Apache Trail, Arizona

On a very hot day September 8th, 2007 I decided I would take a drive to Tortilla Flat. My friend had brought me there once before and I knew that I wanted to photograph the Superstition Saloon for this book. I had lived in Apache Junction while in the Air Force and had been to Canyon Lake a number of times but had never made it any further than the lake. Stopping along the way and taking pictures of the landscape in this area was fulfilling. I really love this area and have always been amazed by the desert. Driving past the Superstition Mountains made me think about how many prospectors ventured up there looking for gold and never making it back home.

Canyon Lake is a beautiful lake nestled in the Salt River Canyon which completely surrounds it. I have spent a whole day on the lake with my friend Bryan and had taken my son when he was younger. There is a nice restaurant there with a patio overlooking the lake and there is even a steamboat called the Dolly Steamboat at Canyon Lake. The steamboat takes you on a 90 minute tour or “nature cruise” all around Canyon Lake. So as much as I wanted to stick around the lake and take a lot of pictures, my plan was to get to Tortilla Flat before a big lunch crowd would make getting some shots inside the Superstition Saloon impossible. Now, I had lived in Arizona for a long time but when my bartender asked me if I was going to take in a drive of the Apache Trail, I didn’t know what to say. I had no plans to, never had done it before and had a lot of time after photographing the saloon and decided why not? She told me that the paved road would end soon and I asked if it was wise for me to drive the trail in my little Mitsubishi Eclipse? She told me it would be no problem. I thanked her and headed out on a pretty incredible adventure. I really had no idea what I was in for or what was ahead of me but I was willing.
The Apache Trail officially begins in Apache Junction, right at the intersection of State Highway 88 and State Highway 60. Highway 88 veers left and you continue past the Superstition Mountains. What I didn’t realize was from this point I was about 45 miles from the end of Apache Trail. Once you get to Tortilla Flat, there is about 5 more miles of a 2 lane paved road. Once that ends, you are on an unpaved, one-lane road for the next 30+ miles. If you take the Apache Trail make sure you bring plenty of water and have a good vehicle because cell phone service is nonexistent. I wasn’t prepared but except for the beautiful scenery, it was pretty uneventful and relaxing. I truly believe this is one of the most scenic drives I have ever taken.

About 10 miles into the drive, you should come across Apache Gap where you have a great view of Four Peaks. Four Peaks stands at 7,000 feet and is the highest of the mountain ranges in the area. From there, you’ll start a small descent around the canyon road to Canyon Lake. When you get to the lake, there are about 5 more miles before you get to Tortilla Flat. Within 5 more miles outside of Tortilla Flat is when the road ends and the adventure begins. At this point, I drive slow and stopped often to take pictures of the spectacular views of the Apache Trail. The whole drive can take anywhere from 4-5 hours from Canyon Lake to Roosevelt, the end of Apache Trail.

I had a beautiful day, although the temps were at 108 degrees, I felt good. The scenery gets you right down to your soul. There had been some clouds due to the monsoon season (this area only gets an average of 2 weeks of rain a year) and because of it, I got some great shots. I was by myself but it really didn’t matter, I had plenty of scenery to keep me company.
At about 10 miles outside of Tortilla Flat, I came across a new rest stop with some walking trails to view out over the canyon. From there, the drive onward became very exciting as I drove down the canyon dropping around 1,500 feet within 3 miles! Apache Lake is about 6 miles from this point and it is awesome! I had never been to Apache Lake and after seeing this beautiful body of water in the middle of the desert made me wish I had. It was amazing to say the least and the next time I go, I think I will do something I am not too fond of and camp! It was a relaxing stop and a very busy area. You would be amazed at the size of the trucks carrying huge boats to put in the lake and how they make it around these canyon roads. I was having a hard enough time with the Mitsubishi!

At this point you are about 18 miles from Roosevelt Dam.

Right here I was very close to Roosevelt Dam and almost to the end of the Apache Trail. After traveling 35 miles in a matter of 4 hours, I felt that there couldn’t be anything more spectacular than what I had just seen. But I was wrong. Coming up on Roosevelt Dam was cool. The Dam is massive since it supplies water to the lakes and if you research what it took to build the dam, it is impressive. What was great about this was the man-made lake, Roosevelt Lake. It’s funny because you don’t expect to see this much water in the desert. Beautiful views and it just looked like a great place to go and jet ski, picnic and just have a great time. If you have any time at all and you are visiting the Phoenix area, I urge you to take the time to drive Apache Trail. You won’t be disappointed especially if you have never had a chance to experience the desert. I am glad I listened to the bartender at Superstition Saloon because she was right on about this trip!


Shots of Roosevelt Dam.
Standing on Roosevelt Dam looking out over Roosevelt Lake.

Tortilla Flat and the Apache Trail

I was planning on talking about Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog and Black Canyon Brewing Company located in Cave Creek. As I was about to finish up, I looked at their web page to see if there was anything new to report and yes there is. Crazy Ed's is closed and are moving to a new location in Cave Creek. It didn't make sense to do a story right now on Crazy Ed's until I can talk to the owner and revisit the new location. To read more, check out their web page at:

http://www.satisfiedfrog.com/

So, my next trip was to visit a place in Tortilla Flat called Superstition Saloon. I had been there a couple years earlier when my son' and daughter-in-law went on a boating trip on Canyon Lake with the Hippie. After tubing and swimming, the Hippie asked us if we wanted to grab some lunch at Dollar Bill's? Now, I have lived in Arizona most of my life and I had never heard of Dollar Bill's. So I said sure. We pulled the boat out of the water and drove a little further up Route 88 and came upon this little tiny town called Tortilla Flat. We are walking toward the Superstition Saloon when I ask Brian where Dollar Bill’s was. He pointed at the Superstition Saloon and said, “That’s it.” I said, “It says Superstition Saloon, where is Dollar Bill’s?” We walk into the Superstition Saloon and the first thing I noticed was that the walls inside the saloon were covered with dollar bills. All the money is signed by the patrons who left them or sent them. There is currency hanging on the walls from all over the world.

Going back to the Superstition Saloon a little more than two years later, nothing much has changed. The dollar bills were still all over the walls and the beer was still cold. I had a Rattlesnake beer and talked with the bartender. She urged me to continue driving east on Route 88 and drive the Apache Trail. She told me that I would get some awesome pictures of the desert. I had a great opportunity when I got back home to talk with Lois Sanders. She is Tortilla Flats’ historian and has written a book and articles about the history of Tortilla Flat and the Saloon. We had a very nice conversation about how the saloon came to be and how this town seems to come back after both a major flood and fire.

Ms. Sanders explained the dollar bills on the wall for me. It all started years ago when prospectors, ranchers and other who worked on the Salt River Dams would pin their card with a dollar bill to the wall behind the bar. That started the tradition which is very much alive today. There was a fire in 1987 that destroyed the saloon as well as all of the dollar bills which hung on the wall. It was rebuilt by 1988 and when people around the world had heard of the fire, many sent a bill to post on the walls. Leaving the bills on the walls makes people feel like they are a part of the nostalgia of the saloon and as you can see have successfully filled these walls with dollar bills. The saloon has no idea how much money is upon these walls but do know that there is currency from 67 countries. None of the bills are removed. If you visit and would like to have a dollar bill and business card pinned to the wall, just let the waiter or waitress know. They will put it up for you. Because of space, they need to use a ladder now because the bills have covered almost every square inch of the place.

In 1904, Tortilla Flat was nothing more than a stage stop from the valley to Roosevelt Dam being built at the time and was a stop for freight haulers, which is when most historians believe it got its start. It is called “The friendliest little town in Arizona.” It has a population of 6, and that is its current population. That’s it folks only 6 people, making it Arizona’s smallest official “community” that not only has a U.S. Post Office but is also considered a voter’s precinct. There is so much history about this tiny little town and I urge you, if you are interested to pick up Lois Sanders’ book and read more about the extensive history on the web. From 1904 and beyond, Tortilla Flat was a stop for construction workers and freight haulers making there way up to the Roosevelt Dam construction site. There is a one lane dirt road that leads to Roosevelt Dam still today.

There are a couple of theories of how Tortilla Flat got its’ name. One is that Mr. John Cline, a Tonto Basin pioneer in a conversation with Postmaster Russell Perkins, was traveling with some people from Phoenix for some supplies when a flash flood stranded them in that flat area of the desert. According to Mr. Cline, they ran out of food and were left with only flour. The men made tortillas with the flour for food to which Mr. Cline named the flat Tortilla Flat. Now although that sounds like a good story, another version according to Connie Phelps who co-owned Tortilla Flat from 1948-1950 had a conversation with Mr. Cline when Mr. Cline was 95 years old. In that conversation, he explained to her what had actually transpired and would lead him to the name Tortilla Flat. Mr. Cline and his cowboys led the cattle into Phoenix and sold them. They decided to celebrate and drank too much. When they got back to the flat, they realized that they had not purchased any supplies while celebrating their sale of cattle and had only flour to use. This is what led Mr. Cline to name the flat Tortilla Flat. It is a great little stop on the way to Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake if you decide to take the Apache Trail. More on the Apache Trail in the next entry.

Arizona Pt. 2

Before I get too far ahead of myself, before I went out and hit the bars and breweries in Arizona, the Hippie and I took a drive to one of the Hippies favorite spots. West Clear Creek in the Coconino National Forest. He told me that the hike down the canyon was a difficult hike but I thought I would be up for the experience. We got up early on a hot Arizona day September 2, 2007, loaded up a cooler with a lunch Desiree packed for us and went to the store to buy some ice and Gatorade. It was approximately a 2 hour drive northeast from where the Hippie lives so on the drive up we had a chance to catch up. When we arrived at the area where West Clear Creek was, The Hippie and I got a little turned around on the directions and it took us a couple hours to find it. No problem, the area was beautiful.

We finally arrived at West Clear Creek, ate our lunch and packed a few Gatorades in a backpack. I took my camera and we set off for the hike down the mountain. Right away I was skeptical. I wasn't in the best shape and my knee was killing me but we started down the mountain anyway. To read more about West Clear Creek, check out this link, http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/west_clear_creek/canyon.html
It is rated a very difficult hike and I made it about half-way down the side of the mountain when I told the Hippie that I could probably make it down there, but it would take a helicopter to bring me out! My knee was screaming! So, I gave the Hippie my camera and he took some really great pictures of the creek when he got to the bottom. I stayed put and sat on a small stool on the edge of a small cliff, waiting for him while a storm loomed heavy overhead. If you have never heard thunder while in a canyon, it is loud and erie! Here are some of the pictures the Hippie took of West Clear Creek.

The Hippie (Bryan Dunn). Thanks for the great shots!

After leaving West Clear Creek, we decided to visit Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde, AZ. It was only 20 miles away and we figured it would be worth it. It was cooler there than in Phoenix so we headed off for Camp Verde. Another historic and awesome site to see when visiting Arizona! I won't elaborate on the castle, everything you would want to know can be found here at http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/montezuma_castle/national_monument.html
Here are some of the pictures I took while we were there.

On our way back to Phoenix, I saw a sign for Cave Creek, AZ and remembered that there was a micro brewery there called Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog and Black Mountain Brewery. I planned on going there September 6th. This book is designed to tie in both the bars and taverns as well as the area they are in. More on Crazy Ed's and others in the next update.

Arizona

In August of 2007, I packed my car and set off to Phoenix Arizona. I was looking forward to this trip a long tome now and it was finally here. I was planning on staying out west for a few months so I had a lot to accomplish in a short period of time. Now, I had lived all over the Valley of the Sun from Apache Junction to Ahwatukee for most of my adult life. I have 3 best friends there today who really want me to move back. When they found out that I was coming to Arizona to do this, they were more than happy to take me in. I arrived in Phoenix the day after I left Ohio and stayed with my friend Bryan Dunn and his fiance Desiree in a town just west of Phoenix called Buckeye. They opened their home to me to which I appreciate more than they will ever know. It felt good to be back in the desert again, I actually prefer to live there. But I was there on a mission to go to all of my favorite bars, my old hangouts and watering holes! Bryan, or the Hippie as we affectionately call him, was looking forward to my project. I don't know who was more excited, him or me?! The other thing I was looking forward to was taking in some outdoor photography. Arizona is a photographers canvas! It is an absolutely beautiful state and diverse in every way. From desert to tall pines, sunshine to snow and mountains everywhere. Lakes, rivers, dams and one of the worlds' largest municipal park, South Mountain Park which is just south of Phoenix and covers 16,500 acres. All of this makes Arizona so wonderful to photograph. Another friend, Dallas Horn suggested that I go to Prescott Arizona and visit Whiskey Row. With that, I began to plan out my journey.

It began very simply. I decided to go to the local grocery store and see what the local microbreweries were distributing. One local beer stood out and it has a brewpub! It is Four Peaks Brewing Company in Tempe Arizona. The store carried Four Peaks Kilt Lifter and 8th Street Pale Ale. I bought both beers and thought that these were some of the best beers I have had since I got to Arizona. I figured that this was going to be my first stop. Since it is one the east side of town, I thought I would stay at my best friend of almost 30 years, Ed Fritz. First things first. I had to stop at Four Peaks Brewing Company. When I got to the brewpub, I was impressed right from the start. The building the brewery is housed in used to be a warehouse where a creamery sold both milk and ice to people in the neighborhood. It's original construction built in 1892, is made of red brick and is built in the classic mission style. I couldn't wait to get inside and see the rest.

Four Peaks Brewing Company, Tempe, Arizona

I was greeted at the gate and taken to the bar inside the brewery. I asked if I could take some pictures for the book and it was no problem. I ordered a Four Peaks Hop Knot IPA. Since I am a huge IPA (India Pale Ale) fan, I was very pleased with this brew. As expected, it was a perfect IPA. A lot of hops and a strong malt flavor. Th copper color made this beer an immediate favorite of mine. It's strong 6% alcohol presence was a welcome as well as its' dry finish. I then went on to the next beer, the Raj IPA. The Raj is more generous with he hops, and the bitterness was a fine accompaniment to this beer. Even with an alcohol content of 7%, it is a very drinkable beer.

Four peaks offered a cask conditioned ale which was drawn from a beer engine. Fantastic! I won't elaborate more. When you find yourself in Tempe, definitely check out Four Peaks Brewing Company.

Four Peaks Brewery

I could have spent the whole afternoon there but I was alone and driving! This is only the start of my Arizona trip. More on my Arizona trip to follow!!

The Beginning

When I began the process of writing this book last year, I had no idea where to begin. I have learned a lot between now and then. It was suggested that I start a blog on the subject to see if there is any interest out there. After retiring from the federal government in 2006, I had way too much time on my hands. I wanted to do something that was interesting and informative at the same time while having fun in the process. I loved photography, but really didn't have the time to really explore the interest. The first thing I did was buy an expensive, professional DSLR camera and I went out and took pictures, mostly of landscape and my son's baseball games.

I had an idea early in 2007 to write about my favorite bars and taverns. Since my wife and I traveled the country a lot with her job, I have been to a number of really cool bars, some dives and others that had rich histories that dated back to the late 1800's. So with camera in tow, I began my tour of bars and taverns in Arizona in August-October 2007. The intention was to write a book about my favorite bars, which totaled about 25 at the time, in Arizona, Colorado and Ohio (Where I currently live).

The first bar I visited in Arizona led me down a path that would soon lead this project way out of control. You see, as I was taking pictures in the first establishment someone came up to me and asked if I was doing a story about the bar for the paper or a magazine? When I told him I was writing a book about my favorite bars and taverns his eyes lit up and said what a great idea it was and if I like the place I was photographing, he had more suggestions for me. It was like this at every place I went to! Before I knew it, my list of 25 had grown to over 40 in less than 2 weeks of starting out on this journey. I now have over 80 bars, taverns, pubs, saloons, micro pubs and microbreweries under my belt with literally an endless number to do!

In future entries, I will include a sample chapter and share photographs of some of the most interesting bars. I think what I am trying to do here is to get people to start thinking back to a time when the corner bar or tavern was a meeting place, your place. A place where no one judged you and you can have friendly and sometimes not so friendly discussions with friends or other patrons in the bar. As I point out in the book, bars should not be looked at as just drinking places but as an American institution full of memories, history, laughter, love and even sorrow. We have toasted happy events in bars and have also drowned our sorrows. Bars are the embodiment of Americana and I hope you all think so as well.

I will end this post for now with two things to note.

• The picture of me in my profile was taken at the Royal Oaks in Youngstown, Ohio. At least 6 generations of my family have drank in that bar and it holds a lot of memories for me.
• The working title of the book is: On and Off the Beaten Path. The Hitchhikers Guide to Bars, Taverns, Pubs, Saloons, Micro Pubs and Micro Breweries in America.