Flagstaff Revisited

We found cooler temperatures at the higher elevations of Flagstaff, Arizona.  At 6910 feet above sea level, our daytime temps were registering around 78-85 degrees most days and nighttime temps around 60 degrees.  Some days were sunny and some days the thunderstorms began around noon and really cooled off the rest of the day.  We spend most of our time here reading and resting.  We made a few day trips but mostly stayed around camp this time.

Here are a few photos made through the windshield of the Jeep on a quick trip south to Sedona. 

We spent a nice afternoon walking through the Museum of Northern Arizona.  
Among the many informative displays, I found the Native American pottery and jewelry exhibits the best.  They showed excellent examples and explained what details distinguished each tribes' work. It was a great learning experience for me because now I can better identify the difference between between Hopi, Navajo and Zuni artwork.  I should have taken more photos, but I was busy learning..

The facade of the rock building didn't look like a museum at all..more like a home or abode.

This is a photo of the museum's courtyard.  It was full of native plants and it's shady spots were very inviting.

This is Wild Bergamot, a member of the mint family.

This is a fragment of a painted mural found in an abandoned Hopi Village in the 1930's.  It is estimated to be over 500 years old.

Our visits to the Flagstaff Sunday Farmers' Market yielded lots of tasty goodies for us.

Yes, home grown Suyo cucumbers (a variety of the English cucumber).

Jams, jellies, soaps & lotions..and roasted green chilies too.

We enjoyed these food truck Lebanese wraps for lunch, hot and delicious.

And on our second visit, I enjoyed this unusual quiche dish..my first taste of squash blossoms.
Delicious!

Ronnie said his choice of these shrimp tacos was a wise one.
Delicious!

One day, we drove out to Walnut Canyon National Monument.  Unfortunately, we left too late in the day so when we arrived the afternoon was just too hot for us to make The Island Trail.
We did the 185-foot climb down (240 steps) to the trail head but what goes down..must come back up.  We had plenty of water but at 7000 feet and 90-94 degrees that day, it was rather warm.

Here you can see Ronnie making his way down those 240 steps..

No zoom lens on this walk so this is the best view/photo I could get of the north-facing Sinagua cliff home.

The Island Trail begins here and winds around a huge island-like rock center that rises up in the middle of this deep canyon.  Maybe we can come back on a cool fall day to take in this scenic hike to see the 25 cliff dwelling rooms.

More later, as we have moved 35 miles west to historic Williams, Arizona.