Apache Trail, Arizona - March 25, 2006 (Re-run)

 Apache Trail is a steep, winding road through the Superstition Mountains, about forty miles long and mostly unpaved.  It is not suitable for large vehicles, although I have a friend who inadvertently drove it in a large motor home.  That can happen to the unaware as, once on the rough part, there are no places to turn around. 

Entering from the west end, the old town of Goldfield is the first major stop.  Billed as a ghost town, it's actually a fun tourist attraction built around the remains of a 19th century gold mining camp.  In terms of illustrating what it was like in its heyday, Goldfield is about as authentic as it gets.

Lost Dutchman State Park is a great introduction to the Superstitions, acquiring its name from the legend of a Dutch prospector who claimed to have discovered huge wealth, but died before cashing in.  Many people have searched for it over the years, but it hasn't been found.  I didn't visit the park on this trip, so no photos.

Tortilla Flat isn't a town, but a group of businesses, led by a quirky, fun restaurant.  A popular day trip for the Phoenix biker crowd, the ambience and the food are truly noteworthy.  A trip to the rest rooms is a special experience.

The trail roughly follows the Salt River, where several dams have created beautiful lakes for flood control, power generation, irrigation and recreation.  

Most of the trail consists of wild, rugged country that many of us consider to be scenic, even beautiful.  The land is covered with saguaro cacti, which only grow in the Sonoran Desert.  Wildlife is plentiful here, but seldom seen due to the terrain that provides lots of hiding places.  The Lower Salt River, west of the trail, is home to lots of viewable wildlife, including wild horses.

At this point, we headed back to Florida to plan and prepare for our travels in the last half of 2006.  It was a trip that I'll never forget, and I hope you will also enjoy it.

Coronado Trail, Arizona - March 22, 2006 (Re-run)

 The Coronado Trail is a section of U.S. 191 that runs from Springerville to Clifton in eastern Arizona, approximating the route taken by Coronado's 1540 expedition.  A large segment of the trail is so twisty, steep and dangerous, larger vehicles are not allowed on it.  The northern end of the trail passes through the White Mountains, where the White Mountain Apache Reservation is located.

There are a few resorts along the trail, offering a quiet, secluded place for folks to stay.

As the trail progresses southward, the mountains give way to a desert landscape, home to the desert bighorn sheep.  These were comfortably grazing on the lawn of a public building and showed no concern for our presence.

We eventually came upon Morenci Mine, one of the largest copper mines in the world.  Watching the operation was fascinating, with trucks that looked tiny at a distance, but massive as you got close.  The tires are twelve feet in diameter and some of the trucks can haul 200 tons of ore.

Lake Powell, Utah & Window Rock, Arizona - March 18 & 20, 2006 (Re-run)

 U.S. 95 is the main highway that crosses the east end of Lake Powell, a very scenic drive for those of us who like rocks and dirt.  One popular attraction there is a set of ruins where the Ancestral Puebloans lived until around 1300.

Two roads branch off Highway 95 that lead to the Lake Powell Ferry, thereby forming a loop with more scenery to be enjoyed.  For us, it was new territory to be explored.  A great find along that road was another set of ruins, with no signage at all, so it felt like a discovery.

The ferry ride across the lake didn't take long, but gave us some interesting views, as did the road back to Highway 95.  The lake was very low at that time, but apparently is even lower now.

Window Rock, AZ is a small community, right on the New Mexico border, that serves as the capital of the Navajo Nation. Named for its natural sandstone formation, the Navajo Nation Museum, Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park, and the Navajo Nation World War II Code Talkers memorial are tribal attractions located in Window Rock.  The Navajo Nation President has offices here, as well.  I enjoyed meeting a man who was running for Navajo Nation President, but I never learned how the election turned out.