Travel Notes - Arizona and Nevada

Travel Notes - Arizona and Nevada: I flew to Frontier to Las Vegas for $189. They bumped me (didn't ask for volunteers) and I had to fly the next day. I did get $480 for my troubles. They sent a link to an online payee and I had to give them a debit card number. The overbooking was caused by their own people being given priority on the flight. The next day they overbooked again. I could have made another $480 or $1000 travel voucher, but, I had made hotel and car reservations in advance. Speaking of which, the cunts at Star Hotel in Williams AZ would not refund the rental. Expedia did step in with an equivalent credit. Hertz tried to triple the rate when I rebooked. I, therefor, went with Budget who dropped the price from earlier. That ran $253 for six days. I flew through LV because a flight to Phoenix and the rental were both three times higher and the times blew. I tried to try a Chowdown Countdown #86 spot called Sammy's LA Pastrami on the way out on Tropicana. It was either entirely closed or not open yet. It was so ramshakle (homeless person with a cart clogging the drive in) that I would never eat there. I drove 93S to 40W past Flagstaff to Holbrook. I would have done the Sky Walk on the west rim of the Grand Canyon ($114) off 93 if I had not lost the day (and one hour time change) and had a hotel reservation. In Holbrook, I drove a mile or so of Route 66 that had the Wigwam Motel. South to Show Low then to Pinetop. This is near Mt Baldy. Near the NM border. I stayed at the Green Tree Inn (Expedia 8.4) for $178 for two nights. I had some beer and a bad Turkey Pesto (no pesto) sandwich with limp fries and a flight for $36 at Pine Top Brewing Company. This area had many hotels, restos, markets, gas, etc.

The next day I tried to ski Sunrise Park (thirty miles east). The first two rental shops were closed. The one in the Apache Reservation told me it was closed due to lack of snow. No updates on their website! I decided to drive to it anyway because I had NOTHING to do otherwise. It seemed ok. I MAY have tried again the next day had they had anyone there to speak with. Not sure what would have happened had I purchased a pass in advance. I drove on to another area I had been considering for accommodations when I found out where this resort was. Eagar and/or Springfield. I would avoid them. I then stopped at a town (Greer) on the way back that had some hotels. I would avoid it too. No services. This area is called the White Mountains. Nice. More of a summer retreat they said. Lakes, golf, etc. I don't believe I had been there before. Ski rates are cheap, so, I may try it again another time. I only did so this time because I had time to kill and didn't feel like dealing with a drive to sw Colorado. Back in Pine Top, I had a slightly better turkey, avocado and bacon sandwich with fries for $20 at Johnny and Dee's Picnic Basket. Pinetop's sales tax was more than 10%. Gas was about the same as the rest of the state. I gassed up in Holbrook. Didn't need to. Spent the rest of the day scheduling the holes in the itinerary. BK dinner. Ski rentals were around $30. Krissie's, Pine Top Ski, Skiers Edge and Hon-dah (Apache). At the resort, the web site said $75. Lift tickets are as low as $25. Hon-dah also had a casino. Didn't go in.

The next day I took 360SW to White River to 60S to 73S to 77S to Tucson. Nice drive through Apache and Navajo reservations. Prime real estate. I stopped for lunch at Chef Alisah's (3D) on N. Oracle for special beef (four hour braised brisket cubes) in a mushroom sauce with buttered rice with side of cabbage salad in vinegar for $27. Ok. Bosnian. They are closing forever on May 15. I stayed at the formerly BW near DT to be near restaurants on my list. It is now Royal Sun Hotel (Booking 7.2). $189 for two nights. Expedia had this at $237. They wouldn't check in until 3pm. I walked into town. Had an undercooked tamale with three puny shrimp in a nice cream sauce with squash and zucchini for $26 at El Charro Cafe (Food Paradise). Good rice and beans and salsas. Perused the Tucson Museum of Art. Didn't pay the $15. Presidio Park, Pima County Courthouse, City Hall, etc. Walked to 4th Ave. Back to the hotel. Drove passed U of A to Tumerico (3D) for two great tostadas with mushrooms and huitlacoche and avocado with rice and beans for $21. It's a vegan place. Saw a plaque for Top 100 restaurants in America (2023). Grabbed a beer next door at Borderlands Brewing. Watched Indian Wells tennis.

The next day I walked back to 4th Ave. Had an average (bad meat) Da Kine burger (peach jam, goat cheese, bacon, pickles) at Lindy's on 4th (Man v Food) for $20. Walked around. They was a cool restaurant with pickle ball courts. I had a beer at Crooked Tooth Brewing. Went back to 4th and had an ice cold beef chorizo with waygu beef tallow and potatoes taco at Boca for $8 at Boca (Man v Food). It was so bad that I felt insulted and left. I walked to U of A. Saw all their facilities, stadiums, etc. It was their spring break. It was empty. Back to the hotel. Drove pretty far east on Speedway Blvd to Tanque Verde and Trail Dust Town (a fake western town). Had an ok filet mignon with beans and green beans and a salad at Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse (Man v Food) for $40. They have a free Wild West Show, etc. Seemed popular. Watched more tennis and WBC.

The next day I drove to Phoenix and on to Avondale for the Smart Talk Wireless 500 race. $57. I purchased directly (866-408-7223), but, they still directed it through Ticketmaster via an email. They would only digital wallet it. I called back and they sent me a text with a link to the ticket. You could buy at a booth on race day. They had other races (ie Indy Car) that weekend. The free parking is an obstacle course. You must go west three exits worth and then south and back to the raceway. There are shuttles there. It added nearly an hour to the trip (with barely any traffic). I watched about half the race. I wanted to escape the mess that must occur getting out of there. Back east on 10 to 17N to Bell Rd and the Red Roof Inn (Expedia 7.6) for $107. Rates in PHX this time of year are always ridiculous. Why I stayed in Tucson. Bought dinner at Fry's. More WBC.

The next I drove 17S to Thomas to DT at 7th St (not Ave) and the Phoenix Country Club (602-23-5208) for the Arizona Tennis Classic. Free parking at a local hs. Bought a ticket that they printed out for $20. It's a small venue. Three courts. Started at 11am. I stayed an hour. Drove Thomas back to 60NW to 10W to 93N to Las Vegas. Probably smarter to take 10W to 10N. Stayed at the Fremont DT (Expedia 8.8) for $25 with $35 resort fee. Free valet parking. Had an ok Italiano for $18 at Fat Sal's. Watched WBC and NFL FA news.

The next day I had an ok scrambled eggs, hash brown, sausage, french toast sticks at Jack in the Box for $5. Double McD's eggs. HB was bigger. My first breakfast there. Flight made it home. Seemed like a weird route. 

I spent $320 on food and drink. $104 on gas. $77 on sports tickets. $21 on parking. $534 on hotels. Total = $1598.  Would have been nice to have knocked out the west rim and skiing. Also learned that I could have seen the semis of the WCC bball tournament in Vegas. Weather was perfect. Gas was only $3 in Tucson (in after the war profiteering). $3.50 in most of AZ. Vegas was a dollar more. There is some huge construction convention in Vegas this week. I think only every three years. It may rotate. The daylight savings change cost me an hour I thought I was gaining returning to Vegas. There is a back up going west on 10 through Kingman (not temporary) that will cost you 45 minutes. Get off at the airport and snake through town to the last exit. I also learned that the Snow Bowl people in Flagstaff have purchased some old ski resort in Williams and are retooling it.