See The Southwest

Visit the Pueblo Indian Ruins of the Southwest

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:10:00 -0700

The Hohokam Indians first settled a long stretch of the Verde River in central Arizona and were later followed by the Sinagua Indians. The Sinagua are credited with the introduction of stone houses, either in cliff openings, or in freestanding pueblos � it is their dwellings you can see still standing today. Three of their major habitation sites � Tuzigoot, Montezuma�s Castle and Montezuma�s Well � are within an hour drive of each other and make a terrific day trip if you are staying in Phoenix or its surrounding communities.

Tuzigoot National Monument
$5 entrance fee, open year around

Perched atop a small hill, the view from the Tuzigoot Pueblo is magnificent. Overlooking the Verde River with Mingus Mountain rising to the southwest, the Sinagua Indians had a commanding view of the surrounding area. No one knows if they built in this location due to the scenery or in order to keep a watch out for enemies.

The pueblo consists of 110 rooms (for 200 residents) including second and third story structures. The earliest rooms (erected in A.D. 1,000) are small, but as the dwelling grew, it sprawled down the hill and the rooms grew larger. The flat rooftops provided additional space for outdoor work and play and offered a terrific place to watch for visitors since Tuzigoot was not an isolated site. An entire community of pueblos stretched up and down the middle Verde River and its tributaries, which includes nearby Montezuma�s Castle.

Tuzigoot was so named by an Apache worker who looked out at the ragged shores of Peck�s Lake and called it �cooked water� or Tuzigoot, in his native tongue.

Montezuma�s Castle National Monument
$3 entrance fee, open year around

Perched high on a cliffside, Montezuma�s Castle overlooks Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Verde River. The leaves of the towering and ancient sycamores rustle in the breezes and the burbling stream adds another note of almost mournful tranquility to this amazing bit historical site.

The Sinagua Indians constructed the dwelling around 900 years ago. The word Sinagua means �without water� in Spanish, since these Native Americans truly lived in an area that receives very little precipitation each year. Average rainfall at Montezuma�s Castle is roughly 8 inches per year.

Montezuma�s Castle probably housed around 35 people, but more than 200 lived up and down Beaver Creek. These farmers worked the floodplain fields and upland gardens capturing rainwater and snowmelt in irrigation ditches to water their crops. Water was also diverted from Montezuma�s Well using a clever system of irrigation channels carved from solid rock in many places.Montezuma�s Castle is well worth the visit as the visitor�s center has a terrific museum display and the self-guiding trail describes the culture and history of the area and its former dwellers. Park rangers are available on the trail and the frequently host talks that share insight into this breathtaking piece of history.

Montezuma Well
No entrance fee, open year around

Just a few miles up the road from Montezuma�s Castle is Montezuma�s Well. This unique geologic formation is a limestone sink formed long ago by the collapse of an immense underground cavern � it looks like a large crater lake. Over one and a half million gallons of carbonated water a day bubble up into the sink and out into Beaver Creek and into irrigation ditches created by the Hohokam and Sinagua cultures. The water maintains a steady 76 degrees temperature throughout the year.

The continuous warm water supply provides a green oasis, a startling contrast to the surrounding desert grasslands. The well is home to species of plants and animals found nowhere else on the planet. This unique habitat is probably due to the large quantities of warm water that enter through underground springs, keeping the environment within the well very stable. Strangely, the well is actually much deeper than its muddy bottom indicates. The muddy bottom isn�t actually solid, but is a slurry of rock, sand and minerals suspended in the water. Experts have lowered camera down through this mixture and have found the well to be 15-20 feet deeper in places before hitting a solid bottom. Millions of leeches live in this slurry and come to the surface at night to feed.

Nestled into the walls and perched above on the rim of the sink are the cliff and pueblo dwellings of Hohokam and Sinagua Indians. The modern-day Yavapai Indians, as with many other Native American cultures, believe they entered into this world through cracks or holes in the earth, so the water that wells up in the sink is extremely precious to them. It was doubly so to the ancient people who lived here since it was the one completely reliable source of water in the area.

Take your time as you wander the 1-mile hiking trail and explore the pre-historic Sinaguan cliff dwellings, pueblo ruins, and the 1,000-year-old irrigation ditch that still in use by local residents today!

Get �Hooked� Up with Arizona Fishing Guides

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:22:00 -0700

Fly fishing and bass fishing in the desert? Are you nuts? Nope! Did you know that Arizona has more miles of inland coastline than the West Coast and Canada combined? There are more than 150 bodies of water in Arizona � and that means lots and lots of places to fish year around! Arizona offers desert lakes and rivers as well as high country creeks and streams. So when you come to Arizona to fish, you can cast into waters that have many varieties of bass, trout, catfish and carp.

The Hook Up Owner and Guide Ben Koller says, �Arizona has unique waterways and experiences. Our guests can go after Brown, Rainbow and Apache Trout. Apaches, found only in the White Mountains of Arizona, are a beautiful golden color trout. They are the only fish ever to be taken off the endangered species list. A lot of effort by numerous organizations in Arizona went in to conserving the fish. In the desert locations, our guests can go after Large-Mouth Bass, Small-Mouth Bass and Stripped Bass, as well as catfish and carp.�

The Hook Up Outfitters specialize in half day to multi-day guided fishing, bass fishing and fly-fishing excursions. They have permits to waters all over the state, more than any other guide service, so the only problem you may have is choosing where to start your Arizona fishing adventure. You can choose from the largest Sonoran Desert lake to Oak Creek, the Little Colorado River, numerous high country lakes and streams and dozens more locations. The Hook Up even offers private fly-casting instruction.

The Hook Up Outfitters promise the best fishing experience in Arizona. Koller says, �The foundation of our business is the quality of guides and the quality of equipment. Our guides are the state�s elite anglers, who have all been specially trained to provide instructions and offer outstanding customer service. We are one of the only guide services that use a fleet of brand new Ranger Boats. We rotate our fleet every three years. In addition, we are the only Orvis-endorsed guide service in Arizona, and we use only the best gear.�

The Hook Up Outfitters can back up their claim of having some of the best anglers in the country and in Arizona, because when they aren�t guiding, they are winning fishing tournaments! They are frequent guests on TV and radio fishing shows and you will probably see them fishing the BassMasters Classic or the FLW Tour Championship, sending in state and world records to the IGFA record books. They spend time writing articles and being featured in articles for nationally published fishing magazines, and they teach at guide schools and give seminars at various outdoor shows throughout the country.

Koller says, �This is the best job in the world! There is no particular day that stands out as the best day because every day is so cool. Every person and every trip is a different experience and it is always amazing. I have several families that come in every spring. I and so lucky because I get to see the kids grow and learn. They practice the things we worked on the year before and get better and better every year. That�s very rewarding.�

�My favorite two places to fish are Lake Pleasant just north of Phoenix and Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona,� says Koller. �In the early 1900s, there was a hunting and fishing lodge that operated at the West Fork of Oak Creek. Author Zane Grey used to visit the area frequently and he stocked the stream with Brown Trout (though it is a non-native species to Arizona, it is one of the most popular trout varieties for anglers). I love to fish that area because it is beautiful and because I know I may be fishing on the same spot that Zane Grey once fished. In the Sonoran Desert, I love to fish at Lake Pleasant because there are so many species of fish, and that makes for an exciting adventure every time I go there, plus the location is beautiful.�

Jon New is the other owner of The Hook Up Outfitters, which currently boasts 13 extremely talented guides. The company offers fishing experience year around. In the summer, they do a lot of night fishing (to avoid the heat) and, of course, that is prime time for high country fishing. In the winter, the fishing is marvelous at lower altitudes in the desert lakes, rivers and streams.

The Hook Up Outfitters will be opening a salt-water location in San Diego very soon as well as a fly-fishing and tackle shop near Lake Pleasant in the near future.

So if you are in the mood to explore the Southwest and learn about the amazing fishing opportunities here, call The Hook Up to get �hooked up!�

Direct: (623) 412-FISH (3474)
Toll Free: (888) 899-HOOK UP (4665)

Arizona Photography Adventures

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:36:00 -0700

Don�t stand on the outside looking in � instead join one of the talented guides at Windwalker Expeditions to get deeper into the beautiful Sonoran Desert and enjoy a true Arizona wilderness experience.

Windwalker�s professional photographers � Jack McAward, Dan Cotton and Gil Gustavsen � specialize in �private only� photography workshops. It is just you, your group of friends and family and some of the sharpest eyes in the Southwest. They will make sure you have plenty of photo opportunities and help you capture the true spirit of the West, plus they are delighted to share the tips and tricks of photography that they have learned in their 75 combined years of experience. You will be assured of some amazing photos of Arizona scenery and the Sonoran Desert as well as enjoy a fantastic learning experience.

You can choose from these amazing workshops and take home some terrific photos of the Desert Southwest.

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix (2 � 2.5 hours) walk/amble
The Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park, Phoenix, is one of the finest botanical gardens in the country. It covers about 50 acres, and in addition to the vast array of native plants on display, the garden is home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world. Windwalker guides say that even the lizards will stop and pose for your camera!

Sonoran Desert Magic (2 � 2.5 hours) hiking
Capture the pristine beauty of the Sonoran Desert through the lens of your camera. In this workshop, you will capture cactus flowers, towering Saguaro, Gambel Quail, choose from several dozen species of lizards, panoramic scenery and much more. Windwalker guides are fearless and have even been known to get nose-to-nose with the tamer varieties of snakes.

Lake Pleasant Loop (3.5 � 4 hours) off-road and hiking
The Lake Pleasant Loop will take you to the area surrounding one of the largest desert lakes in Arizona. Set against a backdrop of the Bradshaw Mountains, you will experience the Desert Southwest at its most amazing. Journey past unusual geologic rock formations and explore a narrow slot canyon formed eons ago by wind and water. Hold on tight as the jeep creeps along a narrow ledge high above the slot canyon. Stop and take photos any time you see something of interest and be sure to take advantage of Windwalker�s professional photographers and the knowledge they have accumulated.

Superstition Wilderness (3.5 � 4 hours) off-road and hiking
The Superstition Mountains have been a source of mystery and legend since early times. The area is dotted with ancient cliff dwellings and caves, many showing signs of former habitation by a number of different Native American groups. The Superstition Wilderness is supposedly the location of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, which is still lost. With a little luck, perhaps you and your Windwalker guides will be the first to locate it! The towering mountains provide numerous photographic opportunities and short hikes will take you to even more remote areas and amazing scenery. Let our guides reveal the mysteries of these mountains through the lens of your camera.

Verde Canyon Railroad (Full Day) ride the rails � book this adventure at least two weeks in advance to be sure of train tickets for your chosen date
Join our professional guides in an amazing workshop where you will capture red rock canyons, cliff dwellings, American Bald Eagles and more aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad. Before boarding, Windwalker guides will start the workshop and assist you in getting some great photos of the train and depot. Once aboard, the four-hour trip into the canyon will provide you with numerous photographic opportunities, all under the experienced eye of your professional guide. Be sure to capture a photo of the train as is passes over the trestle bridge spanning S.O.B. Canyon or as it disappears into the 550-foot long pitch-black tunnel. After the train ride, stop in Jerome or Prescott (both were once early mining town) for a snack and let the guide work with you to review and critique your photos.

Save 5% on Windwalker Expeditions Adventures

See The Southwest has a special arrangement with Windwalker Expeditions. Simply request more information or book a trip through See The Southwest and you will receive a 5% discount on any of their adventures. To get started, just complete this Windwalker Expeditions Information form.

Photo Credits:
Chuckwalla � Dan Cotton
The Desert in Bloom � Gil Gustavsen
Window Arch � Jack McAward

The Dry Hottie

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:09:00 -0700

I�ve Rolled �em, Babies

Your Hottie used to be really HOT, not just sweaty. About a decade ago, my film partner Ross Stansfield and I made a short movie called OMNIFAX. It was about a crabby lawyer who starts getting mysterious faxes.

It was 11 minutes long and cost us $18,000.

The first movie set I was on was in downtown Washington, DC. A policeman redirected traffic all day long, 100 extras milled about, filming was in a building Ah-nold later used in �True Lies,� there was a buffet table (called craft services, we had union actors), a H�wood makeup woman dabbed witch hazel on the roasting extras, there were aerial shots, a camera truck for Ross to ride, you name it.

First movie set ever�and we were paying. I stood there in some dorky gray pants with my single Mom checkbook and wrote checks to people.

It was the best day of my life. (OK, having my kid was a good day, too.)

You know what they say about the joys of owning a sailboat�that it�s like standing fully clothed in a cold shower tearing up hundred-dollar bills?

That�s moviemaking�without the shower. Rainmaking equipment costs too much.

When I moved to AZ, I started a screenwriting group, which petered out after a couple of years. But people here like moviemaking, I have learned.

Check out the Arizona Chamber of Commerce Film site. On that site, you can find all you need to know to come here and shoot�or stay here and shoot.

That Jamie Foxx movie �The Kingdom� recently swapped out AZ for Iraq�dust, heat. I call that one a gimme.

But did you know that Sean Penn�s adaptation of �Into the Wild,� had AZ standing in for Alaska. No�not our famous glaciers, silly, but Bullhead City, Parker, Page, and Yuma, according to a story by Carrie Watters in the Arizona Republic. Former Glendale resident John J. Kelly, also helped the Sean-ster film the adventure story with the tragic ending.

Regrettably, though ready for its closeup, AZ did not make the credits. Smile prettier next time!

AZ also has a lot of film festivals for those into watching, not whining and tearing up money in pursuit of this weird addiction. See the aforementioned website for those. The Sedona festival is fun�I�ve been.

We�ve got the sand, babies, the prickles, the technical talent, the cooperative state people, and we�re �right to work,� meaning Teamsters optional.

As for OMNIFAX, it showed in New York at the Independent Film Market and in LA to qualify for Academy Award submission. No naked gold guy came our way, but OMNI did win a Telly, which is also heavy, gold, and looks great on the mantle.

And, of course, we wrote a full-length script. It�s about Raymond Loewy and The Lost Studebaker of 1964. Love cars? See www.streamlined-car-movie.com. If you give us $20 million, you can be in it.

I totally swear.

Agua Fria National Monument

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:45:00 -0700

A Place Out of Time

It is a unique feeling to think that the last person to see a metate (grinding slab) and mano (hand-held rock grinder) still sitting in the metate, was possibly the Native American woman who last used it more than 700 years ago. If you haven�t experienced the thrill of this kind of discovery, then you should spend some time at Agua Fria National Monument.

Agua Fria National Monument, created by Presidential proclamation on January 11, 2000 is one of the most significant systems of prehistoric sites in the American Southwest. With more than 400 archeological sites, spanning 2,000 years of human history, this is an incredible place to visit. These sites have lain undisturbed for hundreds, even thousands of years and have not been restored like Mesa Verde or Canyon de Chelly.

The earliest ancient people to the area were seasonal travelers who hunted game and gathered wild plants. In A.D. 700, the Hohokam Indians established small villages on the mesas surrounding the Agua Fria River. In A.D. 1,100, more Hohokam left the central valleys of Arizona and moved to the surrounding Perry and Black Mesas. Archeologists estimate that nearly 3,000 Hohokam lived in the area at it's height. By A.D. 1,500, the Hohokam had abandoned all the sites.

The Hohokam people were some of the most skilled desert agriculturalists. Using only simple tools like sharp wooden digging sticks and handheld hoes made from rocks, the Hohokam grew crops in the low-lying valleys along the Agua Fria River, as well as cultivated plants on the mesas above. Staples of their diet included corn, beans, squash, blossoms, dry seeds and agaves. Visitors to Agua Fria National Monument can still see where Agave was cultivated. Just look for the tall Agave masts growing out of the piles of boulders that dot the mesa tops. Near any one of these piles, you are likely to find petroglyphs carved on boulders dotting the area.

Petroglyphs abound in unexpected places all over the national monument. There are several 200-foot stretches of cliffs that are covered with rock art, including one very rare image that archeologists believe depicts a supernova in the night sky. Big horn sheep, deer and human figures are prominent features at the rock art sites.

The largest settlement is Pueblo la Plata, consisting of 80 to 120 rooms, but all 400 sites were in close contact. Archeologists tested and found truth to the theory that hilltop structures acted as a means of communication with all the sites on the plateau, keeping them in close contact by relaying information and warnings by smoke signals during the day and fire signals at night. In addition, the sites were closely tied together through trade in painted pottery, tools, food and other items.

The rough and rocky terrain that exists across most of the national monument is a result of volcanic explosions. Joe�s Hill is all that remains of the volcano that covered the region in rock, pumice and ash. To say that the rocky terrain makes hiking difficult may be an understatement, so be very careful to watch where you walk at all times and stout hiking boots are a good idea � a turned ankle is very likely on the rocky terrain.

For the adventurous and sturdy hiker, almost anywhere you travel on the mesas and in the Agua Fria River valley and surrounding washes and streams, you will find indications of the former inhabitants. And remember to look for the Agave plantations where you will almost certainly find rock art. The pueblo dwellings tend to perch on the benches above the high water level, along narrow canyons and on the canyon rims.

Because the site is a bit remote, you may be one of the few people in the world to have seen it and that�s an amazing feeling! Please leave the sites as you find them so someone else can feel the same thrill of discovery that you will have at Agua Fria National Monument.

Note from the writer: I met a park ranger at Aqua Fria National Monument who told me that they are encouraging people to come hike the area. The park is hoping to establish a system of hiking trails and are hoping for adventurers like you to help them create it!

Agua Fria National Monument

Located 40 miles north of Phoenix on I-17 (Badger Springs and Bloody Basin exits)
For more information call Bureau of Land Management Phoenix Field Office at (623) 580-5500

It is a federal offense to remove any artifacts from ancient native american sites on public land and is punishable by fines and prison.

Additional Reading

Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen
Ancient Ruins of the Southwest: An Archaelogical Guide (Arizona and the Southwest)
Little Known Southwest : Outdoor Destinations Beyond the Parks
Landscape of the Spirits: Hohokam Rock Art at South Mountain Park

Carefree Art & Wine Festival

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:44:00 -0600

Nestled in the high Sonora Desert north of Phoenix, Arizona, Carefree is surrounded by sharp mountains, abundant desert growth and blue, blue sky. Carefree, conceived in the 1940s as a planned community, places emphasis on leisure as well as Western culture. The street names reflect the overall feeling of Carefree: Easy Street, Tranquil Trail, Ho & Hum Roads as well as Stagecoach, Long Rifle and Bloody Basin roads for a Western flavor. The town�s motto is �Home of Cowboys and Caviar, Where the Old West Meets the New.�

That motto exactly captures the flavor of the 14th Annual Carefree Art & Wine Festival, Nov. 2-4, and the charming setting provides a unique backdrop for this celebration of art, great wine, live entertainment, gourmet food and more! The quaint streets of downtown Carefree are closed during the festival, making room for more than 160 artists and over 5,000 original fine art masterpieces.

This is a �juried� fine art event, which means artist must submit samples of their work and pass through a jury selection process before showing their fine art at the festival. The work must be artist created and not manufactured and the jury is looking for the best of the best in fine art. The event attracts only the best artists as well as the most discriminating art collectors from the U.S. and abroad. Subject matter ranges from Southwest and traditional to contemporary and abstract, including floral, wildlife, European, African and Native American art.

Visitors can find amazing works of art from small, medium, large and extra large, including life-sized bronze sculptures, as well as metal, clay, wood, stone, glass and mixed media sculptures. An amazing array of pottery, photography, handcrafted jewelry, and select fine crafts will be on display and for sale, as well as a spectacular range of oils and acrylics on canvas, watercolors, pastels, charcoals, etchings and mixed media paintings.

The Carefree Art & Wine Festival holds the title of Arizona�s largest wine-tasting event, featuring first-class wines from Arizona, California, Australia, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. Visitors can purchase wine tasting tickets and receive a souvenir glass to sample the wines and can purchase additional full glasses of their favorites.

To add the perfect touch of taste to an already amazing event, many of the Carefree restaurants and outdoor cafes will be providing delicious samples. For chocolate lovers, several confectioners will be on location to provide tasty samples. Visitors can also enjoy a wide range of entertainment.The Carefree Art & Wine Festival is held three times per year, in the Spring, Fall and Winter. The dates for 2009 are not yet available.

Event Details:
Where: Downtown Carefree, Arizona (Easy and Ho Hum Streets)
Hours: 10 a.m. � 5 p.m.
Admission: Free on Friday, $2 per person on Saturday and Sunday
Parking: Free (where ever you can find a spot)

Greer Weekend Road Trip

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:08:22 -0600

If you're looking for an adventure out of the ordinary, away from the same ole' thing, then get on the road less traveled and head to small and beautiful Greer, Arizona. Little more than four hours north east of Phoenix, not much more than a hop, skip and jump from New Mexico, Greer's atmosphere is relaxed and laid back - a perfect escape from the high paced world of today.

Greer pioneer, John Butler settled in the small mountain burg in 1898, and is considered the town's founder, being one of the first to observe its potential as a southwestern paradise. Well-known throughout the state, John and his wife Molly were known as the heart of Greer, providing hunting and fishing adventures for both locals and visitors. In the early days, the Butlers' with their great sense of humor and big hearts even decided they would go broke providing free lodging to guests in exchange for help with chores like gathering and branding cattle.

After the scenic drive through Arizona's country-side, it'll be time to stretch and chat it up with the locals at Tin Star Trading Post�s rustic coffee corral. While sipping a cup of �cowboy� coffee or a cold sarsaparilla let Greer's charming natives tell you about the latest event around town or the famous outlaw Butch Cassidy and the "Wild Bunch", whose secret hideouts in the White Mountains aren't secret anymore. Tin Star also offers plenty of other treats like ice cream and their own jerky and trail mixes. You can even get a fishing license and camping gear at this down home one-stop shop.

Afterward, treat yourself to a relaxing horseback ride atop the canyons starting at South Fork Canyon�s X Diamond Ranch. Kym Johnson, the great granddaughter of the John and Molly Butler will guide you for a unique ride through awe-inspiring wilderness and petroglyphs. Rides are very reasonably priced and include a sack lunch. The Tenderfoot ride for one horse, one rider is only $25 and lasts an hour. The Greenhorn is a two-hour ride and costs $40 or if you have the time, spend a half-day exploring the indescribable beauty of the surrounding mountains and valleys on horseback for $85.

Once your horse is back in the stable, take a step back in time at the Little House Museum. This one of a kind museum is full of turn of the century fashions, antiques and artifacts from the old west. The museum is located on the same grounds as X Diamond Ranch, so it's quite convenient. Feel free to put a nickel in a traditional Nickelodeon and kick up your boots to the ole-time saloon music. The Music Hall at Little House also has many rare instruments, some whose patents date as far back as 1865. Keep in mind that the Little House Museum only does tours by reservation, so be sure to set up a time before you board your horse. Normally reservations can be made a few hours in advance.

After a full day of seeing the sights and horsing around, dinner and drinks in a rustic and comfortable atmosphere is just the ticket.

373 Bar and Grill Restaurant at Greer Lodge Resort is a perfect place to unwind. Take a seat overlooking the Little Colorado River and help yourself to one of 373�s fantastic seafood or prime rib plates. They make excellent mixed drinks and have an extensive wine list as well. When you�ve had your fill, spend the night at Greer Lodge Resort and Red Setter Inn in one of their many rooms, private cabins or condos starting at $99. Many cabins are on the water and have cozy front porches great for an evening of stargazing. All the cabins have fully stocked kitchens and either a fireplace or a wood-burning stove.

Greer Lodge and Red Setter Inn offers free fly fishing for their guests including lessons and equipment in their private streams ponds and lakes. They are also a ski lodge in the winter months, and are only about ten minutes down the road from Sunrise Ski Area. After a good rejuvenating night�s sleep at Red Setter, there�s nothing like hitting the slopes to get the adrenalin going.

No matter what time of year you venture, Greer is a majestic and serene wonderland among the pines, aspens and plentiful wildlife of the White Mountains, it just waits to be discovered.

Tin Star Trading Post: 38940 State Route 373, Greer AZ 85927. Phone: (928) 735-7540X Diamond Ranch LLC: 38735 State Route 373 Greer, AZ 85927. Phone: (928) 333-2286Little House Museum: P.O Box 113 Greer, AZ 85927. Phone: (928) 333-2286Greer Lodge Resort & Red Setter Inn: 44 Main St. Greer, AZ 85927. Phone: (928) 735-7216

Greer is five miles south of State Road 260 at the end of State Road 373, nestled in the Arizona White Mountains.

The Dry Hottie

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:39:00 -0600

Newbie FAQ for Arizona

Dry heat, dry heat. All I hear is that 120° feels like a crisp fall day in New Hampshire because Arizona has low humidity. But last summer, it was freakin' hot!

Did you say summer? Summer is not dry. Think monsoons in India, are they dry? In summer, humidity is 50 percent or more. It�s not the truly impressive 100% humidity with 100 degrees, the beloved 100-100 of the south, but it�s wet-army-blanket-over-the-head anyway.

How come I didn�t know this in time?

You closed on your house, didn�t you? They don�t tell you until you close on your house. Out here, we lovingly call people like you �sucker,� sometime shortened to an enervated �neener-neener,� after which the speaker must nap, state law.

This is a desert, but I see sprinklers on the golf courses and some people have lawns instead of rocky debris yards.

Blasphemer! You can�t live without golf. The very idea! Everyone needs water�for their grass, pools, ponds, and canteens. Strangely, water is the cheapest section of your utility bill and as long as there is water to rustle from the Colorado River, you will have water.

I thought people came here for their allergies. I pictured rows of pallid folk lined up in Adirondack chairs like an outtake from The Magic Mountain, all breathing pure, particle-less O2.

You do have an overactive imagination. See �lawns� above. Also: �golf courses.� Grass produces pollens. Also, the atavistic yearning for the color green, as in trees, produces even more pollen. Here is a piece of trivia for ya�the official state device is an inhaler.

Is that a lie?

Uh�

What is the official state device?

A shiny truck with a ground clearance of three feet.

Yes, there does seem to be a lot of traffic in Arizona.

People got places to go, lighten up. They are building light rail transit, which is disdained by the cowboy types as if it were a bicycle stabilized by a parasol going over a rope. You have to drive to get to the train�or you will. Wouldn�t ya just know.

Why are all cars white or silver?

Reflects heat, or at least people have convinced themselves it does. Those guys on Mythbusters ought to check it out. In the meantime, having all white cars makes those grocery-laden moments, feet stuck to the blacktop, sun a malevolent white disk, all the sportier. Arizonans love a good challenge.

Is it true? I heard Wal-Mart once had a sign on the doors saying, �Do not touch door handle.� Wal-Mart? Can it be? Don�t enter?

Yes, this was before they got automatic doors. Touching the handle meant a second-degree burn. You have to wait until someone came out. Of course, someone always came out.

My goodness, why would people come here?

Do you have to ask? Golf. Gigantic white trucks. Fiery obstacles. Air so dry it will mummify a corpse, except in summer.

And don�t forget�deep veins of irony ripe for mining.

Sun City, Arizona

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:22:00 -0600

Ah, retirement. We spend the majority of our lives working towards it. If you've earned this right then Sun City, Arizona may be just what you're looking for.

Sun City is an active adult community and I can attest to that, as my first job at 14 back in 1979 was busing tables at one of Sun Cities country clubs. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the nicest people you could imagine in the clubs members and in my 30's I worked in real estate for a Sun City based real estate agency.

Besides the original Sun City developed by Del Webb in the '60s, you have Sun City West, Sun City Grand and the resort style community of Corte Bella.

According to U.S. News, Sun City in the Sonoran desert of Arizona, was the first planned,self-contained, seniors-only community of its kind, now it could be the biggest with39,000 residents enjoying the Arizona sunshine. Sun City is an ideal adult communitywhere all residents can be as active as they wish; they have access to many recreationcenters, golf courses and countless type of activities.

I highly recommend a visit to Retire To Sun City, Arizona for more information on living the retirement you've earned.

Cameron Trading Post

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:45:00 -0600

The Cameron Trading Post has been providing visitors, travelers and explorers to the desert southwest with needed supplies for nearly a century. In the early days, that meant trading almost exclusively with the Navajo and Hopi Native American Indians for wool, blankets, livestock and dry goods.

Today, the Cameron Trading Post is well worth a long and leisurely visit, and you will find much more than wool and dry goods. It has become a showplace for Native American and southwestern artwork � everything from traditional blankets, baskets, dolls and pots to the most gorgeous Native American Indian art and jewelry to be found anywhere. The gift shop and market carry all sorts of modern southwestern domestics, imports, Native American and southwestern d�cor and floor coverings.

�Nearly 70 percent of our resources go toward the purchase of Native American handmade items,� says General Manager Carl Coleson. �We often trade with other trading posts for other artists� works.�

�In the old days, the trading post saw mostly local traffic and the Native Americans came to the trading post for advice, translation services, counseling and trading. Today we probably have 2,000 visitors a day during the season (April � October) and we get visitors from all over the world! Every day we see busloads and busloads of people who are traveling through. Sometimes you come into the trading post and it sounds like Babel, with everyone speaking a different language,� says Carl.

�But while it�s a whole different world at the trading post these days thanks to the automobile and airplane, we still trade in a broad range of items of very high quality,� says Carl.

But that�s not all! Situated on the Little Colorado River on State Route 89, the Lodge at the Cameron Trading Post offers a central location to visit the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, the Painted Desert, Sunset Crater National Monument, Monument Valley and much more � all within a couple hours drive of the Lodge.

The restaurant serves a mix of traditional, American, Mexican and local cuisines. The most popular item on the menu is the Navajo Taco, made with traditional Native American fry bread, spicy ground beef and beans, green chilis and more.

Once you have eaten your fill, take several hours to tour the gift shop, the gallery filled with gorgeous Native American arts and crafts, or the market, which is a grocery store, convenience store, and old-fashioned mercantile all rolled into one, and includes such delightful items as campfire coffee pots and outdoor cooking gear.

The Cameron Trading Post History

A swayback suspension bridge across the Little Colorado River provided the first easy crossing point for many miles. Shortly after the bridge was completed, Hubert and C.D. Richardson established a trading post on the south bank to assist travelers.

Today the Cameron Trading Post is owned by the people who work there, many from Native American tribes of the area and with roots going back for generations.

�After the Richardson brothers, the trading post passed through many hands until a descendent of the Richardsons, Joe Atkinson, bought it and set it up as an employee-owned corporation in the 1980s,� says Carl. �Cameron is different today because we are employee owned, and that means we are proud to make it the best place it can possibly be!�

See The Southwest

Visit the Pueblo Indian Ruins of the Southwest

Get �Hooked� Up with Arizona Fishing Guides

Arizona Photography Adventures

Save 5% on Windwalker Expeditions Adventures

Photo Credits:Chuckwalla � Dan CottonThe Desert in Bloom � Gil GustavsenWindow Arch � Jack McAward

The Dry Hottie

Agua Fria National Monument

A Place Out of Time

Agua Fria National Monument

It is a federal offense to remove any artifacts from ancient native american sites on public land and is punishable by fines and prison.

Additional Reading

Carefree Art & Wine Festival

Greer Weekend Road Trip

The Dry Hottie

Newbie FAQ for Arizona

Sun City, Arizona

Cameron Trading Post

Photo Credits:
Chuckwalla � Dan Cotton
The Desert in Bloom � Gil Gustavsen
Window Arch � Jack McAward