“Take It Easy”

Homolovi State Park, Winslow, AZ            Sept. 3 - 4. 2020                                                                                                       

We didn't make it to Oatman before we were all accosted by the burros...they take begging to a whole new level...

After passing through Oatman, it was a harrowing, gorgeous, drive through 9 miles of sharp curves and switchbacks in the mountains between Oatman and Kingman. Once more, definitely not for the faint of heart. Dad was a Champ!!! 

We were grateful that there was very limited traffic except for the wild burros, one semi who politely waited for us and a few bikers. As exciting as the drive was, we were happy to get to a flatter, straighter road. 

Just hanging out 

Kingman turned out to be really charming; especially since it has a grassy Locomotive Park across from the Powerhouse Visitor’s Center. 

We were able to illegally pull into parking sites while mom ran over to Mr. D’s Drive In for a root beer float. My first, it was delightful, but I liked the ice cream best!!! So happy, mom shares!!! 

She told us that she took a bunch of photos of Mr. D’s, the park, the Visitor’s Center & the Kingman sign. Leave it to mom to always tell a visual story through her photos!!!

 

The sign sold me...rootbeer floats coming up

How fun is this place?

So many cool sites to see...

Outside Kingman, not far from Hackberry and Peach Springs; we were climbing into mesas & plains that included more deciduous trees & bushes along with a scattering of farms and ranches.

Mom and dad said they remember these iconic Burma Shave signs

There was a big billboard on the Haulapai Native American Reservation before Peach Springs saying “Love Mother Earth Don’t Litter!” I agree, why would you degrade this beautiful land?!

Mom photographed a few images from this reservation, but mostly, the school and tiny town. 

Since Route 66 gets down to a gravel road between Williams and Flagstaff, M & D opted for I-40. Since we had just been in Williams about a month ago we didn’t stop. 

Williams looking down into the train yard

Mom still managed to catch some images of the old 1906 Steam Train, an outdoor animal park sign and a retreat center. Between her and dad they don’t miss much! 

We didn't expect to see this type of building?

We blinked and we were in Flagstaff!!! Another wonderful city!!!

Mom borrowed this image, but it looks like one she took the last time they were here 

We jumped off to capture a few Flagstaff Route 66 images, but it was so busy, it was hard to shoot them, so mom had to borrow some from the Internet. She and dad had been here a number of times before. They love this city and area. 

Again, Route 66 gets dicey outside Flagstaff, so once again we used I-40 to Winslow. Mom’s enjoying all the trains paralleling us on these wide open plains. 

Such a wonderful sign for a town that really had all the cool stuff in a two by two block area...

Eagles, Take It Easy”

We decided to eat outside at Relicroad Brewing Company, across from Standing on the Corner Park. It’s the first time we have eaten at a restaurant since Florida in early July. It was a nice change of pace…the place bought me water and a biscuit…YUM! People sitting outside near us were complaining about the heat…by then, it was in the mid 80’s with a breeze…Delightful compared to what we had been through…

By the time we got home, the sun had set, the moon was rising and the temperatures were rapidly dropping…Perfect for careful night snooping, digging and stargazing. Dad brought out a couple of bourbons for them, mom put on some soft music and they shared her stargazing app…It was sublime and a fabulous way to relax…

Even though we all intended to sleep in mom and I got up a bit before 7 AM. It was 64 inside our trailer and slightly cooler outside. She and I went out to play ball; giving dad a chance to sleep in… It turns out, he woke up early too. We decided to do our Pueblo ruins hiking here in the park early to get ahead of the heat…

Homolovi State Park covers 4,000-acres and serves as a research center for the late migration period of the Hopi from the 1200s–1300s. It also provides the opportunity for visitors to see the sites and observe wildlife at an elevation of 4,900 feet. Mom and dad’s photos will tell most of the Hopi’s story here. 

We couldn’t get over how vast the park was and how large this pueblo was. I loved running on the ADA pathways although M & D kept yelling at me to stay on the trails. What’s a trail?

The other trails were far more challenging particularly the one where rattlesnakes like to reside under the large rocks and boulders. Mom and dad wanted to hike that path to see the petroglyphs. 

I couldn't figure out why M & D were struggling with this path

They told me that they weren’t in as good a shape as some they have seen in NM. Another path took you to a completely different pueblo closer to our campgrounds.

As we were driving we encountered cows because it’s an open range and the wild burros. Evidently, it’s not unusual to see antelope too! There were very few visitors in the campgrounds or in the park, so it made Covid distancing easy.   

A cool modern sculpture a block from Standin on the Corner

Since it was getting close to lunch we headed back to Winslow and the La Posada Hotel. Mom had already called to see if they were dog friendly and they were. We went exploring the hotel and gardens…Beautiful!

They had a beautiful gift shop where they were ever so nice to me. They even gave me a biscuit and lots of loving!!!  Dad bought mom a Hopi vase for her birthday and a couple replica La Posada mugs. She was thrilled!!!

From there we moved onto Standin’on the Corner of Winslow, AZ. (this park pays homage to the Jackson Brown’s 1970s hit Take it Easy, which was made famous by rock band The Eagles. It features a grand mural, bronze statue, and more.   

We had lunch outside there before taking loads of photos and buying dad a T-shirt. The Old Trails Museum which explores the history of Winslow — the Santa Fe Railway, Harvey Girls, Route 66, and so forth; didn’t appear to be open. We all agreed to make an early day of it and go home and relax. 

9-11 Remembrance Gardens, we viewed while driving Route 66 W “This memorial (which is constructed of actual beams that came from the World Trade towers in New York City) pays homage to those who both lost their lives and assisted during the 9-11 tragedy.”

"Snowdrift Art Space is a gallery/studio/loft space on Historic Route 66 that features the work of sculptor Dan Lutzick. Snowdrift is located in former Babbitt Brothers Department Store, built in 1914. We didn’t realize that we had to plan ahead for these tours…Oh Darn! Free guided tours of Snowdrift are available by appointment only, and you can make a reservation (at least 24 hours in advance) by emailing us on the “Visit” page of our website.

Hubble Trading Post & First Street Pathway another place that didn’t appear to be open? The First Street Pathway links La Posada Hotel with another important historical site in downtown Winslow: the Hubbell Trading Post, now Winslow’s Visitor Center. Originally built by Hubert and C.D. Richardson in 1917, the trading post and warehouse was purchased by Lorenzo Hubbell in 1921.This spacious building became known as the home of the largest Navajo rug ever woven and the repository of the finest pawned specimens of old-time Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry. The Visitor Center is a must-see for the displays and literature on the local attractions. Rats, another miss..

One of the nicer residences around town...

We would have loved to have gone to Rock Art Canyon Ranch, but it is only open on the Saturdays for small groups at specifically arranged times. It’s an actual working ranch hence the limited times. The ranch “is situated in a remote area between Holbrook and Winslow, is home to one of the finest stands of Anasazi petroglyphs in the Southwest.” 

Since we don’t have four wheel drive, we couldn’t visit Canyon Diablo located about 30 miles away either..."This little-known ghost town is rumored to have been even rougher than Tombstone. A railroad bridge spans the canyon, once considered impassable by trains. There are plenty of ruins to explore, although you’ll need a 4WD vehicle to get there from 1-40 at Two Guns."

For outdoor enthusiasts, Winslow’s location on the scenic Colorado Plateau means easy access to some spectacular destinations to hike, climb, boat and more. As much as we enjoyed it here, it was time to move on...