Tuesday:
To airport and home. I’m glad we didn’t get an upgrade as there was a noisy kid in first class.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
South Once More
Monday:
In order to give Beth some time to try and recover we had a late start and decide to head south to Phoenix. We thought if we came down the 4000 feet off the plateau it might help her breathing. We decide to head for north Phoenix. We got stuck in traffic jam for two hours as a result of a bad crash. We were given over 40 miles warning of the problem (enough to stop for food and drink) – but paved roads are so few and far between out here that there was no real alternative route. We got to our hotel early afternoon – it seemed very new. We had a good size room with free broadband Internet. We were a bit concerned when we went out for the afternoon and saw a bus full of teenagers unloading. However, they were not too bad. There was only a small amount of noise and door slamming during the evening. Perhaps they were well behaved as they were from a Baptist church in Oklahoma. That afternoon we set off to find Cave Creek to go gold panning. We failed to do so – and as Beth was still unwell we returned to the hotel – via Safeway – where we bough microwave meals to eat in our room.
In order to give Beth some time to try and recover we had a late start and decide to head south to Phoenix. We thought if we came down the 4000 feet off the plateau it might help her breathing. We decide to head for north Phoenix. We got stuck in traffic jam for two hours as a result of a bad crash. We were given over 40 miles warning of the problem (enough to stop for food and drink) – but paved roads are so few and far between out here that there was no real alternative route. We got to our hotel early afternoon – it seemed very new. We had a good size room with free broadband Internet. We were a bit concerned when we went out for the afternoon and saw a bus full of teenagers unloading. However, they were not too bad. There was only a small amount of noise and door slamming during the evening. Perhaps they were well behaved as they were from a Baptist church in Oklahoma. That afternoon we set off to find Cave Creek to go gold panning. We failed to do so – and as Beth was still unwell we returned to the hotel – via Safeway – where we bough microwave meals to eat in our room.
Beth Unwell
Sunday:
Beth had developed a cough and was not feeling at all well. Nevertheless we went to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We made use of modern technology and had a cell phone conversation with Mum and Dad in England from the visitor center car park. It is is a fascinating place. There is very interesting, contrasting geology quite close together. From plain to mesa to badlands to the petrified forest itself. After the National Park we attempted to go to Meteor Crater but decided $12 each was too much so we didn’t go in. We carried on to Flagstaff and found a nice hotel. I visited the local Wal-Mart to get Beth some cough and throat medicine.
Beth had developed a cough and was not feeling at all well. Nevertheless we went to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We made use of modern technology and had a cell phone conversation with Mum and Dad in England from the visitor center car park. It is is a fascinating place. There is very interesting, contrasting geology quite close together. From plain to mesa to badlands to the petrified forest itself. After the National Park we attempted to go to Meteor Crater but decided $12 each was too much so we didn’t go in. We carried on to Flagstaff and found a nice hotel. I visited the local Wal-Mart to get Beth some cough and throat medicine.
Saturday
Saturday:
It was raining in the morning and we decided to drive north through the mountains to the high “Colorado Plateau” and the Painted Desert. We managed to get lost in Tucson but the in car Satellite Navigation managed to get us going in the right direction. We drove through Oracle, Mammoth, Dudleyville which look quite sad and depressed, but the worst was a place called Winkleman where the center of town was dominated by what looked like a lead mine’s spoil heap. From there we entered the Tonto National Forest and drove through Globe (from what we saw Globe looked like it was being rebuilt). Next we went into the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations – not that we saw too many Apaches.
Beth doesn’t like the “uppy downy bits” of the mountains. This trip had so far had some ups and downs – mostly ‘ups”. The contrast in the vegetation is quite marked. As you get higher the cactus gives way to scrub and this gives way to pine forest. For a “desert” Arizona is remarkably green. However, this high forest comes to a sudden halt at the Salt River Canyon. We were not expecting this at all. The first worry for Beth was the warning signs about testing brakes and the pull ins to allow trucks and busses to do so. Then we descended 2000 feet in five miles and climbed the same on the other side. It was really quite a remarkable place – very spectacular. Though Beth had her eyes closed for most of the trip down and up the other side.
We carried on North through Show Low, Taylor and Snowflake to Holbrook where we got a room for the night. Once more there were contrasts – Show Low seemed prosperous and expanding whilst the other places seemed poor and depressed. Real Estate brochures from the gas station in Show Low showed that there were quite a few expensive houses around – and some apparently good deals (an A frame house on 40 acres for $80,000). Holbrook where stayed had some decent looking new hotels next to the interstate and some seedy looking older ones in the old town center. There was a poor area near our hotel full of mobile homes and “singlewides” – it seemed to be populated by Mexican and Indians – it looked like a shanty town. We went to the local pizza hut for dinner and were shown to a booth with ripped seat covers. We asked for another and were shown one with fewer rips in the seats.
It was raining in the morning and we decided to drive north through the mountains to the high “Colorado Plateau” and the Painted Desert. We managed to get lost in Tucson but the in car Satellite Navigation managed to get us going in the right direction. We drove through Oracle, Mammoth, Dudleyville which look quite sad and depressed, but the worst was a place called Winkleman where the center of town was dominated by what looked like a lead mine’s spoil heap. From there we entered the Tonto National Forest and drove through Globe (from what we saw Globe looked like it was being rebuilt). Next we went into the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations – not that we saw too many Apaches.
Beth doesn’t like the “uppy downy bits” of the mountains. This trip had so far had some ups and downs – mostly ‘ups”. The contrast in the vegetation is quite marked. As you get higher the cactus gives way to scrub and this gives way to pine forest. For a “desert” Arizona is remarkably green. However, this high forest comes to a sudden halt at the Salt River Canyon. We were not expecting this at all. The first worry for Beth was the warning signs about testing brakes and the pull ins to allow trucks and busses to do so. Then we descended 2000 feet in five miles and climbed the same on the other side. It was really quite a remarkable place – very spectacular. Though Beth had her eyes closed for most of the trip down and up the other side.
We carried on North through Show Low, Taylor and Snowflake to Holbrook where we got a room for the night. Once more there were contrasts – Show Low seemed prosperous and expanding whilst the other places seemed poor and depressed. Real Estate brochures from the gas station in Show Low showed that there were quite a few expensive houses around – and some apparently good deals (an A frame house on 40 acres for $80,000). Holbrook where stayed had some decent looking new hotels next to the interstate and some seedy looking older ones in the old town center. There was a poor area near our hotel full of mobile homes and “singlewides” – it seemed to be populated by Mexican and Indians – it looked like a shanty town. We went to the local pizza hut for dinner and were shown to a booth with ripped seat covers. We asked for another and were shown one with fewer rips in the seats.
Day 3
Friday:
We drove south until we nearly got to Mexico in a town called Nogales – which seemed very depressed and depressing – a stark contrast to Green Valley just 35 miles to the north. From there we drove eastwards through the “Patagonia Mountains”. We passed through small towns called Patagonia, Sonoita, Huachuca City and Sierra Vista. This last one was again entirely new – with house building going on all over. The others looked a bit depressed and tatty. From there we went to Bisbee in search of an old mine that is open to tourists. We didn’t find that mine but we did spot a very large hole in the ground! The city itself is built on a hillside and has many old buildings still standing – more old buildings in one place than I have ever seen anywhere in the USA. It is was the closest to a “wild west” town that we saw. Talking of “wild west” our next stop was Tombstone and Boot Hill cemetery. We didn’t stop here either. It seemed to be more like a theme park than a historic site – Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and the gunfight at the OK Corral (re-enacted several times a day).
We then moved on to a small town in the middle of nowhere called “Benson”. We got a hotel and then drove back towards Tucson to visit Colossal Cave. Which was a cave – but far from colossal. The guide was a short fat German with long gray hair and a beard and such a strong accent that we couldn’t tell what he was saying most of the time. There was a surreal moment when he talked about the perfect acoustics on one chamber in the cave. He asked if anyone wanted to sign and when no one did he produced a ghetto blaster and played Amazing Grace for us. This cave has a “Bottomless Pit” (don’t they all?). I suggested to Beth that the woman in front had a pitiless bottom.
We returned to Benson and sought out their best restaurant and had an indifferent steak.
We drove south until we nearly got to Mexico in a town called Nogales – which seemed very depressed and depressing – a stark contrast to Green Valley just 35 miles to the north. From there we drove eastwards through the “Patagonia Mountains”. We passed through small towns called Patagonia, Sonoita, Huachuca City and Sierra Vista. This last one was again entirely new – with house building going on all over. The others looked a bit depressed and tatty. From there we went to Bisbee in search of an old mine that is open to tourists. We didn’t find that mine but we did spot a very large hole in the ground! The city itself is built on a hillside and has many old buildings still standing – more old buildings in one place than I have ever seen anywhere in the USA. It is was the closest to a “wild west” town that we saw. Talking of “wild west” our next stop was Tombstone and Boot Hill cemetery. We didn’t stop here either. It seemed to be more like a theme park than a historic site – Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and the gunfight at the OK Corral (re-enacted several times a day).
We then moved on to a small town in the middle of nowhere called “Benson”. We got a hotel and then drove back towards Tucson to visit Colossal Cave. Which was a cave – but far from colossal. The guide was a short fat German with long gray hair and a beard and such a strong accent that we couldn’t tell what he was saying most of the time. There was a surreal moment when he talked about the perfect acoustics on one chamber in the cave. He asked if anyone wanted to sign and when no one did he produced a ghetto blaster and played Amazing Grace for us. This cave has a “Bottomless Pit” (don’t they all?). I suggested to Beth that the woman in front had a pitiless bottom.
We returned to Benson and sought out their best restaurant and had an indifferent steak.
Arizona Vacation 2
Thursday:
South to Casa Grande National Monument. An old adobe Indian settlement – remarkably well preserved for its age (c1350). Mind you the mud seems to dry like concrete. We drove from Casa Grande along the Final Pioneer Parkway through the desert (which seemed remarkably green in the springtime) southeast towards Tucson. Far more Saguaro Cacti about (this part looks more like Arizona is supposed to look!). We stopped at Biosphere 2 but decided not to pay $20 each to get in. Tucson seems like most other places in the USA with lots of new houses being built and lots of shops. Being in Arizona there are a lot of retirement communities being built as well. We didn’t stop in Tucson but pressed on to the Mission San Xavier del Bac, which is on a small Indian Reservation south of Tucson. The church is a miniature, faded version of a European cathedral - however Beth summed up the artwork as showing “more enthusiasm than talent”. There were little stands around the car park where the Indians were selling tatty bits of jewelry.
We continued south and stopped at a place called “Green Valley” for the night. Retirement communities and new neighborhoods all over. All of it seems completely new. We had a much cheaper and quieter hotel and much more sleep! But on the skyline were huge long rock walls and tips of massive open cast mines. I imagine there were many large holes in the ground around here and the locals all work in copper mines.
South to Casa Grande National Monument. An old adobe Indian settlement – remarkably well preserved for its age (c1350). Mind you the mud seems to dry like concrete. We drove from Casa Grande along the Final Pioneer Parkway through the desert (which seemed remarkably green in the springtime) southeast towards Tucson. Far more Saguaro Cacti about (this part looks more like Arizona is supposed to look!). We stopped at Biosphere 2 but decided not to pay $20 each to get in. Tucson seems like most other places in the USA with lots of new houses being built and lots of shops. Being in Arizona there are a lot of retirement communities being built as well. We didn’t stop in Tucson but pressed on to the Mission San Xavier del Bac, which is on a small Indian Reservation south of Tucson. The church is a miniature, faded version of a European cathedral - however Beth summed up the artwork as showing “more enthusiasm than talent”. There were little stands around the car park where the Indians were selling tatty bits of jewelry.
We continued south and stopped at a place called “Green Valley” for the night. Retirement communities and new neighborhoods all over. All of it seems completely new. We had a much cheaper and quieter hotel and much more sleep! But on the skyline were huge long rock walls and tips of massive open cast mines. I imagine there were many large holes in the ground around here and the locals all work in copper mines.
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