Back in the Manor

April 10
Woke up this morning to bright blue sky and snow on the red rocks. What a gorgeous sight! We packed up the car and hitched up the Manor. There was about 4 inches of snow we had to remove from the top before we could pop it up and get out some necessary tools. With Flagstaff as our next destination, we headed north. It feels good to be on the road again after three fabulous weeks. We were expecting a let down but we are all excited to get going. We carry storage boxes in the back of the car for extra clothes, shoes and jackets. It’s always a mess and things slide everywhere. It was time for a change. A trip to Target was on our list. We found a great drawer set up that looks like it will be the solution. Small things can be so exciting and rewarding. By the time we did grocery shopping and our reorganizing it was 9:00 with just enough time for a game of cards.
April 11
We went to the historic area of Flagstaff to walk around and have lunch. With its restored buildings, shops and restaurants, it’s a fun place to roam around. We found a sushi restaurant for Norm. Flagstaff is the first town I have thought I could enjoy living in while we have been in AZ with the exception of the cold, snowy winter. The elevation is almost 7,000 feet and in a ponderosa pine forest. It is a university town with lots going on. The people seem to be interested in living “green” and with lots of recreation possibilities it might be a great place to live. We took a tour of Riodan Mansion that gave us an introduction to the early history going back to the logging days. In 1887, two brothers bought the Arizona Lumber and Timber Co. from a third brother. They married sisters and built a 13,000 sq. ft. mansion in the American Arts and Crafts style with 6,000 sq. ft. homes on each end and a common living room in the middle. What a great plan. It was the first home to have indoor plumbing and electricity. They definitely were into “green” living before it caught on a hundred years later. Much of the furniture is Stickley. One of the brothers had a dining table built in an oval shape with pointed ends so that everyone at the large table could see one another and converse. The home was donated to the state parks system and opened in 2002. The brothers were instrumental in building many of the public buildings including the Catholic church and a hospital.
April 12 Sunset Crater and Wupatki
We did a loop drive today north of Flagstaff, our favorite, seeing Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments. Sunset Crater features the 1,000 ft. crater that erupted around 1,000 AD interrupting life in the area. We took the Lava Flow Trail reading the trail guide along the way explaining all the different types of lava and vegetation. It has a reddish color that reminded Powell, Colorado River explorer, of a sunset and thus it got its name. The volcano settled down, the climate had changed for the better as far as farming was concerned and the Sinaguas came into the area around 1,100 AD much the same as we have seen in the Sedona area and built impressive pueblos. There are around 600 small craters in this area.
Wupatki National Monument is home to many smaller pueblo ruins along with the impressive Wupatki Pueblo. Christy and I had done this loop four years ago and wanted to share it with Norm. My photos will speak for themselves as to the wonder of this place. National park rangers had actually lived in the ruins during the 1920’s. They had constructed an actual living space within the ruins with a workable kitchen etc. It was rightfully dismantled.
Norm pointed out the Abert’s squirrel scampering by in our campground. It really had a unique look with 1½ inch ears that stand straight up and a white belly. The ponderosa pines provide both food and shelter.
　



Lava Flow at Sunset Crater




Sunset Crater




Wupatki




Wind blown at Wupatki



Snow in Sedona




Leaving Sedona - Snow Covered Buttes



The Perfect Storage Solution!