LTV Kozad: Cruising North America's Highways & Byways: March 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Finally South: On To Grand Canyon

31st March, 2016

Headed to Grand Canyon!

We departed Jerome, AZ and took the drive up to Grand Canyon via Flagstaff.

This is a nice easy drive and there was no issues driving through Flagstaff, at least we were following our friends so that may have helped in keeping us on course!

Jerome to
Grand Canyon National Park
via Flagstaff

As always the landscape scenery continually changes

Serenity Rolling Along!

We left nice warm weather.
Driving North Into Cooler Conditions

It keeps surprising me where people choose to live
No trees but wide open spaces and big skies!

Western Themed Mobil Station

Getting Close to Grand Canyon

Those Arizona Colours!

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Camping

It has been a long, long time since we have "camped" in the USA.

What we have found this trip is, if you want to stay at a State or National Park you had better make reservations well in advance. For example we booked online 6 weeks before our dates (31 March to 3 April) and were lucky to get one of two remaining reservations for the Mather Campground.

Maybe it was our timing, which overlapped with spring break and Easter, but you would best be advised to reserve well in advance by going to Recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777 for reservations.

Making advanced reservations kind of beats the spontaneity of "oh let's just try this place" or meandering and exploring along the way. We are hoping to explore the "drop in and see" option in the shoulder seasons when the kids are in school?

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Mather Campground

The main gat entrance to Grand Canyon.
$30.00 vehicle fee is waived if you have the yearly NPS Pass

Lined up to check into Mather Campground

Mather Campground
We were in Juniper Loop 37

Three Nights Here
The loops are one way traffic only, so be prepared to have your
RV door facing the road and not your campsite if your site
is on the left side of the road.

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Grand Canyon National Park

The south rim of the Grand Canyon where we are staying is at a high 6,800 feet and we would experience cooler weather here. For example we left 30º C temperatures in Palm Springs and would have night time lows down to -11º C.

Of course we all have smart phones now, so it is easy to check your device, or you can also go to the Grand Canyon Weather site for more information at:

Weather Grand Canyon

First night temperatures
Mather Campground South Rim

There are no hook-ups at these campgrounds

Battery power for heating needs in your RV

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Logo

I came across a logo and thought, maybe I should place one per posting.

The Grand Canyon Railway
A Great Way to See the Sights!

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Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Finally South: To the Grand Canyon via Jerome, AZ

31st March, 2016

Headed West Again Instead of North?

We were told to go visit Jerome, AZ as it is a unique and interesting stop. So, the two Leisure Travel Vans (our friends came along) and we headed Northwest to Jerome but it is only a 40km drive! Very close to go see some history!

To Jerome, AZ

Jerome is a town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in the State of Arizona. Founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley, it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. It is about 100 miles (160 km) north of Phoenix along State Route 89Abetween Sedona and Prescott. Supported in its heyday by rich copper mines, it was home to more than 10,000 people in the 1920s. As of the 2010 census, its population was 444.^[3]^{From Wikipedia}

Following the Serenity Into Jerome
Elevation 5246 and founded in 1876

Once you enter into Jerome take a right and go out to the Jerome State Historic Park and the Audrey Headframe Park. The Douglas Mansion has been converted into a museum and visitor centre; built in 1917 and constructed of Adobe Bricks built on site.

This way to Jerome State Historic Park

Photo taken from Audrey Headframe Park

Some History At The Headframe Park

I cannot find out what this building is or was?
This is on the hill

The Douglas Mansion with the Audrey Headframe to far left
Jerome State Historic Park

Directory and Plan
Arizona State Parks Website

Amazing Rock Displays
At Museum

The Jerome Grand Hotel
Formerly the United Verde Hospital

Founded as the United Verde Hospital[edit]

The Jerome Grand Hotel was originally constructed in 1926 under the name United Verde Hospital, owned by the United Verde Copper Company (UVCC), later to become Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation. Some knew it as the Phelps Dodge Hospital and United Verde Copper Hospital. It was the 4th and final hospital in Jerome. Opened in January 1927, the United Verde Hospital was a state-of-the-art medical facility; in 1930, listed as the most modern and well equipped hospital in Arizona and possibly in all of the western states. The hospital, however was closed in 1950, as the mining operations began shutting down and medical services were available in the neighboring community of Cottonwood, where many of the staff transferred to. The building stood unused for the next 44 years. From Wikipedia

Driving in to Downtown Jerome

Copper Mountain Antiques

The view on the way out of Jerome
Headed to the Grand Canyon

Did we pack our long johns?
Brrrrrrr

Next Stop Grand Canyon

Mather Campground

Finally South: To Camp Verde, AZ

From Wickenburg to Camp Verde, AZ

29th & 30th March, 2016

29th March, 2016: We left Blythe in the morning driving through and visiting Wickenburg, AZ then drove up through Skull Valley on an alternate route and through to Prescott on our way to Camp Verde, AZ.

The drive was uneventful with changing views.

We continued on the Camp Verde on the alternate route highlighted.

Almost there!
What isMontezuma Castle National Monument?

Our site at Desert Drums RV Resort

This park has a lot of high end rigs
Check out what this pusher is pulling!

As we took our time getting to the RV Resort we relaxed for the remainder of the day without any further exploring. Jan walked the RV park looking at all the "rigs" while Craig laid low as his back was not doing well at all.

We were awaiting the arrival of good friends in their LTV Serenity who were scheduled to arrive the next day and were booked in next to us!

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30th March, 2016: our friends arrived early afternoon and once settled we took jumped in their Serenity (which has four seat belts vs two in our Unity) and went to see Montezuma Castle .

Two Leisure Travel Vans
Unity and Serenity

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Montezuma Castle National Monument

The National Monument is only a short, like 10 minute drive, from Desert Drums RV Resort. The monument is a NPS site and there is RV parking on the far side of the entrance parkway after following the road past the Interpretation Centre.

Finally Jan was able get somewhere without driving.

Jan with the Serenity - not a driver!

There is a fee to enter the monument and we found it was better to buy the yearly pass as we would be going on to the Grand Canyon, Zion & Bryce Canyon as well hoping to stop at additional National Parks.

Montezuma Castle National Monument

This is an amazing stop which highlights the cliff dwellings in this area. The following from Wikipedia refers, just hover and one light click on the blue highlighted words to go to the site.

Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near the town of Camp Verde, Arizona, United States. The dwellings were built and used by the Sinagua people, a pre-Columbian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States,^[4] between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD. The main structure comprises five stories and twenty rooms, and was built over the course of three centuries. Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near the town of Camp Verde, Arizona, United States. From Wikipedia

The Pueblo 45 - 50 room dwelling

800 years old!
Amazing

Of course if you live in Arizona you need water.
The dwellings are close to a flowing creek.
Sycamore trees are abundant here.

American Sycamore Tree
Shed's it's bark leaving a unique texture

Sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. The largest of the species have been measured to 51 m (167 ft), and nearly 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. From Wikipedia

Jan checking out the information plaques

Interesting history please check more out at
Cliff Dwellings on Wikipedia

Another of the informative plaques

These are some of the small Alcoves and Cavettes

The depiction of the cliff dwelling layout
Originally visitors were allowed to enter the dwellings

Montezuma Castle National Monument

This was an amazing stop.

After visiting the cliff dwellings we went back to the RV Resort and later took the shuttle to the casino which is only a couple minutes away. We had a buffet dinner, played some slots and all of us came away with more than we started and enough to cover the meal. Can not complain at all!

The Cliff Castle Casino
Photo from Trip Advisor

Cliff Castle Casino

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Finally South: Wickenburg on the way to Camp Verda AZ

Leaving Blythe on our way to Grand Canyon

29th March, 2016

After spending the week in Blythe with our good friends it was off to meet another set of friends up in the Grand Canyon for three nights.

We were told the drive up and through Wickenburg, AZ was an interesting route and well worth the extra time. This was an easy two hour drive.

The last night in Blythe another sand storm came in with very strong winds. We closed up the LTV and battened down to try and keep the dust and stand out. What we did not do was take the mesh outer windshield cover off, as a result there was a bit of sand dust built up on the windshield.

Sand Storm Residue on LTV Windshield

The end of the winds with lots of dust in the sky!

We have made comments about the irrigation systems, canals and Colorado River which irrigates these regions of California and Arizona. We have seen miles and miles of the irrigation ditches branching off of the main canal channels to quench the agricultural thirst.

This is one of the first fields we have seen being irrigated.

Just leaving Blythe we saw for the first time a large excavator with an extension arm for cleaning these larger canals.

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On our way to Arizona

We love being in the desert and are amazed at the variety of vegetation and scenery.

One of the cacti that is recognizable to most is the Saguaros. The Saguaros have a relatively long lifespan. They may grow their first side arm any time from 75–100 years of age, but some never grow one at all. The saguaros can grow to be over 70 feet (21 m) tall. A saguaro without arms is called a spear. From Wikipedia

Interesting that once we crossed the Arizona border
we started to saw these cactus

This guy must be very old
He is sporting 7 arms!

Along US-70E to Wickenburg, AZ
Those spring flowers are still in bloom
The second vehicle in the near lane is an LTV

Not sure what these are, but they are everywhere

Beautiful White Poppies!

Here is that LTV headed NW on US-70E

LTV Kozad being passed by an LTV from California
They were towing an older Honda CRV

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Wickenburg, AZ

Wickenburg!

Wikenburg is an interesting "Western Desert Town" described as being described with words like authentic and tradition. Check out the great town website by clicking the Wickenburg title above!

LTV Parked in Wickenburg, AZ

Jan putting her keys away!
With Craig's bad back Jan does all of the driving.

Some people have asked how is the LTV for parking. We always try to park on the side of a street on an end spot. You can see here that the LTV just hangs over a normal parking spot - tight but not a glaring abuse of parking!

Looking up the street from the visitor's centre

The Vulture Mine
Vulture City Ghost Town

Part of Wickenburg's Chamber of Commerce Visitors' Centre

Wickenburg presents a clean and tidy appearance with beautiful desert landscaped boulevards and landscaping.

Blooming Cacti

The spring is the time to see the desert, at least for us!

The Visitor Centre hands out a "walking tour map" which points out buildings and areas of interest/history. Unfortunately, Craig could only walk less than 25' and would have to rest and sit down before we could continue. So, not much was seen.

We went into this shop
Amazing variety of hand made "stetson" hats!

Pick your head cover, lots to choose from!

Where the talent is turned into art!

From the hat store!

Beautiful Church
With awesome landscaping!

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The Garcia School House

This was an interesting stop along the "city walking tour"!

Little Red School House
This is on the National Register of Historic Places

No he is not on "time out" from the principal!
Craig just taking the every present "back rest break"
Makes for a long and slow city tour!
LOL

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We have posted previously a photo of the US Marines Billboard. This was a mobile statement from Coors Beer which displays their support for the US Military!

First one of these we have seen.
Beer Delivery to the Wickenburg American Legion

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It was strongly suggested that we head north to Camp Verde, AZ through Kirkland, Skull Valley and onto Prescott via the S. Iron Road. The regular route on US-89 is very slow and windy! Nice scenery and interesting area to drive through.