Nov 30, 2009 9:44 - By: Laura Charon
A view from the Apache Trail.
The Apache Trail – officially designated as AZ Rt. 88 – is forty miles of steep, winding, and mostly unpaved roads that connect the Arizona towns of Apache Junction and Globe, through the Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. It was developed in the 1800’s as a stagecoach trail running through the mountains, and named after the Apache Indians who originally used the trail.
The hike up to Tonto National Monument
Traversing the Apache Trail is tricky and not for the faint of heart, but travelers are rewarded with magnificent views of the mountains and local flora and fauna. It is along this route that some of the most dense forests of saguaro cacti in the state can be seen. There are several large lakes along the route for boating, picnicking, hiking, and swimming – Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Apache Lake all lead up to the Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Roosevelt Dam. Other attractions along the route include the Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, the Lost Dutchman State Park, Tortilla Flat (population six!), Fish Creek, and the Tonto National Monument, before finally reaching the town of Globe.
The Theodore Roosevelt Dam.
To get to the Apache Trail, take U.S. 60 east all to Apache Junction, to the turn-off for AZ88/Idaho Road. Follow the signs through Apache Junction toward Canyon Lake. Once in Globe, the ride back to the Phoenix metropolitan area is a quick drive north on I-10. It is NOT recommended to drive large vehicles or RV’s along the Apache Trail due to very narrow roads and switchbacks.
Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Apache Trail” by eflon on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “The Hike up to Tonto” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Theodore Roosevelt Dam” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.
Nov 30, 2009 5:13 - By: P. Ling
Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield have watched heavy metal grow and spread out of the underground and morph from St. Anger to become part of the mainstream. 29 years from inception, Metallica remains one of the only two bands in history with five successive albums debuting at No.1 on the Billboard 200.
Metallica - James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich & Kirk Hammett
There’s no denying the longevity and magnetism of Metallica, and they’re proving it yet again by packing in the crowds for a marathon 2-year Magnetic World Tour.
On this tour, which started in 2008 and continues well into 2010, Metallica is promoting their ninth album Death Magnetic. Their December schedule includes sold out shows in Vegas and Anaheim, along with shows in Boise, Idaho and Sacramento and San Jose in California. As of now, Metallica tickets are available for these shows, on a limited basis.
If it isn’t possible for you to be on hand at see Lars Ulrich punish his Tama signature snare drums and watch Hetfield shred his larynx, Metallica has a backup plan for fans who miss out on the live shows.
In fact, the tour – which started off as an effort to promote Death Magnetic, has now taken on a life of its own. Read More »
Nov 29, 2009 15:39 - By: Kim Tracy Prince
Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle
If you’ve never been to Disneyland during the winter holiday season, allow me to submit that a visit to the park at this time will cure your “been there, done that” blues. The enormous Christmas tree, the holiday music piped in, the lights over Main Street USA, the LED icicle-draped Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle at the center of the park – all conspire to melt the heart of the Scroogiest among us.
I’ve been to the park twice in just a few months, after a very very long spell of not ever visiting at all. My first visit was on my birthday, a Wednesday in September that, besides being my birthday, was just another day in the life of the happiest place on Earth. Since it was my two young sons’ first time there, I looked at everything with a critical travel blogger’s eye. We all had a great time, but for the ticket price of $72 for adults and $62 for children, I expected perfection and that is not what I found. Read More »
Nov 29, 2009 15:13 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Poinsettias at Garfield Park Conservatory Holiday Flower Show
Grab some green during your holiday excursions and visit Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory for the annual holiday flower show, which runs through January 10. Nestled in a historic building on Chicago’s west side, the Garfield Park Conservatory is the nation’s largest “glass house” in the country and offers tons of earth-centered, family-friendly activities. Start with the holiday flower show, which features an explosion of color highlighting poinsettias, Jerusalem cherry plants, ornamental peppers, Christmas trees and more. Read More »
Nov 27, 2009 10:21 - By: Laura Charon
A ski lift up the mountain at Sunrise.
I recently posted about Arizona Snowbowl, the ski resort in Flagstaff, Arizona. However, Flagstaff is not the only Arizona town that boasts a great ski resort.
The Sunrise Park Resort is located in the town of Greer, in the White Mountains of Central-Eastern Arizona – 218 miles from Phoenix and 230 miles from Tucson. Folks can travel 250 from Albuquerque New Mexico, and 299 miles from El Paso Texas. Three mountains (Sunrise Peak – 10,700 ft; Apache Peak – 11,100 feet; Cyclone Circle – 10,700 feet) with 800 acres of skiing offer 65 runs for all levels of expertise, as well as separate areas for snowboarding, cross country skiing, tubing, and sleigh rides. There is an on-mountain equipment rental shop, ski school, and child care.
Read More »
Nov 27, 2009 9:55 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Mexican folk art
Don’t think you’re stuck shopping for the same old gifts and stocking stuffers this holiday season. A visit to Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art’s Mercado Navideno holiday market will reveal all the colorful options to spice up your shopping. The Mercado Navideno runs November 27-29 and offers an array of authentic Mexican folk art gifts. Choose papier mache figurines, pottery, vividly-colored textiles, paintings, carvings or silver jewelry to thrill your friends and family. Don’t miss a visit to the overflowing gift store, Tienda Tzintzuntzan. Read More »
Nov 26, 2009 17:45 - By: P. Ling
If fame could kill, Lady GaGa would be stone cold by now. It was little more than a year ago in Aug 2008 that she put out her first album – The Fame.
Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
In one year, Lady GaGa has hogged 20 awards and 61 nominations, including a Grammy. She has sold over 20 million digital singles and 4 million albums.
And now, in Nov 2009, The Fame has morphed into The Fame Monster – Lady GaGa’s second album. The new album includes 8 songs, including Bad Romance, which focus on the dark side of fame, as experienced by Lady GaGa in the past year.
This next chapter in the meteoric rise of the Haus of GaGa kicks off with The Monster Ball tour on Nov 27 in Montreal, exactly 4 days after the release of the new album.
Montreal is quickly followed by 21 more pit stops spread all over North America, with the final two performances on Jan 20 & 21 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
And what’s on the menu for electro-pop fans who land up at one of these concerts? Read More »
Nov 25, 2009 12:58 - By: Whit Honea
Okay, I’m pretty sure this is our last Thanksgiving post. Maybe not. Either way, we here at the UpTake Vacations Blog would like to wish each and every one of you a happy, safe and filling Thanksgiving. You deserve it.
Pies!
Left – apple pie recipe
Right – pumpkin pie recipe
Photo by Laura Charon
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