Wild times in Western Arizona

Finally, Marty and I got to enjoy some sun in the morning before the Wild crew showed up to meet the Pa cousins. These folks sure do know how to have a Wild time, befitting of their surname.  The house was filled with babies:  six month twins, Indigo and Marley and nine month old Mackenzie, three little girls who surely have melted their grandparents' hearts, that's for sure.  Cousins came wandering in throughout the day, but not before we managed to check out some of the Glendale highlights, including a local candy store where one can actually see the employees hard at work dipping the chocolate.
The day was surely a sweet one in more ways than one.
It's a darn good thing that we managed to soak up some of the sun's rays because the news from home tells me that we will be heading back to a cold winter wonderland tomorrow evening.

Memories for a lifetime

Let me begin by saying that I do appreciate the concern voiced from my friends regarding my possible encounter with the netherworld last evening.  I will embarrassingly admit that I awoke every hour to look at the clock and tuck my head back under the covers and was relieved to have made it through the night without incident.  Marty, of course, had quite a bit of fun with the whole adventure, and you can witness his antics for yourself here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrcrazy/5461163989/in/set-72157626091359986/

The morning brought bright sunshine and we headed off to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum on the way to Phoenix.  We were lucky to be able to walk the main path which offered sensational views as well as some interesting birds who entertained us on our journey around the park.  We hopped in the car and headed to Scottsdale just as the rain began to torrent upon us once again.

We pulled into Scottsdale just as the blue skies began to appear as the clouds finally rolled out of town.  Here we spent some time with my cousin, Tina, and her husband David. Neither of us has met the "husbands" as our last encounter must have been nearly 36 years ago.  We had a great time catching up and sharing fun stories, wondering how the years had slipped by so quickly.

But we soon said our fond farewells, and Marty and I found ourselves basking in the sun as we headed off to the home of my high school "best friend" Tammy, who, as you can see from the photo, looks as wonderful as ever.  The hours flew by way too fast as we caught up on memories, enjoyed a delightful meal,  and shared so many laughs......just like old times.  It's funny how the years can go by with so little contact, but in a brief time together, we just reconnect as if we'd seen each other just yesterday.  How wonderful it was to rekindle the bond from time gone by.  It was certainly the perfect ending to our on the road adventure in Arizona.  We came to escape the cold, and although the weather did not accommodate us on that request, the warmth that we felt from the welcomes that we received certainly made up for any lapses from Mother Nature.

Tomorrow is sure to guarantee warmer temperatures and lots of action as we spend the day at the Wild Homestead in Glendale. I'll keep you posted.

Traveling Backwards in Globe

Pictured above is Marty and myself aboard the Copper Spike Railroad Dome Car leaving from Globe, Arizona. Just for the record, it is certainly well worth staying in this old mining town since it offers easy access to roads offering unbelievable views of canyons and Tonto National Forest, but let's face it, when the sun goes down, there really isn't much to do in Globe.  I had stumbled upon the website for this train excursion and decided that it would be fun and so I reserved the tickets, and we were certainly not disappointed.  We came to Arizona to escape the cold and found ourselves in the pouring rain with temps hovering around 50 degrees, so this train escape certainly was timed perfectly for the day.
Since the restaurant choices in Globe are pretty bleak, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to enjoy lunch while admiring the scenery from the windows.  We still managed to have a great time despite the raindrops on the windows and the haze from the rain.  The cabin is very plush, the staff was exceptionally friendly, and the music was from the 40's era, which seemed to be appropriate as we found ourselves in the presence of many "snowbirds" who flock to Arizona when the cold weather hits in other parts of the country.  It took two hours to make the trip over a mere 24 miles total round trip.
Upon our return we need only to walk across the street to the Holy Angels Catholic Church built in 1918 for Mass. Afterwards, since lunch was quite substantial, we decided to just munch on some snacks from the local grocery store in our room and relax.
Marty began asking me some questions about the B&B school where we are staying, and I did a quick search on google to find the history.  Big mistake!  I was soon delving into articles featuring paranormal activity in the very room where we are staying.  Although I must say that we made it through last night without incident, Marty has spent the evening finding all kinds of creepy u-tube videos and sightings regarding this place, so I can't predict what tonight will bring.  Going back in time on the train was definitely a pleasant experience, but sleeping in a supposedly haunted schoolroom is something that I think I can do without.  I suppose that I'll just have to leave you guess until you hear from me tomorrow.  Hopefully.......
In the meantime, be sure to check out the flickr pages from today's adventures. The rainbow over the Salt River Canyon was certainly a lucky shot.

Arizona and an Apache Trail Adventure

Our day began with a trip to the Botanical Gardens in Phoenix.  As we walked to the entrance, Marty was amazed at the beautiful cacti sparkling a shiny green, until I informed him that they were glass.  Chihuly glass, to be exact.  Not the first of his works that I've seen, and I'm sure that it won't be the last.  The shiny, pointy structures were indeed, quite beautiful, but paled in comparison to the amazing Sonoran Desert scenes that we would wander through in the Gardens.
After touring the gardens, we drove off to Apache Junction, a turn onto Highway 88, and we soon found ourself on the Apache Trail.  The vistas along the road were amazing. We weren't on the road long when we spotted flashing lights, and it was obvious that someone had taken the curve a bit too fast and had rolled off the side into some cactus.  Two people were crawling out of the open top of the sports car, and they were fortunate that they had not rolled off where there had been a very steep drop off, and that the car had come to a stop fairly close to the highway.  The scene was just what I needed to assure that Marty took this drive seriously and kept his eyes on the road.
We stopped for lunch at Tortilla Flat and there must have been a retirement special since the place was loaded with seniors.  But, lucky for us, they traveled in small groups, and since we were a couple, we were seated right away.  The restaurant was interesting, with dollar bills pasted all over the ceiling and walls.  There is definitely a lot of money invested in that place!  The saddle seats at the bar and the boar with the sunglasses hanging on the wall only added to the ambiance of the place.  We couldn't pass on a prickly pear cactus ice cream cone before heading off to the real challenge of the trail.
A few miles past Tortilla Flat, the road turned from pavement to dirt and the rest of the trail  was certainly a challenge with hair pin turns and several one lane bridges, not to mention the fact that some of the road was  not wide enough for two cars to pass.  All in all, we handled the drive well, but I was certainly happy to reach pavement once again.  It took a couple of hours to drive 20 miles and I found myself rejoicing everytime we passed another mile marker on the way.
The drive from the Roosevelt Dam to Globe was through the Tonto National Forest.  The vistas there were equally remarkable, with rolling hills of green cacti on either side of the highway.  Fortunately, I had printed up driving directions since our GPS unit was thoroughly confused.  and we managed to arrive safely at our destination in Globe. We are staying in an old school house, built in the early 1900's,  that was converted to a B&B. Let's just say that we are "learning" a lot about the area! Be sure to check out the flickr photos.