High Country Road Trip

The four of us set out on a dramatic high country drive today with two destinations in mind - Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (at Payson) and Winslow (Standing' on the Corner in Winslow AZ" from the Eagles song, Take it Easy.)

Locally it was overcast and cool and as we drove NE, the sky cleared but it was even cooler at elevation. Throughout our trip we rose to 7450 ft, reached temps at freezing in early evening and saw roadside snow in high areas.

Our picnic site at Tonto Bridge

Tonto Natural Bridge

Tonto Natural Bridge is a  natural arch that is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. Tonto Natural Bridge stands over a 400-foot-long (120 m) tunnel that measures 150 feet (46 m) at its widest point and reaches a height of 183 feet (56 m).

  Canyon wall rock formation

On the trail down to look at the bridge 

at the level of the Pine River that runs through the bridge.

Snow still remains in the forests at the highest elevation. 

Our route was mostly through unpopulated pine forests -

  except for Payson and Winslow

Tourists!

Winslow has created a perfect photo op for visitors - 

including the "flatbed Ford" of the lyrics

Robin & Carole at La Posada entry gardens

From the La Posada website:

 "La Posada embodies the visions of both Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, the hotel’s renowned architect, and Allan Affeldt, its current owner. But the story really begins with Fred Harvey, who “civilized the west” by introducing linen, silverware, china, crystal, and impeccable service to railroad travel. (He was so legendary that MGM made a movie called The Harvey Girls starring Judy Garland.) Harvey developed and ran all the hotels and restaurants of the Santa Fe Railway, eventually controlling a hospitality empire that spanned the continent.

In the 1920s, Harvey decided to build a major hotel in the center of northern Arizona. “La Posada”—the Resting Place—was to be the finest in the Southwest. Construction costs alone exceeded $1 million in 1929. Total budget with grounds and furnishings was rumored at $2 million (about $40 million in today’s dollars). They chose Winslow, then (as now) the Arizona headquarters for the Santa Fe Railway. Winslow was ideally situated for a resort hotel since everything to see and do in northern Arizona is a comfortable day’s drive."

Hallway to guest suites at La Posada

Turquoise Dining Room

(they serve a creative menu of regional cuisine)

Hiking in the Superstition Mtns

Usery Mtns framed by two needle-type rocks on our hike today

Got 'Er Done!

Today we rode the Bush Hwy / Usery Pass Loop starting in Apache Junction.

That achievement is only of interest to us and those who know the area. It involves a fairly long distance for us these days (57 km/~35 mi) and some good climbing. We have been planning this challenge all season!

The weather was ideal - calm, and a comfortable riding temperature (mid to hi 60s/~20 F). As sections of this route that used to be a challenge have recently been repaved with a smooth surface and wide shoulders/bike lanes, it was a lovely trip.

Agri-Country Bluegrass Festival

                     

We all drove to Casa Grande (sw of Apache Junction) to meet up with Bill's former workmate Ron in his winter home. Then our group wandered off to the bluegrass event. It was a typical music fest - two stages for continuous entertainment with lots of midway food (no fruit or veggies) and beer to walk around with (this is the US!). 

The men checked out the train display and the women enjoyed the quilts. Robin and Carole took in the pig races! We were all fascinated by the display of desert creatures (snakes, spiders, turtles and a 20 yr old (young) desert tortoise which had 2 ft diameter shell).

It was definitely a "greyhair" crowd. That might explain the following:

Seen at the bluegrass festival

This comic strip Pickles is about an older couple that is finding out 

retirement life isn't all it's cracked up to be....

Hiking with Robin

Took RL's brother Robin out to see the Salt River Horses

 Looking from the hill, we spotted the horses below us in the Salt River

The trail took us to a different part of the river from our Tuesday outing

Local Eye Candy

20 ft metal Kachina* sculpture by Merrill Orr

donated to Apache Junction in 2018

* A kachina is a spirit being in the religious beliefs of the Pueblo people, native American cultures located in the southwestern part of the United States. In the Pueblo culture, kachina rituals are practiced by the Hopi (NE Arizona), Zuni, Hopi-Tewa and certain Keresan tribes. The kachina concept has three different aspects: the supernatural being, the kachina dancers (masked members of the community who represent kachinas at religious ceremonies), and kachina dolls, small dolls carved in the likeness of kachinas given as gifts to children

Learn More? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachina#cite_note-2

 

Wall art on TPG Tax & Accounting building in Apache Junction

Arizona Historic Vehicle* Plate 

The dramatic metallic copper colour of these plates is a nod to Arizona's Five Cs: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Climate. In the early years of the state, the five C's served an important role in the economy, with many jobs in agriculture, ranching, and mining.

*Historic motor vehicles are defined as any ride with a model date of original manufacture that is 25 years old or older, as well as a vehicle outlined in a list of historic cars compiled by a recognized institution. 

Salt River Wild Horses in Tonto National Forest

Starting with a great suggestion for a hike from our Calgary neighbour & friend, Lou Lou, and a little guidance from our local neighbour Spencer, we set out on this calm, sunny but crisp (50F/10C) morning to find the wild horses.

After parking we walked through an Acacia forest down to the Salt River.

Our next move was to go high as we had not yet spotted the wild horses.

It wasn't long before we could spot them at a distance out on the flood plain. But our best sighting was close to the entry road as we drove out!

Lou Lou on the trail

Us with an impressive Saguaro

Isn't the wild scenery just breathtaking?!

About the Wild Horses

"The hundreds of horses that live within the Tonto National Forest and roam along the banks of the Salt River are technically feral, as they’re the descendants of horses the Spanish re-introduced to North America during their conquests of the New World. However, as with most of the feral horses in the United States, they’re referred to as “wild.”

According to state records, the Salt River herd has been roaming the land freely since before the Tonto National Forest was designated in 1902. But though they’d been living on the land for at least a century, the horses’ fates were uncertain in the early 21st century. In 2015, the United States Forest Service issued a notice declaring the herd as “unauthorized livestock” and announced a plan to capture, remove, and auction off any unclaimed horses.

The apparent end of the Salt River horses spurred local advocates into action. The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group was formed and successfully reached an agreement with the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Now, the nonprofit group manages the horses and attempts to control the population by darting the animals with a birth control."

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/salt-river-wild-horses

Busy Times Ahead

We are into a busy time with friends and family in the area.

Rose Lynn's brother and sister-in-law arrive Weds for a week and our daughter and family on Feb 9th, also for a week. We have friends in the area too so will be having a variety of adventures. Hope the weather stays dry (and warm too...)!

Trolley Times

Our "trolley" is very useful to us!

Recycling

Groceries

Going to Jam

Laundry

And many more uses at home and on the road.

Interestingly, we offered a spare trolley to our son Tyson & Veronica when they moved to downtown Toronto and sold their car; they said "Trolleys are for old people" !!!

😉

How Green is Our Desert!

Out on our hike this morning we saw even more evidence of how green the desert is with the recent rainfall - grass is thriving, making for a lawn-like appearance, on the rocky desert floor.

Cormorant Formation

Morning sight on Tempe Lake

It's almost as if  there had been morning roll call
and each Cormorant took up position on their own individual buoy!

Note the one white Egret interloper near the wall.

💧💧💧Just Singin' in the Rain💧💧💧

At four o'clock on Tuesdays we join the chorus for about two hours of singing. After watching the sky darken to black out the west windows of our practice room, the rain started about 5:30 just as we were working on the classic "Singin in the Rain"! Talk about mood weather!

It didn't rain long or hard in our area and by the time we left it had stopped.

One bonus of the cool and wet weather we have been experiencing is that, when only faces and hands are exposed, our use of sunscreen has been seriously reduced! 😉

Barrett-Jackson Adventure

Barrett-Jackson is an American auction company in Scottsdale AZ that specializes in the auction of classic cars and antique cars. The company runs collector events in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Florida, 

Uncasville, Connecticut and Las Vegas Nevada

Bill posing with a modified Mustang at the Continental Tire booth

Bill and neighbour Mike had a full day at the auction and came home exhilarated by their first Barrett-Jackson experience. The highlight of the day was a "drift drive" ride-along at the outdoor Dodge exhibit. They watched some of the vehicles being auctioned, found lots of cars to love and picked up a large bag of swag including caps and t-shirts.

Elevation Profile of a Frequent Ride

We rode this route again today - it's a steady climb up, 

a flying cruise down the hill

 and an easy pedal back to Apache Junction!

                                                                                           

                                                                                         2113 ft

                                                                                                Usery Pass

                                                                                          Summit

 

1519 ft  
Apache Junction
Rock Shadows

~18.5 km / 11.5 mi~
one way

This ride takes us about 2 hrs return

YUM! Thank You Joy!

Saskatoon berry tarts

Our neighbour Joy made these tarts for Bill. We gave her some Alberta saskatoons and wild blueberries, she added a few raspberries, and this is what she created - heavenly little bites!

Bill Presents at the Rock Shadows Computer Club

This morning, at Computer Club, Bill demonstrated the technology he uses when he makes music. From finding music and lyrics for songs to perform, converting them to his preferred key and preparing them for the tablet he uses when performing (he rarely uses paper) he does it all electronically. While performing, technology allows the lines of lyrics and chords to move at the same speed that he is playing, all handsfree. He still has to play the guitar!

He ended his presentation with a two song performance.

This same technology is also very useful when playing in a jam situation as music can easily be resourced to join other players or to share instantly with other musicians who use computers.

Arts-Filled Weekend

Friday AM we picked up Dennis & Sheryle in Mesa and drove to the Chandler Centre for the Arts for an art quilt exhibit:

"Art Quilts XXIII: 

Artistic Ecologies

Now in its twenty-third year, the Art Quilts exhibition at the Chandler Center for the Arts has grown from a regional quilt show to a respected vehicle for contemporary works. The exhibition draws entries from around the United States and Canada and allows thousands of visitors each year to experience quilting as an art form. This year’s juror is ASU Assistant Professor Erika Lynne Hanson, and the theme she has chosen is Locating Ecologies. Starting with the definition of ecology as the interrelationship between any system and its environment, quilts in this exhibition will be inspired by the theme formally, conceptually, and narratively."

We found the exhibit was interesting but not stunning! Our lunch down the street was more satisfying....

Friday eve we joined a bunch of local folks for a Bernie & Red concert at a local RV park. Canadians, born in Liverpool, this married couple presented an amusing and entertaining musical act.

Saturday evening we once again met up with Dennis and Sheryle to attend the classic musical, "Music Man",  at the Herberger Theater in downtown Phoenix. We were all totally thrilled with the performance, somehow making us feel better about the long drive home in the rain!

                           

Selfie silliness!

Sunday afternoon we decided to spend another rainy day, indoors, watching "Green Book". So glad we didn't miss seeing this fabulous film!

Bundled up to Bicycle

After resorting to walking for exercise during this extended cold spell, we finally became either desperate or crazy and took our bikes today!

It was calm, sunny and surprisingly pleasant at 50F/10C. 👍

To think we rode in Calgary one time in January when the temp was at freezing on a dry, sunny, calm day and lived to tell the story makes today's event seem an underachievement! On that day, ice crystals formed in our water bottles so we decided we should stick to skiing as a winter pursuit....

Unbelievable!

At 10 am, local temperatures are shockingly irregular!

Calgary   47F / 8C

Apache Junction   37F / 3C

Snow on the Superstitions

Low Temperature Rain = Snow @ Elevation?!

Imagine our surprise to see snow on the peaks of the Superstition Mountains as we left the Park for a hike after the sun came out on New Year's morning. What were we thinking? that we were in the sunny south?! there's no snow here....

We decided to take a hike from "Needle View" trailhead just east of here. Even though the temps were still in the low 40sF/~5C, the sky was clearing and the wind was calm. So, we had a great walk on the desert looking to spy a central Arizona landmark, Weaver's Needle*. While you can catch glimpses of this rock from many locations, today's hike brought the closest view we have ever had and the tip was covered with snow.

Cellphone photo at a distance

(Rose Lynn left the camera at home😒)

It seems that lots of people were taking a drive to see this novelty; there was a solid line of outbound traffic as we returned to town. They would be rewarded as there were lots of snowy scenes to be photographed.

*Weaver's Needle, named for Army scout and mountain man Pauline Weaver, is one of the all-time landmarks of central Arizona. It was even cited by legendary Lost Dutchman Jacob Waltz as one of the locator marks for his (yet to be rediscovered) gold mine. It can be seen for miles and miles, rising over the mountains just east of Phoenix.
The peak is the remnant of a huge stack of fused volcanic ash that eroded to form the pinnacle. The summit elevation is 4,555 feet (1,388 m). 

Happy 2019 from Arizona!

Notice all the sunny, dry imagery in this cartoon?

We're thinking the "Better Days Ahead" may refer

 to the Phoenix weather forecast for the next week!

Yesterday these late morning clouds produced more 

than the predicted few showers...

we had hours of afternoon & evening rain.

On the inside looking out...but we actually did venture out later

 to the New Year's Eve party at the Rock Shadows Hall!

Happy New Year to all our Readers!