We were in the Cottonwood, Arizona area for two weeks, this is enough time to visit some beautiful sights.
Day Trip to Sedona, Arizona:
Our first day trip was to Sedona, also known as "Red Rock Country." We started our day trip with breakfast at The Coffee Pot Restaurant. The restaurant is a unique landmark to Sedona since the 1950's. The restaurant is famous for it's 101 omelettes. The Coffee Pot restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, seven days a week. Both the food and service are excellent, you won't walk away hungry.
Sedona is a small, artsy town, with lots of shops and eateries. One of my favorite shops is Dahling It's You and my sales assistant was Rita.
You can take a thousand photographs in this area, and you will feel as if you didn't take enough. This was David's playground as a kid, and young man. He was born and raised in the Phoenix area, and hunted and fished all over the State.
Slide Rock and Flagstaff, Arizona:
Just a short drive north of Sedona there is a area known as Slide Rock. This area has always been a popular area with the young at heart. Dave and I used to come here, like everyone else, and play in the water and slide on the rocks. It's more organized than what it used to be. We'd park wherever we could and hike down to the slide area. Now there's an official parking lot with a fee and a formal trail/steps leading to the Slide Rock area,
Cave Springs Campground is an area David used to camp during summers as a young boy. This was also one of David's favorite fishing locations.
Flagstaff, Arizona, is surrounded by mountains, desert and ponderosa pine forests. It's a gateway to the San Francisco Peaks, home to Arizona's tallest mountain (Humphreys Peak) and the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort. Nearby, Wupatki National Monument has Native American pueblo sites, and Walnut Canyon National Monument is dotted with their cliff dwellings. At some of the scenic stops, approaching Flagstaff, you can purchase Native American jewelry. I purchased a pair of earrings in the shape of a feather and this prayer was included.
Williams, Arizona - Train to the Grand Canyon:
If you have ever been to any part of the Grand Canyon, you already know it's breathtaking. Well, as hard as it is to believe, my beloved husband, David, has never been to the Grand Canyon, despite hunting, fishing and hiking most of Arizona. I planned a birthday gift that included taking a train. David loves trains, and what better way to get to the Grand Canyon!
Most people, of age, know of the famous Route 66. It actually went right through the town of Williams, Arizona. Once the new freeway went in, the original Route 66 became less traveled with fewer visitors coming to Williams. Now a major draw to Williams is the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel. There are several packages you can choose from. I chose the one night hotel with the round trip train from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The hotel was lovely and our package included supper the evening we arrived and breakfast prior to boarding the train, the next morning. But, that's not all! We were treated to an old West shoot-out just before we boarded the train. The train takes about two hours and fifteen minutes to get to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We were in First Class, which included snacks, refreshments and sodas. After spending about three hours touring the Grand Canyon, and loads of photos, we were back on the train returning to Williams. Again, in First Class you received goodies. You can't take an old fashioned train ride without the old West outlaws robbing the train. Thank goodness there's always an old West Marshal to capture the outlaws and restore peace on the train.
Hope you enjoy the photos:
We were treated to entertainment by Cody, a Country Western singer, from the Williams area.
Welcome to the South Rim - Grand Canyon
The train ride back to Williams had a beautiful sunset.
Day Trip to Jerome, Arizona
Jerome, Arizona is an old mining town, full of historic buildings and rich history. The town is in the Black hills of Yavapai County in Arizona. Jerome was founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill and was a copper mining town and home to approximately 15,000 residents. Today Jerome is an artist and tourist community of about 400 residents. 
November 09, 2016 - David's Birthday Dinner:
We found a really good Steak House in the Verde Valley area, Sutler's Steak House. This is a family owned steak house and the food and service, by Britney, was excellent.
Apache Junction, Arizona
While in Apache Junction, Arizona we stayed at Countryside RV Resort. This is a mixed use park, but it has lots of sites for RV's. The park is an Encore park which is associated with Thousand Trails. If you are a Thousand Trails member and part of Ready Camp Go you can make reservations through Ready Camp Go to receive a discount. The park is very clean and the sites are large. The staff is friendly and more than willing to help however they can.
Apache Junction is one of the towns outside of Phoenix, Arizona. This area of Arizona is well known for one of it's mountains, the Superstitions. According to the legend, the Superstition Mountains are home to the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, which has never been found.
While staying in Apache Junction we were able to visit with an old friend, Brian Godsil. Our friendship with Brian goes back to the 70's when David, Brian and I were police officers in the Phoenix area ... that's a long time ago. Brian is sharp as ever, he doesn't forget anything!
David's Buddy Stops:
