Grandma Deb and Meggie's blog...: Saturday, October 11, 2008...Southwest Trip

Saturday October 10, 2008
Cottonwood, Arizona
68 degrees...windy and SUNNY!
(click to enlarge pictures)

Today we were off to the Verde Canyon Railroad to ride the "rails" through Verde Canyon. It was very windy all night...wind gusts to 50 mph. We ate breakfast at the Hotel...it was a hot breakfast and was one of the best morning meals we have had so far.

This is what I saw this morning outside my hotel door.

We are on our way to the Verde Canyon Railroad. It is 7:30am and the sun has been shinning since about 6:15am. Still windy.

The Verde Canyon Railroad is located in Clarkdale, Arizona.

We had a pass for our tickets but had to go into the Depot, through the gift shop, to exchange our pass for our tickets. Outside the Depot was this picture of an eagle.

The gift shop had some unique art that I liked. All are made out of metal.

There were three of these lights in the gift shop...all alike...unique.

These lights were along the walls.

Some unique Indian carvings. When I was in Gallup...First American Traders, I purchase three different sizes of these type of carvings...very colorful.

We were on our way to board the train when we saw this cactus...I told Granny that it was real...well, she had to check it out...pricked her finger...I was right...it was real.

This was a waterfall...an Indian maiden with a piece of pottery...water coming out from the top of the pottery.

We are being directed to where our train car is...we rode the Phoenix.

On our way to the Phoenix we stopped at the Museum. It was a small museum inside the train car.

Finally...arriving at the Phoenix. They boarded the elderly and handicapped people first. Bill helped my mother on the train.

Each train had an open-air car...this area was used for people who wanted to take photos and to see the canyon better. Today was windy, but warm, so many people, including myself, used this area.

Our boarding passes.

Granny waiting for the train to leave the station. We boarded at 8:40am and the train left promptly at 9:00am. On the left side were tables and chairs that sat two people. We chose the couch for comfort and it had a big window.

The back of the train car.

This is Jennifer...she was our hostess and guide.

This is Bill..very nice person and very helpful...he was on the open-air car most of the trip.

We are beginning our trip through the canyon. This was a 3.5 hour 20 mile trip (40 miles round trip) through the Canyon at a speed between 10-20mph.

If you look at the dark area on this picture this is where the Sinagua...Sinagua from the Spanish words sin (without) and agua (water)...cliff dwellers lived between 1100 and 1125 A.D. A black area around the roof of the ruin remains visible, soot from cooking fires indicating the likely location of the living quarters.

The turquoise diesel engine.

In the middle of this picture, must mentally visualize, is an eagle nest. There was an eagle in the nest.

The gold little sign is where someone has put a claim on this area of the canyon.

We have arrived at Perkinsville...population 8. The train turned around in Perkinsville for our return trip. They filmed the original movie How the West Was Won at this location.

This house is lcoated right next to the tracks.

I took a picture of the roof...the roof is made from asbestos. The people were chattering about the abestos roof and that they have a baby in the house...I thought of Brewer Hall with the abestos glue they removed and the abestos in the ceiling that they "removed".