Besh-Ba-Gowah

We put Stinky Jeep to another highway test today. Our destination was Globe, AZ, and to get there we had to drive east to Superior and then on up over a pass to the mining town of Globe. We had no true destination on this drive, it was just a get out of QV trip. 

Once we got going Linda, looked up Globe on her phone and we found that there was a historical site called Besh-Ba-Gowah located right in the middle of town. So we drove on in and paid our four dollars each for entrance.

Once again we found a great site with such a grand historic background. The Wikipedia page for Besh-Be-Gowah explains it much better than I could. 

Linda and I walked through the museum and watched a short movie about the area's rich history. After that, we walked the ruins and took photos. 

The buildings on this site had multiple floors; up to three levels plus the rooftops

A Ceremonial Room.

Reconstructed room.

All pots and artifacts have been unearthed
from the various excavations on this site.

Unexcavated rooms.

After our tour, we went to a Mexican fast food place and had lunch. Then we headed back to our little home. From what we viewed in the ancient living areas of Besh-Ba-Gowah, the inhabitants had larger indoor living spaces than we do in our camper.

Our First Hike in the Valley

Birds nest in a cholla cactus.

Sunday was spent unloading, organizing, and setting up our Arizona home. Monday morning, after a good night's sleep, we went to our first official Queen Valley event. In the main activities center, they offered coffee and donuts for all who attended. It was an opportunity for the residents to hear news of the park and of Queen Valley and to check out the new members and give them the once over. When we said we were from Cd'A, Idaho there were definite sounds of approval and we could feel they were familiar with our area.  Many of the long-term residents still have good memories of our friends Earl and Loraine Anderson They have been mentioned many times as we got introduced to the community.

After the donuts and coffee, we changed into walking clothes and went for our first walk, south of the resort. Below are some photos from that walk. I was told that the first year down here I will take a million pictures of the Saguaro Cactus and then I will slow down as they become the "norm". So please bear with me!

That afternoon, we headed over to Rolly and Jeannie Jurgens' park model home for happy hour. They had invited two other couples, Claire & Pat and Joanne & Terry. The Jurgens' home is really nice, very open and airy. They have truly made a home here in Arizona. We gathered outside under their awning with a nice propane campfire to help keep us warm (it's been VERY chilly here). The visit was great and we loved meeting such nice people. We're planning to return the invitation. We're afraid that our offering won't be as fancy, but everyone will be welcome with open arms! 

Arizona selfie.

Our back door, in our little spot.

Friends and Then To Our Destination

We left the Hi-Jolly after a great breakfast. It was easy to pack up because we never took anything out when we pulled in and set up. On the road by about 9:30 AM we were happy as clams in a camper.

Following Hwy 10 east again we drove to the junction of 10 and Hwy 303, where we turned north heading to Surprise, AZ to visit our friends, Tim and Kathy Christie. We had contacted them when we left Post Falls and they invited us to stop over a night as we neared Queen Valley. We accepted their invitation but then realized that we would be dropping in on New Year's Eve. I emailed them and they assured us that they were doing nothing to celebrate and would love to have us over. 

It was an easy drive and we arrived early afternoon. We talk and talked much of the afternoon away. Kathy and Tim had prepared a wonderful lasagna dinner and we chatted somemore and got re-acquainted. I had worked at NIC for many years with both of them, so the college and people we knew were our main topics. Both Tim and Kathy had many different jobs at the college. They were there about four years before I arrived but I knew of them when I went to college there in 1976. Tim is a wonderful wildlife photographer and has many of his photos published. 

We watched TV, played with their two dogs, Daisy & Cooper, and then we turned in early.

The next morning we were treated to a delicious breakfast and were on our way. We really appreciated Tim and Kathy's hospitality and it was great to hear all the stories. Thank you so much, Tim and Kathy!!

Tim with Daisy, Kathy with Cooper.

Arriving at Queen Valley for the first time was pretty darned exciting. Linda checked us in and we drove to our spot and backed into the lot. Plenty of room to spread out. We were finally here! After two years of waiting and getting things planned the drive was over, for two months. Our spot is within a short walk from the shower rooms and the pickleball courts. We plan to take advantage of all this and get to know the desert at the same time.

Canyonwren and Stinky Jeep in their site.

The entry to Queen Valley RV Resort.

Vortex Area

Grasshopper Point

Stinky Jeep carried us into Sedona. I think he was feeling his oats because finally there were Jeeps around that were painted a color less macho then his lapis blue. Pink Jeeps were everywhere! Our plan was to glide on through the town on highway 89A and do a little sightseeing up the Oak Creek Canyon. I didn’t get to look around yesterday during the drive in and the Jeep provided a great way to see the red rock country.

Bell Rock (left) and Courthouse Butte (right).

The highway snakes up the canyon and provides some great views of the many rock formations.  One that everyone stops and photographs is called Grasshopper Point. We stopped at the side of the road and captured the red of this area and then moved up the canyon past Slide Rock State Park.

We turned around shortly after this and drove on back into Sedona stopping and taking pics all along the route. When we got into town we came upon the first roundabout and for some reason old Stinky Jeep hugged left and we found ourselves heading out on highway 179.

Near the VORTEX! No really!

As we got to Bell Rock, Stinky pulled left again and we found ourselves in one of the vistas facing Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. Things got a bit strange then. A pyramid shaped doorway stood before us. We exited the Jeep and walked toward the door. As we did, it moved away! Linda said that it was a vortex because she saw it listed on the map we got from the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. A VORTEX! At Bell Rock! Being drawn in its direction we moved closer, but it kept moving just out of our grasp. Linda looked at me and said, “It isn’t our time, I guess!”  We jumped back into Stinky and drove back toward downtown. It was all so strange; I can’t be sure what was imagined and what was reality.

We took a left on Morgan Road and drove out and watched the Pink Jeeps drive up the Broken Arrow Road. There we got some pics of Snoopy Rock. We made our way back down and followed Schnebly Hill Road out and looked at some viewpoints there.  It was a very rough road; we had been told that a rancher used the road to drive his cattle herd into Sedona a long time ago. There has been no improvements since. It also was used as  the old highway into the town, but now it is just a rough Jeep road. When we both got our fill of being jerked about we turned around and headed back to downtown and found a place for lunch.

The map from the Visitors Center.

Note the Vortex Area near Bell Rock. 

Map legend.  See!