I’m still not anxious to leave this amazing setting in Skull Valley where I watch wildlife right outside my windows, but I did get out a couple times and enjoyed a sweet day-trip with a friend.
My window view frames a remarkable landscape with a spectacular pallet changing from brilliant to drab. Grassy weeds gone to gold surround shrubby bushes showing warm colors in shades of yellow, orange, and red. Oak trees mostly holding green all year with patches of brown about to go down.
Cottonwoods, the tallest trees in the topography found near any evidence of water past or present, show the most brilliant yellow fall leaves across the land. All this mixed in with many shades of green bushes like Manzanita, creosote, and several others I haven’t identified yet.
Stepping outside in the morning may have startled a bobcat yet the view was brief. After sundown the coyotes often serenade. Wildlife abounds. Motion outside the window of something not usually seen catches my eye, even wind blowing a branch or a bird flying by. Cottontail hopped across the top of the berm. Coyote moved quickly through the grasses and I took a few photos before it disappeared into the brush moving east behind me where I briefly saw it once more between bushes and then no more. Really want to put out water just the other side of the berm, out of my sight but animals insight. Looking for the right container.
Taking walks long or short around the ranch provide a chance to better connect to the landscape. Every animal trail leads to another secret including boulders and homes for wildlife to hide. Less than ½ mile in an hour and hundreds more photos.
In the morning as I prepared to head into town a Mule deer strolls through.
“Escape” metal sculpture Sedona
Because I needed to do laundry pretty desperately I figured to also do some shopping in Prescott, about a 25 minute drive from home. Got an early start so I’d also have time to first meet Joann and go with her to visit a mutual friend in Sedona. However, on the way I decided to blow off the chores—they could wait—so we’d have more time to play. Good idea. I like retirement.
She drove us through Prescott National Forest over Mingus Mountain through Jerome, an interesting old mining town turned tourist.
When I first accidentally drove through Jerome during a 1974 road trip it was a tight curvy road cut into a mountain, and still is. But then the dilapidated buildings perched on the side of Cleopatra Hill, many supported by pylons and looking to fall off the mountainside, provided a skyward view looking up through collapsed floors and through holes in the roof from every switchback of highway. Most have been renovated and visitors stroll the sidewalks past emporiums, antique shops, and saloons.
There is reportedly a haunted hotel but it’s not the one pictured, I’ve just always admired the Little Daisy Hotel. Just last year it was sold at auction for $1.9 million. Check it out.
Following AZ260 down into the Verde River Valley we scoped out some possible future boondocking options south of Sedona. Pretty open views with dried grasses and Juniper trees. Some of the gravel roads were better than others. Joann’s camp trailer sits low to the ground so it’s important to look at conditions before going there.
I actually preferred the vibe of Jerome over Sedona even though the surrounding landscape is breathtakingly beautiful towering sand stone formations.
Just too hoity-toity for me with the monstrous size multi-million dollar homes painted to kind of blend into the cliffs.
We drove around and stopped at a few overlooks but didn’t have time to hike as we wanted to visit our friend Marty who is trying to adapt to living in a locked down facility as she deals with aging medical issues. Her stories from the past are fascinating and she shared her visit to Giza as a young woman.
Even though we visited a little longer than planned we took a side-trip to explore more backroads with possible boondocking sites and ended up crossing Beaver Creek.
Because Joann thought she saw the ruins of an old building wall high above the creek we took a short walk and had to laugh when it turned out to be natural rocky wall along the creek. Created an illusion we fell for because we’re both pareidolias. Can you see what I mean?
She dropped me off at the truck and I drove over the Bradshaw Mountains to home just at sunset. A magical day connecting with friends and new landscapes. Yet I knew another trip to town would happen, after a day off, to actually take care of the chores and shopping.
The next morning’s window wildlife was Raven who found something to eat. Sadly, window photos are not usually very clear and focused. But I am keeping the windows cleaner than they’ve been in a while. LOL!
I drug myself back to town and managed to spend seven hours shopping at a thrift store, lunch at a new Greek joint, laundry, and groceries/stuff. Turns out some of the later stuff will be returned when I next go to Prescott. I noticed prices have gone up, on everything, including the thrift store. Guess I expected to see that as wages rise, which they should but it needs to be done across the board so to speak. I hadn’t had more than a few pennies’ raise in many years working for the National Park Service and now that I’m retired don’t expect to see a raise again.
It’s not like I get a lot of snail mail but still need a mailing address. My paid mail service in Wickenburg ends mid-November and I have some businesses that need to be notified about a change of address. In fact, some things are on hold as I’ve been struggling to get a post office box in Skull Valley. Even with a note from my landlord which I was told anybody could have written, they want an ID with local address. Well that’s a catch-22 if I can’t get an address. Hope when landlord Larry who’s lived here over 40 years goes into the post office with me and my IDs the problem will be solved.
Many days it seems I do a whole lot of nothing, or at least not much to talk about. I mean like I don’t even take any pictures, though that’s rare. But probably just as well because I’m still labeling photos from just over a year ago from the end of my 2020 season at Bryce Canyon. That’s OK, keeps me out of trouble. But also gets me thinking about traveling.
Hey, I’m almost caught up. Sure that won’t last long as I’m working on a plan to travel in the truckcamper while waiting for the calendar order to be delivered. Wonder what wildlife I’ll see out those windows, and where.
Saw this unusual evidence of wildlife on a boulder in my “yard”. The skull of something including teeth measures about one inch long. My spooky Halloween discovery.
So enjoyed this virtual trip with you. Some great photos and I love the ones around your home now. You have picked a fabulous place to put down some roots. I hope they do not get dug up too early!!
Keep safe and enjoy. Hugs, Diane and of course from Nigel as well.
Thanks. Yes, it sure is a pretty place.
Some interesting rock formations on the property, and liked the Cottonwood pic.
Jerome is a fun afternoon, and pics reminded me of memories of all the hiking I have done around Sedona and Oak Creek.
I would have to ask Larry for permission to put in a fire pit.
Any place the Coyotes hang out is the place for me.
Stay warm.
The rock here is granitic plutons, much like Joshua Tree. The tourist towns don’t intrigue me much. When I can’t stay warm, it’s time to head to the desert.
I love your new place with its critters & room to explore! Trip to town every now and then would be good enough for me too. Hope you get the address thing worked out. That would be quite a worrisome and/or frustrating piece. Surely it will fall in to place!
Thanks, I love it here too. And today I got my PO Box. Guess now I’m official.
These beautiful pictures show clearly why you are not anxious to leave that place. How I would love to visit you there. Do they allow others in rigs to visit you? Not that I could come but just as another dream. How cold does it get there and when?
Perhaps we are hearing coyotes at the same time or nearly. A mutual howl between at least 2 of them woke me out of a deep sleep a couple of nights ago. They were VERY nearby. No photos sadly. Too dark. I don’t have mule deer but lots of white tail.
If you are near enough to both Prescott and Sedona it sounds like a great location. I have heard sad stories about what Sedona once was but is no more. Hoity toity is the word and just loved to death like our national parks but still I’d like to go there for a day. And Jerome looks like so much fun. Sounds like a wonderful day with Joann.
Hope your landlord is able to get your mailbox issues settled but what will you do while you are gone during the winter to get your mail? That’s why I pay a mail service so they will send me whatever I get which is not much for sure since I do everything on line. But those pesky tax documents always come in the winter. I can sure relate to some days I do almost nothing. Stuck here in Virginia that is more and more true. Sorry for such a long comment. They are the kind I like. Hope you do too.
Thanks. It really is nice here and I can always accommodate visitors somewhere on the land I’m sure though it would be off grid. With a 4600′ elevation it will get cold and possibly a little snow but that’s when I’ll take the camper further south. I finally got a PO box yesterday. I’ve paid for mail service for years and really don’t get enough to worry about. Besides, it’s unlikely I will ever be more than about a day away from home this winter if I needed mail.
What a fun post! As usual, your writing and photos takes me back with lots of memories. The first that came up was the year I lived in the famous K4 Ranch. In 1971 my husband and 4 kids were wandering, basically homeless, and we camped at the park in Prescott. There my husband started talking to a guy who asked if we wanted a job as caretakers. We followed him the 35 miles north to the ranch, 20 of that was on a dirt road. We spent a few short months living in the caretakers little house where my husband checked the more than 100,000 acres of land for abandoned calves, and brought one home that I bottle fed. I also did the milking, and loved the freezer in the house full of meat, free milk and eggs were part of the deal as well. It was a fun time, but I couldn’t imagine driving my kids 20 miles each way every day on that dirt road to meet the school bus, se we moved on.
Prescott is a cool place, but like many others becoming much to crowded and busy. Even my deceased friend’s property in Prescott Valley is overgrown with houses and development. She might have left if she hadn’t died. Love the coyote shot. My handle isn’t kyotesue for nothing. Long stories there as well. Also love the rounded granite boulders all around Prescott, but not the rattlers. And Mingus Mountain and Jerome bring back more memories. In 1997 I was driving up that narrow winding road from Jerome when my transmission went out in my Dakota. Previously mentioned deceased friend Shera and I were stranded in a motel in Prescott Valley for 3 weeks till I could raise the money and get the transmission repaired. That is when Shera fell in love with the area and decided to move there from Fort Meyers Florida. She was from Montana, so the Florida thing didn’t last long and she was happy to be back in the west.
Hope you can find some good boondocking south of Sedona, and keep it quiet. Except for private emails of course. Hope I didn’t write too much for a comment. Can’t resist all the memories, once again. Glad you are happy where you are!!
Once again, I am happy to evoke your memories and the stories. K4 Ranch sounds perfect, except for the school thing.
Prescott and Sedona are both way too crowded for me to live in, but it is nice to have one close enough to do all the necessary shopping. The Mingus Mt road would be a terrible place for car problems. Glad you had somebody with you but sorry she is now gone.
Many newbies and non-ranchers have moved into Skull Valley over the last several years. They bring the city with them. 🙁
I love all comments short or long and really love to hear your stories.
Beautiful places to enjoy right out your door or down the road a ways. Thanks for sharing what you’re seeing. I’m still able to enjoy the incredible natural beauty of Sedona, but it’s getting harder. I cringe when you mention labeling photos as I’m still years behind 🙁
Because you too live in beautiful country you can understand how nice it is to see it nearby. Yet it’s still nice to get to something different. If it wasn’t so crowded in Sedona I might spend more time there, however…
It’s been years since we have been to Sedona but even then it was too hoity toity. We used to have family friends there when I was a kid and back in the 60’s it was a regular town.
I love all your window wildlife.
Keep on exploring.
All I can say about Sedona is the landscape is pretty.