They arrived late because of traffic tied up south of Phoenix on the I-10 freeway while wreckage from four consecutive accidents was cleared.
But they got there only about 45 minutes late and we had a nice lunch in one of our favorite restaurants.
We reminisced with "the kids" about one of the first times we had visited Jerome, of how I had a photograph of the then 16 year old daughter who became the mother of our lunchtime companion.
It's a classic photograph of her sitting at the bar in the Spirit Room, a pub that's thrived on the same corner in the heart of town for many decades.
It was pretty much a ghost town in those days and we stayed in a hotel room with a broken glass window above the bar on one of our forays.
Now it's a fancy boutique hotel, completely re-done.
This was the view from just outside the Grand Hotel where we lunched.
It was a hazy day but you can see the San Francisco Peaks 75 or 80 miles in the distance.
I had been watching t.v. before we left for Jerome and heard a weathercaster say that it was going to be in the mid 90's in Phoenix but if you wanted to cool off and go skiing there was still plenty of snow at the Arizona Snow Bowl on those peaks.
About 160 miles separates those two locations and climate zones.
We were about mid-way in between and the day was very pleasant, with temperatures probably in the low 70's.
As we said our good-byes to the young ones we were heading back down the mountain through Old Cottonwood and New Cottonwood and back home.
When we lived between Old Cottonwood and Clarkdale over 20 years ago it was a sleepy place.
Now there were fancy stores and shops and restaurants everywhere.
It always makes me think of the line from Jimmy Buffet's song "...nothing remains quite the same..."
I remember our first trip to Jerome and Sedona, late in the day we drove up Cottonwood canyon north to Flagstaff, when we reached the top we had to put or jackets on over our tee shirts. Arizona aint just "hotter than hell"
ReplyDeleteWhen I used to ski, there was still snow in the ski areas into April, but when the weather around home hits 60, the desire to ski just seems to fade...for most that is.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Phoenix from 1959 to 1963...and visited Jerome on several occasions. It was essentially a ghost town with not much happening. I do remember a Porsche race up and down the mountains in the area but never got up there to see it.
ReplyDeleteYou brought back memories of our many trips to those locales with you and SWMBO. Looking forward to future trips and driving that special road.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a part of the country where I've spent much time. I need to correct that.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to the Asylum in along time. I'll have to meet my sister up there one of these days soon. I love that place.
ReplyDeleteGreat view out towards those mountains. I've never been in the Southwest.
ReplyDeleteI love Jimmy - have seen him in concert a few times and each time was fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGreat time to go to Jerome before it gets hot!
ReplyDeleteWell, with a name like the Asylum...what could go wrong?
ReplyDeleteThose changes....they encompass more than latitudes, don't they? It's interesting how we look at things...our surroundings, for instance. I used to see the creeks and canyons as potential, for exploring. Now they are scenery, remembering what was up there.
ReplyDeleteAs the song goes . . changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes. I know what you mean about creeks and canyons. I used to bound around on the rocks and boulders in Oak Creek Canyon, just outside of Sedona. When I was last there, quite a few years ago, I learned that my legs would not handle that type of stress anymore. And I slipped coming up a slope and had a helluva time getting to my feet. Old age ain't for sissies, my friend.
Deleteenjoyed the post. Good job.
ReplyDeleteSteve