Its been a few days since my last posting but I have been unplugged so to speak…
After I left my family in Tucson, I visited some old friends in Phoenix. Since I was staying with them so we really just visited and stuck to their immediate area but there are two spots worth noting. First, we had dinner at local roadhouse style, home cooking restaurant called Texaz Grill, exit 4, Bethany Home road off the 101 Loop. We all shared the fried okra, fried catfish and country-fried steak with mashed potatoes and cold beers served in small 5oz. frosted glass like my father loved. It was so pleasant and well not healthy it was so deliciously yummy. Since we were so full, we also took home some pecan pie, peach cobbler and bread pudding, which were phenomenal. On our way home, we stopped at a locally owned, old record store just like those in High Fidelity or Empire Records, called Zia Records at 2510 W. Thunderbird. It was so nostalgic of my teens to shop through the aisles alphabetically for $2-$11 cds and I jokes I had not brought a CD since 1999 which is true. I ended up getting 7 cds for $40. However, I do not have any photos of this evening and I now have learned the first rule in blogging – never leave your camera because you never know when you will stumble upon something good.
After not much convincing, my friends decided to go fishing and camping for the weekend and while it was a change of pace for me to be on the road with people, it was nice to share duties and responsibilities. We left Phoenix and drove back to the Coconino National Forest, outside Sedona, where I had driven a week before with my mom but could not stop. The road 89A is a great scenic drive through the mountains with a creek running throughout the red rocks. There is plenty to do in the area including off-roading, fishing (mostly catch and release) and Slide Rock State Park (cost small fee so locals usually park on the side of the road and walk a few creeks away to enjoy the same atmosphere for free). To my disappointment, both campgrounds in the area were full since it was Saturday, so while it was still early we had to change our plans. This happens often on the road and you must remain easygoing and realize it wasn’t meant to be, so we continued to Flagstaff. After parking off San Francisco Street, we checked out the various camping stores in search of a propane grill because there are no open fires in Arizona at this time due to the wildfires across the region. I feel camping is just not the same and my friend had to buy a propane grill to my dismay. We took the scenic route from Flagstaff on Mary Lake Road towards Happy Jack to camp in the Blue Ridge Reservoir in the Mogallan region for fishing and camping under the stars. Just off US 87/ Co.Rd. 65 east of Lake Mary Road, they have a six trout limit in the spring and summer and unlimited the rest of the year.
Blue Ridge was awe inspiring as huge, hundreds of year old pines cover the rocky canyon side in a blanket and a calm river cuts through the scenic outlook. The water was so still as the reflection of the rich hunter green trees reflected back at the sky. We settled in about a half-mile off the road for some free camping, which is the best kind of camping. When I am traveling alone, however, I would have stayed in the designated areas for fear of some ax-murder from those endless horror films. The next morning, we woke up at the break of dawn so we could catch some trout. I already accepted we would not be able to cook them on an open fire but at least we could catch and clean some fresh fish. Lets just say that authentically catching, cleaning and cooking a fresh fish is still on my bucket list. After a few hours with no bites, which was only about 7:30 in the morning, we decided we have to find a different area to camp and fish at for the rest of the day. Having missed out yesterday, we decided to head back to Coconino National Forest. We also decided we definitely wanted to eat fish that night so if we could not catch anything by the end of the day then we could hit up the trout farm just a two miles north of Sedona. Before we left however, we went east to the Tonto National Forest to explore the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. While it was nothing I expected, it was so much more. I walked up to a dreamlike scene with an old tree resting at a cave entrance, with a stream of water falling down to the mossy bottom like melting icicles and tree roots spill over the edge (Photo #1 -3). We took the Gowan trail down quickly to the bottom of the cave but caution it is not easy to get back up and took about thirty minutes and a few rest breaks (Photo#4). As you walk further back into the cave, it was like an oasis with calm pools that reminded me of an imaginary mermaid lagoon (Photo #5 & 6). After a quick photo-op, we quickly took the waterfall trail at the first parking lot to see a colorful display of blackberry brushes and luscious ferns with yellow flowers growing out of the rock wall that was dampened with fresh spring water trickling down (Photos #7-10). On a side note, just this week in the Tonto National Forest, bears attacked two separate people while they were in their tents sleeping and three campsites have been evacuated and closed due to the bears’ activity. These are genuine fears that I have to ignore when sitting alone at night in my tent because if you worry you will be that one chance encounter then you’ll never take the risk of camping and exploring the outdoors. I actually worry more about ax murders then bears which probably is not rational. What is sad however is that these bears will either be euthanized or relocated when we are encroaching on their territory. Respect wildlife, don’t feed or try to pet them (people really try to pet the buffalo at Yellowstone-I witnessed it), don’t litter or leave food out.
As we took the few hour drive back to the Sedona-Oak Creek area, we decided to enter through Schnebly Road (AZ 179), a true off-roading experience (Photo #11-12). It really is the only way to come through Sedona now, if you have an hour and a half. By this time we rushed to the Trout Farm off 89A (Photo #13) and caught five rainbow trout in 15 minutes. I know I know – it is definitely cheating but I am not going home now until I mark this off my bucket list. We got to Manzanita campground just a few minutes too late. Since it was full, our only option was Cave Creek Campground with over 80 sites, basically the opposite of last night’s experience. The grounds were gorgeous but it was somewhat loud and crowded (Photo #14). We cooked the trout in some butter and lemon in a skillet and the dinner was amazing, fresh and still satisfying (Photo #15-16). All and all, Flagstaff and Sedona are Arizona camping at its best and the temperatures are perfect with specular spots that are vastly different from anything else.
After I left my family in Tucson, I visited some old friends in Phoenix. Since I was staying with them so we really just visited and stuck to their immediate area but there are two spots worth noting. First, we had dinner at local roadhouse style, home cooking restaurant called Texaz Grill, exit 4, Bethany Home road off the 101 Loop. We all shared the fried okra, fried catfish and country-fried steak with mashed potatoes and cold beers served in small 5oz. frosted glass like my father loved. It was so pleasant and well not healthy it was so deliciously yummy. Since we were so full, we also took home some pecan pie, peach cobbler and bread pudding, which were phenomenal. On our way home, we stopped at a locally owned, old record store just like those in High Fidelity or Empire Records, called Zia Records at 2510 W. Thunderbird. It was so nostalgic of my teens to shop through the aisles alphabetically for $2-$11 cds and I jokes I had not brought a CD since 1999 which is true. I ended up getting 7 cds for $40. However, I do not have any photos of this evening and I now have learned the first rule in blogging – never leave your camera because you never know when you will stumble upon something good.
After not much convincing, my friends decided to go fishing and camping for the weekend and while it was a change of pace for me to be on the road with people, it was nice to share duties and responsibilities. We left Phoenix and drove back to the Coconino National Forest, outside Sedona, where I had driven a week before with my mom but could not stop. The road 89A is a great scenic drive through the mountains with a creek running throughout the red rocks. There is plenty to do in the area including off-roading, fishing (mostly catch and release) and Slide Rock State Park (cost small fee so locals usually park on the side of the road and walk a few creeks away to enjoy the same atmosphere for free). To my disappointment, both campgrounds in the area were full since it was Saturday, so while it was still early we had to change our plans. This happens often on the road and you must remain easygoing and realize it wasn’t meant to be, so we continued to Flagstaff. After parking off San Francisco Street, we checked out the various camping stores in search of a propane grill because there are no open fires in Arizona at this time due to the wildfires across the region. I feel camping is just not the same and my friend had to buy a propane grill to my dismay. We took the scenic route from Flagstaff on Mary Lake Road towards Happy Jack to camp in the Blue Ridge Reservoir in the Mogallan region for fishing and camping under the stars. Just off US 87/ Co.Rd. 65 east of Lake Mary Road, they have a six trout limit in the spring and summer and unlimited the rest of the year.
Blue Ridge was awe inspiring as huge, hundreds of year old pines cover the rocky canyon side in a blanket and a calm river cuts through the scenic outlook. The water was so still as the reflection of the rich hunter green trees reflected back at the sky. We settled in about a half-mile off the road for some free camping, which is the best kind of camping. When I am traveling alone, however, I would have stayed in the designated areas for fear of some ax-murder from those endless horror films. The next morning, we woke up at the break of dawn so we could catch some trout. I already accepted we would not be able to cook them on an open fire but at least we could catch and clean some fresh fish. Lets just say that authentically catching, cleaning and cooking a fresh fish is still on my bucket list. After a few hours with no bites, which was only about 7:30 in the morning, we decided we have to find a different area to camp and fish at for the rest of the day. Having missed out yesterday, we decided to head back to Coconino National Forest. We also decided we definitely wanted to eat fish that night so if we could not catch anything by the end of the day then we could hit up the trout farm just a two miles north of Sedona. Before we left however, we went east to the Tonto National Forest to explore the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. While it was nothing I expected, it was so much more. I walked up to a dreamlike scene with an old tree resting at a cave entrance, with a stream of water falling down to the mossy bottom like melting icicles and tree roots spill over the edge (Photo #1 -3). We took the Gowan trail down quickly to the bottom of the cave but caution it is not easy to get back up and took about thirty minutes and a few rest breaks (Photo#4). As you walk further back into the cave, it was like an oasis with calm pools that reminded me of an imaginary mermaid lagoon (Photo #5 & 6). After a quick photo-op, we quickly took the waterfall trail at the first parking lot to see a colorful display of blackberry brushes and luscious ferns with yellow flowers growing out of the rock wall that was dampened with fresh spring water trickling down (Photos #7-10). On a side note, just this week in the Tonto National Forest, bears attacked two separate people while they were in their tents sleeping and three campsites have been evacuated and closed due to the bears’ activity. These are genuine fears that I have to ignore when sitting alone at night in my tent because if you worry you will be that one chance encounter then you’ll never take the risk of camping and exploring the outdoors. I actually worry more about ax murders then bears which probably is not rational. What is sad however is that these bears will either be euthanized or relocated when we are encroaching on their territory. Respect wildlife, don’t feed or try to pet them (people really try to pet the buffalo at Yellowstone-I witnessed it), don’t litter or leave food out.
As we took the few hour drive back to the Sedona-Oak Creek area, we decided to enter through Schnebly Road (AZ 179), a true off-roading experience (Photo #11-12). It really is the only way to come through Sedona now, if you have an hour and a half. By this time we rushed to the Trout Farm off 89A (Photo #13) and caught five rainbow trout in 15 minutes. I know I know – it is definitely cheating but I am not going home now until I mark this off my bucket list. We got to Manzanita campground just a few minutes too late. Since it was full, our only option was Cave Creek Campground with over 80 sites, basically the opposite of last night’s experience. The grounds were gorgeous but it was somewhat loud and crowded (Photo #14). We cooked the trout in some butter and lemon in a skillet and the dinner was amazing, fresh and still satisfying (Photo #15-16). All and all, Flagstaff and Sedona are Arizona camping at its best and the temperatures are perfect with specular spots that are vastly different from anything else.
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