Our son David is an accountant by day and gaming streamer by night. To say that he was busy was an understatement, so it was no surprise when he told his audience that he was taking a “holistay” from work and streaming – a few days off for some much needed R&R. Debra, who follows David on his streaming channel, told me his plans, and I thought, “Hmm, perhaps an opportunity for a father-son getaway, just like we did last year.”
I called David the next morning to see if he would like to go away. “What do you have in mind?” he asked. “Well, we could go to Sedona or Flagstaff or Prescott or San Diego,” I said. After a few minutes of thought, David picked Prescott because he had never been there. With that, I rented a house through Airbnb and we left for Prescott the next day.
Debra and I have vacationed in one-time territorial capital of Arizona many times, so I had a pretty good idea of how David and I might spend a few days – some sightseeing, a couple of meals out, and enough “downtime” for David to unwind.
David, who lives less than an hour from us, picked me up early on a Sunday afternoon. It was an easy drive to Prescott – 50 miles north on I-17 and 35 miles west on AZ-69. We covered this route in an hour and a half. The drive was scenic much of the way – hills and mountains, valleys and mesas, scrub, cactus and pine trees (the latter as we got nearer to Prescott), and small towns went rolling by.
Debra and I have vacationed in one-time territorial capital of Arizona many times, so I had a pretty good idea of how David and I might spend a few days – some sightseeing, a couple of meals out, and enough “downtime” for David to unwind.
David, who lives less than an hour from us, picked me up early on a Sunday afternoon. It was an easy drive to Prescott – 50 miles north on I-17 and 35 miles west on AZ-69. We covered this route in an hour and a half. The drive was scenic much of the way – hills and mountains, valleys and mesas, scrub, cactus and pine trees (the latter as we got nearer to Prescott), and small towns went rolling by.
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What’s In A Name?
We passed many interesting place-names on our drive: Black Canyon City, Bloody Basin, Bumble Bee, Horsethief Basin, and Big Bug Creek, to name a few. With David driving, I Googled a few names to learn their meaning or history.
We passed many interesting place-names on our drive: Black Canyon City, Bloody Basin, Bumble Bee, Horsethief Basin, and Big Bug Creek, to name a few. With David driving, I Googled a few names to learn their meaning or history.
- Bloody Basin got its name from an incident in March 1873 when US Soldiers attacked and killed 25 – 57 Apaches (the number varied by account).
- There were several tales about Bumble Bee, a one-time stagecoach stop that was originally known as Snyder’s Station. The most credible account, by a forest ranger, was that several prospectors were badly stung by bumble bees protecting the honey in their hive.
- It was no surprise to learn that Big Bug Creek was also named for an insect. Some said that a horde of large insects attacked a group of prospectors in 1863, but the truth is that the creek was home (and still is) to “large, dark brown, shiny, flying beetles about the size of a walnut.”
Our Home Away from Home
David and I arrived in Prescott midafternoon. Our humble abode for the next few days was, well, humble. At a little over 1,000 square feet, this house had two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen, dining room, and living room. Oh…and no dishwasher or washer/dryer. But it was clean and comfortable, the neighborhood was quiet, and it was only a 10-minute walk to the town’s square. In other words, it was the perfect home base for our father-son vacation. By the way, that is David standing on the front porch.
David and I arrived in Prescott midafternoon. Our humble abode for the next few days was, well, humble. At a little over 1,000 square feet, this house had two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen, dining room, and living room. Oh…and no dishwasher or washer/dryer. But it was clean and comfortable, the neighborhood was quiet, and it was only a 10-minute walk to the town’s square. In other words, it was the perfect home base for our father-son vacation. By the way, that is David standing on the front porch.
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As an aside, this house was listed for sale for $290,000. This asking price seemed mighty high to me, yet it was under contract. All I could think was, “I don’t understand the economics of rental property in Prescott.”
David and I had a wonderful time on our three-day holiday – new experiences, especially for David, and great memories for both of us of our time together! |
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My Stories, One Day at a Time
I will post stories for each day of our trip, with a new story every month or so.
Prescott, A Pioneer Town
