It was all by chance.
Up early one morning, the TV had been left on our local NBC channel from the night before, and a program I had never seen called Arizona Highways is what was on at 5:00 AM. Usually that early in the morning there is only infomercial on.
I can't remember exactly what that first episode was about. I believe it was from the Tucson area. Bisbee. Nogales. It was during the time we began going to Ajo. Anyway, ever since then I have it set to automatically record each Saturday.
I have searched for some time looking for links to previously aired episodes, but all I could find were clips at some of these links:
- Arizona Highways TV on Facebook
- AZ Highways TV - When I clicked the link from FaceBook it switched to this automatically. It appears she is branching off or going out on her own. Or something?
- Robin Sewell is the star of the show. Her Facebook page has the same address as above.
- Arizona Highways is the magazine and does advertise on the show. Some of the places Robin visited are there along with others can also be found here.
- Roadside America is a decent website for information on all 50 states. Reviews are helpful.
- Desert USA is another site for information.
We have already done a number of them, while others have moved up the list since our recent vacation to Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, Sedona and other places in between this June. We've decided to make it a goal for the next few years to explore our own state more. Fortunately living in the southern part of the state means we have no choice but to travel north on the Arizona highways to get to Utah, Colorado, and east to New Mexico. Most are through Indian Reservations that exhibit a lot of history, and canyons with some of the most extraordinary colors of rock and incredible formations.
Our next BIG journey is going to be next March in celebration of our 40th Wedding Anniversary. We are doing a double header per say but as it refers to NASCAR, not baseball. Five nights in Las Vegas, two nights in Williams, and another five nights in Phoenix.
Stopping in Williams will give us the opportunity to check out a few location from this weekends show.
Like:
Route 66 Zipline takes you over the Grand Canyon Blvd at speeds up to 30 mph., forward and backward. Actually, it's backward, then forwards. Yikes!
At $15 for a single or $12 each for a couple surely worth checking out. A fun way to spend about 20 minutes, if it's not busy and we only ride once.
How about playing in a BIG sandbox! At Big Toy Playground you get to try your hand at the Skid Steer aka "Bobcat," the backhoe or go big with the excavator. Sessions are 90 minutes or 3 hours. Or as my husband said, "Go to the rental yard, rent one for the day and play in our own yard!"
I have a feeling we won't be doing this one!
We could always check out The Grand Canyon Deer Farm.
Of course, there were also places to eat on the program as well.
Like South Rims Wine & Beer Garage.
"I am often asked about one of the unique aspects of our bar - a jet black 1967 Pontiac GTO parked inside. When we pulled up the floors during the building renovation, we found a fully intact car lift and grease pit left over from the building’s origins as a Route 66 gas and service station.
As fate would have it, we had just recently finished restoring that GTO. Wow, talk about kismet! We knew right then and there where the car was to reside, and thusly created the South Rims Wine and Beer Garage.
That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it! Stop by and enjoy a glass of the Arizona’s finest with us; we sure look forward to seeing you!"
Another place suggested was The Red Raven.
I have had this excursion in my file for a long time. Taking The Grand Canyon Railway to the Grand Canyon is something I would really like to do.
We will need a place to park the RV, and there are a few options.
Grand Canyon Railway RV Park is close to the Grand Canyon train, but it is one of those parks that resemble a parking lot. Yes, it's kept very clean, and the sites are level. Nothing wrong with that. After having spent 5 days in basically an RV parking lot at the track and will be spending another 5 days doing the same thing in Phoenix, I voted for The Canyon Motel & RV Park.
Trees! There be trees in this here park!
Trees like these are the one thing I missed from Northern California. We have trees here in Yuma, and not just palm trees. There is something about tall pine and redwood trees that just comforts my soul. To walk among the giant redwoods is so mesmerizing. The hikes we have done up there, are still so vivid in my mind. A time when a camera wasn't glued to my hands. I use to hang out at the tent (yep, our first years were in a tent, when not with the parents in their motorhome), while hubby did some hunting. With 90 acres in the Siera's that his parents owned were the perfect place to explore. There was even gold! Malakoff Diggins was about a half hour away. Oh, the memories!
Back to where to stay when in Williams. The only way to find out the rates or make a reservation is to call, so I did! A deluxe site with trees, $45.26 a nite, booked! They were very friendly and accommodating.
Yabba Dabba Doo!
I will agree with the writer of this blog, Messy Nessy Chic. I found it while searching for more information about the park.
"The soundtrack of Flinstones cartoons broadcast continuously over the park’s tinny loudspeakers, echoing eerily between the dusty, dilapidating houses of Bedrock’s famous residents from a bygone era. Built over 40 years ago during the Route 66 roadside attraction craze, this lonely concrete replica of a cartoon town has seen better days."
As you can see from their website, I think they still live in the Bedrock ages. Bless their hearts. Reservations are by phone only. When I called the number, it just rang until a message came on that said, "answering service off."
Yes, it has seen better days, and it also looked like you camp along a fence that is right off the highway. The couple pictures I took of it got deleted because they were so blurry. (I needed the space on the teeny tiny card I had to use because I left my big card back at the RV in Flagstaff. Hubby found and bought me the larger card at the General Store in the Grand Canyon Village so I could capture our time at the rim.) I doubt we will ever stay there, but if you decide to check it out, please drop me a link so I can see how your adventure in Bedrock was. I'm curious!
I found a few other places to eat while researching the area:
Keep in mind, you are within 45 minutes of Flagstaff. You are also in the Kaibab National Forest. Both of which have some spectacular scenery, along with fun and exciting things to do. This is what we did the last time we stayed in Flagstaff.
Happy trails to you....!