May you be blessed with family and friends.

May you be surrounded with laughter and joy.

May the bounty at your table sustain you.

May you respond to it all with love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yours,

The Phoenix Traveler

Post from: The Phoenix Traveler

So this prediction is not all that surprising. With departures disappearing (One of those flights would have taken me directly to my sister’s new home in Birmingham; that’s now gone.), flights being canceled and airlines filing for bankruptcy, my guess is that other airports are seeing a similar decrease, that other states which rely on travel business are hurting as well.

If you’re one of those people who are not flying to Arizona or whom will not be traveling elsewhere on your leisure time, what you are doing, instead.

Are you saving for a future trip, or are you just trying to save?

If travel anywhere is in your future, enlighten me and my readers on how you’re working to make this economic downturn work for you. Post your comments below.

Thanks!

Post from: The Phoenix Traveler

Watch for more to come in the future. Once a month, I’ll include a quiz, centering it around a theme, such as Native American art, sporting events, outdoor recreation, and other things travel-related. You can join in on the fun by leaving your answers here in the comment box.

1. Till next time, let me know if you knew the answers to this quiz without having to do an online search, or phone a friend.
3. If this quiz was too easy, let me know that as well. The answers are:

1. There are three places in Greater Phoenix where I know you can find Allan Houser sculptures. I may have mentioned them previously in this blog. Do you know the names of these places? THEY ARE: HEARD MUSEUM, FIGARELLI FINE ART and THE PHOENICIAN RESORT.
2. Phoenix is situated in the heart of what is considered the most ecologically diverse desert in the world. Do you know the name of this desert? THE SONORAN DESERT.
3. Phoenix is one of how many U.S. cities with franchises in all four major professional sports leagues: Phoenix Suns (NBA), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Cardinals (NFL), and Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)? ONLY 13 U. S. CITIES HAVE SUCH FRANCHISES.
4. In what year did the Arizona Diamondbacks win the World Series Championship? IN 2001.
5. Can you name all six lakes that can be found within a 75-minute drive from Phoenix? THEY ARE APACHE, BARTLETT, CANYON, LAKE PLEASANT, ROOSEVELT AND SAGUARO.
6. Frank Lloyd Wright built a studio here. Though he is now deceased, his foundation operates a teaching facility for students interested in organic architecture. Visitors can take tours and workshops there. Do you know the name of this facility? IT IS TALIESIN WEST. 
7. The largest municipal park in the world is located here. It covers more than 16,500 acres. Do you know the name of this park? IT’S CALLED SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK AND PRESERVE.
8. Three major industries are located in Phoenix. Can you name all three? THEY HAVE BEEN MOST RECENTLY CONSTRUCTION, HIGH-TECH MANUFACTURING AND TOURISM (though construction is questionable these days…).
9. A famous rock star from the 70s lives here. He’s still producing albums and going on tour. He’s also very active in philanthropic projects. Do you know his name? Hint: He invested in a downtown Phoenix restaurant near what used to be known as Bank One Ballpark. THAT WOULD BE ALICE COOPER.
10. The late Senator Barry Goldwater donated a collection of unique dolls to the Heard Museum. Do you know what these dolls are called? THEY ARE CALLED KACHINAS or KATSINAS.

(Photo used with permission by the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau.) 

Post from: The Phoenix Traveler

1. There are three places in Greater Phoenix where I know you can find Allan Houser sculptures. I may have mentioned them previously in this blog. Do you know the names of these places?
2. Phoenix is situated in the heart of what is considered the most ecologically diverse desert in the world. Do you know the name of this desert?
3. Phoenix is one of how many U.S. cities with franchises in all four major professional sports leagues: Phoenix Suns (NBA), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Cardinals (NFL), and Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)?
4. In what year did the Arizona Diamondbacks win the World Series Championship?
5. Can you name all six lakes that can be found within a 75-minute drive from Phoenix?
6. Frank Lloyd Wright built a studio here. Though he is now deceased, his foundation operates a teaching facility for students interested in organic architecture. Visitors can take tours and workshops there. Do you know the name of this facility?
7. The largest municipal park in the world is located here. It covers more than 16,500 acres. Do you know the name of this park?
8. Three major industries are located in Phoenix. Can you name all three?
9. A famous rock star from the 70s lives here. He’s still producing albums and going on tour. He’s also very active in philanthropic projects. Do you know his name? Hint: He invested in a downtown Phoenix restaurant near what used to be known as Bank One Ballpark.
10. The late Senator Barry Goldwater donated a collection of unique dolls to the Heard Museum. Do you know what these dolls are called?

How do you think you did? Post your comments here, or check back in tomorrow for the answers to this quiz.

(Photo used with permission by the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau.) 

Post from: The Phoenix Traveler

The Arizona Canal

From the Salt River Pima Indian Reservation all the way to the Northwest Valley, this almost 40-mile stretch offers easy access and provides a flat, even path that you can run, walk or bike along. About mid-point, guests who stay at the Arizona Biltmore Resort can find an entryway practically right outside the door. There’s also a terrific view of the Praying Monk on Camelback Mountain as you run nearby. Heading west, between 7th Street and 7th Avenue (in the Sunnyslope neighborhood), you’ll find the Arizona Canal Demonstration Project–a neighborhood improvement project with seating areas, vegetation and cultural enrichment. Heading back east, about where the Arizona Canal meets the Crosscut Canal is another unique feature, the Arizona Falls. Early Scottsdale settlers used to picnic and stage dances on this site in the 1920s.

Pros: The trail is made of compressed dirt, as opposed to a concrete run on the street. It’s long and flat (if you don’t want hills) with many underpasses, which make it easy to cross busy intersections. There are a few places to stop for water/bathrooms along the way. It also offers multiple access points with good places to park your vehicle.

Cons: If you want hills, this trail won’t provide them. There is some shade, but if you start too late, it’ll get pretty hot pretty fast during the summer months.

Historic Murphy Bridal Path

Along Central Avenue, from Bethany Home Road north to Butler Avenue, this 2.5 mile tree-lined path follows a route early Phoenix residents once made by horse and buggy. It was established in 1895 and recently was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Horses still follow the bridal path, but it also attracts runners.

Pros: It’s also a path made of compressed dirt. It’s a great trail for summer runs because of the shade. With several access points, it’s easy to find. It connects to the canal so you can enjoy an extended run, if you like, and it’s flat.

Cons: It won’t provide a heavy-duty workout, as the path is short (about five miles round-trip). It has several street crossings, which could interupt your exercise routine.

Trail 100 

Also known as the Christiansen Trail, the trailhead is located at the Mountain View Park at 7th Avenue and Cheryl Drive. You can also start at the North Mountain Park visitor’s center on 7th Street, south of Thunderbird Road. The multi-use trail runs east-west for about 10 miles through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. It passes through a tunnel system so you don’t have to worry about crossing heavy traffic on the public streets. Pros: It’s long with many many trails that branch off to other areas. You can get your hill work done here on the dirt trail.

An alternative hill route that takes you through a neighborhood of very nice houses: Mummy Mountain.

Thanks to John Carter, Megan Powers and Michael O’Toole for providing me with most of this information.

Post from: The Phoenix Traveler