We got away from Pinetop at 8am and headed for the Apache Trail. We called into Globe on the way to pick up lunch provisions and then headed to the Roosevelt Dam to start the trail. The Trail is 41.5 miles long, mostly dirt road. It is over 100 years old. On our way we negotiated the Descent and climb back up the river gorge escarpment at the Salt River Canyon, at the bridge at the bottom it is about 1060m above sea level and at the top of the climb on the Phoenix side it is 1470m above sea level. It’s a very steep climb and takes in a lot of switchbacks to get to the top.
What can you say about The Apache Trail, I think President Theodore Roosevelt, summed it up pretty well when he said, “the Apache Trail combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon, and then adds an indefinable something that none of the others have. To me, it is the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful.”
Yes, it is one of the great dirt road trips you can do, a narrow single lane at some peaks with little room for passing, beautiful lake views, rugged canyons and cactus everywhere, the scenes westerns were made of! We even saw a Road Runner dart across the road.
We made it to Tortilla Flats around 1pm and stopped to have lunch. We tried to go to the camping grounds for lunch but they had closed it early for the fire season (normally closes on 1 May). Once lunch was done we made tracks for Phoenix and arrived at our hotel around 3pm, checked in, dropped our bags off and all headed off again to Claire and Ed Kerr’s place in Scottsdale. We met Ed and Claire on an Alaskan holiday in 2010 and it was so good catching up with them again.
They have settled into the home they were buying way back then and both look amazing. It wasn’t long before we were sitting down with them outside having a cold beer, wine or water, and just catching up with everything everyone had been up to. Ed started up the BBQ and I helped him with the steaks for dinner.
It wasn’t long and we were all sat around the dinner table inside enjoying a feast put on by Ed and Claire, they are such great hosts. They have taken in Georgie, John, John and Yvette as though they had known them for years. We had a great meal and as it was finishing Claire brought out desert, a Strawberry Tiramisu Cake with candles blazing on it, singing Happy Birthday to Deb. We all joined in and it brought tears to Debs eyes. Claire was just so thoughtful, she had researched up on Deb and found what she liked. It is a pleasure to be able to call Ed and Claire friends, you couldn’t meet a more welcoming friendly couple.
The time went so quickly, too quickly, and we had to say good bye. We both hope we see them again.
We also said our goodbyes to John & Yvette as we won’t see them in the morning. John and Yvette have been amazing travel buddies. Both of them have incredible minds and love sharing the information they have, and doing it in an entertaining way. Yvette, you are a bundle of energy (no doubt coffee inspired) and have a warm welcoming heart. Xo John, your world beats to a different drum and we loved the beat it followed. It was our pleasure to spend these few short days with you both and hope to catch up with you in the future. We will try to keep in touch.
We got back to the hotel around 8:30 and John and Georgie took the car back to the rental company. We fly to LA in the morning.
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Love the updates!!
It’s not a matter of if we’ll see you again, just a matter of when! I’m so glad we were able to spend some time together with you and your friends.