Gypsy & The Navigator,2003:weblog-118215951969195787 2019-07-09T19:06:51-07:00 On the Road with Walt & Barb TypePad Cathedral Gorge State Park.........Shhhhh! Don't Tell,2003:post-6a01a73d834eb1970d0240a46c9769200c 2019-07-09T19:06:51-07:00 2019-07-09T18:58:54-07:00 We have driven Nevada Highway 93 several times but always on our way to a destination so we have not stopped at Cathedral Gorge State Park. This time we made it a destination. Oh my! How could we have waited so long to see this natural wonder? Amazing that this... Barbara Harper

2019-06-24 22.04.27


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This time we made it a destination.

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Amazing that this geologic wonder is just a hop, skip and a jump off the highway.

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The day was perfect.  Temperatures in the 70's and look at that sky. 

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The 2000 acre park land was once home to the Fremont, Anaszi and Southern Paiutes.

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Cathedral Gorge became one of Nevada's first state parks in 1935.

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This dramatic landscape is composed of eroded soft bentonite clay.

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Cathedral Gorge sits in Meadow Valley. A majority of Meadow Valley, which lies along U.S. Route 93 from the towns of  Caliente to Panaca, was covered by a freshwater lake nearly 1 million years ago.

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The richly colored canyons of Cathedral Gorge are remnants of the ancient lakebed.

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Over centuries the lake drained and along with the water volcanoes, earthquakes, and wind caused the erosion that created the spires and cliffs here at Cathedral Gorge.

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Walt was curious about the horizontal line that ran along the cliffs.  The darker rock at top is compacted clay that hardened above the water level eons ago. The lighter rock sat at the middle of the lake.

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The erosion continues today by rainwater, melting snow and wind.  

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This geologic process has gone on for millions of years.

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This place is a mecca for the imagination. The walls are lacy, feathered, filigreed, fluted and then molded into palaces, animals and of course cathedrals.

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Hidden in those walls are what the locals call "the caves."  For the rest of us they are slot canyons.

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Leaving Walt behind I disappeared into the narrow slots.

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Once inside the narrow walls it is 10 degrees cooler.  Today wasn't hot but on a hot day this is where you would want to be.

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Some of the slots were nice and wide.

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Many had spots I had to squeeze through. 

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By the time I was exploring the slots it was midday.  I kept thinking what spectacular photos there would be at sunset. Maybe another time.

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But, even at midday there are some spots that are dark and secluded.

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There are so many ways to go.........I spent a lot of time and I am sure I only touched a part of where the slots lead.

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This one came to a dead end.

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This one had a round room.

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Picture post card views on the way out of the canyons.

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The glorious formations continue and again.......look at that sky.

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It was time for lunch.  We enjoyed it under the original picnic shelter that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's.

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This was our view as we had our lunch.   How fortunate we are.

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The CCC also built a water tower. The water was pumped into a tank on the top of the tower and then piped to the picnic area.  The water in the well under the tower was too alkaline, so it is no longer in use.

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The original bathrooms built by the CCC sit right among the formations.  There are new more modern ones now but they don't have this charm.

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We have been here for hours.  We have not seen another human.  Shhhh......don't tell anyone about this place.  If it makes it to instagram it will be another Sedona or Horseshoe Bend.

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The only sign of life were the ravens.  They were croaking and screaming bloody murder.  I think their attitude to us was "go away." A group of them is  called a congress or unkindness. It depends on the behavior of the group at the moment. They can be referred to as a constable, an unkindness, or a conspiracy.  All of those behaviors were definitely not happy about humans in their territory. 

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The time came to leave the canyon because there was one more view we wanted to see.

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About one mile north of the park entrance is Miller Point overlook.  

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The shade shelter that crowns the hill was built by the CCC as well.

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Here the view is above the canyon. The panoramic views of the gorge are spectacular and you get a view of the magic erosive power of wind and water.

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It would be fun to see the water run through the dry wash below during a rain storm.  

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What a pretty clay sculpture.  

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Another great day out and about all alone in this striking landscape.  Again Shhhhh.........don't tell.  


Heading North Through Familiar Country,2003:post-6a01a73d834eb1970d0240a46badf4200c 2019-07-01T19:16:50-07:00 2019-07-01T19:14:23-07:00 Our relaxing month in Camp Verde came to an end and it was time to slowly head north. Traveling through Northern Arizona is very familiar territory to us. We have been here many many times. Being in a familiar place had me thinking about why people keep returning to familiar... Barbara Harper

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Being in a familiar place had me thinking about why people keep returning to familiar places rather than exploring new ones.

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For us it is because there are some places we really like and are happy to return or they are on the route we need to take to wherever we happen to be going.

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For others it is a fear of the unknown.

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For others it is just disinterest or lack of curiosity about anything new.

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I have talked to many of the people that come to Arizona for the winter from Canada or the Northern States that take the same route back and forth staying at the same places and never exploring anything new.

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Some people are creatures of habit. They like going places they are familiar with and they know their way around.

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Some keep returning to the same place because of an emotional attachment.  They have good memories of family and friends there so retrace the same steps.

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Some places have such unique beauty that there is no reason to choose any other place to go.

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For some the places they go are due to family traditions.  That's where they've always gone so will always go.

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Which leads me to me.  Why am I always so curious?  Often I am thinking "where can I go next? what have I missed seeing?"

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I'm not dissatisfied or discontent when I am stationery.  I can settle down and be happy as a clam in one place. 

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Then I read a book or see a program on TV about someplace interesting and the travel bug bites and the location is on my wish list. 

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Today's travels are brought to a close at the Kiabab Paiute Tribe RV Park near Pipe Spring National Monument.  Over the years we have watched the park being built but this was the first time we have stayed here.  It is nice with quite a bit of grass and the promise that those twigs of trees that have been planted will grow into beneficial shade in the not too distant future.

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The next morning we are on our way again.  This day we are heading into Nevada.  

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Nevada is a state we have done quite a bit of exploring in but this visit we are going somewhere new.

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We have arrived in Caliente, NV staying for a few days at Young's RV Park.  Nothing notable about the park except its location.

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The most notable building in Caliente is it's beautiful old railroad station.  This architectural masterpiece was originally built to host a Union Pacific Railroad depot in 1923.  It held the railroad station, a full service restaurant and 50 room hotel.  Why here in the middle of nowhere?  Caliente was thought to be the next big resort town of the American West. As Caliente is the halfway marker between the larger cities of Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, Union Pacific formerly used this railroad depot as a major hub.  When Union Pacific moved its hub to Las Vegas the big resort dreams were over. 

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Caliente has tried to put some rejuvenation into the town and this pretty path along the river is near the RV park where we stayed.  Caliente is named for the nearby hot springs because Caliente means hot in Spanish.  I couldn't find anywhere that you could soak in the hot springs other than at the Hot Springs Motel.  It was once owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ and was the site of several forced marriages between under-aged girls and older men. This was brought out in the trial against it's leader Warren Jeffs.  The new owners have remodeled and are hoping its reputation is forgotten. 

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On my walk at dusk I lingered on the bridge overlooking the wash that runs through the area.  This sweet girl came walking down toward me and was as curious about me as I was about her.  She posed for several photos and didn't flinch when cars drove over the bridge.  Finally I tired of standing in one spot and started to move.  She moved in the direction I headed and when I came to the end of the bridge she aimed for the trees and bedded down. 

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Just like the deer I made my way toward the trees and bedded down in GypsyII.   Another great traveling day. 



Sedona Is Truly Special,2003:post-6a01a73d834eb1970d0240a4924b37200d 2019-06-28T16:38:07-07:00 2019-06-28T16:33:47-07:00 No matter how many times we have visited Sedona the brilliant red sandstone formations are always cause for awe. The red is contrasted by the green of the pinions, cypress, and juniper. The scenery makes my heart skip a beat. But there is a sadness to it too. Is there... Barbara Harper

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The scenery makes my heart skip a beat.  But there is a sadness to it too.  Is there some format to put a location on an endangered species list?  I guess it would have to be an endangered location list.  There are just too many people visiting this amazing place.  In 2016 tourism to Sedona had tripled in the last 10 years.  I haven't been able to find new statistics but my guess is that it has tripled again.  Parking spaces and parking lots are full, (unbelievable you have to pay $3 to park your car for a view over the town and the red rocks that circle it up near the airport.....$3 for a quick photo op) hiking trails are crowded, garbage is thrown carelessly away everywhere, not to mention the dog poop, traffic backs up but you have gorgeous views while you wait, and it's expensive are just a few of the reasons leading to my sadness.  When a place gets popular it is both a boon and a downfall.

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Sedona has done a good job on the newer construction with its strict building and design codes that have houses seamlessly melding into the hilly landscape and I understand that the city is about built out.  That probably is a good thing because not many more residents can come but that doesn't stop the visitors.

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As many times as we have been in Sedona and admired the striking Chapel of the Holy Cross that is built into the red rock buttes I have never been able to go up to it and see the inside.

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It is always so full of visitors that the road is clogged and there is nowhere to park.  But this time Walt was able to drive me up and drop me off right at the pathway up and then he went and found a parking place.

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The Chapel is also known as the Chapel in the Rock and was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude. 

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She was inspired to build the church in 1932 when she viewed the newly built Empire State Building in New York City.

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She said that when viewed from a certain angle a cross seemed to run through the core of the structure.  She thought that would be a perfect design for a church.

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She made a sketch of her vision and shared it with Frank Lloyd Wright and a plan was put in place to build the church in Budapest overlooking the Danube.  Then World War II put a stop to that plan.

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Her plan lay dormant for several years but having a ranch in Oak Creek Canyon she knew there were spectacular spots in the area that would be perfect for the Church.

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The chosen site was actually on government land and it practically took an act of congress to make her vision a reality.  It was completed in 1956.  It is a work of art that is enjoyed by visitors from all over the world.

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The views in and around the Chapel are stunning and even with the crowds it seems a peaceful place.

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From the Chapel property there is a birds eye view of THE house.  So many rumors about who owns it (from Johnny Depp to Nicholas Cage) but it is owned by the Comescu's from Phoenix.  He is the inventor of the Lasik eye surgery and was originally from Romania.


After our visit to the Chapel there was time for a beautiful drive through Oak Creek Canyon.


There is always time for a stroll through Tlaquepaque to see old friends like Miss Piggy in the flowers.


And my Frog friend always gets a kiss.


This time I met a few new felines.  


Some are wild and some are domesticated.


There is always new art and these are for sale so our friendship might not last long when they head for their new homes.  Miss Piggy and Frog are permanently installed so our friendship should be long lasting. 


Tlaquepaque has a variety of shops, galleries, and restaurants but I just love the architecture.


Couples choose it for their wedding venue.  There is a small chapel. The photos must be gorgeous.


The flowers are everywhere and they never disappoint.  Hang in there Sedona.  There's a lot to love.

AZ Sedona


Arcosanti........The City Of The Future That Time Seems To Forget,2003:post-6a01a73d834eb1970d0240a4b3517d200b 2019-06-17T19:46:29-07:00 2019-06-17T19:41:38-07:00 Staying at Distant Drums RV Park in Camp Verde and feeling so much better it was time to go see those places on my wish list that were nearby. I have always loved to read books but years ago I discovered a passion for magazines. When we had a house... Barbara Harper

2019-06-04 00.09.21


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I have always loved to read books but years ago I discovered a passion for magazines.  When we had a house with a permanent address I subscribed to so many that it seemed like there was at least one in the mailbox every day.  There was a magazine for every interest.  Gardening, traveling, architecture, anything you could want.  When we started to travel I could still have my books but those magazines were gone.  That is until I discovered that I could get my favorites online without even a subscription.  In the spirit of trying not to sit in front of the computer for hours there are only 2 that I check out regularly.......Sunset and Architectural Digest.  They both have so many places I want to go. 

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About a year ago there was an article in Architectural Digest about Arcosanti.  It made it to my wish list. Only about 30 miles down the we go.

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Arcosanti is a dream of a Utopian Metropolis rising out of the desert.  The dreamer was Paolo Soleri, an Italian Architect and artist.  Soleri worked under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona. He returned to Italy for a time and then in 1956 settled permanently in the United States in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he established the Cosanti Foundation. He designed a city both to conserve the natural surroundings and to intensify the human activities of living and working by condensing them spatially. The resulting integrated, total environments Soleri hoped, would provide for all the needs of rational, aesthetic human beings. 

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There is an unpaved road to get to Arcosanti but in the city itself there are no roads.

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Construction began in 1970 with a goal of housing 5000 but there usually is only a population of around 100.  Construction is only about 5% complete.

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Each year, 50,000 people from all over the world visit Arcosanti. University students come to study design and sustainability staying in the many living quarters while attending the workshops. Concerts and festivals are held in its amphitheater. Some visitors even rent guest rooms and stay overnight.

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Those attending the workshops assist with the continuing construction.  Some have come and stayed.  Our guide said the longest resident has been there 30 years.  The program attracts many who are interested in art, crafts, architecture and urban planning, but it is also a connection to those interested in philosophy, sociology, science, and agriculture.  Our guide was originally from the Bronx in New York eventually coming to Arizona and Arcosanti after graduating from college with a Business and Communications degree.

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Soleri’s concept is called “Arcology.” He stated it was architecture in tune with ecology.  Arcology advocates cities designed to maximize the interaction and accessibility associated with an urban environment; minimize the use of energy, raw materials, and land, that reduces waste and environmental pollution; and allows interaction with the surrounding natural environment.

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Most buildings are oriented southward to capture the sun's light and heat — roof designs admit the maximum amount of sunlight in the winter and a minimal amount during the summer. The structure that shelters the ceramic workshop is built in the form of an apse, a quarter-sphere or semi-dome. The structures behind the doors were once very small apartments but are now used as storage for the ceramic supplies.  

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The city’s most striking feature is maybe the apse of its bronze foundry, where Soleri bells are cast. The apse resembles quarter-sphere hollows of Romanesque cathedrals where the center gives way to side chapels. Soleri’s apse faces south. It fills with shade in summer, light in winter.

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The sale of the bells partially funds the continuing building of Arcosanti.

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The Paolo Soleri bells are sold primarily at the Cosanti Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ and at Arcosanti.  They also can be purchased online..  Each one is a work of art and the sound is unique and soothing.

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This is one of the molds used for each bell with a sand-casting method.   The foundry crew works daily making the bells.  Hot bronze is poured into each of the molds and at this time of the year their work schedule begins very early in the morning in an attempt to beat the heat.

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There are large shaded areas  called The Vaults.  They are the midpoint of the Arcosanti site and designed to accommodate large gatherings or where just a few can meet.  The young man in the photo was our guide.

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There is a large amphitheater that has hosted such varied events as Shakespeare, jazz, bluegrass and indie folk-rock, experimental dance, a stilt-walking circus, and a 3-day modern music festival.  

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The amphitheater is ringed by living quarters and the residents can watch the performances right from their own homes.  Speaking of the residents.  When you come to stay you start out in "shared" housing.  The longer you stay you can move up to your own private apartment.  

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Those who live here are expected to work here, either in construction, the greenhouses, landscaping, in composting and recycling, in the on site cafe, in the foundry, in the ceramic studio, or many other jobs that keep the "city" going.  And it is not just manual labor.  They have workshops with up to date technology including a 3D printer that our guide was excited about a project he had just completed.


Soleri valued hard work but that does not mean that the residents don't have their own sense of style. 

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This is what is left of one of Soleri's vision for an airport.  Think of it flat, hovering over a body of water the guide said.  All I could think of was "Star Wars."

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They have a nice pool to cool off in after a hot day or work or long hours in a workshop.  Arcosanti is perched on an underground aquifer; they harvest rain water from the roofs of their buildings and practice conservation religiously.  I was absolutely baffled that the pond you see below the pool is their black water waste that is being cleaned in the algae pond.  Apparently there is no odor.

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 The people living here are not seeing the cracked concrete slabs and fading paint, but something altogether more beautiful. They have caught Soleri's vision.

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I appreciate Walt being happy to spend the time letting me explore this interesting place.  I know he is one of those that sees the cracked concrete and the faded paint and can't imagine the lives of those that have chosen to make it home and continue to pursue the dream of a Utopia in the desert.  I can understand and appreciate their commitment and hope they continue to make their dream come alive.  I will be the first to admit I couldn't do it.  Number one.............shared living quarters......uh uh.  But the idea of living, working, playing, learning in a very small footprint with energy conservation makes a lot of sense to me. 

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While only a sliver of Soleri's vision has been completed the dedicated carry on towards the future. 


Watson Lake Amid The Granite Dells,2003:post-6a01a73d834eb1970d0240a4b0ff0a200b 2019-06-11T09:47:31-07:00 2019-06-11T09:43:47-07:00 Our visit to Prescott was spent at The Point Of Rocks RV Park. GypsyII was surrounded by green trees and the sites were staggered so we never had anyone directly by us. Across from us were these massive rocks and more trees. On the days that I was absolutely miserable... Barbara Harper


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Across from us were these massive rocks and more trees.  On the days that I was absolutely miserable and having to do nothing but lay flat it was nice to have a good view. 

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Being thankful for temporary relief now and then from Sciatica we were able to take in the beauty of Watson Lake. 

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Watson Lake is a reservoir that was created in the early 1900's when Chino Valley Irrigation District built a dam on Granite Creek.

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The massive boulders that surround the lake are known as the Granite Dells.

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The blue lake is circled by hiking trails.

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Swimming is prohibited but you can boat (no wake), kayak, canoe, fish, and camp.  No swimming is allowed because the lake is down stream from an old strip mining of mercury.  Makes me wonder if people eat the fish they catch.

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Pretty spot to put your boat in or shove off in your kayak.

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Can't get enough of these crazy rocks. 

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The trees nestled into the crevices of the rocks for lots of pops of green.

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The rocks look like an artist sculpted them.  Oh wait.......He did.

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This beautiful lake is only about 4 miles out of Prescott and only a couple hours from Phoenix.  It is an oasis  for anyone looking to escape the desert heat in the summer. 

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There is a trail that leads from the RV Park to the lake and one day I actually felt good enough to walk a bit among the huge boulders.

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Lots of foliage and flowers blooming too.

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This was about as far as we got but we were treated to a birds eye view of the lake. 

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Such a pretty day with fabulous views.  I read in the local paper that developers want to come in and build homes around the boulders and locals are really fighting that happening.  I'm with the locals.  Let it be. The stunning landscape needs to remain and there is a lot of wildlife that call it home. 

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I am so grateful for an afternoon of feeling well enough to spend some time among these massive boulders of ancient, weathered rock.  What a wonderful world we are fortunate to live in.

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 Not only do the boulders have an unusual lumpy, rippled appearance it looks like the trees do too.

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On our way back to GypsyII.  Walt always leads to the way.  Not sure if it is to protect me from what could be ahead or if he's just anxious to be back to his comfy recliner.

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One day we drove through the downtown Prescott area and I was sad that I didn't have a day that I felt well enough to go and walk around.  There is so much history here.  The old Prescott railroad station was built in 1907 and served the city for 100 years.  It has now been remodeled into a marketplace for businesses.

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Beautiful homes built in the 1890's are on Union Street known as "Nob Hill" where the wealthy of Prescott built. 

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One of Barry Goldwater's relatives was a wealthy merchant in Prescott and built this Victorian style house in 1894.

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 Too soon with not enough days of feeling well and it was time to leave Prescott.  Only 50 miles away is our next destination at Distant Drums RV Park in Camp Verde, AZ.   An appointment was made with my Dr. in Gilbert (2 hours away) and a prescription that finally broke the pain down to a manageable level.   Thank heaven for modern medicine.  
