July vacation (day 4)

The last day of vacation before I have to head back to the searing heat :( I made it worthwhile as I visited 2 area National Monuments. I have now seen all three that exist here near Flagstaff. The first part was spent at Sunset Crater, which erupted about 1046 AD, displacing many Indian tribes farther to the north. Amazing to see what Mother Nature can do when she gets angry! Just as amazing was how light the lava cinders were - mostly air so lacking the weight that their ominous looks provide.

After that I continued around the loop for 22 miles to the Wupatki National Monument, along the way spying some amazing views of the Painted Desert in the far distance. A number of ruins exist from different pueblos well in the past, with the Wupatki pueblo being the centerpiece not only now but in Native American past, as it was a regional centerpiece of life and commerce. Very interesting info, especially how the Park Service used it's influence and force to drive people from their homes of generations because it was not 'in the people's best interest'. Sad to ruin people's life & livelihood simply for greed and to create a park.

As with all the previous days, look to the link at the bottom right for the full photos albums.

July vacation (day 3 )

Today was the day the dog and I headed out to get our kicks on Route 66! The tour started here in Flagstaff and ended at Topock (@ the Colorado River).

It took us 6 1/2 hours from one end to the other, but was really cool to see this amount of history and nostalgia.


Amazing how many people I ran into were from other countries, still wanting to catch a glimpse of the Mother Road and her history!

July vacation (day 2)

Well, a great adventure on my first trip (finally) to the Grand Canyon. I took the Grand Canyon Railway to check that out - it was neat, but not quite as cool as I thought it would be. A great thing if you are with friends, or family, but not solo - plus the strict time frame left me wanting to see a couple of more things, but had to be back to catch the train.


Otherwise, though, the canyon is SPECTACULAR !!!!!! Words really cannot describe it, and I heard from other folks that what you see from the rim does not do justice compared to the view from the bottom - perhaps someday.

Per usual, the rest of the pics are at 'my photo albums'

July vacation (day 1)

Well, it is off the high country for this year's summer vacation, specifically Flagstaff as a base camp and then off to explore what No. Arizona has to offer. I arrived Sunday afternoon, checked in and took Coco for a nice, cool walk (70s), then spent a few hours listening to some live music at a local haunt.

Today, it was off to explore Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument. An easy drive 12 mi. east of Flagstaff, and some spectacular views and Native American history. The dwellings in the side of the cliffs were a sight to behold, and the canyon itself reminds me why I love Arizona so much. Then it was back to town to relax and have lunch. Coco and I were relaxing on the patio of a local brewpub, when an afternoon monsoon storm rolled in and made us hightail it under cover. But it sure does cool the afternoon off nicely, and now is just perfect for sitting outside.

For full photos, see the picture link on this page (bottom right)