Fri - Feb 24/12

Up and on the road just after the morning rush hour.

Today we are heading to Fountain Hills, AZ for "The Great Fair". The Fountain Hills Great Fair is held the last full weekend of February. This three day juried art fair features attracts 500 artists and artisans from across the United States and around the globe, and attracts 200,000+ visitors. This is one of the best - anywhere!

Fountain Hills is an easy 40 mile ride from the RV Park taking US-60 west to Loop 202 exiting to SR-87 at North Gilbert Road then turning onto East Shea Blvd to Fountain Hills just before Fort McDowell Casino situated on the Indian Reservation. Yes, the Fountain in Fountain Lake is an icon of the town.

Fountain Hills owes its origin to a lake that never came to be. As part of the Central Arizona Project, construction of Orme Dam, near Granite Reef Dam, would have created a lake at the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation. The lake would have flooded the homes of Fort McDowell residents. The Yavapai and environmentalists defeated the dam proposal, but the town of Fountain Hills had begun. 

Inventor turned developer, Robert P. McCulloch (of chain saw fame) , envisioned a community of 70,000 people similar to one of McCulloch Properties’ other master-planned communities - Lake Havasu City. McCullough is the one who brought "London Bridge" to that project. The development was marketed with a “fly-before-you-buy” sales program, beginning in 1972. Prospective buyers were flown in from Midwestern and Eastern cities to tour the desert ridges in white Jeeps and select their properties.

 

The 560-foot-high “World’s Highest Fountain” was the concept of C.V. Wood, Jr., a planner for McCulloch Properties, Inc., who had worked with Walt Disney on designing Disneyland. It was built to attract attention and buyers. It was turned on for the first time on Dec. 15, 1970, the “birthday” of Fountain Hills. For many years the community was small and remote from the rest of the Valley, so a spirit of neighborliness developed among the town’s pioneers. It still exists as a feeling of small-town togetherness and strong community involvement. Today, the population is around 24,000, with build-out expected at around 35,000 residents.

 

The weather was perfect today with afternoon temps in the low 80's F. We followed the signs to the Handicapped Parking area and only had to walk a half block to the main venue. A 2 block section of East Avenue of the Fountains (a 4 lane divided street) as well as North Saguaro Blvd. for the total length of Fountain Park is jam packed with vendor tents. We did one side of the street in one direction and then back down the same street doing the other side. Despite the large crowd everyone seemed to be following this pattern so you were not "swimming against the current". To do all the exhibits requires nearly 4 miles of walking.

As usual we found a few items we didn't know we needed along the way.

We prefer to purchase hand crafted items from the original maker rather than mass produced (i.e. Made in China) items. They have a more personal meaning.

Of course, there were a wide variety of very creative and unique items to view and enjoy along the way. After nearly 3 hours of steady walking we were exhausted. We decided in a "sit-down" restaurant meal for lunch - even though it was now mid-afternoon. I had just the place in mind.

We headed to a Tempe, AZ landmark - Monti's La Casa Vieja. Located at 100 Mill Avenue in Tempe, Monti's is steeped in history that pre-dates statehood by 40 years. Arizona just celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Statehood this past Valentine's Day. The popular restaurant makes its home in the authentic adobe hacienda that was constructed in 1871 by Tempe founder Charles Trumbull Hayden. It was also the birthplace of Carl Hayden who the Arizona Republic named "the most important person in Arizona History.

 Dining rooms are filled with memorabilia of the frontier days. A walk through the building (they provide a self-guided tour map) yields fascinating views of many stages of its architectural development, including the original latilla mud ceiling in the oldest section. Other areas showcase beautifully tiled period floors  This one-of-a-kind atmosphere provides the kind of unique dining experience that no chain or hotel restaurant could ever hope to match.

Today, Monti's La Casa Vieja is the largest full-service restaurant in Arizona, with 14 dining rooms and five private banquet rooms. The parking lot is the size of a city block. Our seating was an intimate corner booth in the delightful "Fountain Room".We each enjoyed an 11 oz.Prime Rib with Chef's Salad (Roquefort dressing) and "loaded" (Bacon and Cheese) Baked Potato - all done to perfection. The service was also top-notch and included a historical overview  of "La Casa Vieja" (The Old House) being we were first time visitors.

Returning to the RV park for the most part was also quite easy except for a minor slowdown to clear an accident. All 5 lanes were down to a crawl.

We were in the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle - 2+) lane when the emergency vehicles began zooming by in the safety lane. A few Fire Trucks, Police Motorcycles and Police Cars later and the traffic, shifting over a few lanes, began to move again.

Somehow a van ended up "parked" on it's roof. Once clear the traffic was light until we hit the US-60 where rush hour was just beginning. Most cars on this section head off at the Ironwood Exit to go to the new housing developments several miles south east of Queen Creek. The short bit remaining had the normal flow of traffic.

We relaxed until it was time for the dance at 7 pm. We sat with a combination of folks we had met before and others we had not. One of  the couples were visiting their parents who they noted "party all the time". Retirement is rocking chairs any more!

The band -  "Junction 87" - played here a few years ago. They will be playing here again next week. They recently played in Japan. Kobe, Japan is the birthplace of Billy Ichida - Lead Guitar, Fiddle and Saxophone - who has almost 40 years experience in Classical, R&R, Blues, Jazz and, of course, C & W (Country &Western). Jim Norman - Bass Guitar and Vocals - began playing bass guitar at age 14 in a Rock and Roll garage band until he joined the Air Force at 18. Nearly 20 years later, at retirement from the Air Force, he picked up a bass guitar at a yard sale and began practising C & W. Bob Lewis - Lead Vocal, Rhythm Guitar - began playing guitar at age 10. He comes from a long line of Arizona musicians, with most of his family in bands throughout the state. He has had the honour of playing backup for Merle Haggard; Johnny Cash; Sammi Smith; Waylon Jennings and many other fine musicians as well as having recorded singles that have charted on Billboard. Their experience certainly showed. We will be getting tickets for their return engagement.

Tomorrow will be busy as well when the Annual "Canada" Potluck will take place in the Main Ballroom.