Route 66 – 2017/2018:
December 10 to December 16
Phoenix. We have been here several times before and I love the desert. It is very beautiful. I don’t know if we will see any of them here this week but there are several friends from back home in the area.
This week we saw a fabulous model railroad display, the Phoenix Botanical Gardens, had a great road trip down the old “Apache Trail”, I played a round of golf, we saw some friends from home and spent a couple great days on Route 66.
Click on the photo for each day to view that day's photos.
Day 57 - dec. 10, 2017
There is a park in Scottsdale called the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It has a restored old carousel, a working narrow gauge train, a train museum and a really cool model train display. The model train display is free and over 13,000 sq. feet. There is A LOT of detail here. And countless hours of work and patience.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Day 58 - dec. 11, 2017
Off to Lake Pleasant, just northwest of Phoenix today. We had heard of maybe seeing Bald eagles, but no such luck.
However, the desert has it's own beauty. Many varieties of cacti, birds, reptiles and even wild burros. All this on a short hike, about 45 minutes in length.
Burro, Lake Pleasant, AZ
Day 59 - Dec. 12, 2017
The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is a wonderful place. Opened in 1939, there are more types of cacti here than you can imagine. Acres of different desert habitat.
There are not many of the plants and cacti flowering at this time of year but there are some and we got some pretty good shots. We also got some shots of a few hummingbirds, quail, butterflies and Cactus Wrens.
The Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ
Day 60- Dec. 13, 2017
Well, we have had to lower our expectations from "indescribable" to merely spectacular. Today we drove the "Apache Trail". This is a 42 mile, rough, dusty up and down, and up and up then down again, twisty, windy, often one lane road from Goldfield to Tortilla Flats to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Oh, did I mention it is also spectacular?
Apache Trail, AZ
Day 61 - dec. 14, 2017
I went golfing today so not many pictures. Just a few from around the resort that Joy took while I was away, a few from the golf course and then some "Goodbye Phoenix" sunset pics.
Orange Tree Golf Club
Day 62 - DEc. 15, 2017
Sad to leave Scottsdale, but it's back on the road today. Next stop...Kingman, AZ., although just for the night. On the way, a very pretty drive as we leave the desert behind. More Route 66 with more old motels, gas stations and derelict vehicles. In Kingman we got some shots of a restored Packard, some old neon signs that are still working in the evening (who remembers the "OK Used Cars" sign?) and a couple trains.
Route 66, AZ
Day 63 - dec. 16, 2017
Kingman to Carlsbad. Old Route 66 takes a very scenic route through the mountains within an hour of leaving Kingman. Extremely pretty. Then you get to Oatman. I had never heard of Oatman before but it is great. It is an old gold mining town (in fact it still is) and it looks like it is straight out of a "Gunsmoke" episode. Complete with wild burros. Everywhere. It is estimated there are over 14,000 of them in the hills. They are trying to use birth control on them but so far the burros are winning. We also got some great photos of a couple hummingbirds.
Then off to Golden Springs where there is a wonderful, restored, 1959 GMC fire truck.
Back on to Route 66 to L.A. and then down to Carlsbad. There are a couple shots of the night view from our condo.
Oatman, AZ