The Train ride to the Canyon

Of course we had to get the requisite hokey vacation photos 

out of the way...

 We sat in the dome and it was an amazing view 

my nose was totally glued to the window.

The photos that I took didn't work out - even though the train

was going 40mph there was a lot of blur.

 The train depot at the canyon.

 The historical El Tovar - where we honeymooned

17 years ago...

 The Hopihouse.

 And the south rim.

It never fails to take your breath away no matter

how many times you see it.

 Getting the passport stamped.

 Made a cheeky friend.

 Flirting with the edge.

 Another cheeky friend. 

This guy was doing some sort of crazy bird

dance with alot of huffing and puffing.

I managed to catch him when he took a breath.

 And the ride home.

Doesn't the weather look fun?

It was cold. 

The train ride is fun, lots of goofy jokes, music

and a train robbery.

It really was a lovely, laid back ride with great scenery.

On the way back I caught sight of 4 deer and a mess of prairie dogs.

Of which I have no pictorial proof.

I was too busy looking. 

LOL.

Stopped by to see Montezuma's Castle

on the way out of town - heading to the Grand Canyon.

This is basically a 5 story apartment building

with about 45 rooms built around 1100-1300 BC.

 It was believed to be Aztec in origin hence the

name Montezuma.

Teddy Roosevelt made it a National Monument @1906.

 You can't go up there and seriously check out those

ladders and think why? would you want to but some slick

show offs that aren't afraid heights would scamper right on up.

 It really is quite breathtaking.

 Which is why I have about 100 pictures of this castle

built into a mountain that hasn't moved in a couple thousand years.

Oh and as we headed up to the Williams Arizona

snow began to fall.

 The temperature dropped to 32....

Thankfully now the snow has stopped, there is a light rain

and the temperature has risen to a balmy 38.

Ghost Town, Jerome & Tuzigoot

Headed down the road to check out

the local ghost town.

Had a saw mill, junk yard and didn't see a ghost.

 Copper mines are everywhere and this one

was a ghost town too.

 Main Street in Jerome. 

This is a blast furnace more or less.

 Isn't he cute.....

And enjoyed an ice cream......

 There is a business in there - glassblowing.

But how cool seriously.

They said one day it just fell down.

 Tuzigoot is a National Monument.

This pueblo is a couple of stories and was built in the 12th century.

 This is a bird's eye view of all the rooms in the 

 pueblo - this is the back side and.....

 These rooms run down the front side.

Because the pueblo wasn't preserved for years

the roof and some of the structure collapsed over the years.

It's a really cool place to visit and you can roam through one room

to walk up to the big square on the top.

Sedona, Mountains and Main Street

Red rocks are everywhere and they are beautiful.

Dramatic sky.

 Goes without sayin....LOL!

 Had some amazing statues around town.

The details are amazing.

 And this one spun around. 

Very cool. 

Love the look on their faces.

 This guy was very chatty.

 And this one....

 The mountains just surround.

The bridge is very cool too.

Just because.....