From Mesa, I drove over to Globe, stopping off at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park.  It’s the largest desert garden in AZ and maintained with AZ State.  There are cactus, medicinal, herbal, eucalyptus and floral exhibits.  The tour took us down in the canyon up to a lake and thru the forested areas.  Kind of a sad story too.  Boyce Thompson bought the land and built a huge home in hopes his NY daughter would bring his grandsons for winter visits.  She never did.  

The tour guide suggested a restaurant in Superior for lunch and as you can see, it was almost too lovely to eat.  The chef’s family was one of a few Chinese families to settle this part of AZ.  She moved to NY and operated a restaurant there for a while but always dreamed of returning.  A few years ago, along with her brothers and sisters, they bought the family store and she’s running as restaurant.  It’s closed over the holidays when the entire family returns to celebrate together.

Stopped off in Globe and was treated to another twinkle light Xmas parade (theme was Wizard of Oz).  This one had well over 30 floats – again, quite a sight with all the streetlights off.  Pickups were parked on the street with their beds loaded with kids wrapped in blankets.  They’re renovating the old city jail – another rough mining town that needed ”time-out” quarters.  The cells were 6x9 and held 4 people.  Think I would have opted for solitary confinement – a private room had to look pretty good. Also visited another pueblo village – Besh-Ba-Gowah.  This one, built around 1200, allowed you to go in the rooms and climb the ladders up to the living quarters.

Another ride thru the mountains and down thru the Salt River Canyon.  Ended up in Holbrook with the hope of seeing the Petrified Forest but it was closed.  Was able to see some exhibits in front of some shops but am betting it’s not quite the same.  There was, however an interesting exhibit in Holbrook of a 50s style motel complete with vintage cars.

Then came a trip thru the White Mountains and saw my first snow – we’re pushing 10,000’.  Some serious snow fences – not those orange plastic lacey ones – big aluminum rails and blades.  Most mountain roads had signs saying either there was no plowing during the winter or none on nights or weekends –not patrolled either.  If you come up here in a snowstorm, you’re on your own, Missy.  

Noticed the Lee Reservoir is short of water – your boat would be launched into a pile of gravel.  The White Mountains were also hotbed of volcanic activity.  You can see the domes throughout the landscape – over 400 of them in a 50 mile radius.  A rival to Yosemite.  Again, all the soil is volcanic ash

Stopped in Springerville and toured their museum.  The daughter of French painter, Victor Scharf, moved to Springerville with her husband and began a cattle ranch. She wandered a bit but upon her death willed her art collection, which includes a Rembrandt etching, several paintings by her father, a 16^th century Belgian tapestry and a variety of other valuable antiques to the town.  A veryt informal display of beautiful pieces.  The following morning, I showed up for the tour of Casa Malpais – another pueblo village.  I was the lone customer and although I offered to let the guide off the hook, he insisted we go.

All the other pueblos I’ve seen have been constructed of bricks or stones – this was all volcanic rock and included a rock calendar which the natives used to keep track of the seasons using the position of the sun over the mountains as it cast a shadow on the huge circle of rocks.  They were able to plan their planting and harvesting seasons using it.  Amazing. The town and the local tribe are partnering on its upkeep.

Down the Coronado Trail I came.  More jaw-dropping cliff climbing and drops into deep canyons.  One spectacular view was the Blue Vista – folds of mountains in a blue mist that seemed to go on forever.  At the end of the Trail is Clifton – my first look at a REALLY LARGE open pit copper mine.  The huge trucks looked like ants crawling along the walls of the pit

Next stop,  New Mexico.