They Call It Dolly

Now that I'm back from my trip to Arizona for the year, I can tell you of a new and fun thing that I found to do.  This one is a little off the beaten path.
Just east of Apache Junction on the east side of Phoenix, there is a road that goes to a place called Canyon Lake.  This road is more than a little off the beaten path around the Superstition Mountains in full view of Weaver's Needle where all the the treasure junkies are still looking for the Lost Dutchman Mine.  Never mind the mine which will never be found.  With enough patience, you will find Canyon Lake.  Canyon Lake is one in a series of beautiful lakes on the damned up section of the Salt River.  Canyon Lake is not the biggest and may not even be the prettiest, but it is the only one with the Dolly.
What's a Dolly?  Dolly is a paddle wheeler boat that takes people on a lovely 1 1/2 hour cruise, or a dinner cruise if you'd like all around the lake.  The scenery is beautiful.  The narrator tells wonderful tales as he points out the formations and caves around the lake.  The mountain goats are plentiful.  The views are amazing.  The boat itself is a two story boat with an air conditioned lower level with a snack bar, an upper level with no air conditioning, but great views and two outside decks for the sun lovers that don't mind the heat.
The day we visited, it was 110 degrees outside and we were slathered in layers of sun screen, but the Dolly was comfortable and the trip was worth every penny of the $20 price of the tickets.  I mean, what's a little heat when your views are like this?

We had a lovely afternoon.  We were 2800 miles from home, and we even managed to run into one of my son's friends from school.  What are the odds?  The media calls the Dolly a diamond in the rough.  I think that it may be more of a hidden gem.  It's right to the east of Phoenix, but it's well hidden in the hills.  The locals know, and that's how I found it.  It's worth the trouble of the drive there.  It's worth every minute of your time.  I highly recommend that if you're in the area you take a cruise on the Dolly, no matter what time of year it is.  You'll also enjoy the drive in if you like a little adventure!

http://www.dollysteamboat.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy! 

The Oldest Thing in the Grand Canyon

As I ready myself for yet another visit to Arizona, I'm reminded of one of my favorite places in all the world.  The Havasupai Indian Reservation down in the western part of the Grand Canyon.  That's right, there's about 600 people living down there in Supai Village.  This place is older than the Grand Canyon Village, it's older than Phantom Ranch, It's older than the lodge on the North Rim.  It's a town and it's down in a canyon connecting to the main canyon.
There are a few ways to get to Supai Village.  The most obvious is to walk, but remember, this walk is not for the feint of heart.  It's about eight miles through a canyon in the desert.  It is beautiful, however.  When you reach Supai Village, you'll feel like you've entered the Garden of Eden.  It's lush and beautiful with streams and waterfalls and lush greenery, unlike the trip there through the harsh desert.  The village contains everything necessary; a store, a restaurant, a school, a clinic, a museum, a lodge, and a campground in addition to the houses of the locals.  It really is a fully functioning town.
There are other ways to reach the village.  You can ride a horse with a guide by reservation.  You can go by helicopter for a reasonable price.  Most often the helicopter ride costs only about $85 per person each way.  That's really not bad.  I do think that there is just something special about the walk.
The Havasupai are wonderful hosts.  When I was there, they were the friendliest people I'd ever met.  Remember, they've opened their lives as a tourist attraction.  They're a special bunch.  They have demonstrations of their traditions for visitors.  You can go in a sweat lodge if you like.  You get a great dose of their culture while in their village.
Most people come for the view however.  The Havasupai Reservation is home to some of the most famous and most amazing waterfalls in the world.  Even if you think you haven't seen them, I bet you have.

 Havasu Falls is one of those waterfalls that we've all seen on calendars and posters.  It's one of the most photographed items in the area.

Mooney Falls is at the epicenter of the canyon that most of the visitors hike in.  The only way past it is to climb down the cliff that it falls over.
The hiking alone at the reservation is worth the visit.  The waterfalls alone are worth the visit.  The people that live in the village alone are worth the visit.  The village alone is worth the visit.  Put it all together and you would should be ashamed of yourself if you go the traditional route and visit the south rim.  If you only go to the south rim, you're missing it.  There's so much to the Grand Canyon that people don't know about.  The main park is just the beginning.
Just remember, there's only one way to enjoy this adventure.  Make a reservation through the tribe that lives there.  They enjoy visitors, but they don't much care for drop in guests.  Do this one.  You'll never regret it.  It's the trip of a lifetime in a big hole in Arizona.
http://www.havasupaitribe.com/index.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1

Enjoy!

Oregon Road Trip

Nature is not for everyone, but the North Umpqua Highway, Route 138 in Oregon could quite possibly change some minds.  I love this place.  This is the place that made me not sleep while I was working in Oregon years ago.  I had to work nights while on a business trip in Roseburg at the Ingram Book Warehouse, so during the days, I had no obligations.  I went out and saw the sights, and the best of them was this road.

There are around 25 massively beautiful waterfalls along this road, and it ends only a few miles from Crater Lake National Park on the high end.  As you go along the road, which twists and winds it way through the gorges and forests along the way, you see trailhead after trailhead with barely any markings identifying them.  All of these lead to waterfalls. Toketee, pictured above is one of the best known along the way and one of the most unusual.  There are many others worth seeing though.  Deadline Falls, Susan Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls, Watson Falls, Whitehorse Falls, Clearwater Falls, Lemolo Falls, Steamboat Falls, shadow Falls, Wolf Creek Falls, Cathedral Falls, Grotto Falls, Warm Spring Falls, Yakso Falls, Hemlock Falls, Campbell Falls, South Umpqua Falls, Deer lick Falls, Brice Creek, Trestle Creek Falls, Parker Falls, Spirit Falls, and Moon Falls are all along the way.

When I was running around the area, I bought a book called "A Waterfall Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest" by Gregory A. Plumb to help me along the way.  It comes with maps and tells the distances to the waterfalls.  None of the distances are long, by the way.  It even tells you which waterfalls and which trips in general are worth the trouble.  I had this book for the one week I spent in Oregon, and I wore it out.  I had to tape the pages back in.

Most of Oregon is littered with areas that are more rainforest than regular forest, and the North Umpqua area is a great example.  The trails that lead to the wonderful waterfalls are full of moss covered trees and giant ferns.  It's green and beautiful.  By the time you get all the way up to Crater Lake, however, don't be surprised if you find snow, and lots of it.  I was up there in the middle of July, and there were still parts of the lake road that were blocked with snow.  In some places it was still over five feet deep.  That didn't mean it wasn't 80 plus degrees outside, sunny and wonderful.  How many places can you really build a snowman in shorts and a tank top in July?

The sights are fabulous as you can see.  The people along the way are wonderful as well.  It was one of the most relaxing and peaceful days I every spent as an explorer.  The whole trip only took me about six hours.  I didn't spend much time at Crater Lake, and believe me, I could have spent a massive amount of time up there, but I had to go to work.

At any rate, this day trip in Oregon from Roseburg to Crater Lake National Park is worth it.  I hope that everyone gets the chance to spend a day as wonderful as mine in the Cascades along the North Umpqua Highway, route 138 in Oregon.

 http://www.moon.com/destinations/oregon/southern-oregon/the-north-umpqua-river/sights/waterfalls
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html 
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings 
Enjoy the sights!

Container Ships - The Only Way to Go

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I have an obsession with the "By Any Means" type of travel.  I got into the idea while watching my hero, Charley Boorman travel from Ireland to Australia by any means he could get there.  I too, had always been interested in that kind of travel from the moment I saw "Around The World in 80 Days" as a child.  I am interested in the north.  The further north, the better.  I loved northern Russia, and Iceland was great.  So, I wanted to circumnavigate the globe around the north.  I found that there were ferries that went all the way from Iceland to Denmark and many other places.  What I didn't want to do was take a commercial flight.  My problem was how would you get from Canada to Greenland?
Well, travelers, Charley Boorman clued me in to the solution.  You can book passage on container ships.  CMA-CGM is the best known for these excursions, but there are others.  It's an alternative mode of transportation for adventurers.
I realize that cruise ships are elegant and have all the luxuries that you want while floating about on the oceans, seas, and rivers of the world.  But container ships come with beautiful staterooms, on board chefs, indoor pools, movies and other entertainment, and even workout rooms.  What they have that cruise ships do not is exotica.  These are some of the biggest ships in the world.  On board you can tour the engine room and see the massive elements that make the behemoth move.  You can tour the bridge with the captain and hear all the stories that go with a life on the sea.  It's a one of a kind experience.  It's not something that all of your neighbors have done.
Does it cost a lot?  It does reportedly cost about $80 per day on average.  However, container ships go virtually anywhere on Earth, so you can choose your destination.  You don't have to choose from a list of tours.
So, if you want a real adventure on the seas, try going with the people who work out there and not a bunch of tourists.  Take a container ship and make your trip an adventure.
Here are some links you can check into:
http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/how-to-travel-by-cargo-ship/
http://www.hamburgsued-frachtschiffreisen.de/Start::en.html
http://www.cma-cgm.com/ProductsServices/Tourism/Default.aspx
http://www.aws.co.uk/cruises/home.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html

Enjoy the view as you sail into Reykjavik Harbor.  It's beautiful, isn't it?

Hendersonville, North Carolina

Hendersonville, North Carolina :

So, you've heard about the waterfalls in Brevard County not far from Asheville, North Carolina.  That's great.  So you've gone down that way and seen the Biltmore Estate, the town of Cherokee, and Chimney Rock State Park.  You feel like a real tourist.  I've done that too.  The problem is that even after 200 waterfalls, I feel like I'm missing something.

Here's the thing you don't know about.  There's a little town called Hendersonville.  It's just south of Asheville and East of Brevard.  It's a little spot on the map that's really of no consequence.  You won't hear about it on television.  But, you should visit.

Hendersonville is the way life used to be.  There are decorated ceramic bears all up and down main street to show us their artsy side.  They have art galleries, ice cream shops, and great shopping.  Everyone will say hi to you on the street, and they may even ask where you're from.  It's a town where everyone knows everyone else, and even if you work hard to fit in, they'll know you're from out of town.

Now, unlike a lot of touristy destinations, I recommend that you visit Hendersonville in the evening, and during the week, probably on a Monday night.  Why?  Because for the last 90 plus years, Hendersonville has been having a public square dance in the city parking lot.  They come out and dance the night away until about ten o'clock.  They'll make you feel like family and it's a lot of fun.  There are no complicated moves.  The callers keep it easy for novices.  It's a great fun time for anyone from anywhere.

Square dancing is one of the most community centered events I have encountered over the years.  It's something that automatically introduces you to new people right on the dance floor or asphalt.  If you do visit this traditional event, you will make friends.  There's simply no way not to.

So, once again, do your hiking, do your gawking, see how the rich people live and learn all about the Cherokee.  Then take a little drive down to Hendersonville and you will learn to have the hometown time of you life.
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixn.htmol
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings 

Welcome to my blog!

Travel isn't always what it's cracked up to be.  Sometimes I like to take the road less traveled.  I like to get away from Disney and the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  Sometimes I like to do things that most people didn't know they could do.  This is the first post in a blog that will be updated weekly.  This is a blog to discuss places and things that most people don't do.  It's about the things you don't see on the Travel Channel or Channel 5.  This is a chance for you to get some ideas that you'd never have thought about on your own.  Enjoy the possibilities that exist on other pages of the travel guides.  I like to participate in the activities on vacation rather than just looking at things in a museum.  What I would really like to hear is what you find most interesting of the things that I write about.  I would like to take my off the cuff ramblings and turn them into a real collection for a book, and I would like to know which ones really sound great to the readers.  So let me know what you like, what you don't like, and what you think is not off the beaten path.  I love feedback, and remember, this is just a blog.  I can write pretty well when I put a lot of thought into it.  Let me know what you think!
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