Kristin & Richard's Excellent Adventure (2012)

Bill & Ted had their excellent adventure in 1989; we had ours in 2012. After reading an article in the Arizona Republic (October 2011) with a list of 100 must-see things in Arizona,  I created my own list of 100 things to see and/or do in Arizona (see the list here) as a way to commemorate Arizona's centennial year in 2012. At the time I didn't think we would actually see ALL 100 things but it was something to shoot for and I would have considered seeing 56 (my age in 2012) a complete success. When we completed the 56th thing in May, I thought we might have a shot at finishing the list.

Most of the things on the list Richard and I did together, some we did with adventurous friends who were willing to drive out of the way to see something that might be great or might be bogus, and a few I did by myself. Of the 100 things we saw/did, only five got a "Thumbs Down" and two were "Sideways Thumbs" which means that 93% of them were "Thumbs Up" most excellent adventures!

For those keeping score, we traveled 11,365.6 miles by car on freeways, two lane highways, city streets, national park roads, Indian reservation roads, paved roads, "graded roads," and dirt roads. We were not surprised that the air filter on our car needed to be replaced when we were done! I completely wore out (as in it was torn on the folds and falling apart) THREE Arizona road maps from AAA- and yes, I'm old-fashioned and use a paper road map, not an app on my phone or a navigation system.

We visited all three national parks in Arizona, four bridges, nine historic homes, seven museums, seven DDD (Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) restaurants, and four historic hotels/motels. We rode on a ski lift, a hot air balloon, a glider, a train, a hummer that went rock climbing and Richard rode in a NASCAR race car. Are you seeing the adventure? Excellent!!

We tried to come up with a single favorite... and could not. We liked 93 things for different reasons. But just as Bill & Ted had to choose a few people throughout all of history to study and appreciate, we finally each chose five things. We made our lists independently and compared them after we were done. Not surprisingly, three of the five were the same for both of us. In no particular order, here they are:

Roy Purcell Murals in Chloride (#4) - Richard thought it was interesting to see how people put their own marks on things. Both ancient peoples and Roy Purcell in 1966 and graffiti artists or vandals (depending on your point of view) told a story on the huge boulders. I liked that a closet artist with a day job as a miner got his big break in art with these murals. The hike is pretty and the view from the top is beautiful.

Antelope Canyon (#18) - As Richard said, most people have seen a lot of photographs of Antelope Canyon (or other slot canyons) but you have to really experience them to appreciate their full beauty. Slot canyons are completely unlike any other canyon and well worth the trip to see one. Antelope Canyon is the one everyone talks about; it is crowded and we felt herded through like cattle. There are lots of other ones - we liked Secret Canyon (although it was not on my list).

Canyon de Chelly (#40) - Canyon de Chelly is not as enormous as the Grand Canyon or as popular as Antelope Canyon but it is most definitely one of Arizona's most bodacious treasures. Having a Navajo guide that shared stories about growing up in the canyon, how he learned to climb the canyon wall to get out and then seeing the cliff dwellings gave us a different perspective than you can get from viewing it topside.

While I wasn't shocked that we had several items in common, I also wasn't taken aback that we had a couple of different ones. Richard also liked:

Balloon Ride Over Arizona (#13) - This was something we both had wanted to do for a long time but Richard thought the height might be an issue. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that the height did not bother him at all and the views from "up there" as you float along are most excellent! We saw a magnificent sunset, had a great landing followed by champagne and finger food. 

Wigwam Motel (#90) - The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook is right on Route 66 and was at one time the place to stay. For Richard, it was a nostalgic glimpse back in time when families made road trips together and stayed in small motels, not large resorts with every imaginable amenity. After all, it isn't every day you get to sleep in a concrete wigwam! An added bonus were the old classic cars hanging out in the parking lot that resembled characters from the movie Cars. And double bonus that Disney Pixar modeled the Cozy Cones Motel in Radiator Springs after the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook.

That just leaves the two other things on my list:

Wings Over Wilcox (#19) - I never, ever thought I'd be one of those people to get up before the crack of dawn to watch a bunch of birds. But WOW! Watching and hearing thousands of Sandhill Cranes (which are quite large) wake up and take flight in search of breakfast was most impressive. The sunrise was beauteous and the tour was well-done.

La Posada (#71) - Located in Winslow, La Posada is a beautiful resort but also so much more. It is rich in history, the stories of the people who have made it what it is are inspiring and the secret garden is heaven on earth. I hope to frequent it again... and again!

In the course of traveling over 11,000 miles, most of them together, we learned a few things that might be helpful as you plan and execute your excellent adventure. 

1. People do really stupid things. Do not be shocked; keep your cell phone handy so you can dial 911 quickly if need be. (This will be a blog post for another day.)
2. ALWAYS take snacks and water - even when you think you won't need them. This tip would have saved us a considerable amount of money as concessioners always charge waaaay more than is necessary.
3. Paper cups do NOT last forever. Throw them away before they leak liquid into your cupholders. 
4. Be sure to bring a roll of paper towels... to clean up said mess in #3.
5. Highway 89 in Arizona runs all over the state, sometimes parallel to itself. Don't bother trying to figure it out, just go with the flow, dude!
6. Excellent adventures are habit-forming. You may be quite sad when it ends.
7. You will encounter a prodigious number of people - TALK TO THEM! We learned a lot by talking to other tourists, shop-owners, restaurant servers and tour guides - everyone has something to share. 
8. SMILE! Remember you are ambassadors of your state - be helpful & polite.
9. Try the local cuisine. You can eat at chain places anywhere but this may be your only chance to have authentic Indian fry bread the way the Navajo eat it - with salt, not powdered sugar!
10. Be excellent to each other. Party on, dudes! (Okay, that was Ted & Bill's advice but it's still valid!)

As I left the 100th place (Tovrea Castle, which I toured by myself due to scheduling conflicts), I was sad. There was nothing left on my list to see. And then I realized that it was because "this has been a most excellent adventure!" And now it's time for a different one.

63/100 revisited ... a shrine in the desert

We originally visited "the shrine in the desert" (#63) near Yuma in March of 2012 as one of the things on my "100 Things in Arizona" list. I loved the story of a man building a small chapel in the middle of his lettuce fields as a living memorial to his wife who had passed away. Unfortunately, a storm had destroyed the tiny chapel and all that was left was the cement entryway and a few bushes- you can read that post here. Loren Pratt, the man who originally built the chapel, had said he planned to rebuild so we stopped by again on our way back from California in early January to see what progress he made. Wow! Were we surprised!

It was late afternoon when we arrived so we didn't expect it to be open but on a whim I tried the door knob and the door opened. Keep in mind, there was no one else in sight. Mr. Pratt or his son open it every morning about sunrise and lock it up at sunset. 

About a dozen people could sit in the pews and there is standing room for maybe a half dozen more. 

The chapel is open for anyone to go in; some come to pray or meditate, others just to see it. Nondenominational church services are held on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve. It is warm and inviting - truly an oasis in the desert.

The guest book was fun to look through. Visitors from all over the United States and Canada as well as Europe and Asia have stopped by. I wondered how they heard about it.

We were delighted to see that the little chapel had been rebuilt. And I love the love story that surrounds it. While I had to give it a "Neither Up nor Down Thumb" last time since it wasn't there, it definitely gets a THUMB UP!!! this time!

16/100... a castle in the desert

If you have been in the Phoenix area any length of time, you have probably passed by the "cake building"while traveling on Loop 202  through the Papago Park area and wondered what it was. Tovrea (pronounced TOV ree) Castle at Carraro Heights (#16 on my "100 Things in Arizona" list) is the three-tiered, cream-colored building that looks out of place despite sitting on a hill surrounded by saguaro cactus. Mystery and intrigue have been its constant companions for over 80 years.

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, usually shortened to Tovrea Castle, is located on Van Buren near 51st Street in Phoenix.

The vision for Tovrea Castle began way back in 1928 when Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro sold his very successful sheet metal business in San Francisco and moved to Phoenix to get in on the building boom, specifically the resort boom. He purchased 277 acres for $68, 000 just east of downtown Phoenix planning to build a resort atop one of the hills with a housing subdivision known as Carraro Heights below. Alessio and his son, Leo, began building the central piece of the plan, the hotel.

Although Alessio hired an architect to draw up a plan for the hotel, he often changed it to bring in more Italian architectural features, a reminder of his roots. The lighted parapet walls on each of the three stories give it its cake-like appearance. Although the hotel had neither heating nor cooling, the property was strung with 10,000 feet of wire to power the 1000 lights.

Lighting aside, Alessio was "green" before it was popular and repurposed/recycled quite a few items for his hotel. The exquisite maple floors came from a Phoenix building that was being demolished at the time Alessio was building his hotel. They have now been restored to their original beauty and we were required to wear shoe coverings (booties) while we toured the main floor.

The Phoenix National Bank was doing some remodeling about that same time. Their vault became Alessio's wine cellar in the basement and the mahogany teller windows were made into the kitchen cabinets.

In addition to recycling materials, Alessio also used workers and artisans while they were here working on other projects. Italian artisans were brought over to work on the Orpheum Theatre so Alessio met with them and then hired them to work on several projects in his hotel as a side job.

The plastered walls as well as the now-famous medallion of the dancer in red over the fireplace in the living room were such projects. If she looks familiar, it might be because the same Italian artisans who made this medallion also made the one on the Orpheum Theatre. The ornate stenciling on the walls is seen throughout the castle.

The basement ceiling is most unusual and something I've never seen before - pulled plaster. The meringue-like peaks were created by the Italian plaster artisans, a technique that was apparently popular in Italy at the time. Alessio's son, Leo, who was then a teenager, decided to have some fun and made little bird's nests in a few of the "valleys" by adding small, round plaster "eggs" (photo on right). 

Russian immigrant M. Moktachev, known as Motka to his friends, approached Alessio with a proposal to build a cactus garden around the hotel. Motka was a world-traveler with many contacts and acquired desert-type plants from Australia, South America, the Sahara Desert, Mexico as well as from California, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. He planted more than 500 species of cactus carefully labeled with both their common name and Latin name. He designed the garden with paths for guests to stroll, small patios with benches and two concrete-lined ponds. Leo and his friends gathered river rock from the Salt River (which actually flowed back then!) at the south end of the property and painted them white to line the trails. 

The garden is still being renovated but several of the original name tags remain as well as the white river rock. Many of the original plants did not survive. The master plan is to return plantings and garden features to the original 1928-1932 layout as envisioned and designed by Alessio and Mokta.

The hotel was finally finished in 1930, 14 months after construction began. That Christmas Leo decorated the hotel by dipping hundreds of light bulbs in red, blue and green paint and stringing them around the hotel. Then he strapped a lighted Christmas tree to the flagpole on top of the dome and entered the Phoenix Spirit of Christmas outdoor decorating contest sponsored by the Arizona Republican newspaper. The hotel won and after the newspaper described it as "a brilliantly lighted castle," it was forever more known as a "castle."

The hotel opened in the midst of the Great Depression. Luxury vacations became a thing of the past. Alessio's wife was still living in San Francisco and refused to move to Phoenix and  live in a "snake-infested wasteland." Almost as soon as it opened, unproven rumors began flying about it being a casino linked in some way to Al Capone. And in 1932, Alessio Carraro sold the hotel and 44 acres to an "unknown buyer" for $21,500. 

Who was this "unknown buyer" and why did he buy the hotel? Rewind 13 years when Edward Ambrose (EA) Tovrea founded the Arizona Packing Company in 1919. He later changed the name to Tovrea Packing Company and ran the business with his son, Phil. His meat processing and packing plant was located at what is now 48th Street and Washington, not far from Alessio's property. EA and Phil were hard-working, well-respected business men and their company prospered - in fact, in the 1940's it was considered one of the most modern and well-run meat processing and packing plants in the world.

As the Tovreas watched the hotel being built and then opened, EA's wife, Della, had to have the castle on the hill. Although it wasn't as nice as their house which had every modern convenience including heating and cooling, it would be the highest house in the area with a great view. EA offered to buy it but Alessio declined wanting to see his vision for a resort and housing subdivision realized.

A parcel of land separated Alessio's hotel from EA's meat packing plant and both men wanted it. Eventually the owner of the parcel sold the land to EA and he built sheep and cattle pens to house the animals before they were slaughtered. No one knows if it was the smell of manure on a warm afternoon or the economy or rumors or family strife that finally prompted Alessio to sell to an "unknown buyer" who turned out to be none other than EA Tovrea buying it in his wife's name. 

They immediately changed the name to Tovrea Castle and moved in. Unfortunately, EA died within a year leaving Della to live there alone. She remarried in 1936 and they split their time between Prescott and the castle. After her second husband died, she moved back into Tovrea Castle where she lived with her English Mastiff guard dogs and 136 peacocks - yeah, she was a little eccentric.

After Della's death in 1968, Tovrea Castle remained part of the estate and was mostly vacant until it was purchased by the City of Phoenix in 1993. Through a collaborative effort between the Phoenix Historic Preservation Office and Phoenix Parks and Rec, an extensive restoration project costing more the $18 million was recently completed and in March 2012, the castle was opened to the public for the first time since 1932. The name of the castle was legally changed to Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, honoring both men. Grandchildren of both Alessio Carraro and EA Tovrea participated in the restoration and several remain active in the volunteer organization that runs the tours. 

Thumb Up or Down: Up!!

Miles Round Trip: 33.4 miles

Miles To Date: 11,365.6 miles

Percent of List Completed: 100%!!!!!!!!!!

Date of This Trip: December 15, 2012

28 & 21/100 ... timeless treasures

Arizona is "The Grand Canyon State" - it's on our license plates, our commemorative state quarter and on countless tourist souvenirs. However, it is a well-known fact belief that less than half of native or near-native Arizonans have actually been to the Grand Canyon despite it being at most only a seven hour drive from any point in the state. I find this sad because it is truly awe-inspiring; it is NOT just a hole in the ground.

I have been to the canyon (both the north rim and the south rim) a half a dozen times or so and always find something new to see and explore and leave with a greater appreciation for why it is one of the "Seven Natural Wonders of the World." As I made my list of "100 Things in Arizona" I included two places at the Grand Canyon that I had not yet explored: El Tovar Hotel (#28) and Shoshone Point (#21) - both of which made the original list printed in the Arizona Republic in October, 2011.

On this trip, we spent two nights at the Grand Canyon and stayed at the El Tovar Hotel which is located about 40 feet from the south rim of the canyon. We arrived late afternoon, a spectacular time to view the canyon.

The air grew chillier as the sun began its descent to the horizon. 

In fact, sunset during any season is one of my favorite times to quietly gaze at the ever-changing canvas of colors. I soak in the serenity and contemplate life as I behold the vastness of the canyon.

"There's a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they're absolutely free. Don't miss so many of them."

 ~ JoWalton (author)

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the Creator."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

"They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy."

~ Psalm 65:8  (NASB)

As night settled over the canyon, sparkly stars began to peak out. By about 8:00 we needed a flashlight to maneuver along the walkways. It can be a bit annoying, especially if you forget your flashlight - of course, that's when cell phones, even those without great reception, come in handy!! But when we stopped and looked up, the star-filled sky was absolutely breath-taking!

"He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name."

~ Psalm 147:4  (NIV)

After feasts for both our eyes (sunset at the canyon) and our stomachs (a scrumptious dinner in the El Tovar restaurant), it was time to check out the El Tovar Hotel (#28). At the turn of the 20th century the Santa Fe Railroad finally reached the Grand Canyon and brought thousands of visitors each year. Construction was immediately begun on a first-class hotel to accommodate these wealthy travelers. El Tovar Hotel opened in January, 1905 and was run by the Fred Harvey Company, the same company that operated the LaPosada Resort in Winslow (see that blog post here). You may remember that Fred Harvey was a visionary who saw the need for quality lodging for travelers heading west. He worked with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in opening his "Harvey Houses" at major stops along the way giving travel-weary guests a comfortable place to stay. It was quite logical that his company would run El Tovar Hotel and they did until 1968 when the Amfac Corporation acquired the company. In 2002, Amfac changed their name to Xanterra Parks and Resorts. Ownership may have changed but Harvey's legacy continues as Amfac/Xanterra retained his standards and vision.

El Tovar Hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey and was a style that would eventually evolve into National Park Service Rustic architecture that would be used at most other national parks. Originally the hotel had 103 guest rooms and 21 guest bathrooms but was later remodeled and currently has 78 guest rooms, each with a private bathroom.

The tradition of using Spanish names for Harvey hotels was continued with this new hotel. García López de Cárdenas is credited with the first European discovery of the Grand Canyon but Fred Harvey had already used his name for one of his hotels in Trinidad, Colorado (Cardenas Hotel). However, Pedro de Tobar (or de Tovar) had reported rumors of a large river in the area inspiring Cárdenas' expedition and subsequent "discovery" of the canyon - so his name was used and El Tovar was born.

Our guest room was quite comfortable with a quaint mixture of traditional furnishings and modern conveniences (a coffee maker, for example). Not surprisingly, all of the artwork depicted aspects of the canyon.

There is nothing like watching sunrise at the Grand Canyon! It is a much quieter, much less crowded experience than sunset. And much colder! We were on the rim picking our spot and setting up the tripod about 20 minutes before sunrise. The real-feel temperature was 20 degrees. I was most thankful for the hot coffee the hotel provides for its guests.

A wisp of cloud settled in the canyon just as the sun was peaking over the horizon.

About ten minutes later the canyon walls were starting to light up. The Earth's shadow (blue band - Earth casts its shadow on the atmosphere) and the Belt of Venus (pink band - and has nothing to do with the planet. It's the Earth's upper atmosphere being illuminated by the rising sun) beautifully extend the vastness of the canyon.

And about ten minutes after that, the light show on the canyon walls began. Watching the sun rise always fills me with a sense of wonder and awe. It reminds my of my finiteness and of God's infiniteness. 

We rode the tram to view points along the rim, did a couple of short hikes and just generally basked in the beauty and grandeur of the Grand Canyon. Things we have done on other trips to the canyon - and well-worth doing again and again. On our last day, we ventured to a new spot, Shoshone Point (#21), that was described as "remote" and "quiet."

We drove to the "parking area," a wide spot on a dirt road off of Easr Rim Drive (SR 64). There were two other parked cars but no one in sight as we gathered our water and jackets and headed off down the dirt road through a Ponderosa pine forest. The air was fresh-smelling, kind of like Pine-Sol, with a gentle breeze blowing through trees - a perfect day for a hike.

The trail is actually the dirt road which is closed to traffic at the parking area. The only way to reach Shoshone Point is to hike or in winter, to ski, which I'm sure keeps it less crowded.

About half way we passed another couple and a little ways later a family with two young children, all of whom encouraged us to keep going, that the view was more than worth the hike. It's an easy hike and only about a mile or so to the end so we had no intention of giving up.

After passing a picnic area with a large ramada and restrooms, we came to the end of the dirt road and picked up a much smaller, rockier trail for a short distance before seeing a finger of land sticking out into the canyon. We made it!

Near the end of the peninsula stands a very tall pillar of stone. 

The peninsula is about 20-feet wide (the flat top is about 8-10 feet wide) and extends out about 100 feet. 

The completely natural stone pillar looks like it could have been an ancient monument of some kind. It reminded me of  Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt when she looked back to Sodom.

It looks like the peninsula ends at the pillar but it actually extends another eight to ten feet. There are a couple of rocks that make an ideal place to sit a spell and enjoy the 210-degree panoramic vista all by yourself.

Looking west, the trail at the bottom right is the South Kaibab Trail as it snakes its way through Skeleton Point.

From here we could see the North Rim about 8 miles across from us.

Although it doesn't show well in the photo, we could see snippets of the river far below snaking its way through the canyon.

We sat on our rock and quietly enjoyed the view for about 20 minutes before we heard voices on the trail. We relinquished our spot so they could have a private viewing, too, and headed back down the trail to the car. While Shoshone Point is "remote" and "quiet," I would describe it as "breath-taking" and "unique" - something not to be missed!

Thumb Up or Down: UP!!!

Miles Round Trip: 521.7 miles

Miles To Date: 11,332.2 miles

Percent Of List Completed: 99%

Date of This Trip: November 23-25, 2012

5/100... we'll have a gay ol' time! ♪♬♩♫

Do you remember "Yabba dabba doo!" and "Willllmaaaa!!!"? If you do, then you probably grew up watching The Flintstones, an animated tv show about a middle-class stone age family living in Bedrock City. The inspiration for the show is said to have been The Honeymooners and in fact, Fred Flintstone does bear an uncanny resemblance to Jackie Gleason. While I was excited to discover Bedrock City (#5 on my "100 Things in Arizona" list) right here in Arizona, others (who shall remain nameless) thought it nothing more than a "tourist trap" and needed some coaxing to stop. Tourist trap or tourist attraction? I'll let you be the judge.

Located at the intersection of SR 64 and US 180 near the town of Valle, Bedrock City boasts a coffee shop, campground and a life size replica of the  tv show city.

The tv show had a host of characters but primarily revolved around Fred and Wilma Flintstone and their best friends, Barney and Betty Rubble. The word play on character names, businesses and just about everything associated with the show was quite humorous and usually reflected a stone-age or geology reference like "Flintstone" and "Rubble." "Hollyrock" celebrities like "Cary Granite" (Cary Grant) often made appearances. 

The main characters of the show were loved by everyone!

For only $5 per person, we were allowed out the back door of the gift shop/coffee shop into a life-sized Bedrock City, a frame and stucco community painted in garishly bright colors - just like the one on the tv show! It was built in 1972 and at one time had a real life Fred and Barney strolling around the city but the remote location and hard economic times have hit the tourist attraction hard. In fact, it is currently for sale.

We did have an opportunity to hang out with Fred and Barney for while!

Bedrock City has all the usual "businesses" but with a stone age flair, just like the tv show. Furniture is made of "stone" or "wood" without ornamentation; it's all about functionality. The grocery store had "Pterodactyl eggs" on sale while the gas station had "regular" and "dino supreme" gasoline. We wondered what they used the gasoline for since all the vehicles were "foot-powered." We also got to walk through the Flintstones' and the Rubbles' homes. I'm sure that at one time they were quite charming but have now seen better days and are in need of some upkeep. They did, however, resemble their tv homes with a stone television set and beds made of a stone slab.

Richard had a chat with Wilma in her front yard. She told us the gossip around town!

One of my favorite parts of the tv show was during the intro credits and was shown in every episode. Fred worked at the stone quarry as a "crane operator" which is really a brontosaurus. When the quitting time whistle blew, Fred yelled "yabba dabba dooooo!!!"and slid down the tail to begin his free time. It always made me laugh... every time I saw it.

YABBA DABBA DOOOOOOO!!!!!

After spending some time (about 45 minutes) in Bedrock City and visiting with locals, Fred and Wilma, we both agree it is a tourist ATTRACTION and a fun blast from the past. I hope someone buys it and restores the buildings and furnishings soon or we will have to go to South Dakota to visit the Bedrock City in Custer.

Thumb Up or Down: Up!

Miles Round Trip: see next post

Miles To Date: see next post

Percent of List Completed: 97%

Date of This Trip: November 23-25, 2012