Scottsdale, Sedona, Flagstaff and back to Chicago

 Thursday, November 28, 2024

 

Happy American Thanksgiving, everyone!!

 

Today is a holiday here in the USA and almost everything is closed up tight. There was no reason to rush to get anywhere this morning so we chose to have a very leisurely breakfast at our hotel. And how lucky we were to do that because that is how we met Holly, another guest at the hotel.

 

Holly lives in Scottsdale and has had a major flood in her home. She has been living at this hotel/resort for 6 weeks while her home has been being refurbished. We had a wonderful conversation and agreed to meet up again tomorrow to continue our chat. We will exchange addresses and phone numbers and hopefully have the opportunity to connect again. We have found that we share many of the same values and interests.

 

Today was a brilliantly sunny and warm day, perfect for touring in a place that is very quiet. Unlike the traffic yesterday, the streets were absolutely empty for most of the day today. Almost all stores and even restaurants were closed. So were galleries and museums.

 

We followed the walking tour of old Scottsdale by car. There were no issues about parking or turning around. Truly, the streets were deserted.

 

We saw the original two room schoolhouse (1909), the first post office (now a saloon); the old adobe Mission (1933); Cavalliere’s blacksmith shop (1910); the Sugar Bowl (an ice cream parlour which opened in 1958); ancient olive trees (1890) which were harvested to make oil; the original state bank (1921) which closed in the depression. It is now a saloon and the original vault holds the liquor. All of these buildings were closed today but driving through the old town certainly provided a sense of the history and character of the city.

 

Public art is a major attraction in Scottsdale. We saw art installations, mainly on the streets, that included a statue of oversized doors; pony express riders; bronze horse fountain; a cowboy on a bucking bronco; three wild horses; a desert garden; a statue of the word “LOVE” as a symbol of peace during the Vietnam war; One-eyed Jack (a legendary desert creature called a jackalope – 26 feet tall). It was easy to photograph each of these items because there was no traffic to deter us from stopping wherever we were.

 

We passed by many, many restaurants, art galleries and gift shops (all closed). What a delightful place! The good or bad news was that we were unable to make any purchases or do any browsing. That was disappointing.

 

Once we completed our tour of the old part of town, we headed along some major thoroughfares to locate the best photo opportunity to capture the icon of Scottsdale, the Camel Back Mountain. If you look at it from a distance, you can see the two humps on the camel as well as the head at the front. Quite a spectacular landmark for this city.

 

While wending our way toward the mountain, we found ourselves in some very wealthy neighborhoods. The homes were quite astounding, many different styles but all of them expensive, definitely out of our price range. Interesting, nonetheless.

 

Finally, we turned our minds to Thanksgiving. I think we were getting hungry. We had done an internet search of places in Scottsdale that were serving Thanksgiving meals today. There were several, ranging in price from $50 per person to $200 per person. Keep in mind these are US dollars so we need to add about 40% to convert to Cdn dollars. We finally made a tentative reservation at one of the restaurants. Technically, they were sold out. In fact all the restaurants said they were sold out.

 

As we meandered around the city, we came upon the restaurant Zuzu. It was our preferred location to eat but was also sold out. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Jim went inside to ask if there was any possibility of eating there today. The hostess surprisingly replied that if we were willing to eat right then, they had a table open. We jumped at the chance and were not disappointed.

 

Our meal began with a beverage – Jim had a Corona and I had a Manhattan (a new taste experience for me … yum). Our first course was a buffet of salads, seafood, charcuterie and breads. Second trips to the buffet were encouraged. Then came the main course, a choice of turkey, pork shank, steak, scallops or farro risotto with a grilled tofu steak. Jim chose scallops and I had turkey (it is Thanksgiving, after all). The meals were plentiful and delicious. Dessert was a choice of pumpkin pie, pecan pie or cranberry cheesecake. Jim had pumpkin pie and I had pecan pie. We asked for tea … and we were served iced tea. We had forgotten that hot tea is not a traditional beverage in the US. We chuckled and drank our tea.

 

We are back in our room now, making plans for our day tomorrow. Part of the day will be spent in Scottsdale followed by yet another road trip as we make our way to Sedona, just a couple of hours away. Thankfully, we do not have to worry about snow. It wlll still be a few days before we encounter the white stuff.

 

Friday, November 29, 2024

 

We arose this morning and packed our suitcases again We made our way to the dining area for breakfast and to spend some time with a woman we met only yesterday, Holly. Somehow we just clicked and our conversation covered multiple topics with a keen sense of connecting with one another. We had agreed to meet up again this morning to chat and to exchange emails and addresses. Once again, our conversation went deep and expansive. We are really hoping we can somehow remain in contact with one another.

 

Soon, it was time to bid farewell to Scottsdale and head up the road toward Sedona. It was about a 4 hour drive from Scottdale on a major highway. Right away, we noticed that the traffic was much heavier today and there were many more transport trucks on the road. We travelled through some very barren landscape, yet occasionally came upon some areas that looked like they could be good for grazing cattle.

 

There were mountains paralleling the highway, quite a distance from us. The landscape was rugged and rocky with very few crossroads into the areas on both sides of the highways. Very little evidence of people living there.

 

We made two brief stops along the way. The first was at a Frank Lloyd Wright home that was quite close to Scottsdale. The unique home has been reserved as a historic site and is open to the public. Alas, when we arrived in the late morning, we were disappointed to see a sign told us that all the tours for that day were fully booked. All we could do is view the land and building from the parking lot and then head on our way.

 

A couple of hours later, we visited another historic site – this one known as Arcosanti, conceived by the architect, Arcosanti, to be a self-sustaining city. Sadly, it really never developed and now houses a few people who are unique in their approach to life and striving to be self-sufficient. The site is literally in the middle of nowhere, far from any services or shops. What a challenging lifestyle, to say the least.

 

Soon after we left Arcosanti, we turned off the freeway onto a regular highway that would take us to Sedona. We passed through several villages, negotiated several round-abouts, admired the verdant valley that prospered from the vineyards and wine production. The mountains were never far away although they were not as high as previous ranges.

 

Just before we reached Sedona, we came upon Red Rock State Park, a beautiful combination of mountains and forest. Red rocks literally soared toward the sky, some rounded, some pinnacles, some huge monoliths. We could not stop taking pictures of these massive red rocks that contrasted with the blue sunny sky. Spectacular!! We turned off the main road and headed toward the park entrance. The kind man in the booth explained that really it was a biking and hiking park and the road only went a half a mile further. He suggested that we would better enjoy the road that encircled the park.

 

It was a stunning drive, not because of the shimmering red rock and the colourful wildflowers, but also because the road was speckled with mansions, each one a unique design and clearly out of our price range. Private property signs and locked gates told the story of the wealth of this community. One home, a very modern design, was perched on the edge of a cliff at the very top of the mountain. The only way to access the home was to use the elevator that had been installed several hundred feet below. It was very bizarre, amazing and yet beautiful all at the same time.

 

As we completed the circular drive and turned back onto the main road, we saw a sign that said, “Sedona City Limit”. We had arrived. It was easy to find our hotel and unload the car again.

 

As we had not eaten lunch, we decided to have a late afternoon dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hotel. The food was very good; the service was excellent. We returned to our room, satisfied with the events of the day and ready to relax for the evening in anticipation of a busy day tomorrow.

G’nite all.

 

Saturday, November 30, 2024

 

(Happy Birthday, Elizabeth)

 

Sedona is a remarkable city. Following a tasty breakfast in the hotel lobby and a short session in front of the large screen television (Univ of Michigan was playing their football rival, Ohio State University, the final game of the regular season). We did leave at the end of the first quarter with Ohio State leading 3 to 0.

 

We had arranged for a 2 hour jeep ride among the mountains surrounding Sedona. Our driver, Patrick, was a very knowledgeable fellow and provided a plethora of information about the land forms, vegetation, spiritual nature of Sedona, and other places to see before we leave this city.

 

First we headed toward the main part of the city. Although we were in an area that was congested with malls and restaurants, Patrick assured us that this was not the centre of town.  We then headed to a private airport on one of the many plateaus in the area. It was a perfect location to view the landforms and learn about their origin and composition.

 

All along our way, Patrick pointed out various landforms. The first surprise was that the highlands around Sedona were not considered mountains at all. This is because of the manner in which they were formed and the age of some of them (they were formed even before the dinosaurs were alive; thus, no fossils in the rock). Mesas, buttes, plateaus, and pinnacles, evident in every direction, were the more accurate names of the landforms. The colours of the rocks, mainly red, yellow and white, were caused by the plethora of sandstone in the area and the presence of iron and crystals in the rock. Some layers of rock erode faster than others leaving tall pillars.

 

The Colorado Plateau was formed by the Pacific plate moving under the North American plate causing the land to rise. Long prior to that occurrence, the entire Colorado Plateau was under water.

 

After we left the airport, we headed to Peace Park at the other end of the city. Peace Park is a spiritual destination for prayer, meditation, and the experience of peace in a sacred place. It was conceived and built for people of all faiths. A Buddhist organization constructed a stupa as a living presence of peace and love. Prayer flags of many colours hang from a wire and blow in the breeze. Prayer wheels have also been installed. A native American medicine wheel was also a feature in the park.

 

Our tour ended with a few recommendations about things to do during the rest of the day. Our first priority was to have some lunch. We chose a very highly regarded restaurant and relaxed over soup and salad and a tostada, a remarkable large and tasty sandwich. Jim could only eat half of it.

 

We then turned our car in the direction of the main part of town, down a long, long slope into a valley that house many restaurants, souvenirs shops and candy stores. It was so crowded that it was impossible to find parking. Clearly, a lot of people had the same idea about how to spend the afternoon.

 

We returned to our hotel room for a while, happy to be away from the madding crowd. Later in the afternoon, we headed back to the airport to view the sunset. It became apparent that others had received the same advice. We followed a long line of traffic up the road that led to the airport. Happily, Jim was able to take some wonderful photos from the car; we were often stopped at just the right places. When we got to the airport, we joined hundreds and hundreds of other people lining up at the edge of the mesa to get the best view of the changing colours of the rocks as the sun lowered in the sky.

 

Jim went to edge of the mesa while I looked for a parking space. A large lot with hundreds of spaces was almost full. $3.00 per entry … someone was making a lot of money because of the beauty of the sunset. Ultimately, not knowing exactly where to find Jim, I decided to remain in the car and watch the sunset from that vantage point. No matter where you were it was beautiful. Remarkably, when it was time to leave, Jim walked right in front of the car. We were able to easily exit the parking lot before the traffic was at its worst.

 

It was dark; we were tired; and a highly recommended Thai restaurant was located right beside our hotel. The service was wonderful and the food was delicious. Again, too much to eat in one sitting so both Jim and I have a lovely lunch to look forward to tomorrow.

 

Now it is time to relax and pack our bags. Tomorrow morning we are off the Flagstaff where we will catch the train back to Chicago. Our two week journey is almost at an end. And what a journey it has been.

 

Sunday, December 1, 2024

 

Thanksgiving is over and, according to the radio and television, we have officially entered the holiday season. Let’s get ready to celebrate!!

 

Today, we are leaving Sedona and heading to Flagstaff where we will catch the train to Chicago. It would usually be about a 2-3 hour drive but …. You know us!!

 

We started our day slowly, packing and repacking our suitcases. What a chore. Finally the car was loaded and we headed out onto the highway on our way north to Flagstaff. At first the scenery was spectacular … repeating some of the views we had had yesterday. Pinnacles of red reaching high into the sky; broad plateaus striped red and yellow with occasional white; deep gorges carved by running rivers, although it is the dry season so there was no water anywhere. After a long and winding journey, we began to climb. Twists and turns and views over valleys transformed the landscape. Soon, we were surrounded by pine forests, tall straight trunks towering over the road. When we finally reached the top of the mountain, the road was straight and flat. What a contrast to our experience in and around Sedona.

 

The two lane highway transformed into a freeway. Speed limit 75 although most vehicles were surpassing 80. Trucks could only travel at 65 and there were a LOT of trucks impeding the speed for others. Although signs warned of wildlife, specifically deer, we saw only a few dead skunks along the road.

 

We reached Flagstaff, population 100,000. Although Sedona’s population is only 35,000, Sedona seemed a lot busier and crowded than Flagstaff. Partly due to the Thanksgiving holiday and partly because tourism is such a huge part of the life and beauty of the area.

 

But, did we stop in Flagstaff. Of course not. About 35 miles north of Flagstaff is a site known as Meteor Crater. It is the largest crater in the world that has been formed from the impact of a meteor landing on our planet. Most craters that exist on Earth were created through volcanic activity. But this one is unique. An excellent tour and discovery centre has been developed for tourists who are interested but also for geologists and other scientists whose life work is the study of meteors and craters. Apparently there are several hundred meteors that enter the earth’s atmosphere every year. Most of them disintegrate prior to reaching the earth; many of them land in remote locations and may not even have been noticed. So, this crater is of particular interest both to scientists and also to NASA. Astronauts spend time in the crater as they prepare for trips to the moon and into space. The crater was awesome in size and history. The displays, tours and film were outstanding.

 

As we headed back to Flagstaff, we saw another sight that we would never have predicted. There was large mountain towering over the otherwise flat and barren landscape. It had two peaks, one totally covered with snow, the other with a dusting. We thought it would be warmer here and certainly did not expect snow. Of course, we had to stop for photos.

 

Finally, we got checked into our hotel. A large comfortable room awaited us. Once again we spent some time organizing luggage. Very early tomorrow morning we board the train to Chicago (5 am to be exact) Up at 3:45, leaving the hotel at 4:15 and with any luck the train will pull out of the station on time at 4:59am. (Amtrak trains have a reputation for being behind schedule. We will not be pleased if we have to wait for a late train in the middle of the night!)

 

Any sensible people would now have an early dinner and a quiet evening with an early bedtime. But, not us!! When we arrived at the hotel, we found a booklet outlining things to do in Flagstaff. One opportunity jumped off the page. A brand new Observatory had opened just two weeks ago and tonight there was a special program about stars, planets and stories associated with mythical constellations. It was an amazing experience!!

We saw the planet Saturn, complete with its rings, through a telescope. We explored multiple interactive displays about stars, planets, meteors and comets. And at every turn we learned something new.

We attended a story telling session under the stars about the legends of the various constellations and their constant and mythical battles. The storyteller was not only excellent at her craft; she was knowledgable about the sky and using a laser pointer identified the stars and constellations she was talking about. She also showed us Jupiter and Saturn, visible to the naked eye on this clear night.

Flagstaff is the first city to be internationally named as a Dark Sky place. This means that there are regulations about the use and placement of lights so that the visibility of the sky is not hampered by excessive use of white lights. One of the displays featured a map that showed where other Dark Sky areas have been developed.

And another map showed how light is visible around the world. No surprise that the east coast of North American and the west coast of the USA were two of the most prominent users of light. Europe and Northern India also stood out on the map.

 

We finally left the observatory to return our rental car to the airport and then get an Uber back to our hotel. We are finally in our room and about to call it a day. The night will  be short and a train ride awaits us tomorrow.

 

G’nite!!

 

Monday, December 2, 2024

 

As predicted, the day started early. We travelled by taxi to the nearby train station and waited with a gathering crowd until about 5:30 am when the late arriving train came into the station. It was interesting watching the other passengers arrive, just as tired as we were. Some had very little luggage. Some had more than us (and that is saying something). Some slept on the hard benches while they waited. Others prowled the very small station, impatiently wishing the train would arrive. There was one family with mom and dad, SIX children and four grandparents. The children ranged in age from about 1 year to 12 years of age. They each had a backpack, a blanket and a brilliant white pillow to carry onto the train. There were additional bags with the children’s name’s on them. They were amazingly calm and quiet as they waited the train. Finally, the train arrived at the station and in the pitch dark, we all got on board and headed for our assigned seats. When Jim and I arrived at our cabin, we were thrilled with the location (adjacent to the dining cabin and the observation car). Not too far to walk. And we were also very happy that the beds were made for sleeping. It did not take us long to settle in for another sleep.

 

We woke in time for breakfast and then headed to the observation car for good views of the landscape and towns as we travelled along the tracks. We took photos and read through the morning. We travelled through rugged, rocky territory, as colourful as the rocks in Sedona had been. We crossed occasional rivers and passed through a number of small towns. In general, the landscape on today’s itinerary was generally barren and not very useful for agriculture.

 

All in all it was a pleasant day and we chatted with several fellow travellers. I believe we were the only Canadians on the train and there was great interest in what had attracted us to take the train across the country. Very few people we talked with had ever been to Canada. Some asked surprising questions like, “Is Quebec in Canada?” or “Are there trains in Canada?” or “How close is Niagara Falls to the mountains?” Thankfully, we managed to answer all their questions kindly and demonstrated a broader knowledge of the US than they had of Canada. And no one talked politics in any way.

 

We passed through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. At midnight we were in Kansas and it was time to go to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

 

Happy Birthday to our son, Iain.

 

When we woke up this morning we were still in Kansas and continued eastward through Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

 

The land today was clearly agricultural in most places. Herds of cattle grazed in the fields; the fields of harvested crops sat dormant, awaiting spring. There was still plenty of rocky land and high hills, some with stripes of red and yellow.

 

Again, we enjoyed the meals provided in the dining car and spent most of the morning sitting in the observation car. It was quieter there this morning with little conversation among the passengers.

 

In the early afternoon, we crossed the Mississippi River, the boundary between Missouri and Iowa. It was broad, of course, and flowing quickly. Since the skies were overcast today, the river looked somewhat grey and cold. We passed through many small towns and Indian reservations. We stopped in some towns and people got both off and on the train. The conductor announced when we would pause long enough for a ‘fresh air break’ (interpret smoke break) and warned those who stepped down from the train that there would be three warnings when it was time to get back on … the first would be “All Aboard!; the second was the train whistle blowing and the third was the conductor placing the step stool back onto the train and closing the door. There were stories told about people who had not returned in time and had to spend hundreds of dollars for a taxi to the next stop. Fortunately, we did not hear of any such stories on our train.

 

At last, we reached Illinois. Although there were several miles of tracks ahead of us, there was a rustle in the crowd as people packed up their belongings, had an early lunch and waited impatiently for the train to pull into Chicago. We arrived about 3:15. The train emptied out quickly. The redcaps were there to provide rides for those who needed that assistance. We were transported to collect our checked bags and then on to the platform where we would catch a commuter train to a station near our hotel. What a great service!!

 

We arrived at the station closest to our hotel and took an Uber the rest of the way. We are now settled into our room, planning to order in dinner and pack for the final time. Our flight to Toronto leaves at 9:30 am so we will be home in Waterloo in the early afternoon. We are looking forward to being home. We are not looking forward to the snow.

 

Thanks for travelling with us. Until next, I am signing off!!