Birthday adventures

This past Friday Jonathan whisked me out of town for a birthday getaway weekend as fast as Tim (1991 Ford Ranger) could haul. We dropped Jackson off with his cousins and drove up to Prescott for a two night stay at the Prescott Motor Lodge. The Motor Lodge started out as summer cabins way back when (1910), which later transitioned to a motor lodge decorated with foofy doilies and teddy bears. Thankfully, Brian and Joe purchased the Motor Lodge back in early 2000’s (I think) and brought the cabins back to vintage glory with sassy paint colors and vintage interiors with modern comforts. Its hands down the best place to stay in Prescott. Upon our arrival we were greeted with wine and beer and at check out were given a bag of fresh baked cookies, now that's my kind of lodge!

Saturday morning we started with breakfast at a cafe down the road from our room where we were served by one of the nicest people I've ever met. He was so nice that Jonathan commented he was "uncomfortably nice". I thought it was a sad yet apt statement on what kind of society we live in when someone can be uncomfortably nice, but I’ll admit, "serial killer" ran through my head when he smiled pleasantly after offering a coffee refill. From a delicious breakfast we made our way down town to check out the plethora of antique and local tchotchke stores. Most of the items we found and liked were a bit over priced, but it was nice way to work off a little breakfast.

Back at the motor lodge we loaded up the beach cruisers that we'd hauled from Phoenix and drove to Thumb Butte National Park, otherwise known by our GPS narrator as, Thumb Butty park. Once we arrived we unloaded our cruisers with pride; however after about 10 pedals uphill with no gears and waning confidence we opted to find another path. We hiked our bikes up a sandy/rocky trail in the hopes that just over the hill we'd hit the pebbled walkway as the map suggested. Not so much. Ok, so maybe we wouldn't be cruising in the National Park. Being a nervous nelly I walked my bike down most of the path; however, Jonathan opted for some bad ass beach cruisin down the steep rocky terrain. Since biking was a bust and we couldn't really leave our bikes unlocked in the car we opted for the 4 mile off road drive up to the scenic overlook. Quite an impressive view. The expanse of lush greenery continues to surprise me in this desert state.

Before returning to our room we stopped at a cafe that Arizona Highways Magazine declared as one of the top 25 restaurants in the state. It was 3:00 when we arrived and the shop closed at 4:00, plenty of time right? Apparently not. When I walked toward the counter the lady at the register informed me that their sandwich maker was about to leave and they would not be serving any more. Hungry and with low blood sugar, I felt inclined to let my annoyance show. She then had the nerve to tell me I could look at the menu, admire the fare, and decide what I wanted to order for tomorrow. The intentional glare I gave must not have indicated that she was crossing the line because at that point she pulled a menu out of its holder and half-ass slid it towards me on the countertop still suggesting I prep my lunch order for the following day. She was lucky Jonathan was still in the shop because had I been alone I surely would have had some choice words for her snide display. Needing something with sugar I asked if I could at least buy a cookie, which is likely the last item I’ll ever buy from this place.

With operation “sandwich” resulting in failure we enjoyed some Chicago style hotdogs then returned to the Motor Lodge where we made friends with the lodge feline who looked quite similar to Ms. Sydney. A few adult beverages later we were off to dinner at the Raven Cafe. The cafe boasts an overwhelming assortment of barley sodas, organic veggies and grass fed meats. Jonathan's Elk burger was simply delectable. During and after dinner we enjoyed a live performance by the Tucson blue grass band, Dusty Buskers. I can't say I'm as big a fan of Bluegrass as Jonathan, but they were a great band and you really can't beat free live entertainment.

Sunday, following a waffle breakfast at the local hot spot, the Waffle Iron (Mine was topped with bananas while Jonathan enjoyed a waffle with bacon cooked in the waffle itself, admitidly it was delicious!) we made our way North to Sedona to pick up a piece of furniture and played tourist in Jerome on the way. I didn't know what to expect of Jerome, but I can honestly say I didn't expect the town to be in the side of a hill. What used to be a mining town has now become a unique little artists village. We toured a variety of shops, tasted wines from Caduceus Cellars and Merkin vineyard owned by Maynard Keenan (previous lead singer of Tool), and bought some local art.

After arriving in Sedona we stopped at the Oak Creek brewery for some delicious locally brewed beer and hands down the best hot dog Jonathan and I have ever tasted. With a little time before we were scheduled to pick up our new furniture piece we visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Churches are not our usual hangout but perched in the side of a mesa, between jutting red rock, this chapel is quite impressive. The build is such that there are no air-conditioner units, and yet even in 90+ degree temps it manages to remain comfortable. When we eventually picked up the cabinet we were delighted to discover that it was an even snazzier piece than we’d expected. Exceeded expectations is always a nice way to finish up a trip!

Despite missing Mr. Jackson and the kitties, this weekend’s getaway was both a wonderful break from the Phoenix heat and routine, and a terrific reminder of how lucky we are to have so many great places to visit just a short drive from home. Till next time...