November 4 & 5 - Driving and Flagstaff

San Francisco Peak on our approach
to Flagstaff

Driving Day! We didn’t have far to go so there was no rush to leave. We emptied one of the propane tanks during the night so Bill took it to be filled before we left and then we got to talking to neighbors who have been full timers for 3 weeks. They’re just living in the moment and staying as long as they like then moving on. We finally got on the road at about 10:30. The drive to Flagstaff was only about 135 miles. The road was not the best and the quality of scenery was good and bad. Most of the trip was across Navajo reservation and there were many pullouts along the way that have flea  market type buildings where the Navajo sell their jewelry, pottery, dream catchers and other crafts they make. Most were empty since it was not summer and not a weekend but we did stop at a couple and got a beautiful Christmas tree ornament. One advertised jerky but was sold out. Too bad for Bill.

Our campsite

Our campground was just east of town, not even a mile from the city limit. Greer’s Pine Shadows is full of pine trees as the name implies. There is no bathhouse but that is OK. The sites are nice and level and the management super nice and the spaces are big. It’s very convenient to all of the tourist interests and is on the main drag through town. Once we settled in we had lunch and went into Flagstaff. We stopped at the Chamber to pick up some literature then visited some of the historical building in the old downtown, including the Hotel Monte Vista. We stopped in the stops and browsed and sat in an outdoor café and had a latte and biscotti.

For dinner I grilled steaks and we had the leftover beans and potatoes. It was to freeze during the night so Bill had to go out before bed and unhook the water hose. We put the tank heaters on and of course ran the heat all night.

November 5 – Bill was up with Xena at 5:30 and said it was pretty cold out. He said they sky was beautiful and the stars were really bright. He came back to bed and got up later. I didn’t get up until 8. After breakfast I had some calls to make while Bill showered. Then it was my turn. We finally left for town at 10:30 and went straight to the Museum of Northern Arizona. It had wonderful displays on the Hopi and Navajo cultures and the evolution of the native tribes in the area. The craft displays over the centuries was fantastic. There was also a nice display on the archaeological finds of bones and fossils.

The Museum Club

We checked out the area “across the tracks”. The railroad runs pretty much right along the main highway in town and there are a couple of crossings to the other side. One of the streets runs right into the college and the businesses along the street are primarily eateries and brewhouses. Gives the college students a place to eat and drink and walk back to their dorms. We stopped at an antique shop and it was crammed full of collectibles. I enjoy looking at all that stuff and thinking of all that my family used to have just like it and the prices they want for it now.

Before we discovered no food

We stopped for lunch at The Museum Club which is another historical place. We knew they played music there in the evenings and weekends and just assumed since we saw lots of cars there that they must serve lunch. NOT! They serve drinks but it’s a horse betting place. There were a dozen or there watching the overhead TV’s and placing their bets at the window. So we looked in the literature we picked Brandy’s Restaurant. It was on the Food Network show with Guy Fieri, so we decided to give it a try. Boy, was that a great decision. We shared a chorizo quiche and a southwest chicken salad and a half order of sweet potato fries. Thank goodness it was not a whole. We thought they got the order wrong when we saw it. Needless to say we were plenty full.

On the way home we stopped at what we learned was the NEW Wal-mart that only opened on Wednesday. The good thing was they had plenty of cashiers. We got our groceries but they didn’t have a water dispenser so we will fill our bottles in Camp Verde.

I took Xena for a long walk and then set Bill up to do his email. I finished my book and decided to take a short nap, which I never do but I was really tired. I must have been because I slept for almost 2 hours. It always makes me feel so groggy when I do that.

For dinner I fixed a frozen bagged dinner of orange chicken. We’ve never had it before and it was pretty fast. Needed more vegetables but it was good and there were no leftovers and only one skillet to wash. I think that’s what Bill liked the most. Once it was dark we took Xena for another walk to check out the stars, but they didn’t look any different to me than any other place. I could not get any internet service to work so we just watched TV and I caught up my journal.

Time to start a new book!