How Arizona became the destination for the New Year...

It all began with tossing out New Year’s Eve ideas. Best Friend and I admitted to one another that both of us had secretly dreamed of wearing very nice party dresses and dining in a fancy restaurant or going to the type of New Year’s Eve Ball that the people in the movies do. I had never done anything interesting on New Year’s Eve and really wanted to ring in 2007 in a special way. So we decided that we would make the drive to Savannah for the occasion and dine in the historic 1700’s Olde Pink House Restaurant. Not only could we wear our awesome dresses there, but the building is also haunted. Ghosts and hot dresses sounded like the perfect New Year’s Eve to me (not to mention the very nice downstairs tavern!)

Then with only two days left in the year, we discover that not only will it be raining in Savannah, but thunderstorms were predicted. We agreed that we couldn’t stumble along the cobblestone streets slightly intoxicated in heels with thunderstorms! Savannah was out. We began to throw out ideas and our conversation went something like this:

Me: “So now what? We gotta do something!”
BF: “We could fly to New York and see the apple drop.”
Me: “Times Square on New Year’s would be cool if it weren’t for all the people. You know we really don’t like people! What about Las Vegas?”
BF: “Again with the people.”
Me: “Oh yeah. Well, maybe somewhere tropical then?”
BF: “We could go to Cancun or Cozumel.”
Me: “Yeah, but that passport thing goes into effect in 2007 and I don’t have mine yet. I don’t want to get stuck and have to live in Mexico.”
BF: “You won’t have to live in Mexico. It’s not affecting border countries yet.”
Me: “Are you sure? I thought I read…”
BF: “Yes, I’m sure.”
Me: “I’m just sayin’!”
BF: “Fine. Let’s go to Key West. For sure, you won’t have to live there.”
Me: “Awesome!”
(Best Friend now searches the internet for further information.)
BF: (sighing) “The flights look open enough to go and get back, but there’s no place to stay in the entire Keys…unless we camp.”
(We both contemplate this and remember the pain it was during the summer to try to get tent stakes through security on our Washington and California trips.)
Me: “Are you sure we can’t make it to Salt Lake? I really want to go there. We could go snowboarding that day and then into Salt Lake to a nice restaurant that night and still wear our dresses!”
BF: “All flights back to Atlanta are oversold on New Year’s. We couldn’t make it back that day.” (Types something else into the computer.) “I’m trying to route us through Phoenix and see how that looks.” (Pause.) “That’s not looking too great there for a return either…maybe in Tucson…”
We both look at one another and exclaim, “We should go to Tucson!”
BF: “Remember when we talked about that?”

Going back to a conversation we had in October when I called her on the phone after watching a very cool episode of Ghost Hunters in Tombstone, Arizona…
Me: “Girl, we are sooo going to Tombstone! They actually saw a full body apparition and they got a cool EVP of this old music at the Bird Cage Theater! I want to check this out! Plus I’ve always wanted to go to Tombstone anyway.”
BF: “You know our airline flies to Tucson, which is only an hour away from Tombstone!”
Me: “We are totally going!”

On December 31, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time, our plane landed in Tucson. As quick as a flash, we had located our rental car and except for the brief moment I freaked out in excitement over seeing the huge Saguaro Cactuses standing outside the airport, we were on our way to Tombstone without stopping.

Our first stop was along the way in Saguaro National Park. Saguaro is named for the giant cactus that I was so excited to see and I got my fill of them in this park as we drove along the Cactus Forest Drive. The park is divided into two sections on both the east and west sides of Tucson. Since the east side of the park was on our way to Tombstone, we knocked that section off our to-see list that day. I am totally intrigued by these huge cactuses. Some had arms bent around in loops. Some were fat. Some were extremely tall. They seemed to mimic people poses and we made up our own stories about them. (There was this one cactus that was very happy to see us…if you catch my drift, some were hugging, one looked like it had its hands on its hips, one was walking like an Egyptian, and one was yelling “I’m the king of the world!” with his arms over his head.)

We rolled into Tombstone just before sunset. We came across the famous and historic Boot Hill Graveyard first. We pulled into the parking lot and it was closed! Now let me just tell you, I did not come all the way from Atlanta to be turned around from Boot Hill! So we stepped over the fence and broke into the graveyard. It seems I have a knack for this type of thing. (Just don’t ask me about crawling through the windows of a historic church or trespassing in the Kennedy’s compound in Hyannis port.) It was great having this quiet, private tour of the cemetery. It made it was less touristy than I know it really is. Immediately, I stumbled across the graves I was searching for, which of course were Clanton and the McLaurys’ of the OK Corral shootout fame. It was so entertaining to read the markers on the graves. Many said “Shot” or “Shot by so-and-so”. Others said “Murdered,” “Stabbed,” “Hanged”, “Legally Hanged”, or “Lynched by the Bisbee Mob.” The grave of George Johnson is marked with these words: “Here lies George Johnson. Hanged by mistake 1882. He was right. We was wrong. We strung him up. Now he’s gone.” Yikes! These are not made-up Wild West stories, but true, historic facts. I checked. Tombstone, Arizona didn’t get its reputation by accident, I suppose.

Then we drove into the town, parked the car, and took to the streets exploring all the sites. The town looks really cool, even though it is touristy. The structures that stood along the streets were original or restored buildings and that was the part of history that came alive to me. I could visualize everything pre-souvenir and tee shirt shops.

One of the two most disappointing things on this trip was that I didn’t make it over to the Tombstone/Cochise County Courthouse before sunset to get any decent pictures. I really wanted to get a few shots of the infamous gallows. The other was that the OK Corral was closed! I walked completely around the building looking for a way to get in. Believe me when I tell you there was no way of breaking and entering into that place without taking a personal trip to the courthouse and who knows? Maybe I’d face the gallows, too.

What made up for this ten-fold was locating the haunted Bird Cage Theater, which was, thanks to the Ghost Hunters show, a prime reason I wanted to go to Tombstone. Even better, it was still open and it was then dark outside! This place is awesome and I would recommend anyone in the greater Tombstone area to take the $8 tour through this wonderful museum of Tombstone and Wild West history. It’s the only all original building still standing in town just as it did in 1881. It was full of furniture, saloon and theater memorabilia, and photos. Certain objects such as the grand piano and mirror over the bar were noted to still be standing in the exact position as they did in 1881. One of my favorite things in the museum was the old horse-drawn hearse that was used to take all but 6 of the bodies lying in Boot Hill Graveyard to their burials.

Upon entering the Bird Cage, we were greeted by a very friendly cowboy who gave us a brief history of the theater. Then he began telling us of the Ghost Hunter’s visit. But it gets even better! He then tells us of his experience seeing the same apparition of lady that the Ghost Hunters saw. It was so eerie! Later, he was even kind enough to show us the stairs that the Ghost Hunters saw the ghost lady walk down and the bell on the wall that they had a camera cord wrapped around to hold it in place. The cord unwrapped itself and swung to the ground right before the camera on television. Now if only I could have heard the EVP of some of the old saloon music playing that turned up in the background of a conversation like they did! Alas, I saw no ghosts.

But I could envision the ladies dancing and actors of this bygone era performing on the stage nonetheless. My eyes scanned the opera-style box seats just in case some specter was checking us out. I saw a sign that told the story of a Russian nobleman who occupied this same box seat every night for 2 years at $25 per night. He was not an outlaw, but wanted to appear rough and tough so he stole a horse for which he was later hanged. For stealing a horse? Man, they just don’t do hangings like they used to. It seems nowadays you have to kill 148 Shiites and 180,000 Kurds to get a good hanging!

And thus ended our evening in the wild, infamous Tombstone, Arizona. Then we were on our way back to Tucson and it was there that we dined on best Mexican food I ever had in my life! We ate at a wonderful restaurant called La Parrilla Suiza. They won me over when they brought out not only one, but three salsas that are popular in Mexico City. The best thing is that this restaurant has won culinary awards, but was super cheap! My meal was $9 and it was more than even I could eat! And I can eat a lot!

As we were leaving the restaurant, the clock was striking midnight on the East Coast and some of my friends called me from “the future” to let me know how 2007 was looking so far. Best Friend and I, on the other hand, opted on skipping the countdown in Tucson and fell immediately asleep at the hotel. I totally missed 2007 sneaking in on the Mountain Time Zone, except for the few fireworks I heard that woke me up just long enough to grumble about it and complain that it’s still 2:00 a.m. on my clock! (Does this mean I am officially old and decrepit?)

It was an early rising for us the next morning so we could fit in a few more things before we headed to the airport. First thing on the agenda was a visit to Saguaro National Park--west side. (As I write this, I am flashing you the West Side Cactus Gang Sign.) Anyway, the cactuses were just as plentiful and beautiful on this side of the park. We took the very short trek up Signal Hill to see the Indian pictographs etched on the rocks at the top of the hill. I was quite proud of myself for walking through this area despite the fact that there was a rattlesnake area warning posted on a sign. It was like 30 degrees so I think I was safe.

After leaving the park, we visited the beautiful San Xavier Mission. It was a gorgeous Spanish Mission completed in 1797. Even though one of the spires was covered for either restoration or cleaning, it was a beautiful site both inside and out! We attended a portion of the mass that was already in progress when we arrived. But since you can’t take pictures during mass, we left for the chapel and lit a prayer candle. I am not Catholic, but for some reason I feel good about that prayer and lighting the candle in faith on the very first day of 2007. And then drove to the nearest Denny’s for breakfast until mass service was over. Then we came back when the cathedral was clear and got the pictures we wanted. It was such a beautiful cathedral and hard to believe it is so old.

Sadly, it was then time to return to the airport to wait around and see if we actually would get a seat on the plane. We did. After twenty four hours and twelve minutes, our day in Arizona was over and we were flying the friendly skies eastbound for Atlanta.

It was the best New Year ever!
Some of the outlaw's graves in Boot Hill. What would you have written on your tombstone?








Tombstone at sunset.







Still mad that I couldn't break and enter into here!












Outside the awesome Bird Cage Theater.










Inside the Bird Cage. I was standing next to the stage and looking into some of the box seats.







The original Boot Hill Hearse.








This is my cactus impression.








Here's the giant Saguaro we named "Octopus Cactus". It looked like a sea monster. I wasn't even as tall as its arms.











This is my favorite...The angry, flippin' cactus. Notice how he flips everyone the finger that drives by. If I could be a cactus, I think I would like to be him.








I will post few more pics, including the San Xavier Mission, soon. There are still some photos I need to load onto my computer. Unfortunately, none of them include me with a hot cowboy.