Historic Flagstaff has free parking for cars. We were incredulous, and so put eight quarters into a paperbox.
 | ||||||||
| This young man is on the cusp of wishful thinking. |
I'm crazy for bead shops, and I wasn't disappointed by Animas Beads.
We agree that Flagstaff feels very comfortable. It's like we could slip right into the groove here, if we had a groove. But, OH! their winters.
Here's a rundown of Ithaca: Rundown of Ithaca
You can run down Flagstaff, too.
Most amusing statistic:
Ithaca's annual "chance of sunshine" is 49%. This seems high. Flagstaff's is 78%. This seems low.
 |
| Far from the madding crowd. |
Little Maddox had his first birthday party last night. I know, right? He didn't like cake, but he did like the talking card his Gigi got him.
 |
| A baby and a birthday party, and you thought there'd be no picture? You're getting off easy. |
But, enough about the adorable baby. Lori surprised Annie and me with a vegan "cheese"cake for our birthdays. You know how you might try a vegan dessert and think "well, if I were vegan I could eat this and survive"? No. You would BEG to be vegan for this cake. You would go home and pour your dairy milk into the streets for this cake. You would picket Elmer's glue for this cake.
Lori asked when she bought it (New Frontiers) if it was really vegan. They checked with the pastry chef who confirmed. We ate it and our taste buds ruled it "completely full of delicious animal products." Lori went back this morning to be SURE it was really vegan, and they gave her the ingredient list. SCORE!
We braced ourselves for the holiday weekend here in the piney woods, and it happened. Sites filled up with toy haulers. What? Everyone is considerate? The really big group right next to us is utterly silent at night, and even in the morning their generator is almost inaudible. They start riding mid-morning.
This is a good crop of riders, and people (including the small kind) seem to be staying on the road. It may be becoming obvious to everyone that the national forests could institute a charred-earth scenario if damage is not stopped and reversed.
 |
| The rarely-seen Piney Woods cactus |
20 comments:
When you're alone and life is making you lonely. You can always go - downtown. When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry. Seems to help, I know - ...
Petula was right.
hm, Flagstaff seems more "offensive", but some of those records go back decades. Doesn't Ithaca have that fancy schmancy university or whatever it is? Maybe that's why.
Having grown up in Ithaca and now living in Flagstaff, I agree with Roxanne and Annie. They feel similar, yet different. :~) Both university towns, but Ithaca is more renowned.
wait...I just looked at the two 'run-downs' links. Flagstaff has a 136 crime rate? that can't be right.... it is true our air, however, is breathable.
As the temps start going back up down here, I sure am looking forward to moving up to Flagstaff on Wednesday. Nice to hear that there are still some considerate people out there.
Because of The Good Luck Duck Blog I now know what a "wine glass charm" is! You have an Etsy ad running on the left and it just so happens that I was getting ready to list these really strange looking "earrings" on eBay.....you can guess the rest of the story! Who knew?
oh yeah.....Flagstaff and all that.....
I am coming to Arizona in July because of you people. Well, partly because of you people........love the cactus shot. They are so colorful when they bloom.
Lovely spot you got there. Also have totally been LOVING your boondocking site posts (I know, I know...I'm waaay behind on commenting...I blame Paul...and the dog). Anyway it's very gracious of you to share, and I wish you much good boondocking karma in return.
Nina
Wait... I must have read this wrong because it sounded like you think winters in Flagstaff would be worse than winters in Ithica... I MUST have read that wrong!
I really enjoyed Flagstaff too ... nice atmosphere and hats!
Flagstaff is an awesome town full of good energy. But too much snow.
I sent all the tourists your way. ;)
Ah, crap! I talked about metaphorically shooting ducks, and LOOK AT YOUR FUN GOOD LUCK DUCK url. Whoopsie!
Thanks for the HILARIOUS comment on that duck post... and, for the record, I've never shot a duck. I never plan to shoot a duck. And I think your travels look fabulous.
Good luck. ;)
Beth
Bob, "offensive" like the sexual offenders? Yeah, true. Flag is about twice the size of Ithaca, too. I don't know how accurate those records are.
Lori, Ithaca's UV score is a lot better, too. That's because no one can recall a day bright or warm enough to expose skin.
Jim and Sandie, it's well worth looking forward to. Will you be boondocking, or in a park?
Chris, this blog is a constant PSA. It's a cornucopia of information. Glad it helped!
Andra, we're a good reason to do almost anything. Will you be in a beautifully cool, high part of Arizona in July?
Nina, I've been blaming Paul and the dog, too. Thanks for the karma wishes. We've had very good luck with our 'docking situations.
Cat, you think that's not so? I think the sunshine would make everything easier in Flag, that's true. But, the snow! So much snow! Lori (Gigi above) seems to thing Flag winters are okay compared to Ithaca, but she skis 'n' stuff. I'm willing to be wrong. Make me wrong.
Hats! Well, Carolyn, you must have stumbled into the bad section of town.
Gaelyn, that continues to be my suspicion. Nice town, though.
Beth, thanks for coming over! Your blog makes us laugh. And, because I had one kid, and one kid was a lot of kid, and because I can do math, I think you're right that five kids is a lot of kids.
Ok now I could have answered that question without reading your blog today. Ithaca isn't in Arizona right? But you are so there...it couldn't be Ithaca. But I'd be careful staying in any of those hotels no matter what town they are in.
OK, well to be honest I haven't spent much time in Flagstaff - driven through a few times, in both winter and summer. But I live in Denver which has a similar climate. I also spent 4 years living in upstate NY not far from Ithaca.
Here's the thing - it's a totally different kind of winter. Winter in the west means snow, but the snow generally arrives in the form of big snowstorms, which can actually be a lot of fun. When the storm is over, the sun comes out and everything is beautiful! There is some shoveling, but I generally am thankful for the excuse to be outside enjoying the beauty of it all. Plus, the snow doesn't generally stick around too long. I know Flagstaff gets more snow than we do here in Denver, but the pattern is the same.
Upstate NY on the other hand just drizzles snow all winter long. Sure there are a few big storms, but mostly it's just gray and cold and dark and yucky and depressing. And once the snow falls, it generally sticks around forever - it gets covered with dirt and turns black and disgusting.
And it sort of seemed like the winters in NY were wetter... not sure this makes any sense - but I couldn't get by without rubber boots in NY because there was just a constant state of slushy, winter wetness. This is almost unheard of out west, because even when it's cold enough to keep the snow on the ground - once the sidewalks are shoveled, the sun melts any lingering stuff and all the paved areas are generally nice and dry.
And in terms of sunshine - the southern latitude means that you don't have such short days in the winter either - which is really nice.
I realize that I am biased, because I am a western girl through and through - but Flagstaff has always been at the top of my list for places that I'd love to live someday. The idea of having to suffer through another upstate NY winter on the other hand sort of makes me want to open a vein.
That's my take anyhow!
xoxoxo,
Cat
Thanks, Cat! That really is a useful summation, and you hit the drear of NYS winters on the noggin. I would actually forget how to be hopeful in the winter. I just slogged from one gray, slushy day to the next gray slushy day. For 32 years. It takes some people longer to smarten up.
I think I would like to experience a "dry snow," never having seen such a thing. And, blue skies make a whole world of difference.
That Maddox and his chubby cheeks - what a cute little kid. And then there's the cute little kid looking at the cute little girls - tee-hee!! I got sidetracked looking at the links (new site to me) and then of course I had to check on every city I have ever visited. I was surprised that none of them have grocery stores - hmmmmm.
Sherry, the more you can do without reading this blog, the further ahead you are. I'm going to especially avoid the $5 Downtowner.
No grocery stores, Donna? Well, it IS on the internet, so you have to believe it. Your shopping trips were just illusions.
Post a Comment