Arizona
Related: About this forumI love Arizona, a beautiful State!
Ptah put out an invite in the Welcome and Help forum so here I am with my story. My husband and I had the opportunity to visit Arizona and fell in love with it. We found the beauty of Sedona almost surreal and, imo, there are no photos that can do justice to the stunning, almost overwhelming beauty of the Grand Canyon. We also visited Oatman and felt we went back in time to the 'old west'. I still have my fridge magnet from there.
I am saddened by the state of the government there right now but am hoping it is temporary. I have friends who are on their way to Phoenix right now and I am looking forward to hearing about their visit when they return.
bluerum
(6,109 posts)Spazito
(53,625 posts)along with Louisiana and the eastern States. Visiting Arizona was a lovely surprise, I kind of knew it had many interesting things to see but really had no idea of it's beauty and diversity.
longeyemom
(22 posts)I also visited Sedona for the first time recently. I felt the same way about the beauty and serenity I experienced. I smiled every day and met the nicest people. Hard to reconcile with the ugly stuff going on elsewhere in the state.
Spazito
(53,625 posts)I just hope, as can often happen, they go a step too far, even in the eyes of enough of their supporters, and are turfed out. From what I have read here and elsewhere, to me they have already gone way beyond 'a step too far'.
LittleGirl
(8,373 posts)Now it's overrun with housing developments, retail stores and tourist traps. I liked it much better before it was incorporated. I think that was in 1992. Sad really.
I want to go to AZ to see my friends. I lived there for 5.5 yrs. 1992-1997 and I miss it sometimes, except when it's 120. Shame how the tea baggers have ruined that state's politics.
Spazito
(53,625 posts)but we spent very time in the stores, very little time in the city proper and, instead, drove to the various look-outs and out of the way places to admire the beautiful scenery.
2on2u
(1,843 posts)and I had a frikkin GREAT time. If anyone has the chance to see the canyon and balks they should be banned from something. Sedona was magical and I hope to return to it one day. Really, the jeep rental was a blast, didn't know they could climb like they did nor descend the grades we covered.
Spazito
(53,625 posts)We had rented a car and stayed on the main roads but now I wish we had done as you did, explored more off the 'beaten path'.
2on2u
(1,843 posts)rentals are way cool.... you drive them yourself up and around some pretty amazing trails. The scenery there is beyond words, it just boggles the mind.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Great photo. We always take their "Broken Arrow" tour with out-of-town visitors.
Kali
(55,619 posts)check out the southern part next time
oh - one of my GGGrandfathers built the stage station at Oatman.
http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/oatman.html (last paragraph)
http://www.gvrhc.org/Library/FourrRanch.pdf
disclaimer: not my documents/websites
mvccd1000
(1,534 posts)My great-grandfather did some mining here in the late 1800s after coming down from Alaska. Talk about one extreme to another! He must not have been as impressed, as he ended up in Michigan. (I suppose a/c and things like the Superstition Freeway do make life unimaginably easier.)
Spazito
(53,625 posts)I know there are a number of Canadian 'snowbirds' who have homes in the Phoenix area as well as others and love it.
Your links were fascinating to read, thanks for posting them, I love learning the history of people and places.
Ptah
(33,435 posts)Spazito
(53,625 posts)I haven't been to Waterton yet and am somewhat ashamed of that given it's international reputation. I haven't been to Montana either, almost though, when I was in northern Idaho I thought about taking a quick trip over the border to Montana but never did.