When I picked up the rental car yesterday at the airport, the guy at the counter said even though rain was predicted for today, it really doesn't rain in Phoenix--it will spit and stop and spit and stop. I believe he was mistaken. It rained ALL day. We did have a few periods where it was spitting, but many more times it was raining. But did a little rain (or a lot) stop us? NO.
We started our day heading to the Queen Creek Olive Mill in Queen Creek, Arizona.
What a treat. They have over 7000 olive trees with 16 different olive varieties. This family owned operation really is doing a great job. Not only do they produce a very high quality extra virgin olive oil, but they have created a superb operation that has a wealth of products from flavored oils, to balsamic vinegars, olives and tapenades, pasta and sauces, olive oil soaps, candles, and even olive oil dog shampoo! We took the Olive Oil 101 tour to learn how they produce their products. Two interesting flavored olive oils were dark chocolate and another was bacon, which we did sample--not for us.
We got to sample some of their olive oil and it was really good. Of course we had to purchase some and we are having it shipped home. Their store was loaded with goodies, but they also have a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus wood fired pizzas, and a coffee bar where they roast and grind their own coffee beans. We just had a cup of coffee before we hit the road.
We left Queen Creek and drove the Apache Trail through Tonto National Forest to the town of Tortilla Flat (population 6), and the Superstition Saloon, originally a stagecoach stop built in 1904. The wallpaper inside the saloon is made up of currency from all over the world, but we saw a lot of $1 bills.
The food was mediocre but the drive there made it worthwhile.
The Apache Trail was about 25 miles of twisting, turning road,
with 2 one-laned bridges.
It made the pig trail in Arkansas seem tame. The scenery was amazing with large saguro cactus as far as the eye could see. Interesting that they called it a forest when there were no trees. The topography of mountains and cliffs was a sight to see.
It would have been even better with clear, blue skies, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. Julie will be happy to know I did not take pictures as I was driving--I gave the camera to Chris. The roads were too windy and it was too wet to do both.
We drove back into Phoenix after lunch and went to the Heard Museum.
the internationally acclaimed museum is one of the best places to experience the cultures and art of American Indians of the Southwest.
Their collection covers the gamut from paintings to sculpture, jewelry, with key collections of Hopi katsina dolls; Navajo and Zuni jewelry,
Navajo textiles, Southwestern ceramics from prehistory to the present and baskets from the Southwest, California, the Great Basin and the Northwest. It was very impressive. I think my favorite piece was a mixed media Indian wall representing evolution.
We left the museum and headed to our last stop of the day --the Desert Botanical Gardens. They are having a special Electric Lights exhibit. We did not have the ideal weather, but it was tonight or not at all, since the gardens close tomorrow at 3 to prepare for a special event at the garden. We got there before dark, so visited the gift store and had a bite to eat in the restaurant before heading out into the cold rain to walk the lit gardens. We enjoyed it, and we didn't have to beat down the crowds, but we were quite happy to get in the car and head to the hotel.
We might have preferred a pretty, warm, sunny day, but we did not let the weather deter us from seeing as much as we could of Phoenix and it's surrounds. Tomorrow we have another full day and yes, it is supposed to rain again! I have also heard that severe storms are predicted in Arkansas on Saturday--when we are supposed to fly back. Hope the forecasts are wrong on both accounts.