Hanging Out in Flagstaff, Arizona, Grand Canyon, Lowell Observatory

Favorite photo of this entry:

After Lake Mead trip #2 we looked to escape the heat.  We tried to make it to Flagstaff but we got a late start for the day so we only made it to Williams, Arizona.  We went up Rt 64 and turned on to Garland Prairie Rd to FS 71 looking for a free spot on forest service land as it was starting to get dark.  We drove down the forest road and there were lots of people parked back in there so we kept driving until we finally found a free spot.

It was a little muddy in our spot but we made it work.

Williams, Arizona is only about an hour south of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon so we took a drive up the road to visit again.  The South Rim gets SOooo many more visitors than the North Rim and that was our experience again that day.  It gets to the point where there are too many people for us to enjoy it.

The best part of our visit was an endangered Condor was hanging out by a view point.

And so many visitors checking it out.

The Condor watching the people while the people watch the Condor

Junior Ranger Swearing In

The Grand Canyon is beautiful and it's always great to visit but we prefer the North Rim where it's much more quiet.

We moved on east and ended up back at our favorite spot just northeast of Flagstaff.  The weather is perfect at this spot at this time of year so we hung out waiting to hear from our friend Bill.

While we waited to hear from Bill, we went across Highway 89 and visited Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

Lava

Lava field

Lava field

Connected to Sunset Crater is Wupatki National Monument.  There we saw Indian ruins.

I can wear many hats including a Junior Ranger hat!

Another day we went for a drive on another Forest Service road where we were able to look down and see our trailer parked in the forest.  We've watched vehicles drive on this road as it climbs the mountain nearby.  Little did we know how narrow this road was and when someone was coming the opposite way, it was difficult to pass.  The road is a dead end but we decided to turn around when we found room to turn our long truck around.  It was surprising to us the number of vehicles on that road but it did have great views!

Can you find our trailer (in the center about 1/3 up from the bottom)

Still waiting on Bill, we visited Lowell Observatory on the other side of Flagstaff.  It's claim to fame is the location where the planet Pluto was found and we learned all about the young man who found it and why it's now not considered a planet.

The observatory was started by Percival Lowell, a wealthy man from Boston. 

During the day they had talks on various solar system topics.  We also visited the buildings housing some very large telescopes.

Below is the 24 inch refracting telescope built in 1896 and known as the Clark Telescope.  It's still in use today!  Even the structure that houses the Clark Telescope was interesting by how the top rotates on regular car tires to allow access to the portion of sky wanted.

Clark Telescope Dome

In the 1960s, a team of scientists and artists used the Clark Telescope to create detailed maps of the moon in support of America’s manned voyages to the moon. Apollo astronauts studied these maps and some even used the Clark Telescope for part of their training to go to the moon.

Neil Armstrong's entry in the guest log from 1963

Jim Lovell signing the guest book

Illustrator Patricia Bridges explains to astronaut Pete Conrad
how she uses an airbrush for depicting lunar features.

The next telescope is the one Clyde Tombaugh used to find the planet Pluto in 1930.  Every night he would take a photo through this telescope to capture the night sky.  Then during the day, he would compare the photo from the day before to the current photo and note what small dots on the photo did not move.  That was how he found Pluto.

Pluto Telescope Dome

This telescope is used exclusively to take photos

Notice the boxers glove, that keeps people from getting hurt
when the telescope is adjusted for different views of the sky

Clyde Tombaugh, founder of Pluto

Percival Lowell founder of the observatory

The observatory is also home to the mausoleum for Percival Lowell.  He died in 1916.

But the best part of the visit was we were able to use the Clark Telescope to view the night sky.  First we saw Jupiter and 3 of it's 4 moons.  Then at 8:15 they adjusted the telescope so we were able to see Saturn and it's rings.  What a sight!  That was a real highlight for me!

This is similar to our view of Saturn!

Here is yet another telescope were we were able to view Vega, the fifth brightest star in the night sky.

Lastly there was a portable telescope set up so we could check out the moon.  

Al was able to capture this photo of the moon through the telescope with his cell phone!

I'm not a big space or science fiction fan but I really enjoyed our visit to the Lowell Observatory and would recommend it if you're in the area.  

Another day we went for a walk in the forest near where we are parked.  Here are some photos of our views.  

Okay, we heard from Bill and since we're retired and have free time, we made a plan to help him move from California to Arizona.  We coordinated getting some solar installed on our RV at the same time so we could leave the trailer with Above and Beyond RV repair in Apache Junction, Arizona while we were helping with the move.

We left Flagstaff and made the drive towards Phoenix and stopped in Scottsdale for the night at the Elks Lodge.  The temperature on our truck thermometer read up to 120 degrees and we drove through Phoenix mid-day.  Yuck! 

The Scottsdale Elks is our home club and luckily we got the last RV spot they had since we absolutely needed electricity to run the air conditioner.  We timed it to arrive on the third Thursday so we could volunteer for their delicious steak night again.

Parked at the Scottsdale Elks Lodge

The next morning we got an early start and drove east to Apache Junction to drop off the trailer with Above and Beyond RV Repair.  Then we drove about 6 hours to Al's Mom's house in La Mirada, California.  We'll be there briefly while helping our friend, Bill, move to Arizona.

While we were in California, we were able to visit our house and meet our tenants.  I was worried about seeing our house with other people living in it but they are taking good care of it and it was a positive experience.  They renewed their lease for another year with a $75 rent increase!

Next we'll help Bill with his move.