Grand Canyon Railroad and the AAA Travel Show

Posted on March 9, 2011March 9, 2011 by Dusty Roads

As I wandered on to the 2^nd half of the show floor I seemed to be moving into the more local booths, local as in states. I stopped at The Hershey, PA booth and right next to it was Lancaster County, PA, Amish country. And then I saw a big sign…Lake George and I had to stop there. I have to laugh because even after I told them I was from the area, they pressed the brochures into my hands. One of the reps was a young lady who has a store on Main St in Bolton. She knows my mother and brother so I told her to tell them she had seen me.

More local was the Concord Booth manned by reps in colonial dress.

There was a National Parks booth too where I stopped for a chat.

As I was preparing to leave…if I could find an exit…I saw a booth that I has somehow missed. The Grand Canyon Railroad! There were 2 young ladies manning that booth and it wasn’t crowded so I had a chance to have a nice visit. I told them we had a trip planned in May and would be taking the train and include the Rim tour. They said that was absolutely the way to do it (of course ) but then we discussed some of the other tours in the area. They had both been on the Bottom of the Canyon tour but with another tour company. They had heard of Native American Journey’s but didn’t know it well. They said that going with them would give us more of the perspective of the Native Americans. They also said that some areas of places like Monument Valley are closed unless you have a Native American Guide. I had heard that but it was nice to have confirmation. As I was getting ready to leave they handed me 2 wooden train whistles as a gift. I had mentioned my sister was going on the trip with me and they remembered saying, “here’s one for you and one for your sister.” Very good. I am impressed by things like that. Shows they were really listening to what I was saying.

I left the Grand Canyon booth and went to the third floor so I could get a look out over the show floor.

Then I headed back down to leave. Easier said than done. I walked around and around and couldn’t find the exit. Finally I asked one of the security guards.

By the way, security was tight. We didn’t have to pass through any screening but the guards all had the little wires in their ears and seemed to be a higher level than the normal “rent -a-cop”. Anyway, they gave me directions that could have been from Peter Pan…First Star on the right etc J they told me to go to Hershey and take a right then a left at New York etc…Pretty funny. Finally I saw a small exit sign.

But you still had to get past all the AAA displays by the exit. I skipped the survey and headed out. I’d had enough of crowds and “hawkers” for one day. All together I was in the show for around 3 hours. You could easily spend all day but I had what I came for and was glad to drive off into the sunset.

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Sedona and Grand Canyon …Tentative Itineary

Posted on February 22, 2011February 22, 2011 by Dusty Roads

All right! Things are starting to come together. Here’s what I have so far. This is all subject to booking and my co-traveler’s approval.

DAY 1

Saturday is a travel day. we’ll fly out of Albany into Phoenix and pick up the rental car. The goal is a morning flight so we will have time to swing into Scottsdale for the trolley ride with “Boston Jim”. We can have our lunch there.

Then back on the road for the rest of the drive to Sedona & check-in. ETA between 4 & 6pm. Once checked in we’ll be off to the grocery store for a few food staples and any other essentials we might have forgotten or chose not to pack.

Finish the day watching the sunset at the Airport Mesa.

DAY 2

Recover from yesterday’s full travel day. Take our time getting out and about. Once out, head for Upper Sedona and take the double trolley tour.

Then get lunch in Tlaquepaque.

After lunch browse the shops in Upper Sedona and relax.

Spend the evening at the time share relaxing and grilling dinner. It needs to be an early night because we’ll be headed to Williams early the next morning.

DAY 3

Grand Canyon Railroad and Rim tour with Lunch at the canyon. This is a full day so nothing else is planned here.

Day 4

Back to the Grand Canyon. I’d like to do one of the tours here. Maybe the Bottom of the Grand Canyon? That one is quite unique. Depending on the time we may be able to get the IMAX show in as well. This is still being “fine tuned”.

Day 5

A little closer to “home” we’ll head south toward Cottonwood and check out Montezuma’s castle & Montezuma’s Well. My plan was to do this on our own but we can consider a tour. Then over to the Blazin’ M to see the Olde Towne they have set up. From there catch the Verde Canyon Rail Road trip and then return to the Blazin’ M for the Dinner Show.

Day 6

Slide Rock Park in the morning. Lunch back in Sedona at the Canyon Breeze and then the Trail ride and dinner at the M Diamond Ranch. there might be time for a spa treatment before lunch if we are so inclined LOL

Day 7

This is the last day and depending on how we did up to this point we can chose from a bunch of things.

Red rock Jeep Tour

The Ghost Town of Jerome

Grand Canyon of the Little Colorado

Painted Desert

Out of Africa Safari Park

“Spa Day”

Sunset Crater

Meteor Crater

So that is where the planning stands at this point. There’s enough left on the to-do list for another week!

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The Bottom of the Grand Canyon

Posted on February 18, 2011February 18, 2011 by Dusty Roads

A couple of days ago I mentioned the Native American Journey’s website and the Bottom of the Canyon tour.

Grand Canyon

The Bottom of the Grand Canyon

Take a spiritual journey to the depths of one of America’s most breath-taking sites. You will enjoy songs, hear legends, and learn about Native concepts and philosophy. An amazing photo opportunity – see the Canyon from the bottom, enjoy the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon caverns – a complete Native American experience! Lunch is included

Grand Canyon

At that time I said I would have to call for more information on how we get down into the canyon and back up again. So I took a moment to call.

I reached a very nice man who said he wasn’t the owner, just one of the drivers and he was covering the phones. We discussed the Bottom of the Canyon Tour and he said it was great. He raved about the tour guide who is a geologist, naturalist and expert on Native Americans and their history in the Canyon. He got a pretty good laugh when I asked him how we would get into and out of the canyon. I don’t think he had ever gotten that question before. Turns out there is a road down to the bottom and our guide will drive us down and drive us back.

I told him we were “older women” and that I wanted to be sure it wouldn’t be way too strenuous for us. He assured me it wouldn’t be. He said he hadn’t taken the tour himself but that he had discussed it at length with the guide. He also said he has climbed down the canyon and that the Bottom is really something that should not be missed. By the time we were done talking he was saying he thought he’d actually take the tour himself now. LOL He rated it the best of their tours.

From the South Rim

We also discussed the Monument Valley tour and he said “it’s nice: but it was clear from his tone of voice that he was way more enthusiastic about the Bottom of the Canyon tour than the Monument Valley one so I’m glad I called. Now we’ll have to rethink think this.

He said Monument Valley is a long drive but that on the tour they will explain a lot and all we have to do is sit back and listen. It’s just so hard to choose. I hope my co-traveler will have some preferences to help with the decision.

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Monument Valley

Posted on February 17, 2011February 17, 2011 by Dusty Roads

Monument Valley is in Northern Arizona on the border with Utah. I don’t think there is an American alive who is not familiar with it’s iconic landscapes. John Ford set many of his Western movies in this area from Stagecoach in 1939 to more modern offerings like Forrest Gump in 1994.

This came up in my research as a Scenic Drive but it is 3 + hours from Sedona to Kayenta, AZ followed by another 5 hours to drive through the Valley to Mexican Hat, Utah. Then we would have the return trip.

I know my sister would share the driving but I have control issues. I would rather complain about doing all the driving than to give it up! LOL A true character flaw. So as much as I want to see this magnificent landscape, I am really on the fence as to whether it just might be too ambitious.

It was in that mindset that I came across the Native American Journey’s website that I discussed yesterday. They have a Monument Valley Tour. The cost is $249/per person so it’s definitely on the “upper” end of my tour budget but it does sound like it must be a full day. The tour description is:

Monument Valley

Travel with your guide, from Sedona through the Navajo Indian reservation to Monument Valley, one of Hollywood’s favorite locations for classic Western movies. Enjoy an exciting Jeep tour through the Valley with a local Navajo guide. Lunch and all fees are included.

I do know that without a licensed guide many areas of Monument Valley are off limits. This would leave the driving to others and free me up to take pictures. It sounds like we could be picked up in Sedona. Although we would be paying a guide, we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for gas for the rental car.

I think this one is worth considering.

Editor in Chief

Editor’s note: The photo of the desert is a stock photo. Unlike the others we’ve used it was not taken by Dusty Roads.

Native American Journey’s Tours

Posted on February 16, 2011February 16, 2011 by Dusty Roads

In looking for the best way to get the best value for our $$$ and squeeze in as much as possible, I ran across a web site

www.nativeamericanjouneys.com

Their tours are not inexpensive but they sound like they offer a unique perspective.

One of the tours they offer that fascinates me in the “Bottom of the Grand Canyon” . The price listed on the web site is $179.00 per person and although it gives a description of the tour, is doesn’t say how you will get to the bottom or more important, how you get back out! I would love to see the Canyon from the bottom but I can tell you right now, this old body could not make the climb up…Not sure about the climb down but definitely not back up! I think I will have to call for more information on this one.

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Grand Canyon National Park

Travel to the Canyon’s rim – a must see! Photo opportunities abound. Views of the Little Colorado Gorge and Painted Desert. Enjoy lunch on the Canyon’s rim. Visit the Grand Canyon Imax. Journey to the Navajo Reservation and the Historic Cameron Trading Post. Learn about the people who occupy the majestic Grand Canyon.

A tour called Sedona Spirit would take us to Montezuma Castle. The price on this one is more to my liking ($79.00 per person) but I had thought going to these locations would be a good way to fill in the morning before we took the Verde Canyon Rail Road so we may not want to do this as a tour.. Here’s the tour description anyway. We can always change our minds on the order of the things we are doing:

Sedona Spirit

Travel with your native guide to local ruins, including the famous Montezuma’s Castle cliff dwellings and Montezuma’s Well natural springs. As you journey through the Historic Verde Valley, you’ll learn about the area’s history and it’s inhabitants. You’ll also receive a blessing from your Native American guide at the healing springs of Montezuma’s Well.

I have one last tour to consider but the pros and cons are a little more involved so I think I will discuss that with you in a separate post.