Unless you really like winter sports, this time of year the greatest place to be is Arizona. I know Arizona’s been taking a lot of hits lately, but the weather In January and February is why Arizona has a major tourism influx.
Daytime temperatures get into the 70ºs (Fahrenheit) and the sun is shining. Soon, we’ll have a profusion of flowers – yes, it really can flower in the desert! (more…)
Again, I wish all of my readers a happy new year!
I’ve been offline for a bit because I’ve been concentrating on getting Hiking for the Couch Potato out to the world! If you take a look at http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com, then come back for details, I’ll explain what image number 3 at the top of my new blog is about.
Okay, so - did you go look at the other web site?
If you did, then let me share with you that the image is from Hawaii, Wailoa River State Park, a park on the Big Island. This is a gorgeous place to meander that provides many vantage points for photography. A local park, there is no admission fee. You can climb down to be near the water or see the falls from higher up.
It’s peaceful and we had almost no one else to bother us, unlike many more known sites in Hawaii, where everyone seems to be jockeying for a place to take photos.
While this is not a worldclass destination in itself, Riverview Park, in Mesa, Arizona is one more place to kick back when you’re visiting Phoenix, Arizona.
Sometimes, it is just a good idea to relax, take a walk and enjoy nature.
If you are visiting the desert, it is surprising to find that there are actually spots with water and ducks.
Ducks, ducks, ducks!
Riverview Park - a small park with water, picnic areas and playground
(Riverview Park is located in Mesa at Dobson Road and 8th Street.)
And, if birds are your thing, head to see another park that has an even greater area and an abundance of birds, the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona.
See more on my other website,
http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com/hiking/
(We have had some “technical difficulties” and the website is not quite as complete as we had hoped, but you can check this link and see three great images.)
I promised to tell you about the images on my new Website, Hiking for the Couch Potato – http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com.
So, take a peek at the site and look at the second image near the top. When you do, you’ll see an almost other-worldly location where the rocks have encircled a watery, breathtakingly beautiful lake. If you look really carefully, you’ll even see a mountain with snow on it off in the distance.
Where is it?
The shot is of Granite Dells, just north of Prescott, Arizona at Watson Lake. It’s a park, a picnic place and a fabulous place to hike. There is a small entrance fee, but just sharing the view is worth it!
Take a look at our previous blog on this site that tells you more. http://traveltipsandadventures.com/?p=1687
Enjoy! We certainly have and we’ve been back several times.
If you’ve seen the new Hiking for the Couch Potato website – http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com – you’ve seen some images at the top of the page.
I promised to identify the images at the top of our new website.
Image number 1 is: ta – dah – drum roll -
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
A monolith that juts 235 feet high above the long stretch of beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon, Haystack Rock seems to follow you in any direction wherever you are on the beach. Birds and other creatures – especially humans – find it almost magnetic, but it is a protected site. See our longer blog for more information – http://traveltipsandadventures.com/?p=1134
Return next week and we’ll identify our #2 image.
We hope you’ll visit our Hiking for the Couch Potato website – and maybe even consider buying a book! Especially for those of you who know someone who really needs to get off the couch and get some activity in their life.
Have a great week, everyone!
Until we spent part of a day in Payson after visiting Tonto Natural Bridge (see previous blog two weeks ago), we had just been through Payson on our way to other places. It is the junction for Arizona State Routes 87 and 160, and about equidistant between Flagstaff and Phoenix, so it was just a place to fuel our car and keep going. We’re glad we stopped by this time, though!
With a population (at last count) of over 13,000, they are a giant metropolis in comparison to Strawberry and Pine, the neighbor burgs we visited the same day. There is more of everything, but the scenic backdrop of the mountains gives everything the “aah” factor. You can relax in Payson. It’s that kind of place.
There is shopping along the main street, including the Swiss Village shops which a resident we met at the Natural Bridge told us not to miss. We missed it, because we weren’t there for shopping. We just wanted to see what it was like for someone visiting and looking for scenery. (more…)
Since nature can accomplish amazing results, we decided that a trip to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park in Northern Arizona would make an interesting field trip. And, it did.
A difficult, winding road, State Route 87, from the Phoenix area is a challenge – definitely not for the faint of heart. North of Payson by just a few miles and still on 87, a turn-off leads to another winding access road. Wiggling every which way, when you finally arrive at the bottom, the park is spread out below, but the natural bridge is not immediately noticeable.
Pay your entry fee ($5 per person) and head to a parking lot. There are several trails and viewpoints to visit so you can see the travertine (according to Wikipedia a “sedimentary rock, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from solution in ground and surface waters”) bridge, which has a waterfall dripping down.
A picturesque grotto with waterfall awaits the intrepid
This week, I promised something unusual. Although this posting is a little later than usual, I ‘m keeping my promise.
In Arizona, south of Phoenix, the Gila Indian Reservation has some welcomed guests – wild horses. Although during some seasons, you might not see them, these wild creatures may be viewed just along the highway. Invariably, I haven’t had my camera with me, but sometimes I have managed to get some photos.
Wild horses
Wild horses watching us watching them
The Gila Indian Reservation has vast acreage where the animals are able to roam – somewhat – free. (The lands are fenced from the roads to keep the horses safe and people out of these private lands.) Since the Gila River Indian Communities are good stewards of their lands, the horses literally have free reign – and no reins in open areas. In warmer weather, the horses take refuge in more sheltered area, but often in the spring, they can be seen in plain view.
How many major metropolitan areas can claim such a refreshing and unusual glimpse of such an inspiring sight?
Wild horses see us and leave
Next week we’ll offer another, lesser known, but scenic, Arizona spot.
Coming soon: If you’ve just been thinking of traveling and would – at least secretly – consider yourself a Couch Potato – you’ll be excited when we launch our new e-book. We’ll share more next time.
The first time I flew into Phoenix, I was amazed at how spread out the metropolitan area is. From west to east, Buckeye to Apache Junction, the metropolitan area of Phoenix, with all its suburbs, easily reaches 70 miles.
In some giant US cities, they build up with multi-storied skyscrapers. But, with the vast spaces available in Arizona, they have built out and even have had height restrictions on how high buildings can be built.
So, welcome to Phoenix. Spread out and still in the desert.
Saguaro cacti and mountains are a short ride from the hustle and bustle
Over the years, we’ve been in many cities, both capitals and smaller cities. Boise, Idaho ranks high in our estimation as one of the most attractive downtowns we’ve seen.
With a population of over 200,000, Boise still seems like an accessible and people-friendly place to live, raise children, work, and enjoy leisure time.
