A loooooong day at the car show!

One of our neighbors from Michigan had recommended the Good Guys Car Show in Scottsdale, but even if he hadn’t, it was on Nicolas’ radar.

We got an early start on Saturday, arriving at West World by 10am.  We were amazed by the number of cars there were to look at.

We skipped the vendor building when we arrived, figuring we could go in there later when we needed a break form the sun, and headed straight outside.

There were several rows of cars around the building, so we started with those.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was beautiful . . . like a mid-summer day . . . perfect for a car show!         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the cars at this show were from 1972 or before, and some went way back . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This ‘32 Ford was really pretty, with its leather hood straps and other details.

From there, we moved over to some newer Fords,

and a beautiful Corvette,

with a little spider in its paint job!

 

 

 

 

 

As we walked back toward the building, we saw the Munsters car arriving.

There were lots of activities going on during the day – crafts for the kids, music, and an Autocross track.  We watched for a few minutes,

and then headed down to the grassy area where the majority of the cars were.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some guys were even lucky enough to snag a spot in the shade!  We walked and walked and walked . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

looking at cars, looking at trucks . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicolas could have gone on looking for days!

We got a quick lunch, and then walked some more . . . there were more cars to see . . . 2500 of them according to Nicolas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were even a few characters . . .

 

 

and we saw the Munsters’ car again!

Bryce and I had seen enough cars for one day . . . but Nicolas could go on forever!  He agreed to take a break and go inside the vendor building to get out of the sun for a few minutes, but that wasn’t much relief . . . I think it was actually hotter in there, without the breeze.

There was some cool stuff . . . clocks and signs . . . and plenty of other stuff we didn’t need.        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went back outside, and after a few more rows of cars,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bryce and I found a shady spot under a tree to sit and wait,

while Tom and Nicolas walked through the “swat meet” area around the perimeter of the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was definitely the biggest car show we’ve ever been too, and the weather could not have been more perfect, and we all had fun although Bryce and I wore out sooner than Nicolas did . . . Tom hung in there so Nick would have company.  I was glad that at least half of the cars were parked on the grass – it was so much easier to walk on, and noticeably cooler than when we were on pavement!

We were all exhausted by the time we got home, but hopefully our legs will recover in time for the hike I had planned for Sunday morning!!

A morning hike & a motorcycle ride

Our rainy weekend gave us the opportunity to finish a couple puzzles,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

catch the movie “Non-Stop”, and get our taxes finished.

By Monday, the rain had moved out and temperatures were back on the rise.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve had some more beautiful sunsets,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the desert is starting to bloom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A conservation group has been working on maintaining the trails in the park, and building new trails.  The work they did on the Roadrunner Trail, from the Visitor Center, past the campground, and to the 10-lane boat launch has made it wider and smoother – much easier for walking.  Today was one of Bryce’s mornings for running, so Tom & I and Nicolas took Casey for a walk on the trail, too.

 

It was a beautiful day for a walk along the lake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday is Tom’s day off, but the kids and I had a full day of work and school, so he decided to take his bike out for a ride after lunch.  He rode through Wickenburg to the little town of Yarnell, in the mountains. 

This is the town that lost their team of Hot Shot firefighters last summer in the Yarnell Hill fire.

Tom stopped at the Fire Station to see the memorial to the firefighters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back down the mountain, he stopped at an overlook of the desert below, and the small town of Congress.

 

 

 

It was a beautiful day to be outside!

Volunteer Appreciation Days and a secret hike

Last week was volunteer appreciation week at the Maricopa County Parks, and we were lucky enough to be treated to TWO celebrations in our honor!

On Wednesday morning, the staff from our park, Lake Pleasant, teamed up with the staff from Cave Creek Regional Park to host a breakfast for the volunteers from both parks.  We all gathered at 8am at the day use picnic area here at the lake,

and were treated to a full breakfast buffet – donuts, oatmeal, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits & gravy, fruit, waffles, coffee and juice.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The staffs did all the cooking, and we all ate until we were full!

 

 

Everything was delicious, and there was tons of food!

Our delicious breakfast feast was followed by our boat tour of Lake Pleasant.  It was a great way to spend a beautiful morning, and all of the volunteers enjoyed the tour.  Thanks Lake Pleasant & Cave Creek staff!

The celebrations didn’t end there, though . . . on Thursday, the Maricopa County Parks & Recreation Director and Volunteer Coordinator joined our Park Staff in hosting a volunteer lunch. 

We all met at one of the group camps, and joined Lake Pleasant’s very own interpretive volunteer, Frank, on a short hike to a secret location in the park.    

 

Without Frank to lead us, we never would have known that this spot existed, let alone been able to find it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We followed a “burro trail” into the desert,

admiring the desert scenery along the way.

 

 

We didn’t have to walk too far before arriving at the secret location that only very special people get to see.  Frank explained that we were going to climb down into a slot canyon, a narrow canyon formed by water seeping through the rock layers.  If we were to go back there after this past weekend’s rain, we’d probably see water in the canyon, but on Thursday it was dry.

We made our way down into the canyon with some of slipping and sliding on the loose sand and rocks . . . but everybody made it!

As we walked into the slot canyon, the amount of greenery increased.  Frank explained that if we are ever lost in the desert, we should look for one of these green areas – they always indicate the presence of water.  Sometimes it may require some digging to get to it, but it would be there.

 

This particular slot canyon is located on a fault line, and it was seismic activity that caused the rock walls to horizontally shift against each other, creating the canyon.         

These smooth areas on the rock walls are evidence of this shifting.

A few in the group continued into the narrowing slot canyon, climbing over rocks and squeezing through crevices.

 

Bryce and Nicolas could have kept going, although Frank said that the canyon continued to narrow and there was no real way out at the other end.

So, after studying the rocks and the plants for a few more minutes, we headed back out the way we came.

Climbing back out of the canyon was tricky for several in the group, and they were glad to have Nicolas and Bryce along to lend a hand!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at the picnic shelter, we enjoyed our catered lunch and the appreciation of the Parks Department staff.

 

 

This is why we enjoy volunteering in public parks so much . . . they are always so happy to have the volunteers in the parks, and truly grateful for everything we do.  Plus, we feel like we are making a contribution to keeping these great parks available and affordable for the public to enjoy.

There were a few prizes raffled off (Bryce won 2 water bottles, and I won a jar of Arizona BBQ sauce and a silicone basting brush), and we all got a little goody bag from the county.

The last thing was the presentation of awards from the Lake Pleasant staff.  They made plaques for each of the volunteers – we got the “Team Player” award . . . I love the picture of the donkey!

Now it’s March, and we have just one more month to go before we move on . . . and there’s still plenty to do before we leave!