Tombstone Arizona was next on our list of places to visit.  After three nights listening to trains go by while we tried to sleep in Whispering Palms RV Park, we unhooked our utilities, stored the RV legs and loaded up the toad.  I’ve always wanted to be able to say I lived in Tombstone, so we had pre-booked an RV park for three full days of sight seeing.  Famous for it’s gunfight at the OK Corral, Tombstone was home to lawmen Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the law breakers Frank and Tom McLaury, Ike and Billy Clanton.  October 26, 1881 was a day that would go down in history.

Tucson to Tombstone is a short 2 hour drive, so we took the opportunity to stop at the Colossal Cave Mountain Park on the way past.  For the most part, the mountain park is located on the east side of Tucson, out past the Pima Air and Space Museum.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

They found the cave entrance in 1879. It was first used by Hohokam Indians about 1100 years ago, but then “rediscovered” by Solomon Lick in 1879. Original tours of the cave began for a brief time in 1917. Then in 1923, Frank Schmidt reopened the Cave for tours, which have run continuously (even, on a limited basis, during the 1930s while the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the flagstone bridges and trails and installed the lighting) since then. Colossal Cave is one of the oldest established tourist attractions in Arizona. It cost $5 to enter the park and then $11 each to go inside the cave itself.

As we had 45 minutes to wait until the next tour, I got to talking with our guide.  It was cold in Tucson today and Dar and I were both wearing jackets.  Our guide however was wearing shorts and a vest.  Not really suited for the day outside, but inside however was another story.  Inside the cave it’s like summer, a balmy 70F or 21 degrees Celcius.

Colossal Cave map and temperature

Inside the cave, your standard stalagmites and stalactites.   First time I’d ever been in this type of cave.  Very cool actually.

Great Salsa at Magaly's in Benson

We stopped in Benson at a little place called Magaly’s Mexican Food for lunch / mid afternoon meal and were pleased to find some of the best salsa of our trip so far. Our waiter grew up in Chicago, moved to Mexico City and then Los Angeles. After living in very large cities, he moved to the small town of Benson, population ~5000, to raise his three daughters. I told him that this was in the Top 2 of salsa we’ve had so far and he said “well, you’re pretty close to the Mexican border!”

Thirty more miles and we pulled into Tombstone RV Park.

Then we left.

After registering and pulling into our spot, we were on a slope and didn’t have full services. We had water and electrical, but no sewage. We tried to get the free wifi but couldn’t find a signal.

We drove into Tombstone, about a mile up the road and saw Stampede RV Park a block off the main strip. We inquired and they had room. We said we’d be right back.

Tombstone RV Park offered a refund when we told them we were going to be moving to another park closer to town. Even though they offered some sort of free shuttle, they were further away than we would have liked. I wanted to be able to say that we “lived” in Tombstone for a few days, you know?

Stampede RV Park in Tombstone was 2 blocks from Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and 3 from the Crystal Palace Saloon, easy walking distance for sure. We pulled in, put down the legs, leveled out and walked into town.

First Night In Tombstone Arizona

Dar said “lets take 30 minutes and walk down the drag”. Ya right. A photographer loose in Tombstone with a camera is not going to be just “30 minutes.”

We walked past the Ok Corral (closed for the night and quite literally a block from our RV park), down the boardwalk to the next corner. We stopped and got our bearings, looking up and down each street at the corner. The nice man in the cowboy hat and boots offered a smile and some history.

Oh, and he was packing.

I found it fitting that someone in Tombstone actually wore a real gun with their hat. We asked if we could take a picture. He said “Lets make it official then” and took of his coat. He was wearing a Marshall’s badge. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the hammer was cocked on his weapon.

See how the hammer is cocked on that six shooter?

Walking down the street, we saw more of this historic town of the old west.  We thought of all the history, the gunfights, the deaths and I remembered that Bucky O’Niell had gotten one of his first editing jobs working for the Tombstone Epitaph.  Bucky O’Niell was the guy who had the first building on the edge of the Grand Canyon, remember?

The Longhorn restaurant. We were told to eat here AND stay away from it at the same time. Who do you believe? The Longhorn became our first taste of Tombstone politics.

Sign on one of the business establishments

We continued down the street to the Bird Cage Theater and Saloon. It’s haunted we’re told, so went in to take a look around. A very nice lady (in period costume) was explaining the history of the place. A fee was charged to go any further inside, which we didn’t want to do at the time. We left.

Walking past the Six Gun Saloon, we noted a sign for $2 margarita’s and popped in for a drink. Part saloon and part gunfight show, the Six Gun Saloon has a mock up of Tombstone in an open area behind a covered bar. With multiple shows during the day, they tell the various stories of the events that took place in Tombstone back in the 1890’s. By night, the locals come in for beverages, including the Marshall from earlier.

It was the Six Gun Saloon where we first began our experience with Tombstone politics. There are two parts to the saloon. One area, closed and covered, looks to be the oldest part of the building while the new part with the outdoor stage, saloon and roll up garage doors being the newest and catering more to the influx of tourism. The bar was dead, save for a few locals and a couple of kids. I asked our waitress what it was like to work in Tombstone and her answer was not what we expected. At the present moment, she was dealing with a couple of clients from hell in the next building. From her attitude around us, it was easy to see that she had created the situation, attracting it herself. She lived in Sierra Vista she told us, not Tombstone and she simply was not having a good night.

The Marshal offered some advice about where to eat. Stay away from the Longhorn and favor the Crystal Palace for food. Oh, and of course, the Six Gun Saloon had great burgers too. We had heard earlier that the Longhorn had an award winning chef, but the Marshall informed us that it was like the Denny’s of Tombstone. Good advice we thought. We were to find out that this might not be the case at all. Again… our first experience with the politics of Tombstone.

Big Nose Kate’s Saloon

One $2 margarita and we headed back the other side of the street to our RV park. Our 30 minutes in town our first night had easily passed an hour. We walked past Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and decided to pop our head in for a look.

Karaoke!

“lets sing a song” Dar said, so we pulled up a stool at the bar and ordered an $8 beer.

Soon enough, Dar and I were up singing “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson which we thought was fitting and then Dar sang a Shania Twain tune “Who’s Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” solo. Her first ever solo Karaoke and it occurred in Tombstone. I was so proud of her.

Photo credit: Rob Cooper

Apparently the patrons enjoyed it too as they got up and began to line dance.

Our first night in Tombstone was awesome. We headed home for some sleep.

Images in this post are available for purchase on the Her View Photography online gallery at Zenfolio.com.

Related posts:

1. Day 46 – Gunfight At The OK Corral
2. Day 48 – Tombstone to Van Horn Texas
3. Tombstone Biker Bird
4. Shady Dell RV Park In Bisbee Arizona

We were told that the best way to drive to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff was to head North towards Page, but then turn East on the 64 at Cameron.  The idea is that most of the traffic heads north from Williams through the main Grand Canyon entrance there and that by going north and then east, we’d miss it.   Our two day road trip started out with a tour of the Meteor Crater and Winslow Arizona, but now, after many years flying over it, we were less than two hours away from one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Shortly after turning east from Cameron, we found some native art and jewelry stalls set up on the side of the road and Dar had to see them.  We discovered that it was a common theme along the road we were taking to the Eastern most part of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, but seeing as how it’s their neighborhood and all, don’t really give it much thought.  When you’re driving to the grand canyon, obviously you expect to see where “it begins” more or less. Not as grandiose a picture as the full on experience, but I’m not sure this type of photo is shared or seen too much.  We though it appropriate, as this was our experience.

After a few miles along the road, I had to find a place to pee, so the first road without an art display, I pulled into.  Here we found a small cat that we named “Grand Canyon Kitty” which we gave water too before finding a way to leave her there and continue.

Desert View Watch Tower

Most arrive via road through the Village or by riding the Grand Canyon Railway, both by heading North from Williams Arizona.  Our approach however, provided much different scenery, easing into it as it were.  Our first stop after the park gate was at the Desert View Watch Tower, built in 1932 by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter which I mentioned in our post from yesterday about the La Posada Hotel in Winslow.  At the time, Mary Colter was just the woman designer, but after visiting the Watch Tower, her role in the history of the Grand Canyon became more clear.

The Watch Tower at Desert View we were told was designed to provide an elevated observation point in which to see the canyon as well as a way to show early visitors the American Indian way of life.  Literature provided explains that:

The Watch Tower is not a restoration or copy of any particular Indian building, but a re-creation of the strange prehistoric towers found scattered over large areas of the Southwest.  Months of research by Mary Colter proceeded the actual construction, which took three years.

We took our first view of the canyon here, took some photographs before venturing inside the Kiva.

First, it’s old and it’s unique building style is apparent with bare beams above, but secondly, you’re greeted by a beautiful fire place embedded in the far wall.  This first structure we entered is known as a Kiva or Sacred Ceremonial Chamber.  It’s round, and often built in conjunction with the towers.  Kiva’s are considered the lodge room, or meeting hall of the tribe. Stairs to the left of the entrance head up to the first level of the tower built next to it.

After climbing the first level, we were presented with a tower, narrowing slightly as it rose, with a winding staircase around the inside, allowing access to three levels above, completed by a wooden ladder to the roof in the middle of the top floor.  The observation deck on the top was closed, but the view from any of the levels was spectacular.

Watch Tower Art

Aside from what we were able to see out of the windows in the Watch Tower, the Indian art inside the tower was stunning on its own.  Renowned Hopi artist Fred Kabotie lent his skills to the decorations of the Hopi room on the first floor while artist Fred Geary decorated the ceilings of the first and second gallery by copying drawings and petro glyphs found in ancient pueblos and cliff dwellings and on rock walls scattered throughout the Southwest.  I tried to capture what I could on video on a short little video tour of the Desert View Watch Tower, while Dar photographed them.

Indian Painting Depicting the Snake Legend

It really was quite amazing to see how Mary had turned such an important part of the Indian way of life and security into an observation area.  What would have originally been ladders up the center of the tower had been modified into modern stairs that run around the inside edge while the center opening to the top representing the intended climbing area.

Mary Colter

Mary Colter

So here’s the thing about Mary Colter that we learned.  It was pretty obvious after we walked in the door of the Kiva that Mary Colter was someone who played a large role in shaping Arizona’s buildings.  We first heard the name yesterday when we were in Winslow at the La Posada Hotel but had no idea really what impact she had on the Grand Canyon.

A book about her in the gift shop caught my attention.  I picked it up and then the clerk began to explain that she had designed and built a great many of the Grand Canyon’s buildings that we were about to see.  Located on the South Rim, buildings along the edge at the Grand Canyon Village such as the El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House and the Lookout Studio were her designs.  Then another 8 miles east past Powell Point and Hopi Point was Hermits Rest, another of her pieces.  Hermits Rest is not usually accessible by car as it’s a shuttle only road, but during the low season, the road is opened up for car traffic.  We drove the 8 miles to see it, but due to the time of day, were more interested in the light for photography rather than seeing the building.  We only stayed a few minutes before looking for a spot to shoot the Grand Canyon sunset, but again, I get ahead of myself.

We left and headed west stopping at various view points getting more shots of the scenery along the way. I imagined my father being here years ago after retiring and his own little tour of the United States before passing away in 2005.  As I thought of following him in his footsteps, I smiled.

Panorama

Rob and Darlene at the Grand Canyon

It was odd to see the type of environment the road took us through.  Trees and snow, two things we did not expect to encounter up here.  I’ve always thought of it being flat, rocky and hot because of all the images of the Canyon.   It was equally odd to see a sign indicating cougar crossings for the next 10 miles.

Parking on the road opposite the station where the train from Williams arrives, we saw that boarding of the train was taking place, and passengers were hurrying to the platform with gift bags from the hotels above us.  Dar had read about the Grand Canyon Train, so our timing was impeccable for some photos of it before heading up the stairs to the El Tovar Hotel.

Hopi House Outside El Tovar Lodge

The Hopi House and El Tovar Hotel are on the east most side of the area here, followed by the Kachina Lodge, the Thunderbird Lodge and the Bright Angel Lodge.  A little further down the rim trail walking path is the Kolb Studio, literally built on the edge and into the edge of the canyon.

We had a look around the El Tovar Hotel, then popped our head into the Hopi House (I had to duck through most of the door ways) and then walked in front of the lodges on the rim trail looking for a restaurant we heard about in the Bright Angel Lodge.

This area here seemed to be the best view of the entire Canyon that we’d seen so far.

I’m pretty sure the area in front of the El Tovar Hotel is the location that Chevy Chase’s character Clarke Griswold took his family to in the movie National Lampoon’s Vacation, and a scene from which Darlene has quoted numerous times on our trip so far.  He’s in a rush to get somewhere but the family wants to see the Canyon.  He finally gives in, but when they get to the viewpoint, bobs his head a few times as he looks out with his arm around his wife and then says, “lets go” and shuffles them on to the next location.  Total time spent for the Griswold family at the Grand Canyon?  About 15 seconds. Dar calls this “doing a Chevy Chase.”

Dar took the most amazing shot of me sitting here on the ledge, but it breaks some sort of photographer prime objective and I’ve been forbid to use it on this page.  The horizon cuts through my head and that’s a no-no I’ve been told.  It’s one of the best shots I’ve had taken, so I’ll have to post it on my own website and NOT give her the credit lest she be banished from the profession.

The Grand Canyon Lodges website describes the Phantom Ranch this way:

Phantom Ranch is a comfortable oasis nestled at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
It is tucked in beside Bright Angel Creek on the north side of the Colorado River and is the only lodging facility below the Canyon rim.
The Ranch can only be reached by mule, by foot, or by rafting the Colorado River and is a popular stop-over point for hikers and mule riders traveling to the bottom of the Canyon via the famous Bright Angel or Kaibab trails. Open year-round.
The ranch was designed by architect Mary E. J. Colter and completed in 1922. The rustic cabins and main lodge are built of wood and native stone and do not intrude on the natural beauty and solitude of the setting. Overnight accommodations at Phantom Ranch consist of dormitory spaces and cabins. Cabins and dormitories are heated and cooled during the summer months.

Angela Murray, a hiking buddy of mine and I are planning a future trip to the bottom, across it and up the other side.  From what I understand, this is about a 24 mile trip.  Phantom Ranch will become a part of our trip, providing a welcomed break from trail food and a possible shower.  We’re still not sure when we will take this on, but we’ve begun talking about it again.

Oh, and that Grand Canyon mule ride?  Expect to pay $480 and invest 5.5 hours in the saddle down and 6.5 hours in the saddle back up.  Price includes overnight accommodations at the Phantom Ranch.  Might be fun, but I’d rather hike it myself.

In just a few short years of being a couple, Dar has come to realize that when I visit places, I like to make sure I see both sides of things.  You never know what you might miss if you had not gone completely around the building. I’ve discovered some of my finest sights creating some of my best stories by this very method.

We walked back to the Bright Angel Lodge past the Buckey O’Neill Cabin, built by a William “Bucky” O’Neill in 1890, before anything else was ever here.  Bucky was an Arizona sheriff, judge, writer, newspaper editor and member of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.  At one point, he lived in Tombstone Arizona and worked for the paper there.  He became casual friends with the Earp brothers and was on hand in the town when the gunfight occurred.  Apparently, Bucky may have even been the one to report about the shootout for the paper. He moved away and then died in 1898 while in Cuba. Mary Colter used Bucky’s cabin design as inspiration for what the Bright Angel Lodge would look like.  She wanted to keep the original cabin and make the rest of the lodge look like it.  It was kept as lodging for guests and is still used to this day.

Walking through the lodge and out to the train station side, we walked on the one way road up towards our car.  I spotted some deer down below next to the tracks and called out quietly to get Dar’s attention.  There were 3 deer next to a tree down below, about 100 feet away.  Another fellow was taking their photos when Dar pointed out the many deer directly below where I was standing.  Less than 10 feet way, mostly downhill along the roadside slope was an entire family of deer resting in the grass.  Quite the sight.

We still had the 8 mile drive out to Hermits Rest to do yet (that I mentioned in the introduction), and the sun was fading, so we bypassed all the view points and made a bee line for the end of the road.  Hermits Rest was fine, but the view was not up to shooting.  We took a couple of quick shots to prove we were there, and then raced back looking for another shot as quick as we could.

The sun had finally set and as our intention was to have dinner in Sedona, we had a long drive ahead of us yet.  We still had to drive south to Williams, then East to Flagstaff, South again and then take the road in to Sedona.  With dinner, this plan would have us getting back to our motorhome a little past midnight.

We got moving, with a quick stop at the market to pick up a bottle of the Grand Canyon wine.  There was none to be found.  Only some white which I didn’t want.

We headed south with a quick stop in Tusayan which is a little place just outside the South Entrance to the park.  Not sure if it’s a town or not, but it’s got an enormous amount of modern hotels and food services (even a McDonalds, which doesn’t really qualify as food, but you get what I mean).  Here I found the Grand Canyon red wine I was looking for for $15, $9 less than what they wanted at the Lodge earlier in the day.

Next stop was Williams for gas before heading to Sedona for dinner.

There’s this thing about photographers that you either have to be one, or be married to one to understand.  When they see bright and shiny objects, time seems to stand still and any future plans are thrown out the window.  I’ve come to accept this as a way of life for me now.

Williams Arizona Route 66

Williams Arizona was founded in 1881 by trapper Old Bill Williams, is known as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon”, home base for the Grand Canyon Train and was the last town on Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate Hwy 40 (I-40).  I really didn’t know it had as much history as it did because like Winslow, it “wasn’t much to see.”

After stopping at the Circle K for gas and a pee, Dar spotted the bright and shinny Route 66 All American Diner.  Covered in neon and boasting of cars, dance music, burgers and classic history, she begged me to stop the car.

HDR she calls it, and I’m just beginning to understand it.

HDR of the Williams Arizona Route 66 All American Diner (Click image)

After getting some pretty cool shots of the Diner, we walked up the street looking at all the history of this Route 66 town.  While setting up the tripod on a pitch black sidewalk to shoot one of the buildings (pictured directly above), I spotted a fellow walking by.

We were hungry and decided to eliminate our stop in Sedona and just eat here.  The Route 66 Diner looked appealing, but we weren’t really into burgers at the time.  I stopped the guy and asked him about food options nearby.

First place he suggested was Poncho McGillicuddy’s on the corner next block over, a Mexican place.  Then he recommended a Thai place on another block and of course the diner we’d already photographed.  I say “we” photographed because I’m Dar’s gear mule.  I cart the lenses and tripod when we travel.   He went on to recommend some good shots we might get if we went up another block to a real estate agent’s office because of a big cat that hangs out in the front window.  He whipped out his iPhone to show us some shots he took of it.  In looking for the one particular shot he spoke of, he slowly went through some amazing images that got our attention.  HDR, I thought… sure looks like it.  Dar stopped him and asked about it.  “HDR” he said, confirming my first impression.  Turns out he’s a photographer himself, so his credibility on the real estate office AND food choices improved.

We couldn’t find the cat in the window, but becoming hungry, we returned to the car.  We drove up and down the two one way streets both looking for the establishments he spoke of as well as simply getting a look at what Williams had to offer.  We made two loops around before deciding on the Mexican place, Poncho McGillicuddy’s.

Poncho McGillicuddy’s Corner Bar

It’s in my DNA I guess. I really don’t know how or why, but I’ve let go of it a long time ago.  Maybe it’s just the power of intention, but I tend to stumble upon some pretty cool things when I travel. It just works out that way.  I expect it to happen and it does.  Part of “Trusting in the Universe” I guess.

We walked into the bar side of Poncho’s to see an old bar spanning practically the length of the room.  Walking past it, we headed straight for the restrooms.  I waited for Dar and looked around before choosing a place to sit.  One wall caught my attention because it had some framed photos of scenes from a movie with Robert Di Niro.  I recognized the shoots from a favorite movie of mine, Midnight Run, released in 1983.  I’ve seen it a number of times and can quote a few lines from the movie.  It left an impression on me and has actually affected my life in many ways.  I often think that many of my sayings and mannerisms are actually products of the movies I’ve watched.  I’m part Fletch, part “The Dude” from the Big Lewbowski, part John Goodman from many of his movies and a little bit of so many others.  So here were many shots of a scene from Midnight Run which I clearly remember, taking place in a bar.  Red’s corner bar.  I remember the line that Charles Grodin has where he’s watching Robert perform the “Litmus Configuration” on the $20 bills to check for authenticity.

Charles character asks the bar tender what the name of the bar is.

“Red’s Corner Bar” he says.

“You Red?” Charles aks,

“Yes sir!”

“Do you dye your hair?” he questions…

“No.”

“Why do they call you Red?”

“It’s short for Redwood.  My last name is Wood.”

“What’s your first name?”

“Bill”

Well holy shit, if this isn’t the same bar from the movie.  I actually got a little giddy and simply HAD to eat at the place where the scene was filmed.  Dar came out of the restroom and I explained what I had discovered.

Red’s Corner Bar Scene from Midnight Run with Robert Di Niro

The scene from the bar begins at 1:11.

For me, traveling is a lot about being able to say “I’ve been there” when someone mentions a location, a movie or what have you, and this was a big one for me personally.  Stumble upon it?  I don’t think so.  This was by pure power of intention.

After TWO margaritas, the only photographs taken inside the bar were out of focus lol.

Our waitress and bartender however was a perfect shot so here she is.  The only shot inside Red’s Corner Bar that turned out, other than one of a Bison wearing an Irish hat I took for a friend in Ireland.

After leaving the Grand Canyon and wanting to learn more about Mary Colter, I found this description of her work:

Eleven of Colter’s buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places and five have been designated National Historic Landmarks in “recognition of their exceptional value to the nation.” Unfortunately, many others did not survive the 20th century.

And a fascinating account of Bucky O’Neills life and adventure too, if you’re inclined to learn more.  As I write this, we are planning our travels to Corpus Christi Texas, through Tombstone where we’re going to spend 3 days.  Just as we stumbled upon Mary Colter’s influence on Arizona buildings, now we may be following Bucky O’Niell’s life too.  We drove through Prescott where he once lived when we went to Jerome and Sedona back in October, we’ve seen his cabin at the Grand Canyon now and next we’ll see what role he played in Tombstone too.  It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

After two days on the road which began with us standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona, we had begun our discovery of Mary Colter and Bucky O’Niell, visited a 50,000 year old Meteor Crater and finally after years of knowing about it, flying over it and once even driving past it a few months ago, got to see the Grand Canyon in all it’s splendor.  All that plus stumbling into the location from one of my favorite movies Midnight Run, we ate and drank at Red’s Corner Bar in Williams quite by accident.

Images in this post are available for purchase on the Her View Photography online gallery at Zenfolio.com.

Related posts:

1. Day 45 – Parking Our RV In Tombstone Arizona
2. Day 33 – Meteor Crater and Winslow Arizona
3. Pulled Over By the Arizona Police
4. Shady Dell RV Park In Bisbee Arizona