Our trip to Scottsdale this year began to implode even before it began. Each year, we try to stay at a different place, and since we've at least talked about buying a condo there, we decided to rent one this year.
Unfortunately, just before we were ready to leave we were informed that our reservation had been cancelled and our deposit returned. I guess the place just sold to new owners or something.
Anyway, we quickly checked with the Sundial Best Western, the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired hotel we stayed at last year, and were able to get reservations. In hindsight, we should have taken the hint and simply cancelled the trip.
Our drive down to Las Vegas was without difficulty and we were lucky enough to see two large herds of wild burros just north of Tonopah. But our drive from Las Vegas to Scottsdale found us in huge rain storms that were quite unseasonable.
This continued even after we arrived in Scottsdale. We had hoped to see the Giants' workout at Scottsdale Stadium the next day, but it was rained out. The rain came down heavy with several inches falling in this desert region. Areas were flooded and golf courses were closed. -- The local bars, however, were full.
Arizona Rain
There is more to Scottsdale than baseball and Nancy got to visit the Poisoned Pen Bookshop (I used to be the one to drag her to book stores but I haven't convinced her to join me in the 21st Century e-book world).
We also had planned to meet up again with Nancy's cousin but, as things began to escalate, we all agreed that that may not have been the best of ideas. Nancy and her cousin talked on the phone instead, with hopes for a better visit next year.
We were still planning on hanging tough since we had tickets to the Angels-Giants game at Diablo Park in Tempe, a park we haven't visited yet. And then MLB cancelled Spring Training and left us staring at each other as we began to realize just how serious things were getting.
After Scottsdale, our plan had been to drive up to Winslow to stay at La Posada Railroad Hotel before heading for Williams to ride the railroad to the Grand Canyon and stay at the El Tovar, a bit of unfinished business for us (the hotel, not the railroad).
But that would require us to spend two more nights in Scottsdale as we watched things escalate even further. We ate lunch at Diego Pops and the entry area was filled with the suitcases of people who were waiting for the shuttle to take them to the airport and home. And with that, we finally took the hint and cancelled our Grand Canyon reservations and were off to Las Vegas heading home.
Nevada's governor wouldn't close down the casinos until after we actually got home, but the casinos themselves had already closed their buffet restaurants. The effects were already apparent since the sit-down restaurant we ate at that evening was just about empty. Taking advantage of the lack of crowds, we made stops at Copper Cat Books and the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.
There were a surprising number of people on the road north to Reno and Death Valley Nut & Candy in Beatty was scarily crowded. But the real surprise was the grocery stop we made when we got home. We knew and laughed about the toilet paper shortage (it began even before we left for Scottsdale), but finding the store stripped of bread, milk, pasta, and eggs was a little shocking.
Finally, we talked about how we had so little chance to exercise on this trip and debated if we should head for our fitness center the next morning. Then we got word that the mayor of Reno was shutting down all non-essential operations, including gyms.
So, here we are, in home isolation like everyone else. We've dusted off the exercycle and the treadmill and are trying to make the best of it.
Strange days indeed.
