Memory Lane

Well - our last ‘blog title’ was “we’re back” - meaning we had another blog posting. However - many of you thought we were home - early!! Not a chance. So - here is the last week of our 3 month tour ----

Just like all the others, the week was PACKED. This one, though, held many days of reminiscing for Elizabeth. It was decided that Gary needed to see Iron Springs (just outside of Prescott, AZ) and the family ‘cabin’ where summers were spent back in the ‘good ole’ days’. So, we loaded up the car with Mother, friend Phyllis, Gary and Elizabeth and headed north. Gary saw the softball field where we spent many a summer night watching two or three men’s softball games an evening (unfortunately the Dairy Queen across the street no longer exists). Then we headed to Whisky Row - the usual main drag in old turn-of-the-century (1800‘s to 1900‘s) towns where all the miners would congregate at night to drink and ????. Of course, Mother and Phyllis found the oldest bar in town and saddled up!

The Longest/Oldest Bar in Prescott

The Ladies of Whisky Row

A quick lunch on Whisky Row and we were off to Iron Springs. We knew we were getting close when we found Humpty Dumpty - still welcoming everyone!

Humpty Dumpty has gone patriotic.

E & G are rockin'

After pleading with the caretaker, we managed to get into the ‘camp’, which looked about the same as it did 40 years ago!! (The Biaett cabin, however, was nothing like what we lived in!!) The old General Store was just as we left it - as was the caboose that hasn’t moved an inch in all those years.

The old country store hasn't changed at all.

32 KBUS has travelled a lot farther than this one.

The caboose was there on the very tracks that brought the many Phoenix residents up to their cabins way back when. The thought just occurred to me - we began our trip in Glacier National Park where all the lodges were built by the RR’s in order for the ‘touring public’ to have a destination when they rode the trains. Now - here we were in another area that was basically created by the RR’s as a destination for Phoenix residents to get out of the heat in the summer. Very interesting the ‘power‘ and place on our country’s development that the RR’s held.

Another afternoon, I drug Gary to the “original Los Compadres” - my most favorite Mexican food restaurant ever!! Myself and my sisters grew up on their food and still go back there every chance we get when visiting. The original is still the same - even serving on paper plates after ordering at the window.

We also watched lots of football - attending the old rivalry game of Michigan vs Ohio State at Phyllis’s daughters house. AND - of course played more golf - FOUR more days! This week the courses we played provided a lot of entertainment in the way of animal/bird viewing. Unfortunately, Gary did not have a camera (I know - hard to believe!!) the day we had the most entertainment - on the Boulder course. This particular day I had a coyote follow me down the fairway, a whole herd (seriously about 20) of javelina cross the fairway in front of me so I could not hit my ball (2 were especially ‘frisky’!) and eagles on the hunt. We did get pictures another day of some beautiful cranes ----

The Snowy Egret isn't going to find any snow in this neighborhood.

Also, for all the golf fans who are actually reading this, we have included the full list of all the courses we played on our trip at the very end of this posting - enjoy and let us know how many of the same you have also played!!

Our three month trip was concluded with a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family at sister, Barb’s. This was a perfect way to end a fabulous trip - and we were both very grateful for the many friends and family that had shared our travels with us!!

Two more days and we were home:-(

Much Love to All of You - E&G

Golf Courses Played on Fall, 2009 Trip

1 - Old Works, Butte, Montana

2 - Whitefish - North Course, Whitefish, Montana

3 - Waterton Golf Club, Waterton, Alberta

4 - Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, Alberta

5 - Talking Rock, Kamloops, British Columbia

6 - Tobiano, Kamloops, British Columbia

7 - Nicklaus North, Whistler, British Columbia

8 - Whistler Golf Club, Whistler, British Columbia

9 - Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California

10 - Soule Golf Course, Ojai, California

11 - Phoenician, Phoenix, Arizona

12 - Ranch Manana, Cave Creek, Arizona

13 - The Legend at Arrowhead, Phoenix, Arizona

14 - TPC - Champions Course, Scottsdale, Arizona

15 - Camelback Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona

16 - Legend Trail Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona

17 - Starfire, Scottsdale, Arizona

18 - Vista Verde, Rio Verde, Arizona

19 - Dove Valley, Cave Creek, Arizona

20 - Troon North - Pinnacle, Scottsdale, Arizona

21 - Boulders - South, Scottsdale, Arizona