Put On Your Travelin’ Shoes: Arizona

It was time to head south for Thanksgiving. We have family in Phoenix and friends along the way so we decided to take our time and drive. We looked some of those old friends up along the way and had a fabulous time.

We left at 11:00 in the morning knowing that we had to stop in Dillon because Amy had a conference call. I wandered around while Amy worked and took a couple of nice photos. The Library was built (no not as a church but a library) in the early 1900’s. I don’t know about the Victorian. I always like the Clark Canyon Reservoir and usually shoot a picture of it in passing. Because there is nothing really there in the way of population, unless you are going to Idaho or south on I-15 you might miss some of Montana’s most rugged beauty, the Pioneer Mountains. We spent the night with my friend Jim Price from our college days back in NY, at his home in Pocatello.

We spent the night in Las Vegas before heading to Sedona a town which has been flagged as Spiritual Vortex. While I can’t speak to that, I can tell you, it is stunningly beautiful. We stayed at the home of friends Bill and Patsy Brunner. I bought the Red Pies building at 424 N. Higgins Ave. from Bill back in 1981. Patsy and Amy met when Amy was doing a symposium last year in Sedona on Medical Aid in Dying. Patsy cooked a delicious meal, wine got drunk, music got played stories were told and laughs were had by all.
While there I visited and got into a jam session with old Newarkite and now sometime Oak Creek resident Craig Cambier. He is a very original and inventive songwriter. It was fun and I am sure the door has been opened for a follow up jam in the future.

Next was Phoenix. Of course it was cool in the desert, It was after all the end of November when we went. However by all accounts it was colder than usual. That however didn’t stop us from golf. On Wednesday after golf, we had cocktails at the Arizona Wilderness Brewery where I ran into my cousin Russ. We then had dinner with the wonderful Jess Grennan. Thanksgiving Dinner was at Brother Rob and Sister Meg’s house. A fun time was had by all. Friday was checking out the art facilities and made in Sun City West store and Friday night was Flatbread Night at Sister Barb’s house with special guest David Simmons (Patsy Brunner’s cousin). David was a customer at Zimorino’s back in the day and has jammed with the Tirebiters at Out to Lunch. His Mom, Pat Simmons and I, became close friends when I was the president of the Missoula Downtown Association back in 1989. So this an opportunity to rekindle a long time relationship. It was a blast.

Coming Home was another three day ride. We dipped into Needles California and played golf before making our way into Central Utah. The next day it was back to the Price residence (his wife Gail wasn’t home on the way down but was on the way home) for an evening jam session with some of Jim and Gail’s friends. Lot’s of Grateful Dead tunes and some really nice people. Fun players and a great time. There is something to be said for coming home to Montana and that is that there is No Place Like Home.