Friday May 2, '14

A beautiful calm morning!  The only calm time I've seen in Arizona.  It is supposed to last for the morning, so I am getting an early start.  I want to get up to Meteor Crater again this morning to walk around the rim with my Nikon camera and get some good pictures.  I am leaving this area today to head south.  I did some checking on weather conditions for the next week or so in an assortment of places in Arizona and California, and decided that the high country in southern Arizona looked like the best weather--warm but not too hot.  This is J. A. Jance's country, where her books about Sheriff Joanna Brady are set.  So I'm heading for Tombstone, Bisbee, Fort Huachaca, and Benson.  And Ramsey Canyon--the humming birds migrate through there on their way to Mexico.

I spent yesterday in Flagstaff at the Museum of Northern California.  The museum concentrates on geology and the people in the area over thousands of years.  I sat in on a session on the development of tools over time being given to a group of school kids.  Really great, and the volunteer giving the talk passed around spears, an atlatl, arrowheads, a rock with a groove for straightening arrows, firestarters--all kinds of neat stuff!  I saw incredible pottery from thousands of years old to present time.  Changes in food production, housing, weapons, clothing (including sandals), and jewelry--I had a ball!  Also had some special art exhibits that are outstanding.  And of course the gift shop and book store.

On my way out of town, about 3:30, I stopped at a place I had seen on the way in--Mama Burger.  I lucked into the best burger place around--beat In 'n Out by miles.  They had articles on the wall about the place, including a rave review from Arizona Highways.  I had a guacamole burger with beer-battered onion rings--out of this world!  For lunch and dinner it couldn't get any better.

Today I'm driving down highway 17 to an RV campground near Montezuma's Castle (a cliff dwelling down in Sedona's red rock country--no relationship to Montezuma or a castle).  I think I will have time to stop at Walnut Canyon National Monument--I haven't been there for 25 years.  It is a group of cliff dwellings in a gorgeous little canyon. You can actually walk through the rooms!  From  Montezuma's Castle I will head south then east of Tucson the next day.

I'm off and running--talk to you all later!