Circumnavigating Silly Mountain



Today was cooler than usual so this morning we set out for a hike on Silly Mountain, a short drive east of here. There is a network of trails and our path today took us around, over and through the site administered by the Superstition Area Land Trust.

We'll let the photos tell the story, but we bet you're curious as to why the place is called "Silly Mountain"? Firstly, it's not really a mountain but large piles of rocks just south of the Superstition Mountains, the defining landmark in this area. It seems that the name only "happened" in the 80s when a county employee/resident on an un-named road lying west of the rock piles jokingly offered to name the road Silly Mountain Rd. Guess the rock piles then became Silly Mountain?

Smooth trail and saguaros growing on southwest side

Superstitions in the background

Bill standing in a grove of especially large Cholla cactus

Most of the trail was fairly rough as shown here

A couple of sillies on Silly Mountain

Christmas Light Display at the Mesa Mormon Temple Gardens

In the evening we met up for a meal and an enchanting night-time stroll through the lights with our son-in-law's parents, Ron & Elise, who have a place in N Phoenix. Apart from the thrill of a city block covered in lights... the Visitor Center contained a large exhibit of nacimientos (nativity displays) from around the world.

Aerial View of the Light Display*

Temple reflected in the Courtyard Pool*

Small Nativity*

* borrowed photos 

We’re Not in Texas Anymore...

Humidity* (or lack of it!)

Average Yearly Humidity

Brownsville 76%

Calgary 57%

Phoenix 37%

*We particularly notice the dryness here when there is no dew on the ground or the truck in the mornings, there's been no fog and the towels are very crispy after drying on the line! It even feels kinda cool when temperatures drop to the low 60sF/mid teens C in the evening !!!!!

Humidity Comfort Levels

dry                 <55

comfortable   <60

humid            <65

muggy           <70

oppressive    <75

miserable      >75

We’re Not in Texas Anymore...

We are no longer

 "Winter Texans"

We are now

"Snowbirds"

Double Dipping on Turkey

Our second Thanksgiving* of the season was spent with about 200 of our closest 😉 friends in the Rec Hall here at Rock Shadows. We were divided into tables of 16 arranged in a U shape; diners were seated along the uprights of the U with the food spread out on the joining table. We had all signed up for different parts of the meal; Jeannie & her husband did a very fine job of the turkey (provided by the park)/stuffing/gravy!

Of course,  two of the vegetables on hand were the traditionally classic "green bean casserole" and ""marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes"...neither are our favourite!

Earlier in the day we tried to earn our meal on a bike ride. We left early while it was cool and did the uphill portion; it was all downhill back to the Park as the day reached well into the 80sF/30+C by midday.

* Some of our table guests asked about how Canadians set their Thanksgiving in October?

It seems both countries have celebrated Thanksgiving of some sort since early time, but here is how we ended up with the current dates:

Canadian Thanksgiving first moved to the second Monday of October in 1908, after railways lobbied to turn it into a long weekend that could be used to visit family — by train, naturally — and that day change later became permanent. In 1957, a law was passed so that the holiday didn’t have to be re-proclaimed on the second Monday of October each year.

After a history of varying dates in various states, American Thanksgiving was moved to the third Thursday of November in 1939; President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday a week earlier in the month in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. However, in 1941 a bill was passed officially setting Thanksgiving in the US to the fourth Thursday in November.

Cycling In Usery Mountain Regional Park

Hooked up with Gary & Luci, cycling friends from our recreational Calgary bike club EVCC (Elbow Valley Cycle Club). We're happy they're close to us here at a Park down the road and can "show us the ropes" about cycling in the area! Here we are riding a desert trail, something very different for us. Great start!

Silhouette of the Superstition Mountains in the background

Bill, Luci & Gary

Beautiful Sunset from our Patio

        We’re Not in Texas Anymore...

  State/Provincial Sales Tax

Alberta 5%

Brownsville TX 8.25%*

Arizona 5.6%

*apparently the state rate in TX is 6.25% but local authorities may add to that

Back on the Bikes!

After a couple of days getting settled we were thrilled to get out for a ride today. We took the bikes to Gilbert, an area west of here that will be familiar to Donna, Drew & Cheryl as we have ridden there with them before.

It was a warm sunny day with calm winds and we lunched at a BBQ place - it was all good. OH... maybe it was not all good as we rode into a unpaved portion of the route that looked like it had been sprayed to keep the dust down; unfortunately it had been wet to the point of mud and, by the time we realized it, we could not stop without getting the cleats on our shoes full of mud if we stepped down. Now our newly cleaned/tuned bikes are coated with red mud!

Of course, it was warm day as this area has been experiencing "excessive" and "unseasonable" temperatures this month; overnight has been around 60F/mid teensC and daytime highs at 85+F/~30C.

Note to Readers: Some have commented that the new font is challenging to read. This is the common size we have been using but in both regular and bold format - any thoughts on the two?

We’re Not in Texas Anymore...

   Two Dramatic State Flags

      

 Arizona                        Texas

One Beautiful Provincial Flag

Alberta

One Crazy Drive Yesterday

From 6000ft elevation in Holbrook AZ to about 1100 ft in Phoenix area

Through barren high desert, miles of pine/juniper forests into rocky scrub and saguaro cactus habitat

Good roads built in a carnival rollercoaster format

Say No More!

Settling in for the Winter

We chose to winter at Rock Shadows RV Resort in Apache Junction, a small town just east of Mesa (Phoenix). So far we are happy with our situation with a nice lot tucked in a corner with several other Canadians. They have made us very welcome as have any of the Park staff we have dealt with so far.

There are lots of activities of interest – the music jam is Saturday afternoon and this evening Bill is singing on the patio, creating quite a bit of interest from the neighbours and passersby. Last night a few hours after arriving we were at a Euchre game! You’ll hear more of our choices as time goes along.

Meanwhile, we’re exploring the area services and will check out the local bike store tomorrow to get a Bike Map and start riding. Yeah!

WOW!

We spent the day in 

Petrified Forest National Park

(and entrance was free today!)

Our first stop was the Rainbow Forest Museum where we saw acres of desert strewn with petrified logs just like this one. We got talking to a Park volunteer in the Museum and he was so knowledgeable, challenging us with facts and thoughts that made us realize that this area was not just another badlands like Drumheller near our home in southern Alberta....even though the terrain seemed somewhat similar.

Petrified wood was created long before dinosaurs roamed the earth. This area was tropical and as trees died or were knocked down by wind or water, they were carried downstream and buried in layers of sediment. The logs soaked up the groundwater and silica from volcanic ash and over time crystallized into quartz. Different minerals created the rainbow of colours as seen in this log.

Our volunteer explained that the petrified logs break into chunks in a similar way that a  glass rod would break when dropped. Here we see how the fractured bits might eventually move through the landscape.

Inspiration for "desert" colours?

Jawdropping panoramas everywhere we looked

Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

This building, which started in its life around 1920 as a tourist attraction known as Stone Tree House, was built of petrified wood and native stone. Over the years it has experienced many changes and owners. Severe structural damage, an unstable building site and outdated building materials (asbestos) and the changing ownership all contributed to multiple re-developments, so it bears little resemblance to the original.

Just when permits to raze the building had been issued in 1975, a public campaign got the building placed on the national Register of Historic Places in 1976, and it became an Historic Landmark in 1987. So much history has been preserved here including some fine Fred Kabotie Hopi murals commissioned by Mary Colter* and the Fred Harvey Company* when they owned and operated the Painted Desert Inn from the 1940s -60s.

*Mary Colter/ Fred Harvey Company of La Posada in Winslow

WOW!

Finally Have Good Internet....and proxy errors on our original blog!

Several of our blog readers have been unable to access our Tripod blog due to proxy errors so we have switched to the Google product, "Blogger". Here goes!


Saturday Nov 11

Standing on a Corner in Winslow AZ

Standin' on the Corner Park (opened in 1999 in Winslow, Arizona) is a public park, commemorating the song "Take it Easy" which was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, and, most famously, recorded by the Eagles. The song includes the verse "Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me." Bill is under the sign at right and the Ford is across the street.

La Posada Inn

We had a fabulous lunch in the Turquoise Room of this famous 1930s Route 66 hotel. It was designed by Mary Colter for the Santa Fe Railroad and Fred Harvey Company (of Harvey girls fame).

An Afternoon at Homolovi State Park

This site along the Little Colorado River also later became an ill-fated settlement of Utah Mormons hoping to expand their territory.

We enjoyed a walk through the vandalised (for artifacts) ruins, seeing reconstructed portions and collected pottery shards and rejoicing in the sunny warm weather

Friday, Nov.10

Williams, AZ on the old Route 66

We changed from PST to MST and gained over 4000 feet of elevation travelling from Lake Mead on Hwy 93, picking up I 40 at Kingman on our way to Williams, 6766 ft elevation. 

Williams is the access point to the Grand Canyon and we camped at the Grand Canyon Railway campground by the tracks. Apart from lots of BNSF through train traffic, they are already running their Polar Express Christmas event and the whole town is decked out in lights, trees, decorations and music. A little early, we think!

 It was a fun, busy place where we were happy to finally clean the road slop off our rig. Small mercies!

Weds & Thurs Nov 8-9

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (Hoover Dam)

We came here specifically to re-ride the River Mountains Loop Trail, a 34 mi/55 km adventure. This time we rode counterclockwise starting from the Lake Mead south entrance #22 and riding to the right on the graph. It was an excellent day, cool and calm at our 7:30 am start heading north, finishing with south winds as came around the top end with still more climbing to go!

Here's a Smile

Another camper pointed out these specific instructions about not paying for your campsite with food stamps or casino tokens!

Mon &Tues Nov 6 -7

Valley of Fire State Park 

Northeast of Las Vegas, this Park drew us back for its dramatic red rock scenery. We'll probably  be tired of "seeing red" after a winter in the southwest, but for now it's new again!

We had two warm days to enjoy a hill climb cycle ride and a few hikes through the canyons.

Whew, think that catches us up!!!!

Sunday Cycling in Snow Canyon State Park

Decorative traffic circle on Snow Canyon Parkway, riding towards the Park

 

View looking south from our lunch stop 

 

Tourists in Town

 

 

We spent the sunny, warm and calm morning exploring the art-filled, well landscaped Historic District of St George; St George, settled by the Mormon community and incorporated in 1862, currently has a population of about 80,000. Lunch followed in a sunny corner of the Painted Pony (thanks for the tip Joan & Barrie!)

Spent the afternoon walking the Anasazi Ridge in the Land Hill Petroglyph Site in the Santa Clara River Reserve. In the photos you'll see the Santa Clara River in the valley behind one visitor's sense of humour and sharp eyes in creating the alligator rock art! It was a great day to be out in the wild.

We were hilariously entertained during this evening's final performance of "Noises Off". The play takes it name from a theatrical stage direction indicating that sounds are coming from offstage. 

7:30 AM MDT

 

Ogden UT 14C*

 

Calgary AB -14C**

 

 

After a run from north to south Utah on I15, on dry roads with constant headwinds, we are in St.George tonight. There be palm trees here!!!!! 

 

* 57F

** 7F 

Much Better Day

Dry roads, minor headwinds and warming weather made for a good driving day. Temperatures went from just below freezing to mid 60s F/mid teens C so we were overdressed when we arrived in Ogden UT for the night!

Haven't Beat the "Weather" Yet!

 

This morning in Milk River Alberta at 8 am

 

It wasn't our best day on the road - but we did stay on the road.....! The rain that began to fall as we came off the road yesterday turned to snow overnight. That wasn't too disconcerting as the roads were mostly dry in the morning.

We had the friendliest border agent ever as we crossed and we were through in a minute. That was about the best part of the day as temperatures stayed below freezing, road conditions changed often between hopeful and hellish due to snow and rain.

 

At one point there were many semis stopped on the side of the road chaining up. Bill put the truck in 4-wheel drive and we crept through the slush-covered mountain passes. Further south, when conditions dried and warmed, Rose Lynn took the last shift of the drive and we were relieved to notice that the ice accumulated during the day was beginning to drip off as temperatures rose. Still had to knock slush clumps off the steps before we could enter the trailer and push out the slide!

 

This afternoon in Dillon Montana at 4:40 pm

 

 

You might wonder why we even kept on driving? Well, it's like this; several times we were very tempted to turn back/check into a hotel but the timing and logistics such as why drive back through that slop/there's no hotel in this town/weather and road conditions would improve encouraging us to continue played into the minute to minute decision making.

 

It's over, we're safe, warm and dry....

and tomorrow is another day!