world. Oak barrel aging is the secret to many of the products they make at Superstition Meadery. The flight of Mead and Cider we tasted was excellent and we even bought a bottle to go. We stayed the night at the historic Hassayampa Inn, opened in 1927, with on-site bar and restaurant and very stylish rooms. We went for dinner at the El Gato Azul, a friendly, quirky little restaurant in walking distance from the Inn. Continue reading →

’69 Mets 50th Reunion, Phoenix AZ

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On Monday, November 11th we checked into the Sonesta Suites Scottsdale situated in the heart of Scottsdale’s exclusive Gainey Ranch neighborhood for three nights.  It was the celebration of the ’69 Mets 50th Reunion, and 9 Engineers from the Metallurgical Department at UBC along with their wives arrived for Happy Hour on the patio greeted by our hosts Alex and Karen Currie and the reminiscing began. Then it was a short walk to dinner at the Famous 48 Restaurant. The Famous 48 Local Kitchen & Bar gives a nod to Arizona, the 48th state, and we all enjoyed the American classics and favorite Arizona dishes prepared with the highest quality and freshest ingredients in season. Continue reading →

Flagstaff, Arizona

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Arrived in Flagstaff, AZ and staying at the J and H RV Park just north of Flagstaff for a few days. Spent a fabulous day driving to the Grand Canyon East Entrance from Cameron along the Desert View Scenic Drive. The views along the way were beautiful and we stopped at several lookouts before arriving at the historic Watchtower. The Indian Watchtower at Desert View, is a 70-foot high stone building, and the four-story structure was completed in 1932. The tower was designed to resemble an Ancient  Pueblo Peoples watchtower. The main space is the Kiva Room in the base structure, and features a fireplace with a large picture window directly above where the chimney would ordinarily go. The tower is decorated by bold murals by Fred Kabotie. The small windows in the tower’s shaft let beams of light into the space as we climbed up the small staircase. The upper floors serve as an observation deck from which we can view the eastern portions of the Grand Canyon. The views were spectacular from this vantage point. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Lake Havasu

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Lake Havasu City was our destination for two last weeks in October, well known because of the famous London Bridge linking an island in the Colorado River with the main part of Lake Havasu City. We stayed at the Islander RV Resort on the island. We had a beautiful site looking out onto Lake Havasu. London Bridge was built in the 1830s and formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England. It was dismantled in 1967 and relocated to Arizona. Robert McCulloch purchased the bridge and he had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, established in 1964.  We played pickle ball every morning with a fun group of mostly Canadians. Went out on a boat for cocktail hour exploring Lake Havasu and walked the streets of Lake Havasu City. Continue reading →

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

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Canyon de Chelly-23

Spider Rock

We packed up all our camping gear in the back of the jeep and left to drive the 3 hours to Canyon De Chelly in Arizona and camp there one night. On the way we stopped at the Four Corners Monument in Arizona, which marks the quadripoint where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. The Navajo Nation maintains the monument as a tourist attraction, and it cost $10 to enter,  there is nothing to do there except wait in line to get your picture taken on all four states, or buy from the Navajo vendors set up around the monument. It wasn’t very busy so we were able to get in and out fairly quickly.  

We arrived at the small town of Chinle, AZ, and went to the Visitor Center first to find out where to go and what to see here. Canyon De Chelly National Monument, established in 1931,  includes two large canyons, Canyon de Chelly, (pronounced “d’shay”) to the south and Canyon Del Muerto to the north. Canyon de Chelly got its name from the Navajo word Tseyi, which means canyon or “in the rock.” Canyon Del Muerto, Spanish for “canyon of the dead,” was named when remains of mummies were discovered on an archeological expedition in the 1880s. Canyon de Chelly is entirely owned by the Navajo Tribal Trust of the Navajo Nation, and approximately 40 Navajo families live in the park. We decided to do the North Rim Drive first and walked to the overlook of the Antelope House Ruins. We were in awe  as we viewed the canyon from the overlook and its 1000 feet walls of red, black and orange. The Antelope House ruins were nestled on the canyon floor under an alcove. We used our binoculars to see the ruins up close. Continue reading →