100 Mile Capture Arizona

Our 100 mile capture continues with a trip through Arizona.  I will be posting an addendum for all of the states of things that didn't fall into the 100 mile mark but really needed to have their photos taken, here is the one for New Mexico  Side Notes of New Mexico  
If you aren't familiar with the 100 Mile capture go take a look at how it started here http://brickroadphoto.blogspot.com/2013/08/100-mile-capture.html

Mile 900 It only seems fitting that our first 100 mile stop in Arizona would be the State Line! I love it when things work like that! 

.....and beyond that sign, the road to our first family stop

Mile 1000  Was lunch with two of my favorite people at Charlie Clarks Steakhouse in Pine Top, AZ.  Charlie Clarks has great food and great history.  I love the antlers on the chimney. 

This is Elk country in the gorgeous White Mountains of Arizona. 

SO great to see family for a couple of days.

Mile 1100  On the road again and this time just outside of Payson, AZ.  Gorgeous!

Here is a little blurb from the Payson Chamber of Commerce website.

"Nestled among the majestic mountains of the Mogollon Rim-a 7,000-foot, 200-mile-long escarpment, lays the breathtaking and serene town of Payson, Arizona.  Graced with spectacular natural beauty, this small town is located between the Sierra Ancha and the Mazatzal Mountain Ranges.  Giant saguaros march up the low hill, forests cover their higher slopes, and rivers run rampantly through surrounding canyons.  Residents like to brag that their town is situated in one of only three, pure air ozone belts in the world".

Watching for big Elk on their highways is a must!

Mile 1200 When we would start to get within a couple miles of the "100 mile mark" we would start looking.  I was looking at mountains and hillsides and all of a sudden my  husband turns the car around in the middle of the road and says "you gotta see this, I think it might be picture worthy".  Down in the ditch along the road was this roadside memorial for a man and a woman.  Definitely picture worthy!!! No one has bothered the hats perched there or the flowers and trinkets alongside them, very touching.    I liked the sepia color treatment because I felt like it fit the solemnness of the subject.  If you would like to see it in color go here  

I'm sure about now you are simply in awe of my record keeping *wink*  "How can she possibly remember what town is closest to each photo she has taken out in the middle of nowhere" you ask.  WELL....my secret??? a photo of the nav screen in my car after each stop! I love gadgets!

We turned off of I40 onto AZ89 in Flagstaff headed for Page, AZ and ultimately Utah when things got a bit tricky.  About 50 miles down the road we were detoured. Apparently in Feb there was a slide that destroyed the road.  We had two choices, go back 50 miles to I40  (in the rain) and circle around the Grand Canyon to Vegas then up to UT OR  the detour through the reservation up to Page.  It added about 150 miles to the trip but we were already part way there so we decided to keep going.   Vegas sounded like the most fun but we had places to go and some very special people to see.

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Mile 1300 Somewhere outside of Flagstaff but before entering the reservation this was our view.   It was raining hard!  This 100 mile shot is a windshield shot, the road sign just to the right says "elev 7000 ft"  

Mile 1400 was taken somewhere on  the detour through Arizona almost to Page and Lake Powell.

The Shonto Trading Post  Shonto, AZ  Very cool little place.  Here is their website and info

Arizona has such a diverse landscape.   Everything from the  mountains to the desert.  Beautiful!

Be sure to visit Side Notes of Arizona with additional photos of our stops in this beautiful state, including a shot of an Eagle you will never forget. 

Utah here we come!