Goldfield and the Superstition Mountains

The weather down here has been very chilly, a cold front from Canada

they say.  Yesterday we decided to look for a giant Flea Market that

we had heard about that is located in Mesa, which is about an hour south east of here.  Mesa is considered part of Greater Phoenix and is southeast of Scottsdale that is also part of Phoenix.  Jack and Lauren, the owners of the Black Canyon City KOA had given us a gift certificate for Applebees so first we stopped for lunch.  Despite reading directions on the internet for the Flea Market, somehow we missed it.  I had seen an interesting mountain range (Superstition Mountains) to the east and urged Fred to continue on.  Fred is convinced that I had planned all along to sightsee rather than frequent a Flea Market.  I guess the fact that I had brought along my camera was his rationale but anyone who knows me, knows also that I usually bring it with me.  I never know where we'll end up and I hate seeing something interesting or beautiful and there I am wishing I had brought my camera along.

On the Apache Trail, opposite the Superstition Mountains, is the old mining town of Goldfield.  We wandered through the town, watched cowboys stage a gunfight and mainly people watched.  The town is  your typical tourist stop offering food and drinks in the saloon, a

train ride, tour of the mine and the most visible building at the top of the hill is the "Bordello", now a museum.  Close to Goldfield is Lost Dutchman State Park, named after a fabled gold mine.  This park offers guided hikes as well as self-guided ones.  There are easy hikes, moderate ones, difficult and very difficult ones.  The

one that intrigues me is the 2.5 mile hike where hikers experience the sights and sounds of the desert under the silvery glow of the moon with a marshmallow roast to follow.  We have already experienced full moons in the desert and it is unbelievably bright.  The park also offers astronomy programs one evening a month.
 
We continued northeast along the Apache Trail and the topography here is much different than where our campground is located.  As I was behind the wheel I had to concentrate on staying on the road as

there were many switchbacks and no guard rails.  The scenery in Arizona varies so much that each road trip is an adventure and I look forward to the next one.  I am also anticipating warmer weather so that we can have some great motorcycle rides.