Hualapai Tribe Provides Great Fun & Adventure at Grand Canyon West

Whew! Haven't been here on my Blog for quite a few days, but there's still been a lot going on! I had a blast with my niece, Brandi, mid-October enjoying the Hualapai Tribe's helicopter ride over the West Grand Canyon, then a ride on a pontoon boat on the Colorado River. 

We also walked on the Skywalk in the background. Really cool, and kind of scary! :) I have to admit I held on tight to the rail the whole time. Just a little acrophobia going on there!

It was quite a climb down to the Colorado River, but so exciting! Loved, loved, loved it!

Just couldn't beat the beautiful view of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon West!

The Hualapai Tribe is doing a GREAT JOB with tourism.

YOU, TOO, CAN DO THIS! CHECK IT OUT!

http://www.grandcanyonwest.com/


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Here is the answer to the last Verde Valley Trivia Question:
Q. In the 1920s, the Tavacsi Family bought the Shea ranch and turned it into what?
A: The Clarkdale Dairy

Did you Know?

The Cottonwood Ditch in its earliest days had a wooden water wheel to lift the water from the ditch to higher ground.  The clanking of the iron buckets as it turned appeared louder at night when all was quiet and was described by old timer, Don Williard, as, “…a strange sort of music to go to sleep by.”

Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System

Traveled to the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System in Prescott today! My niece, Brandi, is visiting me from Princeville, Illinois, so she went along to the shareholders' briefing, led by Donna K. Jacob, Medical Center Director. (Second from right.) We learned about the budget, workload, rural health initiatives, patient aligned care teams, and acute transition. We also had a tour of this brand new motorized health bus that will especially be used to treat patients in rural areas of Northern Arizona.

The original facilities for the Prescott VA were established as a tactical base for the US Cavalry. It transferred to the Public Health Service in 1920, and then transferred to the VA as a general medical and surgical hospital in the early 1930s. It was converted to a TB Sanatorium during World War II and is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Remembering that freedom isn't free.

The American and POW flags are flown with pride. There is such a feeling of quiet and peace at this health care facility. Their motto is, "We honor, we serve, we care."

We are very excited in Cottonwood about getting an all-brand-new VA Clinic on Willard Street! Director Jacobs tells me they are moving equipment in this week. There will be a grand opening, date and time to be announced.

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Yesterday's trivia question:

Q: Has anyone ever tried planting rice as a crop in the Verde Valley?

A: Yes, in 1904, Arizona Fish and Game tried it in Peck’s Lake to lure more big game to the area.

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Today's trivia question:

Q. In the 1920s, the Tavacsi Family bought the Shea ranch and turned it into what?

He that plants trees loves others besides himself

This is the Cottonwood Community Orchard. The sign says:

Welcome

City of Cottonwood

Community Orchard

Dedicated April 2011

“He that plants trees loves others besides himself.”

Thanks to Roger Biggs in Cottonwood Utilities for creating this great sign for the community orchard. We just planted the orchard this year, with donations of trees from people and organizations in our community. What is the orchard about, anyway? The First Lady called on mayors and elected officials across the country to join her Let’s Move! campaign. Let’s Move Cities and Towns engage mayors and other municipal leaders in the campaign to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The Cottonwood Mayor and City Council signed a resolution to support this community program. Let’s Move Cities and Towns emphasize the unique ability of communities to solve the challenge locally, and the critical leadership mayors and elected officials can provide to bring communities together and spur action.

The City of Cottonwoood is working on at least one significant action in each of the four pillar areas:

1. Help Parents Make Healthy Family Choices

2. Create Healthy Schools

3. Provide Access to Healthy and Affordable Food

4. Promote Physical Activity

Where does the community orchard fit into this list? You can see the orchard at the corner of Willard Extension and West Mesquite Drive. By the way, we're using reclaimed water for this project.

Yesterday's Trivia Question:

Q: Name the bridges of the Verde River. (Using a definition for perennial which is "perennial at the confluence with the Verde River.")

A. Verde River Bridges
  Perkinsville
  Tuzigoot
  Dead Horse Ranch State Park
  Highway 89A near Cottonwood
  Southbound I-17
  Nourthbound I-17
 Camp Verde Black Bridge
Camp Verde White Bridge

Information from Verde Watershed Association

Today's trivia question:  Q: Has anyone ever tried planting rice as a crop in the Verde Valley?

Check back tomorrow for the answer!

My first post...just HAS to be about the Verde River!

There aren't many towns in Arizona that can claim A River Runs through It. Cottonwood is special just because...well...a river really does run through it! Water is precious in this high desert landscape of ours. It seems fitting to start my blog with a picture of the Verde River. This photo was taken at friend Sunny Heartly’s place on the banks of the river. He and fellow musician friend, Dave Sorensen, invited me to an outdoor concert on Saturday. I couldn’t resist walking the short distance to the river to enjoy the beautiful hint of orange hues that the sunset was reflecting onto the river.

Sunny and Dave were having a great time getting everything ready for the concert. They recently finished an album, Sylent Dawn. It features singing, native flutes, percussion, drums, keyboards and guitar. Sunny is also a flute maker. Google Sunny Heartley to learn more.

As usual, the evening's calendar placed me in a couple of different places at once. I stayed at Sunny and Dave's concert for about 15 minutes, then hopped into my truck and drove to the Cottonwood Civic Center in Old Town, where I welcomed square dancers from all over the state who were attending the Cottonwood Roadrunners' annual festival. Long time friend Bob Efros invited me. After I visited with some folks from Tucson who absolutely loved Old Town Cottonwood and its fine dining, eclectic shops, and phenomenal wine tasting rooms, I rushed back to the concert and enjoyed the rest of it.  Loving life in Cottonwood!

Here is today's trivia question: Name the bridges of the Verde River. Check my next post for answers!