Eleven Down, 39 More Adventures to Go (Yikes!)

Wow! What a year. I've been across Arizona from the North to the South, with stops at several places in between. Some I'd like to revisit, while others I'm happy to cross off my list. Here are some picks and pans from year one.

Most Spectacular Sight: Boynton Canyon The sunset from the Mogollon Rim is always beautiful, but the view at the end of the Boynton Canyon Trail in Sedona was a complete surprise. After hiking for an hour through a thick forest of Juniper, Oak and Pine trees I scrambled up a rocky hillside and above the treeline to find this. A monolith of rust-colored limestone stretching a mile or more to form the canyon wall. While there are certainly many other impressive red rock formations surrounding Sedona, this is one you won't find on your standard tour.

Favorite Food Find: Bisbee Breakfast Club Nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I must agree. One of the best breakfasts I've ever had was at the Bisbee Breakfast Club. Located in Lowell, a township of Bisbee, the restaurant serves a hearty morning meal -- so come hungry. Skip the toast and order a big, fluffy biscuit to accompany your meal. It's home-made, as are the cinnamon-pecan sticky rolls and extensive variety of desserts. Need a jolt of caffeine to get you going in the morning, try the coffee. It's roasted locally by the Old Bisbee Roasters -- another favorite of mine. If you're not a morning person, don't worry. Breakfast is served all day, with the lunch menu available from 11 AM to 2 PM.

Worst Adventure: Cutting Down My Own Christmas Tree This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. And not as much fun, either. First, it's cold outside in Northern Arizona at this time of year. I don't like being cold. Second, finding a suitable Fir tree among the forest of tall, gangly Ponderosa pine is no easy task. And when you do, no doubt it's 200 yards or more from the road, which makes getting it back to your vehicle a strenuous task. The high mountain altitude doesn't help the situation either. My advice, leave these beautiful evergreen trees in the forest, where God planted them, and visit your local Christmas tree lot or one of Arizona's Choose-and-cut-your-own Christmas tree farms, instead. Better yet, invest in an artificial tree and place a few pine-scented candles around your house. That's what I plan to do this Christmas.

Place I'd most like to Revisit: Bisbee I wish I lived closer to this charming, old Arizona town. But at more than 200 miles each way from Phoenix, a visit to Bisbee is more than a day trip. This, however, shouldn't pose a problem for me. Bisbee has a number of unique and historic lodging establishments, some reported to be haunted. It's narrow, winding streets are lined with antique shops, art galleries, museums, fine restaurants and sidewalk cafes. There is more than enough to do in Bisbee to fill a day. At night, you can enjoy live entertainment at a number of saloons throughout town and along its famous Brewery Gulch. By the way, some of these establishments are reported to be haunted, too. But that doesn't scare me, and it shouldn't scare you. Bisbee is a great place to relax and unwind, and forget about big city life.

Year one is behind me, but I'm nowhere close to being done. I'll be doing double-time, if I'm going to complete my list of 50 Things to See and Do in Arizona before I turn 50. You are always welcome to join me.

Three Women Spend 3 Days in Bisbee Part 2

Eat'n & Drink'n

Visiting a new place gives me the opportunity to try new things. Among my favorites are new foods and drinks. If you enjoy this too, than Bisbee is the place for you. There are no chain restaurants in town. No Applebee's, McDonald's or Starbucks, just plenty of great, local drinking and dining spots.

Our first stop was Mexican food at Santiago's, and the 40-minute wait was worth it. It's a small and very colorful restaurant with a menu that ventures beyond the traditional tacos and enchiladas. The citrus marinated pork tacos, which Jenni and I ordered, were among the best I'd ever eaten. Janelle's fish tacos were delish too. In addition to the traditional accompaniments of rice and refried beans, we were given a choice of black beans and roasted corn. Two healthier alternatives I was happy to have. While a Mexican beer would have been my normal choice of beverage, I ordered a local brew: Dave's IPA. It's produced by the Electric Brewing Co. and was surprisingly good.

If you're looking for a good burger in Bisbee, go to the Bisbee Grill. It's not fast-food, judging from another 40-minute wait, but a casual restaurant with an array of traditional American menu items ranging from sandwiches to steak, as well as seafood and pasta. Burgers are among my guilty pleasures, so how could I resist one smothered in melted blue cheese and sauteed red onions -- plus it came with beer-battered fries. All I can say is YUM! Well you can't have a burger without a beer so I ordered the local lager, Dave's Electric, which was the perfect paring for my mid-day meal.

There are a number of bars in Bisbee. Some, like the Stock Exchange and St. Elmo's, looked a little rough so we didn't venture inside. To be frank, we were a bit worried that one of us might get their ass kicked by a biker's babe for checking out her old man's tattoos. But one bar we couldn't pass up was the Copper Queen Saloon. Set inside the Copper Queen Hotel, this small bar was filled with tourists and locals. There was no room on the patio, so we bellied-up to the bar and ordered three drinks, which came to a grand total of $12. No big city prices here. But like many of the bars and restaurants in Bisbee, you may have to wait to be served.

Coffee is a big part of the Bisbee culture -- big enough for two coffee rosters. There is the Bisbee Coffee Company, which has a large Starbucks-like cafe in town where you can sit, sip your latte and do some people watching. And there are plenty of interesting people to watch in Old Bisbee. Your other source for caffeine is the Old Bisbee Roasters, which does not have a fancy coffee shop. If it does, we couldn't find it. What they do have is a solitary Barista stationed in a Main Street alleyway. This may sound a bit seedy, but it's all quite legit. Both roasters have fabulous coffee. However when it came time to buy some beans, I chose the Old Bisbee Roasters. Their Batista, like a good sommelier with his wine, matched his coffee beans to my taste.

If you are looking for dining that's a bit more upscale, try Cafe Roka. It's claim to fame is that it's the only restaurant in rural Arizona to have received the coveted three-diamond designation from the AAA 2002 Guidebook, but it didn't get high marks from us. Now the food is delicious, but the service we received was less than inviting. First we were scolded by the hostess for being 15 minutes late for our reservation. This seemed unnecessary. It was 8:30 p.m. and well past the dinnertime rush, plus there were plenty of empty tables and only one other couple waiting to be seated. So we were escorted to a table at the back of the second floor, which was certainly not the most desirable seat in the house. The ambiance was not inviting and the staff wasn't as friendly as other places we had visited that weekend. As for the food, which I will say again was very good, it was not exactly as the menu had described. I ordered duck with a side of root vegetables. I did identify a few small cubes of sweet potato among the medley on my plate, which also came with corn and edemame. When where corn and edemame classified as root vegetables? On the upside, Cafe Roka does have a nice wine list and includes a few Arizona vineyards. I always like to try Arizona wines when ever they are available.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why I saved the best for last -- The Bisbee Breakfast Club. This restaurant is actually in Lowell, which is a mile outside of Old Bisbee, on a street where more buildings are shuttered than open. But once you're inside you'll find a bright and cheery restaurant with a 50's-style lunch counter. Our waiter was interesting too, resembling a well-tanned Sean Connery with a long ponytail and tattoos around his bulging biceps. He suggested we each try something different, which we did -- a Crab Omelet, Scrambled Eggs with Andouille Sausage and the traditional Biscuits, Eggs and Gravy. And the Biscuits at the Bisbee Breakfast Club are to die for. Big, flaky and fabulous. The Bisbee Breakfast Club is a great way to start your day.

"Where's a good restaurant," is the first question I ask when I go to a new town. So when the locals told me that any Bisbee restaurant would be a good choice, I didn't believe them. But now I do. Bisbee is a great place with a lot of flavor.
Next Post: Never a Dull Moment

The List

I've always used lists. Whether it's a grocery list, mailing list or some other kind of to-do list, these checklists keep me on track. This one shouldn't be any different. Here is my list of 50 things to see and do in Arizona before I turn 50.

PHOENIX AREA
1. Hike Camelback Mountain DONE!
2. Visit the Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix DONE!
3. See the holiday lights at Mesa’s Mormon Temple DONE!
4. Take a tour of the Orpheum Theater in Downtown Phoenix DONE!
5. Eat an ice cream treat at the Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale DONE!
6. Visit the Phoenix Art Museum DONE!
7. Visit the Heard Museum in Phoenix DONE!
8. Visit Taliesin West in Scottsdale DONE!
9. Visit the Queen Creek Olive Mill DONE!
10. Hike Pinnacle Peak in North Scottsdale DONE!
11. Visit the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe DONE!

SOUTHERN ARIZONA
12. Visit the Southern Arizona wineries DONE!
13. Visit Bisbee DONE!
14. Hike Sabino Canyon DONE!
15. Visit the Casa Grande Ruins DONE!
16. Visit Tombstone DONE!
17. Stargaze at the Kitt Peak Observatory DONE!
18. Dine at the Long Horn Bar & Grill in Amado DONE!
19. Feed the ostrich at Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Ranch DONE!
20. Attend Mass at San Xavier de Bac DONE!
21. See the Hummingbirds at the Ramsey Canyon Preserve DONE!

CENTRAL ARIZONA
22. Visit Crown King DONE!
23. Take a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad DONE!
24. Attend the Prescott 4th of July Rodeo
25. Sleep at a haunted hotel in Jerome DONE!
26. Slide down Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon
27. Visit the Verde Valley wineries DONE!
28. Hike the Red Rocks of Sedona DONE!

NORTHERN ARIZONA
29. See the sunset at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
30. Take a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams
31. Take a summertime chairlift ride at Arizona Snowbowl DONE!
32. Hike the Grand Canyon
33. Hike to Havasupi Falls
34. Walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk
35. Cut down my own Christmas tree in Northern Arizona DONE!
36. Hike in Walnut Canyon
37. Visit the Four Corners Monument
38. Stay at La Posada in Winslow
39. Take a jeep tour ride in Canyon de Chelly
40. Hike Antelope Canyon near Page

WESTERN ARIZONA
41. Visit the Vulture Mine in Wickenberg
42. Walk across the London Bridge in Lake Havasu
43. Take a tour of Hoover Dam
44. Explore the Grand Canyon Caverns
45. Dine at the Road Kill Café in Seligman

EASTERN ARIZONA
46. Visit Hannagan Meadow
47. Go fishing at Hawley Lake
48. Take a raft trip down the Salt River
49. Visit Tortilla Flat
50. Travel the Arizona Salsa Trial in Graham County DONE!

While I've organized my list by region, the items are in no particular order. They are simply places I've never been and things I would like to do. But don't be surprised if I take a few detours along the way.

Let the adventure begin.