Three weeks in Camp Verde, Arizona…
Why We Came…
To hike
in the dramatic Red Rock and Sedona area.
The
Campground…
Photo Credit: Distant Drums RV Resort
The
Distant Drums RV Resort is conveniently located along I-17 an hour north of
Phoenix and just 20 minutes south of Sedona.
It is about 4 miles north of the town of Camp Verde and across I-17 from
the Cliff Castle Casino.
Our site was on the other side of the RV park’s
sound barrier but we could still hear the hum of traffic and the roar of trucks
on I-17. We played some white noise each
night to drown out the highway traffic.
The Casino has a HUGE lighted billboard near the RV Resort that shined
through our bedroom shade at night with flashes similar to lightning. After waking us up several times the first
night, we covered the window with a thick towel.
Distant Drums is a large park with 157 sites,
with paved roads and concrete pads. It
is a full service RV Park with full hookups, a dump station and propane.
They
have spotless private showers, exercise room, heated pool, jacuzzi and a
Country Store. They have a
large Community Room where it would be easy to play some cards and enjoy the
company of fellow travelers. They also have a laundry room with 10 sets of
fairly new machines and nice folding counters.
Even so, it was often fairly crowded.
Nearby
towns
Camp
Verde:
The town is four miles to the south of the RV Resort. It has a population of about 11,000 and sits
at 3,147 feet.
It is a quiet small town with the Verde River running
through. Their claim to fame is corn
fest in July.
Cottonwood: This small city also has a population of around
11,000 but feels more robust and boasts a Walmart and Safeway. It sits around the same elevation at
3,314. The city is
the epicenter of the renowned Verde Valley wine region of Arizona.
Phoenix:
92 miles
to the south and a few thousand feet lower in elevation is Arizona’s state
capitol and largest city. Phoenix has
over a million and a half people. You
can find any services or shopping you need there.
Flagstaff: This
major city with a population over 65,000 is only 50 miles to the north and
would have any services or shopping you need.
But this is a mountain town and sits at an elevation of 6,910 feet,
4,000 feet higher than Camp Verde! You
have to watch road conditions during the winter.
Move
Day: On
move day from Boulder City, Nevada to Camp Verde, Arizona, we took the long way
around through Prescott to avoid the snowpacked
I-40 near Flagstaff.
Adventures
Montezuma
Castle National Monument: The monument was
only a few short miles from the RV Resort.
We were shocked at how packed the parking lot was on a Thursday
afternoon. Being that is was just the
second of January it was still in the holiday window.
We stopped in at the visitor center to get a
stamp and to learn at the interpretive center.
Montezuma Castle is 800 years old and one of the best preserved cliff
dwellings in North America. “This 20 room
high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of
ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert
landscape.”
Red
Rock State Park: On the drive from Camp Verde to Red Rock State
Park we drove by Doe Mountain and Bear Mountain. We hiked both of these features during our
first year on the road. This time Shawn’s
back was still bothering him so we settled for an easy hike at Red Rock State
Park. Link to 2012
Sedona Blog.
“Red Rock Park is a 286 acre nature
preserve and environmental education center with stunning scenery. Trails
throughout the park wind through manzanita and juniper to reach the rich banks
of Oak Creek. Green meadows are framed by native vegetation and hills of red
rock. The creek meanders through the park, creating a diverse riparian habitat
abounding with plants and wildlife.”
We
did a two and half mile loop up Javalina Trail.
The 350 foot gentle ascent was perfect.
We had decent views of other red rock formations through the pinon and
juniper at a few of the overlook areas.
Copper Canyon Trail: The trailhead
was only a quick six miles from the RV Resort.
Shawn’s back was feeling better so we set out to do a longer hike to
test it. The four mile Copper Canyon
Loop sounded ideal.
“Originally
conceived by Verde Valley trails enthusiasts and community leaders in
1997. The trailhead officially opened in
February of 2012 thanks to countless hours of volunteer labor, donated
materials, a grant, and extensive planning and collaboration between various
government agencies, private businesses, and members of the public over a
15-year span of time. This multiple-use trailhead serves as a jumping-off point
for adventurers of all stripes: hikers, cyclists, horse riders, off-highway
enthusiasts, and travelers in high-clearance vehicles.”
There
were a number of horse trailers in the parking area. We set off through a gate to the north. After walking about a hundred yards, I
realized we should have been walking west…
It was going to be a longer hike for Shawn…
After
finding the correct trail, we started climbing a ridge and out of Copper
Canyon. The trail followed the ridge
around for a few miles and we had some nice views towards Sedona.
As
the trail dropped back into the canyon, there were a few muddy areas. The recent rains had also helped the grass
grow. We had to shoo some cows out of
the way who were snacking on the lush vegetation. Overall, the trail was in good condition and
easy to follow.
Colorado
My Mother was
transferred to hospice care in October.
Her condition continued to decline.
For
months I had been praying that God would heal her, but when it became clear
that she wasn’t going to heal, it was very difficult to pray that God would end
her suffering.
After the 1st,
I knew she was in
the last few days of her life and I wanted to be with her at the end. Shawn and I made plans to rent a car and
drive back to Colorado.
When we were
about halfway there, my sister called to say my Mom had passed away. Fortunately, both my sisters, all of the grandchildren,
and even my nephew who is studying at the Vatican, were able to attend the
funeral a week later.
Erin flew home
from Italy and led the funeral Mass. My Mom would have been very happy
about that. We had an ice cream social afterwards to celebrate her life.
I made a few collages capturing my Mom's life
Family:
Back Row - Stephen, Fr Erin, Shawn, Kevin, Larry, Kendal,
Middle Row - Arleen, Kathy, Heather, Liam, Amy, Mary,
Terry
Front Row - Andrea, Mason, Breahna, Markie
During
the number of errands that Mary, my sister, and I had to take care of,
we took the time to donate blood at Vitalant. Heather, my niece, is a
phlebotomist and withdrew our blood. She hit my tiny vein with no problem and even made it fun! I hope to donate each time I
return to Colorado Springs.
After a week visiting
family and friends along Colorado’s Front Range, we drove to Pagosa
Springs. We invited Shawn’s Mother to go
with us. It was a perfect opportunity to
show her the progress on our future home.
She really enjoyed that and is just as excited as we are.
December
7th 2019 - Tape & Texture
December
17 2019 – Paint
December
28th 2019 – Underlayment for tiles
January
4th 2020 – Full winter view
January
12th 2020 – Clearing snow away from the house
January
16th 2020 – Tile complete & kitchen cabinets installed
January
16th 2020 – Our home in a blizzard
February
1st 2020 – Siding is complete on back of house
Adventure
We made time for an
adventure with Keena and Todd while we in Pagosa. Shawn and I have imagined snowshoeing Ice Cave
Ridge since we first hiked it three years ago.
It was like being
in a different world with three feet of snow everywhere. We were relieved to verify that you can see where
the fissures are even in snow. They
are so deep, the snow just falls in. However,
we took care near the edge of the bluff in the event there were any cornices.
It was a fantastic
day and all the better because it was shared with our friends Keena and Todd.
Albuquerque
Shawn’s Grandma Sue
was recently moved to an assisted living facility. We took a day and stopped in Albuquerque to visit her.
We visited Grandma
and had dinner and breakfast with Sandi, Uncle Skip and cousins. We were able to visit Grandma as a group
together and she thoroughly enjoyed that!
Standing: Sandi &
Arleen
Sitting: Grandma Sue & Shawn
Sitting: Grandma Sue & Shawn
Family! Standing: DJ, Ash, Heather, Kyllian, Arleen
Sitting: Skip, Grandma Sue, Shawn
Sandi wanted to help her Mother finish getting settled in. So we left her with her brother, Skip, and returned to Camp Verde. We left for Tucson a few days later.
Next…
Since leaving Camp Verde, we spent two weeks in Tucson, Arizona and are now
in Tombstone, Arizona.
Next, we travel to City of Rocks and
Oliver Lee Memorial State Parks in New Mexico, and then another short stop in
Albuquerque.
Finally, we will end up in Pagosa
Springs, Colorado. Our nine year traveling odyssey will end as we settle into a real house.
Parting
shots
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That sign looks like one we saw at a visitor center a few years back. I was ready to get back in the car and stay until time to drive off but Jim "encouraged" me to get out and take a chance on walking around a little..
ReplyDeleteYou just have to keep your head on a swivel. I'd rather deal with bears. :)
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