Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Petrified Forest & Flagstaff, Arizona
Grand Canyon-bound, but it's a good journey to South Rim from Gallup, NM, so decide to stay overnight at Flagstaff, an attractive railroad town again situated on Route 66 and some two hours and 80 miles away from our intended destination.
Travelling towards it on Interstate 40 Chris spots sign for Petrified Forest National Park. We hadn't planned on detour at this stage - only to see Winslow, Arizona ('such a fine sight to see' according to The Eagles classic Take It Easy - but are glad we did.
The Petrified Forest isn't scary - just one of Arizona's stranger NPs. Forget the Jurassic Age, this area dates back to the Triassic Pre-Dinosaur Age where millions of years ago rivers swept trees into a vast swamp. You can still see parts of those very same trees today, but they have literally turned to stone - orange, red, brown quartz stone logs with crystals helping to keep them preserved.
The Park is also home to The Painted Desert - a vast wilderness stretching as far as the eye can see to the east side of the Grand Canyon. It is also refered to as Badlands for its inhospitable terrain. Despite its starkness, this desert, whose rocks change from reds to blues and greens depending on the time of day, has an eerie beauty all of its own. Glad we checked it out.
On to Winslow then to see the monument of the man 'standing on the corner' in that Eagles song. Uh, sadly not. A very sleepy Chris, who has been doing a great job in the navigator's seat, nods off (no surprise considering the length of our journey and the heat in The Painted Desert) - and I somehow manage to miss the three Winslow exits (where were the signposts?), so we don't get to see that famous corner after all. Nothing to do with 'seven women on my mind' either, I hasten to add.
Never mind, we pull into Flag, as the locals call it, earlier than expected and drive past The Museum Club - an old timber roadhouse where the long deceased Hank Williams and the very much alive Willie Nelson have performed. Built in 1931, it has been a regular venue for country musicians travelling the road.
Right next door is a motel. Perfect stop then for a night of honky-tonkin at 'The Zoo' - The Museum Club was once a taxidermist's by all accounts, hence the nickname. When prohibition ceased it took on new lease of life - and is still going strong.
Anyway, we're in luck - a band called Von Cotton are playing - and a mighty fine alt.country band they turn out to be too, giving a storming set over three hours plus.
The place itself is straight out of John Travolta's Urban Cowboy movie - guys in stetsons and gals in tigh-fitting denim jeans swilling Bud and doing the two-step. We decide to get into the party mood (when in Rome, or rather Flag) - but forget the dancing, we'll stick to the Bud.
What a great people-watching place. Amanda's at the Langland Bay Hotel on Thursday nights (now I'm showing my age) was never like this.
Anyway a great night had by all - it's 2am and we're exhausted. Back to the motel for a good night's sleep. Well that's the plan. Not a chance. Right across the road is the Santa Fe railroad and the freight trains - they have up to 90 wagons - are still roaring down the tracks, with those 'foghorns' of theirs blasting into the wee small hours.
Okay, so e didn't do our homework on this one, but a sleepless night was a sacrifice worth making for a night at 'The Zoo' with Von Cotton and those friendly Bud-swilling cowpokes and cowgals. Yipee.
Travelling towards it on Interstate 40 Chris spots sign for Petrified Forest National Park. We hadn't planned on detour at this stage - only to see Winslow, Arizona ('such a fine sight to see' according to The Eagles classic Take It Easy - but are glad we did.
The Petrified Forest isn't scary - just one of Arizona's stranger NPs. Forget the Jurassic Age, this area dates back to the Triassic Pre-Dinosaur Age where millions of years ago rivers swept trees into a vast swamp. You can still see parts of those very same trees today, but they have literally turned to stone - orange, red, brown quartz stone logs with crystals helping to keep them preserved.
The Park is also home to The Painted Desert - a vast wilderness stretching as far as the eye can see to the east side of the Grand Canyon. It is also refered to as Badlands for its inhospitable terrain. Despite its starkness, this desert, whose rocks change from reds to blues and greens depending on the time of day, has an eerie beauty all of its own. Glad we checked it out.
On to Winslow then to see the monument of the man 'standing on the corner' in that Eagles song. Uh, sadly not. A very sleepy Chris, who has been doing a great job in the navigator's seat, nods off (no surprise considering the length of our journey and the heat in The Painted Desert) - and I somehow manage to miss the three Winslow exits (where were the signposts?), so we don't get to see that famous corner after all. Nothing to do with 'seven women on my mind' either, I hasten to add.
Never mind, we pull into Flag, as the locals call it, earlier than expected and drive past The Museum Club - an old timber roadhouse where the long deceased Hank Williams and the very much alive Willie Nelson have performed. Built in 1931, it has been a regular venue for country musicians travelling the road.
Right next door is a motel. Perfect stop then for a night of honky-tonkin at 'The Zoo' - The Museum Club was once a taxidermist's by all accounts, hence the nickname. When prohibition ceased it took on new lease of life - and is still going strong.
Anyway, we're in luck - a band called Von Cotton are playing - and a mighty fine alt.country band they turn out to be too, giving a storming set over three hours plus.
The place itself is straight out of John Travolta's Urban Cowboy movie - guys in stetsons and gals in tigh-fitting denim jeans swilling Bud and doing the two-step. We decide to get into the party mood (when in Rome, or rather Flag) - but forget the dancing, we'll stick to the Bud.
What a great people-watching place. Amanda's at the Langland Bay Hotel on Thursday nights (now I'm showing my age) was never like this.
Anyway a great night had by all - it's 2am and we're exhausted. Back to the motel for a good night's sleep. Well that's the plan. Not a chance. Right across the road is the Santa Fe railroad and the freight trains - they have up to 90 wagons - are still roaring down the tracks, with those 'foghorns' of theirs blasting into the wee small hours.
Okay, so e didn't do our homework on this one, but a sleepless night was a sacrifice worth making for a night at 'The Zoo' with Von Cotton and those friendly Bud-swilling cowpokes and cowgals. Yipee.
Monday, 27 September 2010
Sunday, 26 September 2010
New Mexico
They say it never rains in Southern California. Maybe not, but it does in Colorado - and New Mexico, too, for that matter. Lucky we took that train ride when we did - it was a drop dead gorgeous day. Saturday proves a different kettle of fish - it's pouring as we head out of Durango for a long journey to Taos, NM. Drive up and over 10,000 elevation known as Los Brawos (not Los Bravos as we originally thought) Pass. Lonely road surrounded either side by forest.
Ryan, the barman we met in Durango, told us he had driven it at night and seen no cars on the road for 45 minutes, but that his headlights had picked out countless eyes of wild animals - it's elk, deer and coyote country - in those deep and dark woods. We see very little in the heavy rain and worse is to come because as we climb and climb, the fog comes down.
Still chucking it down as we descend and cross into NM over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Fog still with us, so can't see what's below - maybe just as well as this is the second highest suspension bridge in the US. Gorge plunges 650ft either side to Rio Grande below. Me, I'm keeping my two hands on the wheel and eyes straight ahead.
Make it Taos after hairy drive and spend evening there. It's a small town - a centre for the arts and 'new agers'. Head for Taos Inn and the Adobe Bar. Past customers have included Greta Garbo and D.H. Lawrence. More recently, Robert Redford has dropped in, but The Sundance Kid wasn't there when we called so we had to buy our own drinks. Never mind, next time perhaps - and a good proper Mexican meal made up for the disappointment! (Chris, however, still coming to terms with not meeting RR). Get over it girl.
Sun back out next morning (rain a very rare occurrence in summer according to locals) and it's onto lovely Santa Fe which sits 7,000ft up on a high plateau surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Like Taos, rich in culture and the arts, but on the expensive side. Breakfast in local cafe costs us a few dollars more than we are used to paying. Beautiful place, though - adobe-style architecture with cathedrals and churches the colour of sand. It's a fusion of Spanish, Native American and Anglo - the mix works well. Wished we could have stayed longer, but are heading back west towards Grand Canyon.
Break journey with a stop-over at Gallup on iconic Route 66, spending night at El Rancho hotel & motel. Between 40s and 50s many film stars stayed here. Hundreds of autographed photos adorn wall in lounge, including Robert Mitchum, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Former US president Ronald Regan was also a patron.
It's heyday has long gone (we picked up a room cheap), but charming El Rancho still retains a faded grandeur - and they do a breakfast to die for. Fresh fruit, French toast with bacon on the side and steaming hot coffee the best yet. Places like this have been knocked down in the past to make way for some hideous modern monstrosities. El Rancho oozes history & heritage, so thank God no developer has got his hands on it. Long may it run.
Ryan, the barman we met in Durango, told us he had driven it at night and seen no cars on the road for 45 minutes, but that his headlights had picked out countless eyes of wild animals - it's elk, deer and coyote country - in those deep and dark woods. We see very little in the heavy rain and worse is to come because as we climb and climb, the fog comes down.
Still chucking it down as we descend and cross into NM over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Fog still with us, so can't see what's below - maybe just as well as this is the second highest suspension bridge in the US. Gorge plunges 650ft either side to Rio Grande below. Me, I'm keeping my two hands on the wheel and eyes straight ahead.
Make it Taos after hairy drive and spend evening there. It's a small town - a centre for the arts and 'new agers'. Head for Taos Inn and the Adobe Bar. Past customers have included Greta Garbo and D.H. Lawrence. More recently, Robert Redford has dropped in, but The Sundance Kid wasn't there when we called so we had to buy our own drinks. Never mind, next time perhaps - and a good proper Mexican meal made up for the disappointment! (Chris, however, still coming to terms with not meeting RR). Get over it girl.
Sun back out next morning (rain a very rare occurrence in summer according to locals) and it's onto lovely Santa Fe which sits 7,000ft up on a high plateau surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Like Taos, rich in culture and the arts, but on the expensive side. Breakfast in local cafe costs us a few dollars more than we are used to paying. Beautiful place, though - adobe-style architecture with cathedrals and churches the colour of sand. It's a fusion of Spanish, Native American and Anglo - the mix works well. Wished we could have stayed longer, but are heading back west towards Grand Canyon.
Break journey with a stop-over at Gallup on iconic Route 66, spending night at El Rancho hotel & motel. Between 40s and 50s many film stars stayed here. Hundreds of autographed photos adorn wall in lounge, including Robert Mitchum, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Former US president Ronald Regan was also a patron.
It's heyday has long gone (we picked up a room cheap), but charming El Rancho still retains a faded grandeur - and they do a breakfast to die for. Fresh fruit, French toast with bacon on the side and steaming hot coffee the best yet. Places like this have been knocked down in the past to make way for some hideous modern monstrosities. El Rancho oozes history & heritage, so thank God no developer has got his hands on it. Long may it run.
Saturday, 25 September 2010
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