Williams, AZ

Weather was a little crazy, but we had a wonderful week.  We decided to travel one day early due to the forecasts of snow and 3 inches of rain in the Camp Verde area.  We actually had snow at least two different nights (3 inches one of those nights) and the warmest nights we had were in the 30s, with a low about 25.  Most of the days were nice, just a couple with wind.

Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim (we did the Red Route on the shuttle bus)  with Tiffany and her family.  We also did the IMax and enjoyed the wildlife - mostly elk and deer.

Trip to Chocolate Falls on Navajo Indian Reservation - best times to see.  Road was good, but gravel for about 10 miles.

Winslow, Arizona:

Meteor Crater, which is the world's best preserved meteorite impact site.  About 50,000 years ago - a  meteor 150 feet across traveling at about 26,000 miles per hour hit land. The Crater is 700 feet deep (60 stories deep) and over 4000 feet across, 2.4 miles circumference.

Route 66 -  On October 13, 1984 Williams, Arizona, was the last point on US 66 to be bypassed by an Interstate highway. 

Helicopter Ride - Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters - on a EC-130 Eco-Star jet aircraft over North Canyon, South Rim, Dragon Corridor, Eastern Gorge and Imperial Point.  Craig upgraded our seats to the front of the helicopter along side the pilot.  It was a great flight, fortunately we had switched to fly one day earlier to prevent being grounded by high winds coming in on the day of our flight.  It was a really eery feeling going over the side of the canyon wall.

Grand Canyon Winery & Grand Canyon Brewer - We enjoyed an afternoon in the Grand Canyon winery, which is connected with Paige Springs and Arizona Stronghold.  Very good red wine blends and they also have a good selection of microbrews.  We also walked across the street one day to the Grand Canyon Brewery and had dinner and had a beer sampler and then each of us had a glass of beer - definitely worth coming back to.

Bearizona:  We went through Bearizona on Wednesday, as it was suppose to be one of the nicest days.  This park was created in 2010 and has a walk through and drive through area of the park, with lots of Keeper demonstrations to include the Birds of Prey.  They are doing mostly animal rescues.  

Introducing a new river otto to the group.  

Lucy  - a 3 band Armadillo - one of the smallest
Armadillo species

Next time in the area:  Deer Farm, East side of Canyon and yellow shuttle bus route, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki, Grand Canyon Caverns outside of Kingman, Hopi Tours & Hopi Arts Trail in Tuba City, lakes in the local area

Flagstaff:  Planes of Fame Air Museum, Riordan Mansion, Walnut Canyon

Further East:  Monument Valley, Petrified Forest

Page:  Lake Powell, Glen Canyon

We left early Thursday morning as the winds were supposed to gust to about 50 mph most of the afternoon.  We got into our site at about 11:30 and then got shook about in the motorhome from all the wind (gusts to sixty plus so far).  Worst part is all the blowing wind and dust!!