Apache Junction

Four days, four movies - La La Land, Manchester by the Sea, Lion and Hidden Figures. Even though the Academy Awards nominations are not announced until Tuesday, January 24, I would think all of these movies will receive a nomination. Frederick liked La La Land, me, not so much. I thought it was curiously joyless for a musical. I think it was a mistake to see Manchester by the Sea on Friday, already a depressing day. It was well acted, but not a particularly up-lifting movie. Lion, viewed on Saturday,  was a satisfactory antidote. Today's movie, Hidden Figures, we enjoyed the most of the four.  

Yesterday we saw this cute little vintage Airstream arrive in the RV park. We don't know what year it is but it sure is tiny.

This two-story RV is parked across the road from us. Interesting design, but I don't know how easily it is towed.

No rain today, yet, so we went out to take some pictures of the Superstition Mountains as viewed from  the vacant lot across the street from the RV park.

Immense saguaro cactus and...

a close-up showing the snow on the mountains outside Phoenix.

Let's go to the movies!

The original plan had been for us to spend one week at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, arrive on Monday, January 16, which we did, and stay until next Monday, January 23. However, we have been keeping an eye on the weather forecast and saw that another winter storm was being predicted for northern Arizona this weekend with "heavy snow" in Cottonwood on Friday and Saturday; someone told us that Sedona was expected to receive 5 inches of snow. We decided that our best option was to "head south" and we found a KOA in Apache Junction, east of Phoenix. (Did you know that Phoenix is the capital of Arizona?) 

A cold rain began as we were hitching up this morning. We left Cottonwood and climbed another 5,000-ft pass to...

Black Canyon Pass. No clear blue sky today!

Coming down the pass, north of Phoenix we began to encounter...

saguaro cactus. I think these guys are so cute!

Then down into the valley of Phoenix.

Apache Junction is also expecting colder than average temperatures this weekend, along with some rain. While we are here, we plan on going to the movies to catch up on our Academy Award nominee viewing. In fact, this afternoon, right after we un-hitched, we went to see La La Land.

West Fork Trail in Call of the Canyon

Hiking trails criss-cross the red-rock country surrounding Sedona and green Oak Creek Canyon. One popular hiking trail in Oak Creek Canyon is West Fork Trail which follows the creek through the canyon with the canyon walls rising more that 200ft in places.

(Unfortunately I left the SLR camera at home in the Airstream. The photos below are from my phone.)

Lots of interesting formations at the top of the canyon. We had to "keep looking up" as Neil DeGrasse Tyson always says!

At bit of sunshine at the base of the canyon. Mostly the trail was in shadow and it was cold - the trail is at over 5,000ft. elevation and there were patches of snow along the base of the canyon.

There are 15 creek crossings on the trail. When we arrived at the trailhead the woman who took our money mentioned that the "river is running hight today. You might get your feet wet." We made it over 5 crossings on logs and rocks, but the only way to cross #6 was to wade through the river. We declined and decided to stop and eat our lunch instead.

Our lunch view.

Today's hike:

Length - 3.23 miles

Duration - 2 hours, 7 minutes (including lunch)

Elevation gain - 260 feet (29 floors on the Fitbit)

Eagle's Nest Trail

Seventeen miles north of Dead Horse Ranch State Park is Red Rock State Park, on the outskirts of Sedona. The park is a 286 acre nature preserve with trails throughout that wind through manzanita and juniper to reach the rich banks of Oak Creek. The Eagle's Nest Loop and the Apache Fire Loop trails are joined together by the Coyote Ridge Trail - we hiked them all today.

This picture is from the scenic overlook at the Visitor Center.

Along Oak Creek. If you enlarge the picture by clicking on it you might notice the dwelling at right center. This house is called House of Apache Fires and was built by Jack and Helen Frye in the 1940s where they hosted many celebrities and dignitaries. Jack Frye was an aviation legend and co-founder and President of Transcontinental & Western Air, better known at TWA. In 1986, Arizona State Parks acquired the house and the 286-acre parcel of land that became Red Rock State Park.

View from Eagle's Nest viewpoint. Yes, we are happy to be back on the trail!

Toady's hike:
Length - 2.3 miles
Duration - 1 hour, 14 minutes
Elevation gain - 230 feet (26 floors on the Fitbit)

Dead Horse Ranch

The rain that we drove through yesterday left quite a bit of snow on the mountains around Williams.

Over 7,000 feet can make a difference. Last night, we needed to unhook our city water line and rely on our fresh water tank.

After turning south at Flagstaff, we began a 3,500 foot drop in elevation. We slipped the car into 4th gear and coasted down at about 60 mph.

Part way down we began to have spectacular views of the red rocks around Sedona.

Oak Creek Canyon, a 16-mile gorge with Sedona at the south end.

Tonight we are near Cottonwood, at Dead Horse Ranch State Park.

How Dead Horse Ranch Got Its Name

The story of the park's name begins with the Ireys family, who came to Arizona from Minnesota looking for a ranch to buy in the late 1940s. At one of the ranches they discovered a large dead horse lying by the road. After two days of viewing ranches, Dad Ireys asked the kids which ranch they liked the best. The kids said, “the one with the dead horse, Dad!” The Ireys family chose the name Dead Horse Ranch and later, in 1973, when Arizona State Parks acquired the park, the Ireys made retaining the name a condition of sale.

Finally Arizona

More high desert driving today as we left California and entered Arizona, crossing into the Mountain Time Zone. We have been talking about "wintering" in Arizona for three years and we are finally here.

Mountain formation that give Needles its name. (Click on the picture to enlarge it.)

Crossing the Colorado River at the California/Arizona border.

Welcome to Arizona!

Looking more and more like Arizona.

This is near Kingman on Interstate #40.

Basin & Range - a view of one of the high passes, about 5,000 feet.

Happy Trails to You

The Santa Ana Mountains were beautiful this morning when we left San Dimas to travel east across the Mohave Desert toward Arizona.

Rain in the valley - snow on the mountains.

Leaving the LA Basin to head up into and across the San Gabriel Mountains to...

4,190 foot Cajon Pass.

Soon we were in sight of the desert and passing through Apple Valley, home of my favorite childhood cowboy, Roy Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans. Happy Trails to You!!

Clipper Mountains near Amboy in the Mohave Desert.

Piute Mountains near Essex in the Mohave Desert.

Rest Stop nearing Needles and South Pass, elevation 2,630 feet on Interstate #40.

It began to RAIN as we drove into Needles. From the KOA Campground, where we are staying tonight, there was a beautiful rainbow with a big pot of color near the end. The rain follows us everywhere, even in the desert!