Month: July 2018

West Coast USA – Day 2

As anticipated, the -8h time difference combined with an effective bedtime of 6:30am meant we’re shattered but up and about early.

A general sort out of the car, now that we’ve seen it in daylight, means all manner of mobile electrical goods are being charged simultaneously! We’ve even brought a fridge with us for the car!

The car is ace. It’s massive, and stuffed to the gunnels with gadgets. Bearing in mind we have over 2,500 miles to drive, it was really important to us that we got something we liked.

After a quick dip in the pool by Charlie, and then breakfast, we checked out and set off north towards Camp Verde.

After an hour or so, Charlie wanted some help setting up the SLR camera he’s using this hols, so I too a turnoff and we called briefly at Sunset View just off Interstate 12 (pointless given it was about 9am).They want you to know not to stray off track, that’s for sure!

Back on the road, up to Camp Verde and we then realised that we’d left all of our guide books at home, so had no idea what order to try and do things in.

So we ended up going to see the Tuzigoot National Monument, because it was the first thing up on the satnav! Turned out to be pretty good actually and we saved the $30 entry by spending $80…on an annual Discover America National Parks pass, which now gets all of in into any Park for free for a year!

Saw a creosote bush there, and it does smell of Cheadle fencing panels! Even got an oily look to it!

Overheard the Park Ranger giving advice to a Dutch couple and recommending to go to Montezumas Well, and then follow an off-road track to a cut-through to “V bar V Ranch”. Sounded intriguing so we headed in the same direction.

It was boiling though! It’s been around 37deg C from very early on today so the aircon has been working hard! Then we discovered the most amazing of the cars gadgets – a ball-blower! Yep, the seats are airconned and can blow cold air up your chuffer to cool the nether regions! Happy days as we cross-countries our way towards Rimrock.

Montezumas Well is a massive arsenic-laden, limestone sinkhole from which the indigenous Yavapai people believe they all emerged from, hence its sacred status.

They have taken the same approach as Sunset Point, and remind you that deadly scorpions and rattlesnakes live in the undergrowth. We stuck to the path and walked to 113 steps down and back to see the outflow point and the cave dwellings.

Back in the car, and some funky off-roading for around 4-5 miles and then we ended up at the V Bar V.

I had my hopes on some good cold American IPA. Turns out it’s a couple of mile hike (“an easy half-mile walk” in reality) to see a wall of petroglyphs.

Despite the distinct lack of a Bar at V Bar V, we did the walk in to the petroglyphs. Which were amazing! Pictures won’t do them justice, but the lady that talked us through them, and explained the meanings was brilliant at her job.

At around 800 years old, the symbols were “picked” into the rock, rather than painted (pictographs) by the Sinagua tribes. The amazing bit is the large rock sticking out that casts a shadow on the cliff wall. It’s a solar timepiece and the shadow endpoint has been “picked” into the rock to mark times and season changes. Very cool.

After that an a bit more off-roading, with the heat still building, we headed in to Sedona from the south. Although I’ve been lucky enough to have been here before, the landscape is breathtaking! Bell Rock, Cathederal Rock, the Church, are all well known landmarks that inspire, and humble at the same time. And rightly so. That said, it didn’t stop us humming the Disney Pixar “Cars” theme tune, mind.

We’re staying at a “quaint” budget motel tonight. Parked up, we went to the reception window(!) and we’re checked in by a very pleasant, man-mountain of a fella!

“Hi, folks. My name’s Thor. Welcome to our place.” he said casually. Fine by me. At that size I’ll call him anything he wants!

The tiredness is catching up with us and so after a quick unload (we brought our luggage in as well), we nipped across the road, and stocked up with gallons of water and a load of nachos and crisps.

All we fancied eating was a sandwich so Subway take out in the motel room, and we’re all nodding off!

Tomorrow is just a short trip north to Flagstaff and then Route 66, towards Winslow, to do something for Janes Dad, bless him.

See you tomorrow!

West Coast USA – Day 1

It was an early start (for Aireys) with the taxi arriving 6:15, about 10 mins after Charlie got out of his pit, and about 6 hours after I packed.

Got to Manchester T3 without any issues thankfully, ditched the bags, got body-scanned and made our way the the Escape Lounge (a little surprise treat from me) for decent WiFi and complementary food & drink. A very pleasant 2 1/2 hours watching two people play Pokemon, – something I’ve been warned will be a theme!

Flight was bang on time and a quick Airbus A319 hop to Heathrow T3, followed by a transfer to T5 where “shop mooching” was completed before going to the Club Aspire Lounge for more chill out. We had 3 1/2 hours to kill, so it was worth it, although food, environment and service weren’t a patch on Manchester.

Needless to say the gate was a good half mile from the lounge, so there was a bit of mild panic hearing final boarding announcements, but thankfully everyone else was in the same boat so we just ended up joining a long boarding queue at the gate.

Pushback on our BA 747-400 was about 5 minutes behind but that was easily made up in the flight.

That moment 6 hours in, when you realise you’ve over 4 more to go – ugh! Otherwise, the flight was relatively uneventful apart from suddenly being accosted by the young lady sat directly behind me, who began apologising profusely for moving my chair backrest when she got up or moved.

Through a fog of 9 vodka shots and two bottles of wine, (proudly announced by her 8 yr old daughter), she offered to make it up to me, because she “gives massages” in her home town of Leeds, and either I or Jane were welcome to a “freebie” right there on the aircraft. Tempting as it was, we both gracefully declined.

Phoenix finally turned up under the starboard wing and we landed at 5:31pm local (1:31am UK), to be greeted by 37 degree Celsius heat, giant cacti, and a very laid back airport.

Got through airport without any hassle, and then time for the “big one”, the bit that could make or break the hols – the car hire pickup. Pleased to say that went very well & Charlie now thinks he’s some sort of “Gangsta VIP” (pics to follow).

A half hour drive north to Scottsdale and we checked in to the Gainey Suites Hotel. Told where to park to gain shortest bag haul to room, and made our way to the room, having dodged the dog crap in the entrance corridor!

This shouldn’t be viewed as a poor reflection on the hotel (with Jane being somewhat of an expert, I was advised it was “fresh”) but what sort of dog owner would allow that to happen & not clean it up, especially given there can’t be that many dogs in the hotel? Beyond belief!

It’s a nice courtyard/pool-view suite, with a separate bedroom & ensuite, so Charlie gets the put-up in the lounge diner.

As I started to write this, it’s 2:51am local & 31deg C, with forecast highs of 43. It’s still pitch black with a glorious “dark sky” starry night, and Jane and Charlie still zonked out.

I suspect this will be an early breakfast, before we pack the car, get organised with luggage, stock up on water, snacks and the like and then begin our short, scenic drive north, up to the red rocks of Sedona!

Bye for now!