Sedona, Arizona

March 18-23-2014

Thousand Trails-Valley Verde, Arizona

 

I have to say, this is not our best trip to Thousand Trails...however; most of our recent trips to Thousand Trails have not been the best....for those of you who are former members, now that TT has changed hands, being a member no longer has the benefits it once had; in fact, you are now treated like the poor relative when you get to the park.  The larger sites with 50 amps are "leased" on an annual basis.  We found a couple of great empty sites but couldn't use them as they were "leased".  We ended up at a 30 amp site where our slides were about two inches from the rig next to us...our living room was their living room.

And, we all know these big rigs just don't "work" well with 30 amps.  With that, and the fact that the WiFi was sketchy at best causing me to lose my entire Ft. McDowell blog, our planned two weeks here shortened to one.

 

We came here five years ago...joining cousins Greg and Marilyn Gundy and had the most wonderful time...and we're determined to enjoy Sedona while we're here.
 

What a beautiful country...we relived our first trip along Route 179 when Ken "gasped" as we turned the corner and we had our first view of Castle Rock, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.

These red rocks are The Best:

 

 

We brought Barney on a 3-mile hike around Courthouse Butte on a beautiful sunny, warm day.  By the time we were done, he had little red socks on his feet.  I got home and that red dirt had gone through my sneakers to my socks and through my socks to my feet.  Pesky stuff!

 

 

We spent a day visiting Jerome, located high on top of Cleopatra Hill (5,200 feet).  Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was a copper mining camp, growing from a settlement of tents to a roaring mining community.  Jerome sits above what was the largest copper mine in Arizona and produced an astonishing 3 million pounds of copper per month. Today the mines are silent, and Jerome has become the largest ghost town in America. 

 

However, my definition of a ghost town is an abandoned settlement...and Jerome is anything but abandoned.  We visited the Douglas Mansion State Park, owned and occupied by the owners of the Little Daisy Mine.

At Douglas Mansion State Park with Jerome in the background.

 



Original homes of Jerome now used as retail and inns to attract all the Jerome visitors.



 As much as we were disappointed in our campsite; we could never be disappointed in where we were....Sedona and its surroundings can never be described or duplicated anywhere else in the world.!!

 

So, another day exploring what we always enjoyed....let's travel Route 89 UP...UP...and UP to Oak Creek Canyon Vista Point. 

 

This trip did not disappoint.  Again, the beautiful vistas and here I am, five years older and a little more gray (and maybe a couple of pounds; but that will be discounted every time) we are back, which was my forever dream....let's continue on!!





 

This is truly beautiful counry!

Hey, I drove up and around all those switchbacks.....loved the scenery....I think!!

 

On our descent, we once again enjoyed a stop at Slide Rock State Park...s 43-acre historic apple farm....but now named after the famous Slide Rock, a stretch of slippery creek bottom adjacent to the old apple homestead.  

Oh to be young again!!!

 

 



I can see any one of my grandkids (and Peter, of course) enjoying this phenomenal area....someday!!

 

We left the State Park ravenous....a few miles down?  or one mile up?  So we returned to Junipine Resort to enjoy a wonderful afternoon lunch on the deck to watch the world go by...

 

Let's head back down 89A to Sedona...

 

This is one of my favorite spots in Sedona....love the shopping; love the atmosphere; love the people...

 

Yes, Cheryl Cupan, there are still the Pink Jeep Tours!!!
 

Another great evening spent at the Encore Theater....Marvin Shorts Rock 'N Roll Dreams show...what a blast.  First, the Encore Theater is a "can't miss"...and second, Marvin Short is a blast (hair and all)...I wish we had more pictures; but the man was way too fast!!! Funky hair and all, this man can play a saxophone beyond belief and his band mates are just as amazing. (Ken hated his signature "hair"...I loved it!!!)
 

 

Now, back to reality!!!  Thousand Trails has again disappointed....we're moving on.  Actually, we are treading back south to Lake Pleasant in Peoria, Arizona....wish us luck......