Mar. 29, 2011
On Feb. 10, the Pony Express, the precursor to today’s iPhone, had a celebration ride of 160 km (100 miles) right through the center of Fountain Hills where part of the original route was when stamps were … well … cheap. Six riders were dressed in full gear with chaps and mail satchels on horses that were having more fun than the riders. The riders and horses alike leaned into their destination without realizing the crowd was even present. They didn’t seem to notice the media and digital cameras; it was as if they had come through a portal from the past. Or had we gone through a portal to the past? With the famous 500 foot plus water fountain in the background and a Thursday open-air market to the side, it was a sight.
Two weeks later, the same avenue, closed to traffic, saw an artists’ fair to beat them all. Over 500 white canvas booths had the place looking like a mushroom farm on steroids. From paintings to plants, beads to beer, hammocks to hats…it was all here. Three days saw thousands come from everywhere to see artists from all over the United States. The second night saw a major windstorm come through and cause the most damage to the booths ever seen. The same storm saw tanking temperatures, snow flurries here and snow on the local mountains. But the next morning everything was up and running like nothing had ever happened. Amazing what you can do when your livelihood is on the line.
In early March two good friends, Rob and Val from Ontario (part-timers in Canmore) spent a week with us. They had heard we had too much wine and were here to help resolve the issue…or so they said. We didn’t have too much wine but they did help resolve the issue!! The four of us visited the Phoenix Botanical Gardens, an amazing collection of area plants all on 145 acres. During one visit we managed to see about half. An incredible array of cactus and all things picky! A must see for anyone visiting the area.
Soon after, friends from Vernon, British Columbia, who were staying nearby, came over for a day to visit Fountain Hills. Greg and Dorothy found it every bit as amazing as we do.
We’ve mentioned the fountain here. For St. Patrick’s day, a boat-load of colouring was added to turn it into the greenest fountain on the planet. Made it look like one huge 500 foot broccoli.
With only a few days left to our stay in this magical place, the temperatures are in the mid to high 20C with a light breeze and sunny skies each and every day…hard to take.
But soon we head north to cold, snow and cloud much to the delight of Rob and Val who have been sending us almost daily “Reality Check” updates as to what we should do to prepare ourselves for the inevitable such as…“find mukluks, find shovel, take ice cold shower, stick head in freezer” while adding the week’s weather forecast for Canmore…all to oh-so-kindly prepare us for our return to Canmore. Ain’t friends great?
So what has this past winter been like for us here in Fountain Hills, Arizona? Nothing short of magic! The weather with warm, sunny, cloudless skies…the scenery of mountains and cactus, scrub brush and sand…the quietness of the town with easy and quick access within twenty minutes of a major city…the riding areas both road and backcountry…and mainly, the people. This is a friendly, laid-back place and it came across in the people we met and became friends with, some close. Hats off to Harlan and Donna, bike shop extraordinaire…Caitlan, the give-it-and-take-it iced coffee specialist…Bill and Anna, side-car motorcyclists…Catherine and Richard (with Majya, the coolest dog around) comedians all…Roger and Rose, neatest of neighbours…Cindy and Bruiser (provider of and consumer of whipped cream)…and especially Darv and Caroline, the best of the best.
Long live Starbucks!!!
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