Day Trippin' in Arizona
There's a panoply of "day trips" out of Phoenix, but my favorite is the one heading northeast out of Scottsdale on Highway 87, aka the Beeline Highway, which takes you to Payson. Payson is an old west, picturesque community, founded in 1882, just south of the Mogollon (pronounced Mu-gee-yon) Rim and the town has been real special to me for 13, or so, years; but more about that in a couple of paragraphs.
Venturing eastward on Shea Blvd from Scottsdale is the first leg of the journey and takes you right by the famous Mayo Clinic of Scottsdale and just to the north, a few blocks, is Taliesin West, the winter home of the late Frank Lloyd Wright and current home of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (which has some interest to me as I'm presently working on the last home he designed before he died). But let's get on down the road.
Just east of the town of Fountain Hills, Shea Blvd dead ends into the Beeline Highway. Hang a left and hook 'em to Payson; 65 breath taking miles to the northeast. I love this trip! It's been gorgeous from the moment I left the Hampton Inn this morning, but now my scenery endorfins are kicking in. The Ft. McDowell Casino and recreation center is up the road on the left and once I make it through that bothery stop light, it's non-stop to Payson. That is, unless I'm compelled to pull over to gaze at the spectacular vistas along the way.
Four Peaks can be seen from all over the East Valley, but as is evident by the above photo taken from the Beeline Highway, it's a much better view from out here. Saguaro (pronounced, sa-whar-o) cacti are everywhere.
Further north from where this pic was taken, the boulders perform balancing acts much like the old Disneyland ride. Meanwhile the road is becoming more interesting. The Beeline Highway was made for motorcycles and sports cars. It's a fast road and designed to be even faster. You've gotta watch out for radar, but the best way to enjoy the drive is to get behind a car or bike driver who knows the road and loves the thrill of the mountain driving...well beyond the posted speed.
I never tire of this trip. My parents retired to Payson in '92 and I was able to spend a great deal of time with them in the mid-90's while out here on business. Sometimes I would commute daily back and forth, which enabled me to catch numerous sunrises and sunsets enroute, while memorizing every curve, every notable rock and cactus. Each trip up or down the mountain excelled the previous one in majestic beauty.
Great memories help to make this trip so meaningful to me. My parents were the pot of gold waiting for me in Payson. They were the icing on the cake of this always delightful road trip. It's not quite the same since Dad has died and Mom has moved to California to live in an assisted living home, but I always treasure the memories everytime I make this beautiful trip "home."
I had lunch today at one of my family's favorite places, Creekside Steakhouse and Tavern, in Christopher Creek, a little town about 20 miles northeast of Payson. This area was made famous by Zane Grey who lived nearby and wrote about this "mystical wild Tonto country" in his many novels.
Before heading back down the mountain to Scottsdale, I made the obligatory drive by my parent's old house. Naturally, it's not kept up as well, but who could ever appropriately maintain my memories. Still, it was great to see the place where Mom and Dad were able to spend some of the happiest years of their life together. I'm looking forward to going back.
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