Our Birthday Celebration

Well, here we are already on the 24th of September and

we are having Diane's and Sharon's Birthday Celebration today!

Along with our hubbies we are going on the Verde Canyon Railroad

 and then we are going to the Blazin' M Ranch for dinner!

We road on the Tuscon Railroad Car and between
 each car was an open gondola where you could
walk to and see even more!

We had lunch at the picnic table outside before
boarding the train.

This is Debbie~ she was our narrator and hostess!
She was a hoot~we had a great time....

This was a huge pile of slag from the mines~
A company in CA just bought it to get
even more copper, iron, silver and gold out of it!



And around the corner we saw the most beautiful
mountains and clouds!
What a great day!



Another mountain view!

This is Black Hill and at one point of
American History the water level was as
high as the red on the mountain!

Just another beautiful view along the route!



The train ride started in Clarkdale, AZ and went to
Perkinsville and then the engines came around the
train and hooked on to the caboose
 and took us back the other way!



The Verde River ran all along the canyon and the train route!

The Verde River and if you enlarge this and look closely
there is a heron sitting in the middle..

Here we go around the bend again...

The front of the train~
 look at the angle of the sides!

People actually live in the middle of no where!
Very limited access and it takes them
about 1-1/2 hrs. to get in to their homes!
They also have to maintain their own roads!
WOW~ too far out for me!

and yet another shot of the train...
It was such a great trip~

Black Mt. and they told us that at one
point in history the  water level
was clear up to where the red ends!

A view of the Verde River around a corner of the mt.

The sky was awesome and we could see for miles~



Just another view of the front of the train



We saw black hawks flying into the mountains



We went right around these mts. Some so close
you could almost reach out and
touch them~



What a peak~

Coming out of a canyon



Arrived in Perkinsville~and here they brought
the engines around the train and hooked
up to the caboose and back we went!



The train station in the film at "Gold City"
 was shot at Perkinsville, Arizona,
and is still standing, although in a state of disrepair.
It is now the mid stopping point of the
Verde Canyon Scenic Railroad.
 The train station, the town sign and
several other smaller buildings still exist.

This is my sister & I  :-)
We had a great time!

Now we are on our way back...to Clarksdale!

Diane and Jerry in the Gondola
looking at the sites!



Now what more can you ask for than this!
It is breathe taking~



Show the engines attached to the Caboose
Headin back~

Look how beautiful the sky was~



There is an eagles nest in the dead part of the tree
but it was hard to see in this pic..




We made it back after four hours of riding and great
views of the majestic mountains and sky!
Then we went on to a dinner show at the
Blazin' M Ranch~





Cowgirl Sharon




Dave in the Saloon!

 



We didn't know they would lock us up for
telling them we were only youngsters~We
said "keenagers" and they thought we
said "teenagers" tee..hee...



Jerry and Diane on the tractor pulled
wagon ride around the Ranch!



Of course all of those celebrating birthdays
were requested to come up front
and we have a special hat that says
"I Celebrated My Birthday at
Blazin' M Ranch"

These folks were awesome! They entertained us during dinner
and a show an hour long after dinner!

The dinner consisted of
Corn Salad
Ribs
Chicken
Cheese Potatoes
Cowboy Baked Beans
Homemade Biscuits
Apple Crisp
Vanilla Ice Cream

It was served on tin plates and
our cups were tin cups just like
the cowhands used!
They had pitchers of
Tea, Lemonade and Water
on the tables!

It was Awesome! What a great Birthday we had!