Last Goodbyes

Tomorrow is moving day.  We spent our last beautiful sunny day in Arizona taking our Ohio friends Gene and Barbara on one of our favorite rides—to Prescott.  From Tonopah we went past our saguaro sentinels through Wickenburg, 

up “Yarnel Hill”

through Peeles Valley to the snowclad mountains in the distance.

As we ascended to the 6000’ mark, the snow more prevalent and the temperature went down. 

We parked on Whiskey Row in Prescott and headed to the Palace Saloon for lunch.

We spent as much time looking around the historically restored Saloon as we did eating. 

Gene and Barbara leaning on the original bar.  During the big fire of 1900, the patrons carried this bar and as much whiskey as they could carry to the courthouse plaza across the street.  They spent the afternoon drinking and watching the buildings burn.

We wandered in and out of shops to the corner, then crossed to explore the timeline on the courthouse walk before we headed for home.

For the ride home we took Iron Springs Road  along the western side of the mountains.

We rejoined 89 at Kirkland Junction, then retraced our ride through Peeples Valley and Yarnell and stopped at the valley overlook.  That bump on the horizon is Vulture Peak, which we would repass on our way home.

As we descended, we passed Arizona’s newest state park, the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park.  We said goodbye to our good intentions of hiking that park.

Repassing Vulture Peak we said goodbye to the hiking that trail too, and to any other trips we had intended to take but were prevented by cold weather.

Past our saguaro crew again, and home.

We spent the evening playing cards with Gene and Barbara one last time.  Tomorrow we will not tell them goodbye but “see you in April”. 

Goodbye to you until next time.

Louise and Duane