Oatman, AZ

We were pleased to learn that my nephew Brian and his family were visiting the in-laws in Kingman, Arizona. Since it was only a 75 mile drive we went for a visit. We drove to the old mining, now tourist, town of Oatman to show Hayden the donkeys.

Jennifer helped Hayden feed this donkey. He wasn't too sure about them.

Hayden did enjoy watching the kettlecorn being made.

Since it was Sunday, we strolled the streets with lots of other tourists.

Hayden did not care much about the motorcycles lining the streets but he was interested in this old tractor.

At noon we got to watch the daily gunfight. I think they were arguing over a bag of gold.

Jennifer's father Tim, Hayden, Brian, and Jennifer kept their distance while Hayden kept his ears covered.

There are some young donkeys in the crowd and Leon checked on this one.

I was busy feeding carrots to another donkey.

It was nice traveling through the mountains on the mother road, route 66, with someone who had lived in the area when it was the main highway. We learned a lot about what had been in the area.

Brian, Hayden, and I could not wait to leap out of the car to check on this rattlenake that had just crossed the road. I think he heard us coming and got coiled just in case.

Back in Kingman I got to meet my youngest nephew Patrick who stayed home and napped while we had our excursion.

Hayden was pleased to ride his new tricycle in the back yard.

Apache Junction, AZ

Twelve days in Apache Junction wasn't enough! The weather was fantastic. There are more trails to be hiked, more adventures to be had, more restaurants to try, more shops to be shopped, and cacti to bloom. But the best part of the visit was visiting with friends and making new ones.

Leon's best friend growing up, Greg, and his wife Elaine winter in Apache Junction which is the reason we stopped. Just like old times they worked on the truck when some Freon needed to be added to the a/c.

We made several trips to the swap meet and visited over meals more often than we needed to.

The Moose Lodge was the ideal place for us to enjoy the new solar panels. Several WINs rolled through while we were there, some we knew and some we met. One morning ten of us gathered for an impromptu hugs 'n mugs.

We were delighted to get to tour Barbara and Ron's new home after keeping up with the progress on her blog. They are fun people who we always enjoy being around.

Not all the time was spent playing. Leon did a little work on the motorcycle/bike rack.

He even got in a ride, but only one.

Apache Junction is a different kind of place to be so close to Phoenix. This is the horse parking section of the parking lot at the Elks Lodge.

We could stay and play and visit more but new adventures await. On to Nevada.

Apache Trail cont.

But it is a scenic route!!

At Fish Creek Canyon we looked out a massive, vividly colored walls that were as steep as 2,000 feet above the highway.

That is our road at the bottom of the hill. Now to just get there!!

The 10% descent down the side of the mountain was like few other roads I have traveled. It reminded me of the Moki Dugway and a canyon road in Colorado. Fish Creek in the bottom of the canyon provided the area with cottonwood trees and other flora not seen at the drier, higher elevations. We stopped several times admiring the scenery and the wildflowers. The cacti may not be blooming yet but the wildflowers were putting on a show.

Maybe this is why it took us 3 ½ hours to go 38 miles.

Apache Lake is the second lake in the string of three lakes we passed.

We eventually came to the largest masonry dam in the world, the Roosevelt Dam, built on the Salt River.

The bridge is the longest two lane, single span, steel arch bridge which crossed above the dam. There was also a nice spot for our picnic lunch at the overlook. The lake supplies the water for the Phoenix area. 1,321,000 people would require a lot of water in the desert!

Just four miles past the dam we came to the Tonto National Monument. About 1250 A.D. some of the Tonto Basin people began building in the caves.

The Lower Cliff Dwelling we visited, where the Salado Indians looked out upon the Salt River, was a steep ½ mile hike up the hillside for us.

We stopped often to admire the hillside! This cholla cactus is also known as the jumping cactus but it really does not jump out and grab you.

Much of the dwelling was two story and they believe as many as 70 people lived in this dwelling. The beams in the room Leon is standing in front of would have been the floor for the top level.

Roof poles were laid across a main beam and a layer of saguaro ribs and clay mortar provided a roof. A family would have lived in one of the small rooms.

The blackened walls were evidence of the smoke-filled house from the fires that kept them warm during the winter months. The adults were less the 5’6” and had to stoop to go through the doorways but there was less heat loss in the winter.

Then we saw the Africanized bees living high above. The park may have to be closed if they can’t find a way to get rid of them. Later on the new we heard about 3 people in Phoenix that were attacked and hospitalized from bee stings. The dark black area above the brush are the bees!


At the end of the Apache Trail we passed through Globe and Superior, a couple of copper mining towns that began as silver mining towns.

Near Superior we stopped for a visit at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Here we took a leisurely walk on the 1 ½ mile main trail through the cacti, wildflowers, and various trees.


There were side trails throughout the park. One could easily spend the better part of a day here. This was Leon's favorite part of the park. We had put in a 9 - 5 day. But it was one that we won’t forget!

There are 300 acres of plants collected from all over the world. 50 acres are in the viewing area.  We were led past mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, a desert lake, and plenty of cacti. Here I am observing the wash.

I am happy any time we pass flowers in bloom! And that we did!

Apache Trail, Az to Tortilla Flat

The Apache Trail follows an old route the Apaches once traveled through the canyons along the Salt River. Later the stagecoach took this route from Globe to Mesa. The road was created in 1905 to transport supplies from Phoenix and Globe to the construction site of the Roosevelt Dam.  First on the trail is the “authentic” Goldfield ghost town, which is a pretty good reconstruction.

There were plenty of other tourists there wandering around spending money! I will admit that the old equipment lying around looks very authentic!

At least we found this ghost town which is more than I can say for the last one we searched for.

Canyon Lake, the first of three we passed that were created along the Salt River, has several camping areas in the Tonto National Forest. It twists through a narrow gorge for ten miles.

Tortilla Flat is quite the tourist attraction. It was the last remaining stage coach stop along the Apache Trail. The population now is six.

It is said that the Lost Dutchman, Jacob Waltz, laid the cornerstone for the restaurant.

The saloon walls are entirely covered with one dollar bills.

And not to forget a visit to the bathrooms. I am glad they were both empty except for us!

Next door in the general store we found the famous prickly pear ice cream. What a treat! It resembles strawberry.

As we left the pavement we went through the deepest of several washes on the gravel road that we would travel for 22 miles, much of it like a bad washboard.

So down the road we went.