Arizona Wildflowers: It's So Hard to Pick a Winner!

"Arizona Wildflowers: It's So Hard to Pick a Winner!"

A Bouquet of High Desert Blooms

By Ellen Jo Roberts

 

Desert wildflowers always amaze me with the incredible beauty generated under the harshest of circumstances. Scrappy survivors, they thrive under conditions that would wilt fussier species from other regions. Spurred on by just the vaguest notion of rain, Arizona wildflowers spring forth from dry rocky soils and burst from hard-pack caliche. They sprout from stalks 12 feet in the air, they cling to impossible cliffs, decorate spikey shrubs and cacti and fill the roadsides and dry sandy washes, carpeting the high desert with color and fragrance. They provide sustenance to wild creatures, many of whom are reliant on the pollen, fruits and seeds for survival.

Colors range from the palest of whites to the hottest of reds and everywhere in between. Creamy blooms include Yucca, Sacred Datura and Prickly Poppies. An abundance of buttery gold festoons the landscape in the form of Agave, Brittlebrush, Prickly Pear and Desert Marigold. Shocking pink Penstemons sing in chorus with a fiery brigade of Ocotillo, Indian Paintbrush and Barrel Cactus blooms.

The flashier the flower, the less it needs to concern itself with sweet scent to lure pollinators. So it's often times the quietest, barely-there bloom that fills the air with intoxicating aroma: the miniature Manzanita bloom of Sedona springtime, the Cliff Rose's wee flowers filling the air with fragrance, the high chaparral scented with the dizzying sweetness of Creosote blooms and fuzzy Mesquite flowers attracting legions of honeybees.

My favorite Arizona wildflower? It's so hard to pick a favorite! (Pun intended). So rather than choose, I thought I'd share with you a bouquet of the best...

Prairie Sunflowers (Helianthus petiolaris): Flagstaff in late summer as well as other alpine regions like Mingus Mountain near Jerome and Prescott are full of the tall golden blooms swaying in the breeze along highways and throughout open prairies.

 

Penstemon: Seen in red (Firecracker, Penstemon eatonii) and hot pink (Parry's, Penstemon parryi) varieties, these prairie plants thrive throughout the dry, sunny west and are frequently seen punctuating roadsides and railroad tracks. Their flowers growing clustered on a stalk are shaped like tiny trumpets, in colors that seem electric and almost unreal. A hummingbird favorite. 

Globemallow (Sphaeralacea ambigua): This is my husband's favorite. Any time a volunteer takes root in our Clarkdale yard he cultivates it, waters it, shields it from the weed-whacker. Globular orange blooms dance above handsome gray-green foliage. The whole plant is a beauty, and blooms throughout the summer. It's also a relative to Chocolate, so what's not to love?

 

 

 

 

 Desert Marigold (Bailyea multiradiata): For many Arizonans this cousin of the Aster is a beloved favorite. There is something slightly space age about its look, like a 1950s drawing of flowers, their blossoms hovering high above its low-growing foliage like bright yellow flying saucers.

 

Saguaro (Carnergiea gigantea): Around Memorial Day each year, the stately Saguaro bursts forth with clusters of thick white petals cresting each arm like crowns. Later the flowers develop into tart red fruits that once provided a staple of the Tohono O'Odham tribe's diet, harvested prior to monsoon season's midsummer start.

Prickly Pear (Genus opuntia): Speaking of tart cactus fruits, the prickly pear's golden flowers of springtime turn into the purple "tunas" of summer. The fruit is a great source of nourishment to Arizona wildlife, though humans also have cultivated a fondness. Most of the time the prickly pear tunas are commercially packaged as jams and syrups, but you can eat a ripe one right off the cactus...if you proceed with caution! A nickel's edge rubbed on the exterior can remove those pesky little needles.

Ocotillo (Fouqueria splendens): Much of the year Ocotillo can look like a spikey bundle of dry sticks, or like a forest of TV antennae sprouting out every-which-way. It conserves its energy until there is sufficient rainfall to spur on a growth of tiny tear-drop shaped leaves. Then, when the moment is right, the top of each skinny branch is decorated with a bright, red-orange lipstick-looking cluster of flowers. It's the craziest of desert plants, really, and very special to catch in bloom. If precipitation is sufficient it can leaf out and bloom nearly any time of year.

 

Sacred Datura (Datura Metaloides): Also known as Jimsonweed, this flower has been immortalized in the southwestern paintings of artist Georgia O'Keefe. It's related to the tomato, but also to the other, toxic, members of the Nightshade family. Though every part of this large bushy plant is poisonous if ingested, it's safe to enjoy views of its huge, trumpet-like flowers, open during the cool of night and closed in the heat of day.

 

Yucca: There are two common varieties of wild yucca in Northern Arizona; one grows low and is known as "Banana Yucca"(Yucca Buccata) for the green banana-shaped fruits it produces, and the other, more slender variety is called "Soapgrass" (Yucca Elata). This more delicate yucca actually has its own Arizona subspecies, Verdiensis, and it is one of my most favorite wild blooms of the state. Every May, Yucca flowers sprout up like sentinels throughout rocky high desert hills and valleys, waxy white blooms on a reedy stalk. A favorite of hummingbirds, moths and other desert pollinators, as well as shutterbugs like me. I am a sucker for yucca.

 

 Agave (Agavi americana): Cousin to Yucca, Agave is also related to California’s Joshua Tree. Seeing an agave bloom is very special, because you're actually seeing the end of the plant's long life. Its entire existence is dedicated to this final goal-- the raising of its towering stalk and flower buds.Legend has it you can actually hear the stalk growing- it's said to add a foot a day! Agave is also sometimes called the "Century Plant", under the mistaken notion it took 100 years to bloom. Once in bloom, the plant is already on its way to expiring. Its sharp, thick grey-green spears of foliage grow in a circular rosette, home to a heart cultivated and roasted in the Mexican Blue Weber variety to be distilled into tequila and mescal. And though after blooming the plant soon withers into a hard husk, miniature offspring agaves may soon be seen surrounding it, growing fast and strong in the high desert.

 

 

 

 

Because of Arizona's variety of elevations and ecosystems, you make catch the same blooms in action in different locations during different times of the year, earlier in the low deserts and later in the high country. 

Enjoy the scents and sights of Arizona in bloom.

 

Vintage Car Heaven

Growing up in the rust belt of the Great Lakes, the dream for any fan of Detroit metal was to acquire a hot-rod from Arizona. That was the ideal. As we slogged through another sloppy Chicago winter, our door locks freezing and road salt covering our rust-pocked cars in a chalky coating, we imagined the dry sunny desert climes, a perfect environment to preserve vintage automobiles. Arizona is where cars go to retire, if they're lucky.

 

 

There is something nostalgic and cinematic about a cruise in a classic car. My husband drives a 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, a deep blue convertible that causes complete strangers to shriek with delight as we roll past, its 8 cylinders rumbling like a favorite song. People want to chat with you when you're in a vintage automobile. They want to reminisce about one they had that was just like it and share funny anecdotes.

Because I'm enchanted with the old school style and technology, I've been a fan of air-cooled Volkswagens my entire life. However, by the time I got my drivers license old VWs were already becoming very scarce in Illinois. I traveled as far as St. Louis to find a yellow 1973 Superbeetle in fair shape and drove it throughout college. It made it as far as Arizona on our move here 20 years ago and then promptly fell apart from excessive rust. The engine rails actually rotted clear through and every time I turned a corner the motor swung from side to side. Arizona mechanics were dumbfounded by such rust. They'd never seen anything like it! The undercarriage of the car, at one time as solid as a turtle belly, now looked like it had been attacked by an extremely cranky wolverine. Rest in peace and rust in pieces dear old Beetle. The car was sold to a junkyard in Cottonwood and the still-running engine quickly sold. I like to imagine it still powers Beetle scooting around somewhere in the Verde Valley.

Arizona's climate is excellent for preservation, though our windshield wipers always wear out faster from sun than rain. While the strong sun can be harsh to paint and rubber, the arid landscape is perfect to keep vehicles rust-free and on the road (sometimes for much longer than originally intended!) Pulling up at any red light you may be surprised by the assortment of historic machines stopped alongside you-- 1950s trucks, 1960s roadsters, 1970s muscle cars--ranging from completely original to heavily customized and all points in between. Some have even been retooled to run on alternative fuels or electricity.

A bounty of car clubs cover every region of the state. Auto shows fill the calendar each year ranging from the  local "cruiser" club weekly meeting at the drive-in diner to seasonal fund-raising street shows to more specialized groups. 

The Phoenix-based "Arizona Bus Club", comprised mainly of "Type 2" Volkswagens (better known as vans, buses, kombis, split windows, bay windows, Westies, campers) is a national powerhouse of air-cooled enthusiasm. They've hosted a "Jamboree" camp-out at Jerome's Gold King Mine every September since 1991, spending the year leading up to the event restoring some fantastic Type 2 to raffle. 

Though my Beetle died of Illinois rust, my enthusiasm for vintage Volkswagens remained very much alive and later was rewarded with another yellow VW to love, a Karmann Ghia that we've owned since 1998. We are original founding members of the "Ghostwagens" car club, based in Clarkdale/Jerome. The gang occasionally gathers up for a breakfast cruise, bocce ball and croquet in the park, a visit to the local state parks and national monuments, the Jerome Jamboree and summer floats at the Verde River. There are many group-friendly activities for car clubs to enjoy in Arizona no matter the season.

The Copperstate 1000 is an annual road rally benefiting the Phoenix Art Museum. Each springtime a parade of amazing pre-1973 automobiles tour a different 1000 miles of Arizona landscape, ranging from low deserts to high alpine. What a sight it is when these sports, racing, classic and grand touring automobiles happen to gather en masse and pass through your neighborhood. When we lived in Jerome, the Copperstate 1000 included this stretch of Historic 89A on their route that April. One afternoon as we painted our front porch we began noticing a ridiculous number of fantastic vintage cars snaking up the hill, some roadsters piloted by drivers in old-fashioned goggles with their scarves blowing in the wind. We were so dumbstruck we had to stop our chores to watch the hundreds of foreign and domestic beauties cruise past.

The famous Barrett Jackson auction is perhaps one of Arizona's biggest claims to classic car fame. Each year this giant event in Scottsdale, draws a population of handsomely preserved machines to the auction block, some very eccentric and highly collectible. Displayed in colossal circus tents, the vast collection of automobiles are presented museum-style, for admiration and perusal by thousands of attendees.

Route 66 is a mecca for car clubs from all over the U.S., staging rallies on the Mother Road, cruising the historic highway. Arizona features the most abundant surviving contiguous stretches of this legendary pavement. Overseas visitors have come to expect sight of antique American cars along Route 66 and they are seldom disappointed. Many properties make sure to have a photogenic machine or two on hand for photo ops.
Though restored, glossed-up, candy-colored automobiles are certainly dreamy, I have a soft spot also for the sun-baked relics, each wearing their own uniquely faded patina, dings, idiosyncrasies. These cars have what you might call "character." Such beasts can be spotted randomly in the wild, parked on side streets, working on ranches, camping in the forest, patiently waiting at trailheads or ready to fill with groceries at shopping centers.

  

When I visit other parts of the country I am always surprised and disappointed the lack of vintage metal cruising the roads. Certainly, there are plenty of precious beauties kept stored in garages nationwide, pulled out for festivals and the occasional picnic. Here in Arizona folks utilize these museum pieces as their daily drivers! The weather is perfect year-round for a classic car cruise.

You may see us in one of our old cars at the next intersection. Be sure to wave and give us a thumbs- up!

 

If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pittsburgh?

Originally published Dec. 2008:

If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the Pittsburgh?

The Outs
December 2008
Ellen Jo Roberts
 The Noise

“Vivid dreams and restless sleep in Pittsburgh. Covers too heavy, room too hot, toss and turn, calves aching from flat hike in flat Chuck Taylors, snow, rain in face, tired, eyes wild, up too late watching crime dramas and cop stories.” –notebook jottings.

One can be certain your jet is bound for Pittsburgh when you take stock of the passengers around you. You’ll notice the abundance of Steelers team logos, from jerseys, to caps, to tie tacks and cufflinks. Even the tiniest tot is decked in Steelers gear. It’s the one thing that unifies those folk from western Pennsylvania, as varied as their ethnicities may be. I rolled into downtown “Pix-berg”, as the locals call it, just as a Steelers game was about to kick off. The streets were clogged with Steelers fans like cholesterol clogs arteries. Gold and black garb as far as the eye could see, flooding towards Heinz Field.

Pixberg was not for me, my friend! Normally I can wear a city like a new outfit and pretend I live there, but Pixberg never quite fit-- it was a bit stiff in the shoulders, not to mention frickin’ freezing. The daily subfreezing weather and occasional blizzards in my face were, at first, amusing, as it was so different from the sunny Arizona autumn I’d left behind. It was a fresh blast, a jolt to the senses. However, after a few days of my sunglasses languishing untouched in my suitcase I started to feel the lack of Vitamin D. Pixberg chewed me up and spit me out!  Ach-tooey!

Fer reals, this city was quite interesting, in a post-industrial/picturesquely hilly sorta way--- lots of old architecture, handsome neighborhoods, and interesting locals. People there are real salt of the earth types, nothing fancy, not putting on airs-- just real honest-to-God rough-hewn citizens. In Pittsburgh everyone swears quite casually-- they drop the F bomb as often as we might say "and", or "the". They use it as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. Also, everyone smokes. 

My friend Lisa used to live in Pittsburgh back in its depressingly dirty 1970s, and has no fond memories of it. She says everyone smoked there because the air was already so bad it didn’t matter.  

 Modern Pittsburgh, 2008, is cleaner, livelier, and down right spiffy in certain areas. Once known as home to numerous smog spewing steel factories, coal mines, Westinghouse Appliances, and many freight rails, most of the heavy manufacturing has left the area, leaving behind cleaner, greener industry like regional office headquarters, universities, and retail businesses. Pittsburgh, once the butt of environmental jokes, is now home to the nation’s first “green” convention center. Big names like Carnegie and Heinz still carry much weight, culturally, with universities, museums, and investments into the city’s aged infrastructure. The Heinz corporate headquarters are still located in Pittsburgh, and the Heinz History Museum is a good primer on Pittsburgh lore. My taxi driver was from Ghana. He came to Pittsburgh because his parents went to school there. He said while most of the bad industry has left Pittsburgh, most of the same old people are still in control. “We need some new people in control”, he declares in his thick West African brogue.

Because of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers converging on the city Pittsburgh has 1,700 bridges. The number of bridges is second only to Venice, Italy! Said Lisa, "Yeah, and if you find yourself on the wrong side of one, you're screwed!!"

I was in town for a conference, for my “real job”, but was able to wander the “Golden Triangle” of downtown, solo with several cameras, to do some touring on foot during my free time. I’d arrived with a list of travel tips from Meredith Seiverd, our very own Noise Creative Director, and native child of Pennsylvania. Often times during my visit I’d think “I wonder if Meredith was ever on this same sidewalk, looking at this same view. I wonder if this is the exact spot where Meredith picked up her bad habits and tendency to use profanity?”

Another native child of Pittsburgh is Andy Warhol, born Warhola, under the sign of Leo, in August of 1928. While Warhol’s career may have been most notorious during his New York City years, Pittsburgh was where he got his start, and where he attended school, at the Carnegie Institute’s School of Art. 

 The five-story Andy Warhol Museum is a complete fascination, chock full of major artworks of significant importance, kitschy artifacts, a full library of Interview magazines, and even a few of Warhol’s multi-hued wigs and favorite Polaroid cameras. The impact Andy Warhol made on this planet, not just in the world of art but to the entire sensibility of popular culture is evident as you stroll the museum. He changed everything forever. His life was brief, dead at age 58, but his impact still reverberates through us even now. What I admire most about Warhol was his active creativity—he was always drawing, painting, printing, photographing, filming, making audio-recordings, writing letters. His documents of the eras in which he lived are invaluable resources today. 

Walking the hard cold concrete of Pittsburgh, crossing numerous bridges and 2 of the 3 rivers, one can understand how the fertile mind of Warhol sprang forth from this hilly metropolis. A place where they stuff cole-slaw into everything. Folks on the plane told me to have a “prih-manny sammich” (Primanti sandwich), a bit of regional cuisine. Apparently it’s a sandwich roll stuffed with whatever you want plus cole-slaw and fries, all in the bun. It was invented by the Primanti Brothers in the 1930s, for construction workers and truckers, so they could eat their meal one-handed. Those clever Pix-berg folk. When in Pittsburgh I drank the local brew, Iron City Beer. It was especially good after spending an entire day on airplanes, although truth be told, anything might taste good after such an ordeal.

Mister Rogers Neighborhood was actually in Pittsburgh, and Fred Rogers a local boy. Pittsburgh’s downtown is home to both the Steelers and the Pirates, with Heinz Field and PNC Park on opposite rivers. It’s also home to their “cultural district”, and abundant shopping, of the big old-timey department store variety. There are “ghost signs” everywhere, faded painted-on mementos of days long gone. All of the bridges are a sunny yellow, and magnolias bloom year round, in the form of a bit of public art by Chicago artist Tony Tasset. It fooled me, to see these big magnolia trees in bloom—I did a Looney Tunes style double-take, and may have even glanced at my watch. I had to cross the street to get a closer look. Very realistic sculptures of magnolia trees in bloom. A delightful bit of trickery brightened the otherwise gloomy weather—delighted even more to discover the work was by Ohio-native Tasset, who had been a professor of mine in the early 1990s at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines are notable symbols of the city, carting passengers from the Golden Triangle downtown, up to the neighborhood called “Mt. Washington”, or as the locals say, “Warshington”. Lore has it that this was the spot where young George Warshington first surveyed the land, laying his eyes on what was to be Pittsburgh. The Inclines have been in operation since the late 1800s, and are sort of like a combination of an elevator and a cable car, riding rail tracks up the steep hill to Mt. Washington. Price to ride is $2.00 for adults, $2.50 if you want a transfer for the ride back down. The Mount Washington neighborhood is like a movie set, the homes all vintage and tightly packed, the macadam sometimes rubbed-off to reveal cobblestone. 

Some streets are steeper than what you’d find in Jerome, Arizona—like that old joke about how you could walk off your front porch and into your neighbor’s chimney. With striking views across the Monogahela River back into downtown, the scenic splendor was short-lived once a blizzard swept in, cutting visibility down to just a few yards.  




For those wanting a view from below rather than above, the Gateway Clipper fleet takes tourists on an architectural tour by river. Meredith worked for the Gateway Clipper as a photographer back in her youth, taking photos of passengers as they boarded the riverboats, in order to sell them the shots upon their return. She’s entertained us with many wacky stories of those days, including how people would sometimes try to steal their photos off the display board rather than pay for them. Life in Pittsburgh may be rough, and I imagine it’s a tough place to grow up. Many lessons to learn in a place like this, and not just from Mr. Rogers. There’s a sort of attitude there, a sort of dare I say it, a steeliness. Riding the Monongahela Incline as a dorky tourist cluttered with cameras, the energy given off by fellow passengers, all locals having their regular routine, was distinctly of the “don’t get involved” variety. All eye contact averted, no attempt to engage me in dialogue. It suddenly made me feel very out of place, the faded Arizona sunshine still painting my cheeks now burning hot and lonely. Maybe if I’d had been traveling with a friend I’d have not felt like such an oddball. Or maybe Pittsburgh just didn’t fit. 

For more information:

http://www.warhol.org/

http://www.pghhistory.org/

http://www.primantibros.com

http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/CustomerInfo/Inclines/tabid/119/Default.aspx

Ellen Jo Roberts is from Chicago, Illinois, also a dreary climate during the winter. She lives and works in Clarkdale, AZ., sharing a vintage bungalow with her husband and assorted critters. All the cool people live in Clarkdale. Be there or be square. Learn more at www.ellenjo.com

Traveling with Dogs

Greetings from Floyd Street

Travels with a Chihuahua

By Ellen Jo Roberts

Dozens of airplane trips.

13 states.

Two countries.

Eleven years.

5 pounds of Chihuahua.

    We are those crazy people who take our dogs with us wherever we go. They're our family and we can't leave them behind. Bringing dogs along always makes for extra planning, expenses and hassles, but in the end their presence adds so much to the experiences that it's always worth it. Floyd, at 11, is the eldest of our canine pack and has enjoyed the most adventures.

Floyd was born on a Verde Valley ranch in 2003. He was a tiny puppy when I first met him, in a cardboard box with his siblings, for sale at a local horse tack and feed store in Cottonwood. After seeing a roadside sign that read, “Chihuahuas for sale” I pulled a quick u-turn and headed back to have a look. Soon we were proud owners of a handsome and feisty Chihuahua. Others have since added on to our “pack”, but Floyd was the first. Despite his tiny physical size, his personality is the largest.

   We have four dogs now: two Chihuahuas, a "Chiweenie" (Chihuaha-Dachshund mix) and a Boston Terrier. Because they're all small they're easy to travel with and combined they only add up to the size of one "regular" dog. Despite this they are each separate beings and often times try to head in different directions. I hook their leashes to my belt with carabiners and the very moment forward momentum stops I am converted to a human maypole, my legs tangled in brightly colored straps.In addition to being knotted up, there are other hassles when it comes to traveling with pets. We must plan locations that are pet-friendly.Motels, campsites, hiking trails all must allow dogs. Rental cars must allow them. Airplane flights must be booked well in advance with special additional reservations in place for the pets who join us, in carry-on travel cases stashed under our seats.

In his 11 years, Floyd has traveled from coast to coast, from deepest valley to highest mountains.

He’s slept in cabins, boats, tents and historic hotels. And on our laps. Lots of lap naps.
He’s been to ghost towns and mansions. He’s cruised storied roads like Route 66 and Highway 1.
Floyd’s set foot in the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea of Cortez and the Great Lakes, and most of the rivers throughout the desert southwest. He’s been to the Southernmost Point of the United States, in Key West Florida,  closer to Cuba than to Miami. He’s visited his Mexican heritage south-of-the-border, touring the state of Sonora, and he’s also had his photo taken in front of the White House in Washington D.C. However, his very favorite places to travel are within our home state of Arizona. The amazing variety of landscape and ecosystems make Arizona a lifetime's worth of adventure. The dramatic rock formations and big skies can only seem even more impressive to a little guy who stands 12 inches off the ground!

 Arizona is rich with public lands, affording us many great camping, hiking and day-trip opportunities. Though there is an ever present fear of Floyd getting carried off by a hawk or eagle, he is truly a wilderness Chihuahua and a fan of hikes in Arizona's bounty of state parks and national forests. He also enjoys joining us on raft floats along the Verde River, along the Verde River Greenway and along the Lower TAPCO River Access Park, now called "Verde River @ Clarkdale". He's an excellent co-pilot.

In general, national parks are not overly pet-friendly. Most don't allow dogs off the pavement. In Arizona, dogs cannot go below the rim of the Grand Canyon. There are many exceptions to this however-- many Arizona national monuments and more remote parks are pet-friendly. Tuzigoot, Montezuma's Castle (and the nearby Montezuma Well) and Petrified Forest National Park are some that allow leashed pets on the trails.



 Most Arizona state parks, with the exception of historic buildings like Riordan Mansion and Jerome State Historic Park, allow leashed dogs. Red Rock State Park in Sedona is one park that does not allow dogs, though the neighboring Red Rock Crossing provides a nearby alternative. Dogs can deter wildlife viewing, and this is the reason they are sometimes not welcome, leashed or not. Dead Horse Ranch in Cottonwood is a great place to hike with dogs, and also offers great river access points and fun sandy beaches.

National Forest trails throughout Arizona's National Forests allow leashed pets, so Floyd's wandered the aspen forests of the San Francisco Peaks and the red maples of Oak Creek Canyon's West Fork.

 

Arizona is a fun place to travel with your pets. Here are some tips to help your dogs enjoy a visit to the Grand Canyon State:

Water.
Excessive heat can be deadly to dogs. Dogs don't sweat and their only means of cooling off is transpiring heat through panting. We never leave the dogs in a parked car unattended. We always carry lots of water for both ourselves and the dogs no matter the season. We try to coordinate summer hiking along water sources, so we can soak the dogs now and then to keep them cool. Sun-baked sandy trails can burn the pads of their feet, so we minimize midday hiking in the heat.

Travel Crates and Bedding.

We have several varieties of travel carriers and crates. We have one that pops up like a tent that makes a handy place to stash pets in comfort while we break down camp. In addition to their own bowls and food the dogs also have their own blankets and bedding.

On the Road.

Dogs should be secured safely in cars, just as we are. Allowing them to wander freely can be a dangerous distraction to the driver as well as a risk to the animal should you get into a fender bender. Ours travel in their comfy airplane carriers when we take longer road trips. In addition to providing them calm, safe places to sack out, this method also prevents them from shedding all over us and the interior of the car.  

Vaccinations.

Always make sure your pets are up to date on current vaccinations. We've never been asked about them, traveling within Arizona, but most dog parks request pets be current on vaccinations, and to fly on planes the airlines do require rabies vaccine be current.

Permission.

Pets are not welcome in many places, but you'd be surprised how many places do welcome your furry friends. Restaurants with outdoor decks and patios often allow your dog to lay at your feet during your lunch. Crema in Old Town Cottonwood welcomes your furry friend in their courtyard. Historic lodging like La Posada in Winslow, and the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook allow dogs and do not charge any additional pet fee. Always get permission. Call, ask the extra fees (if any), tell the desk clerk you are traveling with pets. Some properties have rooms dedicated to those traveling with pets. Campgrounds generally always allow pets, and primitive camping in the National Forest is also a great, pet-friendly option.

Poop:

Another reason dogs are not allowed: poop. We always carry poop bags and no matter where we are or what a hassle it may be, pick it up and pack it out. The more dog owners that do this, the more venues will become pet friendly.  

Wildlife:
Just like anywhere, Arizona has some creatures that can be a danger to your pets if you're not paying attention. Coyotes have been known to eat small dogs and cats. Skunks can spray. Rattlesnakes can bite with deadly results; Scorpions and spiders as well.  Javelina, with their poor eyesight, tend to go on the offensive and can gore a dog easily. Bear and mountain lions are top of the food chain in the wilds of Arizona. And as mentioned, raptors such as hawks, eagles and owls can easily steal your tiny dog right from your own back yard! Most wild animals are elusive and will avoid you, but the key is simply being aware and respectful of native creatures.

Our lives would probably be easier without all these animals underfoot, pestering us for treats and getting their fur on everything… But it would certainly be quite a deal less amusing.

One thing we’ve realized in our years of traveling with Floyd is that no matter where we go, he is home as long as he is with us. No matter how different the landscape or the temperature, or the duration of the expedition, he is game for any location as long as we together. As we’re packing for a trip I often times find him curled up in my suitcase, nestled among my clothes as if to say, “You’re not leaving without me.”

Another thing we’ve learned in our years traveling with Floyd: No matter the location, big city street or dusty wilderness trail people will always smile at a tiny Chihuahua walking past.

Perhaps some day you will see Floyd strolling the streets of your town!

Floyd is the founding member and president of the Clarkdale Chihuahua Club.
He shares his space with Ivan, a Boston Terrier, Hazel, a Chihuahua-Mix, Simon, his young mini-me, and Ned, a big frisky house-cat and the largest of the bunch.

 As always, for more Floyd travel fun, visit....http://www.ellenjo.com/greetingsfromfloydstreet.html