Long and Wine-dy Road

I've learned a lot on these trips. For instance, on my trip to the Verde Valley wineries I learned about Kinetosis. It's a medical condition that many people suffer with it. Apparently, I'm one of them. Luckily, it's not serious. However, it's not curable either, but it can be prevented if you sit in the front seat of a moving vehicle. What is Kinetosis? Motion Sickness.

Sure, I know enough to stay off the Tea Cup ride at Disneyland, but a one hour ride in a luxury motor coach up Interstate 17 from Phoenix to the Verde Valley wineries should be a pleasant trip. Right? Wrong. I'll spare you the gory details, since I'm pretty sure you know where this is story is headed, except to say that by the time I arrived at the first stop, Oak Creek Vineyards Winery, the last thing I wanted in my stomach was wine.

Yet I am a trooper, so after regaining my composure I went into the tasting room to sample the wine. Oak Creek Vineyards Winery is located across from Oak Creek and has nearly 10 acres of grapes growing nearby. It's tasting room, aside from wine, offers a fine selection of gifts for the wine enthusiast, as well as items made by local artists. A whimsical print of a wide-eyed cat by Jacquie Shane, entitled "Cornelius and the Psychedelic Eclipse," caught my eye. He looked like I felt after the ride. I did manage to taste four wines. My pick: 2007, Syrah.

Luckily for me it was a short drive to the next winery, in fact it was across the street, Page Springs Cellars & Vineyards. This may be the most beautiful vineyard in the state. It's tasting room looks out over a field of grapes growing alongside Oak Creek. By the fall, the grapes are long gone and brittle, brown leaves adorn the plants.

The tasting was on a scenic picnic patio above Oak Creek and included a gourmet lunch buffet from Bertha's Cafe, one of my favorite lunch spots in Phoenix. Our hosts, Colleen and Greg from Arizona Grape Escapes, set out a full array of meats, cheeses, crusty french bread and accompaniments to pair with the wine. We enjoyed full bottles of Page Springs' white, rose and red wines. My pick: 2009 Vino de La Familia Blanca.

From the vineyards we traveled to the tasting rooms in the town of Cottonwood. The first stop was at Arizona Stronghold, which is co-owned by Maynard Keenan, the lead singer of the rock band Tool. Arizona Stronghold, unlike the previous two vineyards, grows its grapes in Southeastern Arizona, an area with rich farmland and a rich history. Cochise, the famous Apache Indian chief, led raids against Mexican and American settlements and military posts in the area until his surrender in 1872. Cochise was buried, not far from the vineyard, in the Dragoon Mountains, now called Cochise Stronghold. The exact location of his grave is unknown. Yet, Arizona Stronghold keeps his spirit alive, naming their wines after many of Cochise's family members and warriors. The tasting included five varietals. My pick: 2009 Tazi, a white wine named after Cochise's eldest son.

Across the street from Arizona Stronghold is the tasting room for Pillsbury Wine Company, which also grows its grapes in Southeastern Arizona. Led by Sam Pillsbury, a noted film director and former co-owner of Dos Cabezas winery, these wines are distinctly fragrant and full of flavor, and not surprising, the critics love them. In fact Wine Spectator calls Pillsbury's wines one of the "Rising Stars of the Southwest." After tasting five wines, I have to agree. My pick: 2009 Wild ChildRed.

After a long day of wine tasting, we boarded Arizona Grape Escapes' Winobago, for the drive back to Phoenix. Perhaps I was relaxed by the wine, but I enjoyed the return trip much better and suffered none my earlier ailments. If you're thinking about a trip to the Verde Valley wineries, this is the way to go -- just be sure to sit in the front of the bus.

Ales and Rails

I love Autumn -- its harvest festivals and foliage in hues of red and gold. In Arizona, a great place to enjoy both is the Verde Valley Canyon Road, which celebrates the fall season with its Ales on Rails Oktoberfest.


My friend Tory and I hit the road and headed north to beat the heat in Phoenix. While the calendar says its fall, the thermometer does not agree -- still recording temps in the 90s. In the Verde Valley, however, fall has arrived. A short 2-hour drive up Interstate 17 and the temperature dropped 20 degrees. A welcome relief.




We arrived at the station early to enjoy the Oktober-festivities before our train ride. All the Deutschland favorites were well-represented. Loud German music was playing in the courtyard and we feasted on brats, sauerkraut, potato salad and beer -- plenty of beer, 12 different kinds. There were local brews from Oak Creek Brewing Company, German brands, like Spaten, and many others from around the U.S. -- New Belgian from Ft. Collins, Colo., Big Sky from Missoula, Mont. and Sam Adams from Boston, Mass., to name a few.


Tory and I each received five tastes, which was more than enough, along with our commemorative Verde Canyon Railroad beer glass. While several of my favorites beers were among the mix, I tried some new ones. The most unusual and most surprising was Alien Amber Ale from Roswell, N.M. I initially thought it was a novelty brew and would taste horrible, but if fact it was quite good. But my favorite overall was New Belgian's Hoptober Golden Ale with its creamy, medium-bodied flavor, similar to brewery's famous Fat Tire label.


After tasting a few more beers, it was time for Tory and I to board the train. We were in the first class cabin, which in my opinion is the only way to go. There you enjoy a Champagne toast upon boarding and spacious accommodations, including big, comfortable seats, a complementary snack buffet and an attentive staff that is more than happy to point out the sights along the way.




There is no shortage of breathtaking scenery along the 40-mile round trip wilderness ride from the Clarkdale station to the Perkinsville Junction. The train snaked along the Verde River and through the Verde Canyon, which is mostly inaccessible except by foot, kayak or a four-wheel drive vehicle. Whether inside the comfortable rail car or outside on the open-air gondola, we got a spectacular view of nature. Gold, bronze and copper leaves waved as the train passed by, eagles soared high above the canyon wall and exquisite rock formations towered over the tracks

At Perkinsville -- although there is still another 18 miles of track ahead -- the train comes to a stop and the engine slides along the right-hand side and hooks up with the other end of the train for the ride back to Clarkdale. The return trip provides the same sights and a chance to spot anything you missed on the first half of the journey.

They say no matter how many times you travel the Verde Canyon Railroad, no two trips are alike. I think that's true. The canyon's hidden wonders and the changing seasons will make every trip exciting and new.