VERDE VALLEY TT

The reason we were in Scottsdale was I had a consultation appointment on Sept. 7 for the basal cell on my nose.

Made my next appointment to have the Mohs surgery on October 13. Hope it will be cooler around here by then.

Fountain Hills is a lovely community outside Scottsdale. We drove up to see the world famous fountain. It goes up every hour for 15 minutes. With the temperature over 110 sure wish we could have been under the spray.

We left Scottsdale September 9 and drove up route 17 to Verde Valley. We were hoping the temperature would be a little cooler but it is still in the triple digits and breaking records. The worst part is the pool is closed until we leave - repairing it. The first days we were here no one was playing pickleball.

By Monday, September 20, there was a good group playing pickle ball in the morning. Bob and Carol were the first couple we met to play with. They live in Strawberry about 50 miles from here and we have enjoyed getting to know them. What an active older couple (76 and 78). Then Mark and his wife Laurie came out to play. They are just learning the game and doing great. Another Bob has also been coming out in the mornings. He is quite good, so we have had lots of fun. Today the pros arrived - Richard, Mike, Anne, and Roger- all headed to Huntsman pickleball tournament in St.George, Utah. We had played with Roger and Annie at Morgan Hill when we were out here three years ago, but we were just learning the game then. I hope we have made some improvement. It amazes me how Larry always remembers people and where we met them.

Bob ( the other Bob, not Carol's husband) and Larry

Bob (Carol's husband) and Anne

Richard, Carol and Mark (on other court)

Laurie in pink with Bob as her partner. Roger is by the net.

Mark and Roger.

Time for a little rest. Carol, Anne, Roger, Richard and Mike

In 2009 someone painted a great mural on the walls in the family center. I think of Mystique, Larry's daughter when I see it, because this is what she is good at doing.

At the enterance to Verde Valley Thousand is a road down to the Alcantara Vineyard. We stopped and did some wine tasting. We added two new glasses to our collection, but no new wine.

Time to find another beauty palor. I had gone to one in Cottonwood when we were here before but we couldn't find it. We stumbled into this salon. She did a nice job.

I've kept it brown with just a few highlights.

One hot afternoon Laurie, Mark, Larry and I went to the Pine Shadows Golf course to play nine holes. It was the first time I had ever played, so we played best ball for each couple. Half way through I just let Larry's shot be the best ball for mine sure wasn't going very far. Mark and Laurie walked the course and there were some steep hills to go up. Larry and I used a cart, it was just too hot!

It was 6 when we finished our game so we went to Pub and Grub for something to drink. We always pass it on our way to town, but knew nothing about it. It was a local hang out. Lots of drinking but little grub. We will try somewhere else next time.

Bob and Carol told us about Natural Bridge state park where they volunteer. It was about 50 miles from here, a little past Strawberry and Pines. We enjoyed the ride, some hilly curvy roads and lots of pine trees. The road into the park has a 14% grade. That is the steepest I think I have ever seen.

Put it in low gear to go down.

From the parking lot you walk a steep 1/4 mile path down to the bottom, across a wooden bridge and climb along the rocks into the tunnel. Water cascades from the top. It was so relaxing laying on a rock in the tunnel and feeling a fine mist from the water. It was so cool I could have laid there all day. Then we had to climb back up the path!
The Cliff Castle Casino is about 10 miles from here. It is on reservation land run by the Apache. September 18 and 19 they had a big motorcycle event called Thunder Valley, we were able to vend at it. Of course they had record breaking temperature both days, 104 or better.

The vender behind us was Marlene Nye, she was a Navajo. Her jewelery tempted me a lot. In the end we bartered, a shell necklace and earrings for a bottle of Ultra-ion to do their truck.

Some of the bikes getting ready to go on the poker run, a 130 mile drive with 5 check points to stop at and get a card.

We detailed three bikes. It did bring us a lot of business and offers to do other cycle shows. I think Larry was beginning to look like a real biker!

We detailed this 1998 Vykarie. At the bike show it won third place in the foreign bagger group. A very beautiful bike and it brought a lot of people to our booth.

I sort of thought this tyke was my style of motorcycle, but we would have to have a chauffer driver.

This national monument is on the way to Jerome. We stopped on Monday and walked around it.

It was made up of many rooms.

Another long steep walk.

What a view of Verde Valley from the top. All that green along the river.