Sedona Trip Oct 2009

Sedona Vacation Oct. 17-24 2009

Jean Brennecke, Judy Amiguet, Vi Page and I went on a one week trip to Sedona Arizona to golf, and do some sightseeing etc.

Saturday Oct 17.

I left my house about 9:15 am and headed to Jean and Judy’s house in Chino Hills where I would leave my car for the week we would be gone. We packed all our stuff into Jeans Lexus and headed to pick up Vi at her house. We were on the road around 10 am. We took the 60 fwy to the 10 fwy heading east, stopping for lunch just east of Blythe at a Wendy’s. Enjoyed our simple lunch and continued east on the 10 and then north on the 60 in Arizona which took us through Prescott viewing beautiful mountains and lovely scenery along the way to Sedona.

We arrived at our destination, The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort, late afternoon. This is a Timeshare that Jean and Judy arranged. Our condo is two nice bedrooms 2 large bathrooms a full kitchen and a mini kitchen in the second bedroom which is called a lockout unit. That means it can be rented out as a one bedroom or connected to the other unit as a two bedroom. We unpacked and had a nice light meal of roast pork topped with cheese on whole wheat buns and a salad provided by Vi. We watched some TV and went to bed around 10pm.

Sunday Oct 18.

I got up rather early and went down to the gym at the Resort for about an hour. After cleaning up and having a little breakfast we all went to a local art show and walked around the shops in the center. There is a Visitor Center in many of the shopping areas. At this particular Center Vi and Judy signed up for a Time Share presentation that offered us all a round of free golf at Verde Santa Fe in Cornville just a few miles away, a value of $280.00. Not bad for a couple of hours hearing all about Time Shares, they actually enjoyed it. Next stop was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. A Catholic Church built in a rock by Frank Lloyd Wright. We then headed for Pine Shadows for a ½ price and very good lunch using the coupon we received from the Visitor Center. After lunch it was time for Vi and Judy to hear the presentation at Pine Shadows. While they enjoyed the presentation Jean and I went to Safeway just down the road for some groceries. Before we went to the market we decided to go to the airport to check out the restaurant as we heard it was a nice place to eat and watch the beautiful sunset. We weren’t that impressed by the airport menu so we didn’t go back. After getting all the groceries we didn’t have time to go back to the Condo and put them away before it was time to get Vi and Judy from the presentation, so we headed back to Pine Shadows. We waited approx 30 minutes or so before they were finished. We started to get a little worried because we had ice cream that would soon melt. While waiting for them, Jean and I sat on the patio at Pine Shadows overlooking a miniature golf course and had an interesting conversation with a man who lives in Cornville, for the last 7 years. He and his family moved here from eastern Canada.

After getting back to the Condo with slightly soft ice cream, we put all the groceries away and Jean prepared a delicious Tri Tip dinner. We played cards (hand and foot) and then went to bed. Vi slept in the lock out bedroom, I slept in the living room and Judy and Jean shared the Master bedroom.

Monday Oct 19.

Our tee time at Verde Santa Fe in Cornville was at 10 am.

This was the free golf that Judy and Vi so graciously spent over 2 hours getting for us. We checked in and were ready to go as scheduled. This was very much a desert course, no bunkers and no trees, but a lot of desert. We had a lot of fun and after golf we met two very nice people in the parking lot who directed us to a very fine place to eat our early dinner meal at the Tavern Grill in Cottonwood. It was all they told us as we enjoyed the meal very much. We came back to our Condo for the ball game and a night of hand and foot.

Tuesday, Oct 20.

After breakfast we stopped at Canyon Mesa a 9 hole 3 and 4 par golf course and then at Oak Creek Country Club, a very nice 18 hole golf course, to see where we wanted to play on Friday. We didn’t make our decision at that time but later we decided to go to the Canyon Mesa golf course.

We then went into the downtown Sedona area to a very fine art gallery where you can only take pictures from outside, which I took one inside and got scolded for, the rest I took outside. Great place to visit, with very expensive art work, a lot of bronze sculptures, see pictures. Judy and Jean went on to lunch at Shugure, located across the street from the art gallery to eat with a friend they haven’t seen in 45 years. Vi and I went to Tlaquepaque, a few blocks away, a place with many art galleries in one location, plus many very nice eateries. After exhausting ourselves looking at all the galleries and shops we went into a fine Mexican restaurant and had great lunch and a nice conversation with a man who eats at the restaurant about two times a week. Jean and Judy picked us up and we went to see a place at Oak Creek where you can rent a cabin right on the creek. There is a very nice and expensive restaurant with inside seating which is very formal or outside seating overlooking the creek. After touring the area we headed to another place Jean and Judy had been to before where you could hike from up high down a path and view the creek from a different angle. It was quite a steep walk down the path with a rail to hold on to once we got down the rock steps. At one point Jean slipped between two rocks and Vi and I thought she might be leaving us for good. Just kidding. Back on the I 17 toward our Resort, we stopped at the Thrift Store along the road and did some shopping. We decided to go to the Cliff Castle Casino about 15 miles south of our resort. We played for a while and then back home we watched the ball game, had dinner, Chicken with spaghetti squash and a game of hand and foot etc. Very nice day.

Wednesday, Oct 21

Had a great breakfast prepared by Jean with help from all. Golfed at the resort costing us $105.00 each, but it was worth it. If we played there again it would have been less expensive. They give a discount for the second and third round. Very challenging. They have a very nice pro shop, with lots of great head covers and I found a pair golf sandals I liked very much but the cost was $99.00 and they offered 20% off I think they are GolfStream. Went food shopping again. Had a light snack and watched the Dodgers lose to the Phillies. Vi fixed burritos, played cards and had a great evening.

Thursday, Oct 22. The week is going by too quickly and Jean was leaving for Texas to see her grandson graduate from the police academy. She was leaving from Flagstaff at 4pm so we decided to spend the day touring Flagstaff. On the way to Flagstaff we went through some mountains and saw a planned fire burn area where I was able to get a picture of the burn. Arriving in Flagstaff we to the Tourist Center at the Train Station in Flagstaff on old Route 66 and got some information. We were told the best place to eat is at Charly’s in the Weatherford Hotel. We also found this wonderful Thrift Store just across from where we parked when we first entered Flagstaff and actually did quite a bit of shopping there before we went to the downtown area just across RT66. I found a brand new pair of golf sandals for $1.00, the same ones on sale at the Pro Shop in Sedona, and a new golf shirt and some other items.

The Weatherford is a 100 year old Hotel. Cowboy author Zane Grey wrote Call of the Canyon while staying at the Weatherford. After a delicious lunch we went upstairs in the Hotel to see the Zane Grey Ballroom and took a lot of pictures. We walked around the downtown area, taking more pictures and looked around the shops. We took Jean to the Airport, said goodbye to her and headed back to Sedona taking the I 17 which took us a little out of the way but we avoided the mountain area that we came on.

Friday, Oct 23.

Our last full day in Sedona so we decided on golfing at Canyon Mesa the 9 hole 3 and 4 par course. We thought it would be easy enough to carry our golf bag and walk the course. We would play it twice doing an eclectic. Well after 8 holes Judy had enough and left Vi and I to finish our round and she went back to our Resort to rest until we finished. It turned out to be a very challenging little course with some hills to climb and narrow fairways. We dumped the eclectic idea and just played golf. We were really tired after finishing the round, I lost my 4 hybrid club and it was never turned in, and went back to the Resort to clean up before heading to the Casino one more time. We had our final dinner at the Casino Restaurant on me. Enough said about that, we headed back to start packing for our return to California tomorrow.

Saturday, Oct 24

I think we took the I 17 to the loop just outside of Phoenix and onto the 10. Once on the 10, I drove for a while giving Judy a break from driving. We stopped at a rest stop and had some delicious sandwiches that Vi prepared from the leftovers we brought home from the Casino the night before. Safe trip home. Great vacation week.

Morro Bay Trip

California Coast Trip May 2009

This is a story about a one week trip up the California Coast. It was planned by six women, I, Kathy Brocki, Jean Brennecke, Judy Amiguet, Kay Zearfoss, Betty Giannos and Vi Page. We all play golf together at El Prado Golf Course in Chino Hills California. When putting our plan together two of the women Jean Brennecke and Judy Amiguet have a good friend, Scott and Anne, from their teaching years in our local area that has a future retirement home in Morro Bay. This friend offered his home to us for a week, free of charge. Jean and Judy have a condo on a golf course in Indio California that they offered in exchange. Our plan was taking shape and we set the date, May 3^rd thru May 9^th.

Now that we had a place to stay we needed to make some golf and sightseeing plans. We have a friend who lives in Morro Bay that used to play at El Prado a few years back, Pat Garmon, who we called to help us decide which golf courses we should play. We thought three or four golf days would be good and that would leave a few days to do some sightseeing. Each of us decided to have a dinner night that we would partner and prepare a meal so we would not have to eat all our meals out.

Once all our plans were in order and the day had arrived to leave on our trip. We were on our way heading up the coast in two cars, Jean’s Lexus and Betty’s Cadillac. Kay and Judy road with Betty and Vi, Jean and I were in Jean’s car. We kept in contact along the way by cell phone. About 11:00 AM we started talking about where we wanted to eat lunch. In our car we wanted Anderson’s Pea Soup, but the girls in the other car didn’t. Well, we ended up in a Costco eating hot dogs, pizza and turkey wraps. While in Costco we bought two cooked chickens for Betty’s dinner night.

Upon our arrival in Morro Bay, we unpacked and selected our sleeping arrangements.

The home is a lovely single story 3 bed 2 bath two blocks from the beach and approx 1 ½ mi from the famous Morro Bay Rock. Scott and Anne bought the house a few years ago and have completely remodeled it. It is very light and bright with an ocean theme.

After we got all situated Kay, Vi and I went for a walk to the beach. A rather long walk on the sand to the water (low tide). We walked for awhile and Vi and Kay wanted to continue and I decided to go back to the house. There were very few people on the beach. We saw some people riding horses on the sand very close to the water. About a hour later Kay and Vi called and wanted to be picked up at Spencer’s Market on Main St. about ½ mi from the house. They talked about the walk and Vi said she has never walked so far in her life.

A friend of ours, Pat Garmon, as I mentioned before, who was a member of El Prado several years ago and now lives in Morro Bay, made all our golf reservations for the week. Pat came over for dinner on our first night. It was Vi’s night for dinner and she prepared a delightful Chinese Chicken Salad and homemade egg rolls.

We cleaned the kitchen up and played Texas Hold’em after failing at Tripoly. Baths and Showers were taken and we headed for bed between 10 and 11 PM.

On Monday morning we were all up fed and out the door by 7:45 AM for our 1^st round of golf at Dairy Creek in San Louis Obispo. It is a beautiful links like course surrounded by rolling hills. We were fascinated by all the Wild Turkeys who felt quite at home on the fairways. Just for the record our scores were Vi 99, Jean 106, Kay 110, Betty 125, Judy 105, Pat 104 and Kathy 115.

Back at the house we cleaned up and went to dinner at a place Pat recommended called the Galley on the Embarcardo which is very close to the “Rock”. Pat was unable to join us but she told the restaurant to treat us good and they did. Before dinner we walked around the shops and some bought gifts and souvenirs. Once back at the house we played cards and laughed a lot about our days adventures.

On Tuesday morning we were up ate and out the door about the same time as yesterday. We headed for our 2^nd round of golf at Avila Resort in Avila Beach, very near Los Osos. This course is much different than Dairy Creek as it is right on the beach with a few holes with ocean views. Very green with lots of trees and several holes that you must hit over water. Same slope rating 121 as Dairy Creek. For the record our scores were Kathy 97, Vi 115, Judy 112, Kay 137, Jean 112, Betty 123 and Pat 110.

After golf we came back to the house to clean up and then go meet Pat and her daughter Jill at La Palapas Mexican Restaurant in Los Osos for Cinch de Mayo. The restaurant was quite empty when we arrived but shortly filled up. Had a great time and again we laughed a lot.

Arrived back at the house about 8:30 or 9:00 pm a little worn out from all the activity we had so we got ready for bed. Kay and Betty watched TV NCIS and Jean watched the Dodgers win their 12^th straight game. Judy, Vi and I played a card game called GOLF and after the ball game Jean joined us.

On Wednesday we took our time getting ready as we had no golf planned for today. Taking two cars again as always, Jeans and Betty’s we headed up the coast to see the Elephant Seals in a viewing point at the ocean a few miles north of San Simeon and Hearst Castle. This was fantastic to see and we took lots of pictures. There was a Docent there and we went over to listen to her talk about the seals. She gave us a lot of info about the females, males and pups. There was this sea gull posing for me so I took a picture and it turned out so good that I might want to enter it in the Orange District Fine Art Contest next spring.

Driving farther up the coast we stopped at Ragged Point. There is an Inn, restaurant, gift shop and beautiful gardens. There is a walking trail that takes you out to the edge of the point with awesome views of the ocean. I took several pictures. From here we headed back down the coast thinking about where we wanted to have lunch. We went into the small town of Cambria and found this wonderful restaurant, Linns, where we all had about the best meal of our whole trip. Jean needed to mail some important papers and the Post Office was just across the street and a few of us went and bought some Forever Stamps as postage was to go up on the 11^th, so we took care of some business while in Cambria. Our waiter Aaron, at Linns was very nice and told us of some Wineries’ he thought we would enjoy. So now we were off to do some Wine Tasting. We ended up only visiting two Wineries’, Denner and Meridian. Denner was way too expensive and Meridian was very reasonable. The drive from Denner to Meridian took us about half way to Bakersfield. The views at Meridian were very nice and we enjoyed ourselves. We didn’t know the best way to get back to Morro Bay so we called Pat who directed us to the Hwy and it was a simple ride back.

Betty and Judy prepared us a Chicken and Pasta dinner with a delicious salad that I think all came from Costco. Some of us played cards again and that night the Dodgers broke the record by winning 13 games in a row.

Thursday tee time was not until 11:00 am so we took our time getting ready. Judy left very early to go get her vest she left at Avila on Tuesday. It was kind of cold and foggy this day and remained so for most of the day. We still enjoyed playing Morro Bay. Saw a Turkey family with little ones but didn’t get a picture because they went into the forest before I could get my camera ready. Back home it was Jean and my turn to prepare dinner. We were doing spaghetti and meatballs with a salad and garlic bread. Jean had cooked the meatballs in the morning and this made it so easy to get everything together. Some rested and some went for a walk as we had a few hours before dinner so Jean and Judy called Pat Garmon’s sister, Barbara, who lives just a few blocks away but across the Hwy who is a watercolor artist and had a Gallery in San Clemente. She moved to Morro Bay as she was having eye problems and was declared legally blind and to be near her family. She was home so they went to visit her and were so excited about their visit with her that they came back to get Vi and me to go meet her and see some of her art work. I took a picture of her kitchen cabinets in which she painted the front to show what was inside. It was so good that Vi thought she used prints and varnished over them. Her website is www.barbaralappwatercolors.com just for the record.

We came back and prepared dinner which was delightful.
I made a tee time at Morro Bay for Friday because we enjoyed it so much and because the weather was predicted to be sunny and warm for Friday.