We have been in a cyber vortex for the last several days and I’ve been unable to upload any photos to the blog. We have seen and done so much in the Sedona, Camp Verde area, and the weather couldn’t be more perfect for the enjoyment of the beautiful outdoors. I hate getting behind because I want to share it all with you as we experience this time on the road. We’re in Flagstaff today, so while I have Internet access  I am going to publish this with what I have.

Our next stop was Williams, Arizona. It’s less than a day’s drive from Lake Havasu. We were there on our trip last year and really liked the little town. It’s only about an hour drive from the South rim of the Grand Canyon. We decided not to go see the canyon again this year, so we spent Monday and Tuesday just hanging out. We found a great place to let the dogs run and we averaged 12,000 steps a day ourselves. (That’s according to our Garmin Vivofit watches.)

In the town of Williams, it’s all about the old Route 66. The downtown area is a lot of fun. Old cars and shops with Rt. 66 memorabilia are everywhere. We wanted to find a local cafe that served a good breakfast. We hit the jackpot with Goldie’s Rt. 66 Diner on Main St. 

Kip enjoyed a light snack and I had a delish omelet. As we were leaving, I found another new friend at Goldie’s. Like Val’s fisherman at the fish market in Oregan, this guy “wood” not say much. Betty Boop was there too. I’ve been told I resemble Betty…maybe when she was younger. Smile Betty!

Wednesday morning we headed for Flagstaff, Sedona, and Camp Verde. We decided to find an RV Park central to all the attractions we wanted to see. We drove to Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon and what a delight that turned out to be. Sometimes I feel like Alice in Wonderland. We round a corner or top a hill and see a new and different landscape before us.

Once we were through the canyon, we stopped at an RV park and found it was full. The people gave us directions to another park in Camp Verde, which is where we are now. None of the park people could believe Kip had driven a big RV towing a Jeep on that steep and winding road. He’s a good driver and he wasn’t the least bit nervous. I did my best to help him stay calm. I suggested that if he had to choose between barreling down a ravine or hitting a rock formation, he should hit the rock. 

Here are a few pictures from Wednesday and Thursday. We are completely impressed with Northern Arizona.

OAK CREEK CANYON

We are in a beautiful RV park, but the Internet is very weak. It has taken me three evenings to get this much written. 

This is Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. It shows how the Southern Sinagua Indians lived as cliff dwellers for centuries in the Verde Valley. They were farmers and grew corn, beans, squash and cotton. This dwelling dates back to 1150. It’s 100 feet above the valley and is one of the most well-preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
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Tuzigoot National Monument  

Approximately 800 years ago, this Sinagua pueblo was home to the Native American population  living in the area. The site is comprised of 42 beautiful acres.The pueblo structures  once had roofs made of Sycamore tree branches, mud, and straw. The door was in the roof which also doubled as a chimney. 

The top picture is my favorite. Just look at all the colors, textures, and dimensions.

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Flagstaff..the best $12 cheeseburger Kip has ever eaten.

Been looking for a hat since we left home. This one is handmade of sea grass. What do you think?

I will close out this post with a pic I took of the water tower next to Desert Drums RV Park where we are staying.

See Ya Soon

Today we moved from Cattail Cove State Park near Lake Havasu to Williams, AZ on the old Route 66.

We drove over Parker Dam

Here is what the RV looks like when the slide outs are in. We still have enough room to maneuver. We often pull into a rest area, make some lunch, and walk the dogs. We were so lucky to find this gently used RV at about 1/3 the cost of a new one. Kip has fixed everything that needed fixing.

Some of us weren’t too impressed with the move. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We’re going to start the day by finding a good old-fashioned Route 66 Cafe. Kip is hoping for another “big as a hubcap” cinnamon roll.

(The unimpressed)

Goodbye Lake Havasu…Goodbye Cattail Cove…Goodbye Pumas.

Wake us up when we get there.

Wakey, wakey, we’re here!

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My human has his coat on…It looks cold in Williams, Az..I thought we didn’t like cold weather.

We didn’t have to wear our leashes at Cattail Cove…We don’t like leashes…It’s getting dark…It’s cold and dark here.

“Kip..did you hear me? I can’t get a signal. How many bars do you have? Is that a cell tower on top of that rock formation? Wait! I have to tie my shoe laces…”

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I had to show you a couple of “accidental ” videos. The first one happened when I got out of the jeep to get a better picture of a wild burrow. He started walking toward me and I panicked.

 

This one I call, “Shut up and take the picture Kip,” or, “Enough about me. How’d you like my last movie?” Valerie is flipping her hair, and I have a frozen silly grin.

(I had to open them twice before they played.)

THE END

GO VOTE

We spent a couple of fun days with our good friends JoAnne Ferguson, her daughter LeAnn, and son Mike. Thirty years ago, we all lived in Casper, Wyoming. It’s so great when you see an old friend that you don’t get to see very often, and it’s  just like it was yesterday.

The photo below was taken after breakfast at Rick’s Restaurant and Bakery in Palm Springs. Kip was looking for a place with good cinnamon rolls. The one pictured was big and delicious! It took him two days to eat it.

The bottom picture shows the view we enjoyed from our RV site.

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The Tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto

We got off the tram at the top of Mt. San Jacinto and walked around to the different view sites. It was exhilarating and beautiful. The temperature at the top was about 20 degrees colder than down below. That’s why Kip and I are wearing our “now much in demand” Wal-Mart sweatshirts. We heard they are flying off the shelves. Queen Val asked me if we got the same color on purpose…probably.

The top pics were taken at a place in Cathedral City  where we took the dogs to let them run. If you’re able to open the one on the left, you will see a Coyote running across the area that resembles a spillway.

The beautiful lady is JoAnne holding Lexi. The not so beautiful legs are Kip’s.. Top right..Kip is disconnecting everything. He has a lot of hoses and cords to deal with. I get the inside ready to go, and we both hook-up the Jeep we tow behind.

This morning we stopped and walked along the Salton Sea. It has seven times more salt in it than The Great Salt Lake. Cyndie had fun chasing seagulls. We made a quick sandwich for lunch and we were off.

Our destination is a campground at Cat Tail State Park near Lake Havasu. Below are the incredible things we have seen on the way.

Above is Frank Sinatra Ave., a grove of palm trees, and a vineyard. We also saw miles of lemon and grapefruit trees.

The old Bridge reaches over the Colorado River. We’re near Parker, AZ.

We’re getting close to the park and just in time. The picture on the bottom right shows the shadows are getting long, and darkness will come quickly. Tomorrow we explore Lake Havasu and London Bridge.