Skid and Sandy On The Road: Williams Arizona - WWR XII

I was up before 6:00 AM to finish the blog post on yesterday's visit to Bearizona. We met Cranky and wandered across the street to the Route 66 Diner, which was a lot busier than it was during the week. We were joined by El Nomad and Solo, Butch and Teresa and Malachi. I again had the half order of biscuits and gravy with a side order of ham. The ham was bone-in and almost 1/2 inches thick. Sandy had a short stack of pancakes that was still huge and finished them all. We got back to the room a little after 8:00 AM.

Pecos checks out Wolf's Indian

Such pretty smiles

El Nomad and Solo decided to pay their respects to The Mother Road by visiting Seligman, a town that commemorates old Route 66. Wolf and Cranky planned to ride to Sedona, Jerome and Prescott. Sandy and I had not been through Oak Creek Canyon since 1981, so we decided to do the same thing in the Equinox.

Before we hit the road, I stopped at the Mobil station at Exit 161 and found that the train robbers weren't the only crooks in Williams. They were charging $3.89 for a gallon of 87 octane. The Shell was charging $3.99. I though maybe Saudi Arabia has self-destructed until Sherm informed me by text that this was a local phenomenon. We also got Sandy her morning smoothie at the golden arches before heading east on I-40.

Highway robbery

Even more blatant highway robbery

I-40 construction heading to Flagstaff

We left I-40 for I-17 in Flag and then immediately turned south on Highway 89A. This took us down into Oak Creek Canyon on new pavement. We followed a Nissan who followed a white minivan that had passed us before we hit the curves. Unfortunately, the minivan was not up to the challenge and eventually pulled over to let us by. The rest of the drive to Sedona was a hoot, although the last part was a little congested with walkers and parked cars.

89A from Flagstaff to Sedona Through Oak Canyon

We didn't stop in Sedona. After driving through the fancy red rock scenery and through quite a few traffic circles, we left town and continued on to Cottonwood. We stopped for a McDonald's burger to eat while driving and then, after more traffic circles, we started up the hill to the quirky town of Jerome. It is built on the sheer side of a mountain and was jam packed with tourists on this sunny Saturday.

J is for Jerome

Jerome Arizona

Leaving Jerome southbound, a first for us, we traversed the winding road over Mingus Mountain towards Prescott, cresting the summit at 7,023 feet. Unfortunately, after doing a brilliant job recording Oak Creek Canyon, my photographer had lost interest. Trust me that the road was challenging and fun and the views were very nice. We eventually descended to Prescott Valley and then took 89 into Prescott itself.

Looking down at Cottonwood

Prescott Valley

In Prescott, they were having some kind of festival in the park. The property was covered with what looked like vendor tents, so I could not get a photo of the spot where the epic Billy Jack fight scene was filmed. We did get a photo of the courthouse and what I believe was the ice cream shop where the students were bullied in the film. Prescott was a very nice place and I would like to spend more time there sometime.

P for Prescott

USMC 1000YD?

Bucky Casino

Through the rocks leaving Prescott

Leaving Prescott, we took Highway 89 north through Chino Valley and joined I-40 at Ash Fork, the flagstone capital of the world. We drove through the old Route 66 town and digitally captured the same establishments we did last year. We also got photos of the memorial to Ash Fork's role as a transportation centre in opening up southern Arizona and some of the flagstone inventory at the Dunbar Stone Company.

The return trip east to Williams on I-40 was uphill, climbing all the way to 7,000 feet. The trucks were slow in the right lane until, just before the summit, one stopped completely in the traffic lane. The other trucks were slowly trying to get around him while car traffic was closing at 75 MPH+. It was an uncomfortable for a few moments and I was eyeing the median as a possible escape route.

Stalled truck

I-40 construction

Was someone a marine

And we're back

We were back at the motel a little after 3:00. When Wolf and Cranky rolled in, we found that they had missed 89A and Oak Creek Canyon, taking I-17 down to Cottonwood.

Yvette was closeted in her room doing an online exam for a course she was taking. The rest of us sat around and swapped tales about our days.

Teresa, Butch, Sandy and Cranky

Bucky, Mad Kaw, Pecos and Malachi

El Nomad telling a story

Pecos watches Mad Kaw Moser trying to program his GPS

Bucky and Sandy

The Tire Pressure Adjustment Committee working on Yvette's Drifter

Mad Kaw seems to be explaining something to Bucky

Five of us decided to go to Rod's Steakhouse for supper. El Nomad, Solo, Bucky, Sandy and me. The margarita was good and so was Sandy's pina colada. Likewise for my sirloin, but sandy's prime rib was not up to standards. I regret not sending it back for her.

By the way, the "You are driving the wrong way" sign was appropriate. Yesterday I encountered a lady in a pickup truck coming down the one way street the wrong way. I flashed light and she just shrugged.

Hit and miss at Rod's

Saw this on the way back to the hotel

Mal had a new sign made

Jim had some snacks he put out as we sat around talking. There were a lot of goodbyes since some were leaving early in the morning. Some of us would be reconnecting at Topaz Lake in a few days, others we would see in Arkansas in the fall. For still others, it was a question mark. But all our life's a circle, so we will see the rest somewhere down the road.

Sandy and I were in our room by 9:35, where I sorted through 300 photos and got a preliminary blog entry for the day posted before I went to bed about 11:00.

Today's Route (190 Equinox miles):