Saguaro National Park and Tombstone

Hello from Saguaro National Park! Well, if you have been waiting to see cactus, wait no more as this place was full of them! We stayed at Gilbert Ray Campground which gave us these amazing views of sunset (my picture below) and sunrise to the left (Dave's picture, of course!).

We saw some of the craziest looking cactus. Loved the curves on this old saguaro one. They have to be approximately 75 years old to get their first "arm", so you know this one is really old!

 

 

Gotta like the helpful trail guides along the way. which way do we go? That way, of course!

We hiked in the afternoon and now with daylight savings time the sun is going down by 5:30pm. It did make for a beautiful end to the hike!

How lucky are we to live in such a beautiful country?

While Dave might feel like this after our hikes, this picture now takes us to the infamous town of Tombstone, AZ where many men lost their lives...don't let the picture fool you, Dave is doing just fine enjoying a meal at Big Nose Kate's Saloon below!

The town that once was filled with whisky, wild women and cards has now become much more of a tourist stop.

The famous Bird Cage Theatre, which is one of the most authentic buildings from the 1880's. It is now a museum where you can tour thru it and see where the girl's performed. It cost $25 a night back then to see the show...that would be close to $650 in today's money!

We had a drink at the Crystal Palace Saloon where it was so fancy back in the day they drank out of crystal goblets. Today it's just regular glass and mason jars!

 

It didn't take long for Dave's mug shot to be on the wanted poster...

 ...but I was well protected by these fellas "Wyatt Earp, his brothers, Virgil & Morgan and Doc Holliday" so no one ended up in the hearse or at Boothill Graveyard today! 

Instead we had another lovely sunset. We are now off to Carlsbad Caverns but we will leave you with this special video and the inspiration for the Paladin group ~ enjoy!

Petrified Forest, Winslow, Walnut Canyon and Sedona!

Hello from the Petrified Forest National Park. I have to say it's a bit of a stretch to say "forest" but maybe that's because we have come from the redwoods and sequoias that were really more "forest" like. This park was beautiful in it's own way, but the trees are all down on the ground and petrified into a gorgeous array of colors. 

A highlight of our days here was a hike to the Agate house where the park rangers were creating a 3D model of the house to check on it's stability. The area was technically closed to visitors but we happened to be walking at the same time as one of the rangers and engaged her in questions. As builders, we were quite curious. The house had some reconstruction done years ago but it wasn't quite to the original specifications as one room was not square. I volunteered..." I know how that happened, one guy started at one end and another at the opposite end". The ranger replied "yup, that's probably what happened!".

A lot of the park reminded us of the Badlands in South Dakota, well except for it was 104 degrees there and it was bit chillier here in Arizona!

Going through the Petrified Forest is the Old Historic Route 66. This was the Painted Desert Inn, which is now a museum but used to be a soda fountain and a place to rest for weary travelers along the route. I was just bummed there was no ice cream for us!

Driving through the park you see amazing layers of color...

...and some crazy hikers along the way.

More petrified wood and starting to see some cactus, which I am sure there will be more later as we continue to head south.

Sunny, thankfully but the winds were a little chilly!

 

 

And no better segue to our next stop than a handsome Noodle just chillin on the sofa! :)

We had to stop at Winslow, AZ to be "tourists" and of course then couldn't get the song out of our heads for days!!

 

"Standing at the corner of Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see, there's a girl my Lord in a flat bed Ford slowing down to take a look at me!"

Lol, you're welcome, now you're singing it too! :)

 

Our next stop was another suggestion from Mom & Dad, Walnut Canyon National Monument. A very cool hike down into the canyon.

You could see where all of the cliff dwellers used to live. Me, I am trying to figure out the different floor plans, Dave is just trying not to get stuck by a cactus! 

It was quite the hike up those stairs, this rock looked like a good place to rest! Once at the top again it was pretty windy so we had to hold on to our hats!

The last leg on this post was for our anniversary we were in Sedona. While it was a lovely place we sure missed our favorite spot at Hippensteal's Mountain View Inn in Tennessee and our dear friends there.

 

 

Dave looking out at the mountains but no Mount LeConte to be found.

The huge Agave plant wasn't the same as the rich reds of the maples and the panorama view from the porch at the Inn...

and while the site was very nice, no eggs Hippensteal appeared in the morning, just our yogurt!

Really no complaining can be done. We had a lovely anniversary dinner out at Mariposa, a elegant Latin inspired restaurant but we did sure miss celebrating all of the anniversary's at the Inn with our friends. 

And now back on the road we go to Saguaro National Park!