Columbia Tennessee December 2025

We had another great visit to Columbia Tennessee in December, 2025!

Random Thoughts on Friday: ur First Arizona Trip

 And, one last Arizona story before we leave the state.......

I have briefly mentioned this story many times....  But I love telling this one.  Stop me if I have told ya before.

Back in 2004 we lived in Cleveland.  At that time in our life, anytime we had vacation, we would head back to Kentucky to see my family.  I wasn't obsessed with travel the way I am now.

Anyway, my wife had been working hard at her job, and they loved her.  They decided to send her to Phoenix for a training.  They made it very clear that they would be paying for a rental car, and all of her expenses.  They even strongly suggested to her that if she wanted to take her husband that would be fine.  We would have to buy my plane ticket, but if her food expenses were a little high, they wouldn't mind.

Honestly, at first I was going to pass.  I thought I might still head south and see the family while my wife went to Arizona.  Who wanted to go to Arizona anyway, isn't that state just a big, dusty desert?

I thought about it though and figured it would be a rare (and affordable) opportunity to see somewhere new that was very foreign to me.  I ended up going.

Her work put us up at the Squaw Peak Hilton Resort (since renamed to the more politically correct Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak) and it was very nice.

My wife would go to her training each day and I would go to a cute coffee shop down the road about a mile, Plantation Coffee, and read.  I would get lunch at the Blimpie's sub shop next door and return to the hotel.  They have a great lazy river at the resort, and I would float around the rest of the day.

In the evening my wife and I would explore Phoenix.  We would also have enough free time to explore Sedona and the Grand Canyon.

We were driving back to the resort from Sedona one night, and we would see a shooting star (such clear skies in that area) while Thin Lizzy's "Cowboy Song" was on the radio.

We had an incredible time.  My feelings on travel were pushed forward and the whole trip was pure magic.  Arizona is still a very special place for us, and I need to get there more.

 

Wupatki National Monument Arizona

We had a nice visit to Wupatki National Monument in Arizona in 2025!

Queen Beanery Peebles Ohio 2025

Check out the Queen Beanery Coffee Shop in Peebles Ohio!

Franklin Tennessee December 2025

We had a great time in Franklin Tennessee at Christmas this year!

Fainting Goat Coffee Spring Hill Tennessee 2025

And we visited Spring Hill Tennessee AND Fainting Goat Coffee again!

Hotel Nickel Plate Fishers Indiana 2025

We had another great stay at the Nickel Plate Hotel in Fishers Indiana!

Logos Theatre at the Ark Encounter for "The Lion the Witch and the Wardr...

We have mentioned the Logos Theatre before...  we were able to enjoy their latest production at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky recently.  They did CS Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"!

Random Thoughts on Friday: The Concert Experience

 I was talking to my old pal James in Cleveland.  We lived in that town, as I have mentioned before, for nearly a decade at the end of the 90s.

I look at it as an adventure.  We had fun, though it could get rough at times.  We met a lot of nice people we are still friends with.

I did enjoy ( and I do miss) the concerts there.  There was a time in my life where I would go to more than one concert a week.  

There were large venues and small ones.  Big names might play the stadium or larger theaters.  Local acts, or bands that hadn't done a lot in a while might play smaller clubs.

I have a pretty cool collection of ticket stubs, flyers, signed CDs, t-shirts, and other items from my concert days.  I have just about stopped going to concerts at all at this point though.

My friend James still goes at times but not like he used to.  The ticket prices are ridiculous, and he brought up the whole dynamic pricing thing, venue security, etc.

Not to sound like a grumpy old man, but its not the same now.

Coffee Crossing Sellersburg Indiana December 2025

I love the Indiana coffee chain "Coffee Crossing".  This is the Sellersburg Location, near Louisville.

Newspaper Rock, Petrified Forest, AZ

"Halfway between the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, nead Adamana, one of the finest specimens of ancient writings (pictographs) to be found in America.  These writings are the expressions of an unknown primitive people of long, long ago.  Signs along the highway will direct you to them."

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 2025

In April of 2025, while on our Arizona road trip, we visited Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument!

Harpeth Hotel Franklin Tennessee December 2025

A great hotel right in the middle of everything in Franklin Tennessee is the Harpeth!  It is especially nice at Christmas!

Bailey Jaynes Bakery Williamstown Kentucky 2025

Check out Bailey Jayne's!  Its just a couple of miles from the Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky!