Although the train does use a steam engine for a few special runs like the pre-Christmas one, our train was drawn by a pair of classic diesels like those used by the big passenger trains in the 1950s and 60s. The coaches were also reclaimed from that use. Ours was named Kokopeli which I thought was neat!I took a lot of photos and I am sure I have shared some of them soon after that trek. That same trip I went over to Kingman and also down through the Verde Valley, my old home.
In 2016 as most of you know, I spent four weeks in September and October at a real working sled dog kennel near Fairbanks, AK. That was a wonderful adventure on which I learned a lot and had I not already been a huge fan, I would have become one since I fell even more in love with all the kinds of huskies: the big woolie and powerful Malamutes, their close kin the Siberian Husky, and the newer informal breed, the Alaskan Husky. My host, Kyia Bouchard, put me to work and I enjoyed it all. I know I covered this adventure here and in my GwynnMorganAlaska blog as well. If you ever get up there, check out her bed and breakfast, off-the-grid and rustic style!
So 2017 rolled around and again an extended Alaskan visit was not possible although I had been up as a volunteer for the Iditarod for two weeks in March. Since late spring I had known my old high school was going to have one of their multi-year "On The Hill Gang" reunions the latter part of September so I made plans to attend that for my autumn trek. Although the only date still available was the same one most of the reunion activities took place, I decided I would ride the Verde Canyon Scenic Railroad a second time.
Back in 2006, I had done the trip with a writer friend and her husband who has sadly since passed away. He was a good photographer and gave me lots of pointers. However my digital camera kind of zonked on me and my old fashioned film camera was a bit harder to handle. I got some decent shots but I wanted more and just to experience the trip again. Definitely no regrets! If you are ever in central Arizona, by all means try to book a trip. Here is the link: https://verdecanyonrr.com
I probably took 200 pictures and have kept at least half of them but of course have my faves. Thank goodness I had long since saved them to a flash drive before my disastrous crash! I'll put a few in at the end of this post. Besides that I also looked around the Verde Valley quite a bit, thinking I was probably not likely to be over that way again soon if ever. I went up to Jerome--more photos--out to Tuzigoot, a Sinagua tribe's ruin near the Verde River just south and east of Clarkdale,
The reunion was almost anti-climactic but it was good to touch base with some old friends, especially my two best girlfriends from 8th grade thru my 1962 graduation and their husbands, who were both in school at the same time also. We all agreed we probably won't go again--it is too noisy and crowded and more of the folks in our age range have either passed on or unable to make the trip now. Anyway, it as a good meal, Mexican food which is of course very popular in Arizona as it is in New Mexico. The styles are slightly different with Arizona being more "Sonora" style and New Mexico more the Chihuahua/Sinaloa style but its all good!
I'll do a second post on this trip with more pictures soon but here are a few. The rail trip is about 20 miles each way--up to Perkinsville and back the same route but you will not be bored--light changes, you see more and different as there is no mile without views! Remember click on a photo to see a much larger version.
 |
| Verde River Box--10 miles out |
 |
| View north toward Sycamore Canyon |
 |
| Old corral at Perkinsville |
 |
| Selfie at the depot, Clarkdale |
No comments:
Post a Comment