Apache Junction, Arizona

We managed to get out of Wickiup without much trouble, and ended up the day a hundred and seventy-seven odd miles southeast in Apache Junction, AZ. We found a site in a KOA, which is one of about three dozen rv parks in the area! It’s a hot spot for snowbirds! As usual in a KOA, the sites and roads are narrow for a big rig, but the utilities were perfect, and the neighbors not too annoying!

One of the reasons that we stopped here was that out Michigan friends Dave and Toni are staying here, and we hadn’t  seen them since last year. They are old hands in this area and took us to several hotspots, the first of which is the local Fry’s market where we had lunch at the beer and wine bar in the center of the store!

A short drive east out of town presented an unusual view of the Superstition Mountains, which was kinda pretty!

We developed plans for the next evening, but took a nice drive to Saguaro Lake. What an unexpected and beautiful place!

Later that evening, we went to Barleen’s for a nice dinner and an evening of 60’s and 70’s rock and roll! A whole lotta shakin’ going on! The band and singers are all part of the Barleen family, and the dinner theater was established by their father Lloyd years ago. He passed away from complications of Alzheimers disease and a portion of each nights receipts are sent to the local alzheimers and dementia programs.

Barleens is also famous for serving chocolate cake as soon as guests arrive! Life is short....gotta eat dessert first!

After a good nights sleep, we headed out of town toward Canyon Lake in Tonto National Forest. The drive through the mountains was awesome.

Quiet pools provide a place of reflection...

The highway ends at Tortilla Flat, a cool restaurant and tourist trap!

We needed lunch, and the place is famous for it’s Chili, so....Had to have some! Donna ordered Devils Chili over Cornbread, which was an interesting combination of sweet cornbread and spicy chili. I fell for the Chili Dog, and after sharing, we allowed as how they were both very, very good! And required a trip to the facilities!

Later that evening we had dinner at a local pizza joint known as The Organ Stop. A strange name at first, until the doors open...

In a building specifically designed to accommodate a 1927 Wurlitzer organ built for a Denver theater, organist Lew Williams entertained us with selections from the days before talking movies to the theme from Star Wars. Over 6,000 pipes, along with cymbal, drums, and whistles provide an unlimited combination of organ notes. Mr. Williams has been playing the organ for 41 years, using his Masters degree in music (and a great deal of manual dexterity). The organ is the largest Wurlitzer organ ever built! And, hey, the pizza wasn’t half bad! I’m hoping that the video below uploads correctly. Enjoy!

After a whirlwind of activity in Apache Junction, we left this last Saturday, the first of February, for Tucson, AZ, where we settled into space 420 at Mission View RV in South Tucson.

Our niece, Cara, and her husband Bruce, are involved in a business conference in Phoenix, so we drove the 115 miles back north to see them on Sunday. What a joy! The weather was perfect and the conversation outstanding!

 We are grateful to them for sharing their limited time with us! They treated us to a wonderful dinner in the Compass restaurant in the tower at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix, where the once-per-hour revolution allowed us a great view of the city at sunset and a glimpse of the Chase Tower, the tallest building in Arizona.

We thoroughly enjoyed our short time with Bruce and Cara, and will surely miss them.

Ok, so now we can relax.....