For our forty-eighth anniversary, we decided to go to Scottsdale, Arizona. We thought it would be fun to visit the desert in Autumn. It's been a while since we have been to Arizona. Grayden and I and our daughter, Noel had been here when she was just a toddler. We were driving cross country to California to live for nine months. It was 1970! I think we'll see some changes.
Even though Arizona was experiencing an unusually hot week, with temperatures in the upper 90's to 100 degrees, we had a wonderful visit. Grayden and I planned our visit and plotted out days with trips to places within driving distance of Scottsdale. Just like our England trip, Grayden printed out maps and put our destinations into our GPS. We flew into Phoenix and after getting our rental car we drove over to Scottsdale and checked into our home away from home for the week.
After getting settled in we bought a few items at the grocery store. When we travel we like to have our breakfast "at home" and we needed bottled water, fruit and snacks. Scottsdale is a very easy town to get around with great roads and lovely scenery. On our way to the grocery we saw the largest coyote just trotting along the street! We were told not to worry, unless we see a pack of them! Oh, okay!!
The next day we planned to see a few of the sites in the area. Pinnacle Peak is a granite mountain that rises to a summit of 3,169 feet above sea level. We could see Pinnacle Peak from many places as we were driving around. Pinnacle Peak Park covers 150 acres and is located in the city of Scottsdale. Trails allow hiking the 3.5 mile round trip to top. As I mentioned, it was so HOT we decided that hiking was not on the agenda.
Pinnacle Peak Park is home to beauty that is unfamiliar to this East coast gal! I was fascinated by the variety of plants and animals. The Saguaro cactus walk their way up the mountain. These cactus are huge! Birds and other animals make their homes in them.
This little cutie is a Gambel's Quail. He is not a shy fellow at all. He delighted us by rushing all around the brush.
Of course we are reminded that in the desert we must stay on paths.
The views are beautiful from Pinnacle Peak Park. Outstretching before us are McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, Granite Mountain and Cone Mountain.
We had planned ahead to go to nearby Fountain Hills for lunch. There is a small little Mexican place called, Sofrita's. We love trying local fare and in a non chain restaurant. We usually eat our largest meal in the middle of the day, then later we just eat something smaller such as cheese and crackers and fruit.
This is our view from Sofrita's. It's always a gamble to try a new place, but this proved to be delicious. The food was fresh and seasoned wonderfully... A great place to get authentic Mexican food!
In the afternoon we drove to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park. The park was once the home to Hohokam people. They grew agave for food. The Hohokam people lived on this land from 250 B.C. to 1450 A.D. In 1865 the Army established their fort (Ft. McDowell) near the river basin. The park is part of the Maricopa County park system.
McDowell Park has hiking trails, camping sites, and picnic spots to enjoy the varied beauty of this unique area. In 1995, the Rio Fire consumed a good deal of the park's vegetation. Lightning caused the fire that burned almost 14,000 acres of the park. The vegetation has regrown.
Four Peaks Mountain View from the park.
The desert is full of so many different cacti. This particular cactus (Teddy Bear Cholla) was quite abundant here.
We drove all through the park amazed at the difference a desert environment is from Virginia!
We enjoyed a beautiful day in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. The harshness of this area makes one wonder how anything lives in this environment. As a gardener, it would bring new challenges. A completely different set of native plants to consider. Isn't it amazing how varied the United States of America is?
I hope you will join me as I continue to share our time in Arizona. ♥
Martha Ellen, I could not agree more. The United States of America is surely one of the most diversely landscaped countries. I have driven across three times, and each time I felt, had there not been signs, I would know just from the change of scenery when I was crossing a state line.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, I have a friend in Scottsdale ~ It's a small world, after all!
My garden would be full of cacti and probably lots of sculptures and art if I lived here.
Such a beautiful area, and I do love the desert. Your photo of the palm tree silhouette is perfect!
~~~Deb xoxo
Dear Deb, it is a small world! I think if we all realized that, we would live in a more peaceful world! The photo of the palm tree silhouette was taken by Grayden...I should have given him credit. The sunrise was so lovely from our condo each morning. xoxo ♥
DeleteI haven't heard "Classical Gas" in a long time! Brings back memories.....I've been to Phoenix several times with a side trip up to the Grand Canyon on one of those trips. It IS a beautiful area. I never thought I'd fall in love with the desert, but I did. I love the adobe style home, too. Your photographs are beautiful. The second one with the sunset coloring the sky is breathtaking! It captures what the desert is all about for me.
ReplyDeleteCathy, when I was looking for music I wanted to feature music we listened to when we first married. The desert is an interesting place--so different from the East Coast, but still beautiful. Grayden captured that photo...it's one of favorites with the sky on fire! ♥
DeleteMartha Ellen- It sounds like you had a really great time. I love those little local places, too, and we are often surprised by how really good the food is as compared to the chains.
ReplyDeleteThere is a spare and bare beauty in desert communities. I would not want to live there but I know lots of people do. Fun to visit though- xo Diana
Diana, I know a lot of snow birds from your area call it home for part of the year. On the East Coast our snowbirds go to Florida. The harsh beauty of the desert is amazing! ♥
DeleteThis reminds me of our trip there, only we were in meetings at a hotel much of the time. From there we went to the Grand Canyon. I enjoyed seeing all that you saw there on your visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame you weren't able explore more of the area, Dotsie. I'm sure you found the Grand Canyon to be very special. ♥
DeleteI just started following your blog...it's great. As for AZ, it was like a walk down memory lane...I vacationed there a lot in my 20's, came very very close to moving there...bank I worked for here, had a sister bank there with several positions I was qualified for. Love the contrast in the state, dessert to pines you just need to drive north, & even hit snow sometimes. But the places you mentioned so far...well I was like a 3 year old thinking I've been there, & there. Hope you had the chance to go to Carefree, & then south a ways to Supersition Mtns. Tortilla Flats was unique, but the white knuckle drive on the winding road sometimes 1 lane by the dam was fun...this was back in the late 80's so that road might have been widened by now. I still have my AZ souvenirs displayed here & there. Well after seeing your pics & the memories think I need to pull my pics out of my storage tub. & get them into a album to enjoy again...that might be my Black Friday project, after I start some Christmas decorating first..since I don't do the shopping chaos. Or better yet...plan a AZ dreaming Vacation..... Thank you for sharing...
ReplyDeleteThank you Cynthia, and Welcome! It sounds like you know quite a bit about this area in Arizona. We did go to several of the places you mentioned and I hope to be sharing about them here. Pull out those photos and compare them to the one's I've taken. It's nice to remember all the places we have visited along the way.
DeleteI'm with you on the Black Friday thing...Enjoy your Thankgiving! ♥
I have a blog friend who is from Arizona, and it has already snowed in Autumn. Not sure what part she's in. Interesting about the Hohokam people and how long they've lived on this land. I wonder why they call this cactus the teddy bear cholla?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing bits of your trip with us. Happy Thanksgiving, Martha Ellen. I hope you have a nice day with lots of family, love, and food.
~Sheri
Hi Sheri, I bet your friend lives in Northern Arizona. We were amazed at how varied the weather and the foliage changed with the elevation. I believe it is called a teddy bear because it looks soft and cuddly, but it is anything but! It's spines are sharp and barb like!
DeleteWe will be spending Thanksgiving with family and there will certainly be lots love and food shared in the day. Have a lovely Thanksgiving with your family! ♥
I love this post, Martha Ellen! Our first son was born in Arizona in 1970. I hadn't realized how much fun it would be to go back to that area until reading your post. It has its own beauty, for sure. Love all your photos. We were in Arizona once after that also, coming back from San Diego. That would be a lovely trip to take again. Happy belated anniversary to you two! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy. I can hardly believe we've been married for so long. Hopefully you can plan a trip back to Arizona. Spring in England and fall in Arizona? Wouldn't that be divine! Have a great Thanksgiving! ♥
DeleteHappy Anniversary, Martha Ellen! What a perfect way to celebrate! My aunts, uncles, and parents have all retired to the Phoenix area over the years. So, as you can imagine, I have spent a great deal of time visiting the Sonoran desert over the years. It delights me because it is so very different from my home and garden in the Midwest! Families of quail visit my mom's garden every day, they walk in a line with all of their babies. What a wonderful sight! Hummingbirds also visit in abundance. It's amazing that you saw a coyote in the city streets! It's such fun to see your beautiful photos of so many places that I love. I'm looking forward to tagging along everywhere you go! Sending Thanksgiving hugs, dear one! ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes
ReplyDeleteDawn, I bet you know every nook and cranny in Arizona! We just loved it! I do hope I do your "second home" justice. It was so nice for us to be able to spend more time there as we just passed through in 1970! I would so love to see the families of quail you described--I bet they are adorable. Seeing that large coyote, was thrilling, but a little unnerving at the same time. He was quite large. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friend! ♥
DeleteMy son was born in Arizona while his dad was stationed there. AZ is not my favorite place on earth, but it does have a beauty of its own and I did learn to love Mexican food there. Quite different from your home and most definitely different from England.
ReplyDeleteVee, Arizona is the opposite of England! LOL Judy said her son was born there also--maybe you knew her there? Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! ♥
DeleteThat was interesting! I was there from 1975–1978. We may have been on the same certain Army base. Must ask her...
DeleteMartha Ellen, do y'all use VRBO or something similar to rent when you travel? Dave and I liked to rent locally and fit in so we could see what it was like being a local...even if only for a while.
ReplyDeleteSandra, we have timeshare that we use to trade for our lodging when we travel. It has worked well for us and it is what we used when we were in England and Arizona. We used it also when we went to Italy, France, Germany and Austria. I've not heard of VRBO but I do know folks that have used air bnb and really were pleased. I like seeing how the locals live as well. ♥
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