Looking for warm

[Jerry]

We have been thinking about heading to someplace warm for a spell, but we don't know much about Southern California, Arizona or New Mexico. Where would you go in the desert southwest if you had two or three weeks to relax in a warm climate?

[Toy Man]

Do you just want to lay around or explore?

Fancy or not so fancy digs?

Toy Man

[Jerry]

Do you just want to lay around or explore?

Fancy or not so fancy digs?

Toy Man

It would be my wife and I so we will want motel accommodations, restaurants and shops as found in the towns of, or outlaying areas near Palm Springs, Yuma, Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Cruces, etc. I'd like to explore a little, but it would be limited to wherever our Ford Escape would take us.

[RidgeRunner]

We've been to most of those places, Jerry. Yuma usually is the warmest of that bunch but Tucson is more interesting and fun for us, although a little cooler in winter. Prescott, up in the mountains, will be a little cooler than the rest, today's high is 51.

Las Cruces is farther to go but has a very interesting historical old town, Mesilla, I believe it's called.

With the split jetstream right now, we're sending some rain down to SoCal for a few days but probably won't last too long.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of those places, compared to Yakima!

Mick

[Binford]

I was just down in Southern Kalifornia for a few days last week. It was 82 degrees and suuuuuny! Wow.... I didn't realize I missed nice weather that much!

I'd look to go to Tucson if I were you. You can take a side-trip to Tombstone, AZ, and check out Wyatt Earp country. Very cool, and very warm.

[hutchman]

Ahhh yes, Tombstone, now that is one place I would love to go........














Yes, it would have to be Tombstone for me..........!

[Jerry]

We drove through Tucson once several years ago when we made a loop from Phoenix to the Apache Trail. We liked the area and the town based on what little we saw of it. Prescott impressed us on a short visit we made while driving to Sedona and Flagstaff. I forgot about the higher elevation at Prescott. Does it get snow in the winter? We don't care much for the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, pretty flat and really populated, but again we have only been there a couple of times and have not explored much of the area. Which areas offer the most opportunity to explore off highway?

[Toy Man]

Flagstaff gets snow, Prescott Valley typically does not.

When we drove to Mexico, I liked the feel of the small town of Benson which is where you turn south to go to Tombstone, etc. Nothing there but I liked it. Too damn many tourists in Tombstone. Would have liked to have spent some time poking around Bisbee. If you get that far you might as well drop down to Douglas and have a meal at the historic Gadsden Hotel.

Says Toy Man who really knows very little about AZ

[Rupe]

I went to Tombstone about 40 some years ago and loved it. I have always wanted to get back there. I love the History of the Old West. I would like to see Yuma as well. The old Territorial prison is there and I guess you can tour it. I think that would be very interesting to see.

There are a lot of roads and trails out of Phoenix and I'm sure there are alot out of anyplace else down there.

rupe

[T.Low]

There seems to be a rather large Arizona contingent on Expo. Could check there, too.

I used to live in Tucson in the early '80s and drove my lifted F-250 and my Honda CBX all over the place.

On highway, you may enjoy taking a tour of Kit Peak Observatory west of town.

Old Tucson movie location is unique. Outskirts of town on the west side. I would take Speedway west out of town over scenic Gates Pass till it ends, then go left to Old Tucson. Many old Westerns were filmed there.

On the east side is Sabino Canyon. A bit touristy, but there is a tram that you can ride toward the top. Really cool place.

Pena Blanca is a lake that is south towards the border. Not much there, just a great drive, and cool little lake with some nice 35 ft cliffs to dive off of. Was a little beach we could drive out on. No one ever there.

Cattleman's was a good steakhouse.

Off roading includes Chiva Falls trail on the east end. I can still see the trail in my mind, and Chiva Falls at the end of the trail. High clearence, crossed a few streams.

The drive up to Mt Lemon was real nice, if not too snowy.

If you do end up in Flagstaff, make sure you stop in at my Uncle's new store, New and Used Tractors, Backhoes, Loaders from The Tractor Guy . Actually, if you go there first, he can tell you all the off road places to go around Tucson. He grew up driving his 1st gen Bronco all over the place.

Sorry I can't give you more details, but it was 25 years ago, and even then at, 19yrs old, I wasn't paying that much attention!