Tomorrow, we are headed to the Meteor Crater then Winslow to ‘Stand on the corner’ lol.  But today Ryan and I visit the Montezuma Castle National Monument which protects well-preserved dwellings  built and used by the Sinagua people between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD. Always impressive!

 

Then we pack. Maria and John and their 3 dogs are also leaving tomorrow, Maria headed to Red Bay Alabama for repairs on their Tiffin motorhome and John headed west with their jeep to work on special machinery.  We did like to pet Mechka (bulgarian for bear)

but in reality we much prefer our 3 stuffed animals that remind us of home lol

And then came the sunset…Our last in Camp Verde…

in 2020 🙂

Great day to read! Our picks:)

or visit another… rock and mineral show lol

or sort through pictures that made us smile 🙂

Ryan comparing his curls with Lilliane’s…

 

 

 

Because Ryan wants to go see the sunset in Sedona, off we go to the Sedona Airport. We are told it is the best location for great views.

On the way, we stop at an art and crafts store where you roam endless rows of unique products.

The truth is Roger is very willing to stop because there are buildings covered with signs (the type he collects).

All looks interesting. But shopping with your husband is like fishing with the game warden lol

As for Roger, he finds out that none of the signs are for sale. The owner displays them  for all to admire 🙂

Once at the airport in Sedona, we wait for the sun to set on the red rock,  like at Ayers Rock in Australia’s outback…

Ryan’s pictures are incredible!

Winter fun..

Winter nightmare..

But spring is around the corner, even in Arizona 🙂

 

 

So to answer a question in a previous post… (Visit to Copper Museum)

From Camp Verde, the town of Jerome is only 24 miles, but what views.

From a roaring copper mining boom town, to Arizona’s largest ghost town…to Arizona’s most unique art and history destination, Jerome has always been a survivor. When in Arizona, it is a must to experience.

From clay and recycled items…

Art stores and good food at this Mexican restaurant, a perfect combination…

Back at the motorhome, our neighbours, have their 3 dogs pose for us. Tripp was born with 3 legs, but that does not stop him from getting around.

 

Johnny and Maria are full time Rv living. Their dogs are super well trained and obviously a big part of their life.

Did we tell you the sunsets at Camp Verde are spectacular?

 

Travelling by motorhome, in our opinion, is the best… no luggage to carry, your own bed every night and the capability of preparing your own meals 😊 Of course, you need be able to drive it. Then, you have to be somewhat of a problem solver because there will be some, guaranteed. You do have to make your bed in the morning, wash your clothes, clean and prepare meals. And sometimes, you have to deal with neighbours, mostly the furry ones. This year especially, we have noticed a high percentage of travellers bringing cats but mostly dogs. Two dogs in a motorhome seems to be the norm and three is not unseen… Fortunately, at Camp Verde, most are trained and well mannered. We have not heard this neighbour bark once. This morning he seemed to be saying: Please bring me with you?

We are headed to Sedona, the top attraction in Arizona after the Grand Canyon.

The sandstone rocks are a photographer’s paradise.

And since Ryan is with us, we have extraordinary pictures. 😊
Many previous blogs have described Sedona, so pictures only in this one.

Soup in the crock pot is waiting for us in the motorhome for dinner. We have to admit we indulged at lunchtime…

 

After an afternoon and evening of reminiscing with Linda and Slim, we spend the next day in Cottonwood, a small community near Camp Verde.

Although it is too early for wine (we cross many wine tasting rooms), we do visit antique and specialty shops

and enjoy a walk on Main Street.

This Community Club House was built in a time of depression to provide employment. It was partially funded by ladies who raised thousands by doing bake sales and other numerous fundraisers 🙂

All of us agree with this message, posted in the window of one of the shops. Hopefully, we are not the only ones to read it…

A picture taken in November, reminded me that, it is always best to bring local when you are travelling. This year, we forgot our delicious, strong garlic 😦 The one we are buying either comes from Florida or Mexico!!! We also forgot our raw honey. So I picked up this jar without reading the label… Lesson learned! Can someone explain why there would be 14% added sugar to honey…

We do find Uncle Luke’s maple syrup from Granby Quebec lol

Today, Monday the 9th, we visit the copper museum in Clarkdale for the, yes 2nd time. We are informed that 60 new items have been added since our last visit. But seriously, there are so many artifacts that you could visit 10 times and still not have noticed everything…
Ryan is especially impressed by this table built for the ‘kitchenware collection’. The curator explains how it was built on premise.

Then, hard not to be moved by the trench art room.

Roger and Ryan are fascinated by this still used to make cognac.

Guess how many tons of ore it takes to be able to blow a horn?

Wednesday, our car is finally ready. We drive back to Phoenix. Not that we mind the scenery… Snow on the mountains today…

The car is ready but no one seems to know what the problem was. At least we are good to go.

We also visit a store in Glendale at Ryan’s request. I think he is hooked lol But look at this place.

We get to talk to the owner who is cutting the rocks to find…treasures. Amazing!

Then who would not revisit this store with the most unique rocks and art. Worth checking their website as well : Rare Earth Gallery.

Tomorrow, friends from Espanola, Linda and Slim Hopkins, will be joining us for a few days.  We can never seem to get together when in Ontario but finally will get to visit…in Arizona lol 😊

Have you ever looked at a photo you took some while back and wondered why this snapshot? Luckily, when I came upon this one (taken only a month ago😊) I remembered…

In Phoenix, we could see this pineapple tree just out our window. So often, there was a bird perched in it and it was fascinating to watch. But try to find the bird…I will help you lol. Can you see the feet and the beak?

The most awesome however, were the hummingbirds, but they never stayed long enough…

From Vegas Nevada, you head north to 40 towards Flagstaff, Arizona. But first you drive to Lake Mead

and Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. A new bypass opened in 2010.

We remember Mel, Curtis and Dan flying over the construction site and taking pictures from a helicopter…

Mount Humphrey, at an elevation of 11 000 ft in Flagstaff is visible from hours away.
Years ago, 18 miles of cross country ski trails would have been alluring, but today, we are headed south on 17 to Campe Verde, warmer country, a quiet campsite away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Roger’s brother Ryan will be joining us 😊

We decide to meet him in Phoenix for a night. As we are leaving, a message on our jeep says: Your car will not start in 240 km because of wrong DEF fuel. Visit a dealer…
So, a dealer we visit. Actually, this dealer has Ford  Hyundai, BMW, Mazda, Volkswagen dealerships in Phoenix…

They will not be able to look at the car until Monday. No choice but to drive back to Campe Verde in… a rented car. But all is well, and the company is good 😊

Today is Sunday…stay tuned!

Good night everyone!

Why a 2020 blog?

Because we now have a hard time remembering what we did yesterday lol

January in Phoenix was quite busy: attend Classic Car Auctions (up to 8 now) and a Home Show, visit antiques shops and a wool shop, drive to Cave Creek and road trip to some favorite places 😊

Sun shining every day, cooler nights, who would not like Phoenix (in the winter lol)
Sunsets are as incredible. 5:40, 5:44, 5:59 respectively.

Classic Car Auctions are like movies; very entertaining.
1. No 2 cars are identical.
2. Each car has an interesting history and owner.
3. Whether you are a consigner, a buyer or a spectator, the adrenaline is high.
4. The auctioneers babble or chant to make sure you think of nothing else while you are there.

It is always mind boggling the amount of people attending, especially the world-famous Barrett Jackson.

As you can see, you are invited to go to their website to learn more. (This picture provided by Barrett Jackson is not a link)   https://www.barrett-jackson.com/ to find out what this 1956 Chevrolet Belair Custom Coupe sold for… Lot # 1111

Imagine, all the consigners have to commit to a no reserve sale, a year ahead of time!

Good that every tent is 250 ft long… No problem walking 10 000 steps a day:)

Some beauties! But isn’t beauty in the eyes of the beholder?

Notice that Roger is carrying a clear plastic bag. For security reasons, they are the only ones allowed this year. Unless you are a registered bidder, they sell for 10$ at the entrance…

Roger added to his collection at the MAG auction. Happy man!

A 62 Olsdmobile and two Chevey pcik-ups, a 65 and a 70.

He also spotted a London taxi…Not quite the same as the one he rode many years ago, but it brought back memories for sure. 😊

At the Leak auction,

we were happily surprised to see these.

The question is why are these not mandatory at every event?

_____________________________________________________________

Did I mention that you can also spend a Saturday at the Pavillion, a shopping mall…

to see more classic cars.  lol

This gentleman from Timmins ON hopes to sell his car privately.

I convinced Roger we had to visit the Home show. Great opportunity to see many models of Tiny Homes in one location. Well, I did get to see one. lol But, everyone was as curious as I was it seems.

Roger had no problem waiting for me in this sun chair made in Hawaii ha!

Then he patiently waited at the Sin City Yarn Shop:)

For the first time as well, we visited Cave Creek, just north of Phoenix. Stores so unique!

The Rare Earth Gallery is paradise (to a rock lover and collector)

Roger says I should collect lighter objects lol

But my response : hey,  Tom Hanks has a huge collection of …type writers😊

___________________________________________________________________

Our road trip brought us to Quartzite.
Love it! Small acquisition. Weighs less than 5 pounds😊

In Parker, we just happen across an off-road race, the Parker 425. So many strange looking cars? vehicles? buggies?

Google it to get the feel 😊

But then, in Arizona, they have the desert trails like we have skidoo trails…And many RVers ‘dry dock’ in the desert all winter!

 

Lake Havasu City is famous for its London Bridge. In 1967, an  entrepreneur had the idea of buying the crumbling bridge from England to reconstruct it brick by brick in Arizona. Today, Lake Havasu is a major tourist attraction and Mr McCulloch made a lot of money on his unusual investment!

Then, Oh! Oh! We thought the last time we would see a similar sign would be when we were on Route 66…

We unhitched and turned around…along with another RV!

Laughlin is always a treat because of the board walk, an enjoyable way to get 10 000 and more steps in a day.

Mr Laughlin sure knew how to promote his business! Just like Sam from Walmart…
Although we stayed at a campsite across the road, many motorhomes choose…the parking lot…

At 86, Mr Laughlin still has a daily chat with his employees. His car collection at the Riverside Casino is impressive.

From Laughlin, we head to Vegas. The highlight of our stay? Attending the Terry Fator show.  As a comedian and a ventriloquist, he is a great entertainer!

 

A big plus is that we were winners lol We came out of Vegas with the same amount of money we had when we arrived…