Stepping Out of the Shadows

I've been hiding in the shadows here at Steem for a week or more now, wandering through posts and leaving votes and comments now and again. Getting a feel for what things are like. I have to admit this is the first community where I have felt I might find a home for the real me since coming online to make my living almost 20 years ago.

So here's a little about me as an introduction. I currently live in the mountains of Arizona in a small town full of retired people, aging hippies, young college kids, sports enthusiasts, artists of every sort and everything in between. In the summer we are inundated with tourists from all over the world, and those seeking to escape the heat of the Valley of the Sun. After living through three summers in that Phoenix valley, I really think it should be renamed The Valley ON the Sun, but that's just my opinion. Starting the week after Memorial Day, Friday afternoon and evenings look like the Great Migration of the Winnebago Herd. Travel trailers of every size, shape and description trekking through to local campgrounds and summer homes to spend the weekend at least or even the entire summer in our cooler mountain air.

Our town is full of hidden wonders. Museums celebrating the history of this part of Arizona hold frequent events that range from music festivals to lessons on how to pack a Conestoga wagon. Art galleries and unique shops line the main drag and spill over into the side streets, while the World's Oldest Rodeo is just one of the summer events held at the local fairgrounds.

Courthouse Square is where we all get together for various celebrations and events. Some of those events are on the somber end of the scale, like the town funeral for our Granite Mountain Hotshots or our tribute to our own Kayla Mueller. But in the summer months, the sounds of band music and the delighted squeals of children taking part in festivals and carnivals will be heard on the soft summer air almost every night.

image courtesy of American Southwest.net

The Courthouse is directly across the street from (in)famous Whiskey Row, a short street with pretty much nothing but saloons sitting cheek by jowl next to each other, some standing for 100 years or more. We do know how to party, and take every opportunity to sharpen our party skills! With this Old West backdrop, street parties are held almost every weekend that doesn't have snow dusting the sidewalks. During one point in Prescott's history, this area of town had a total of 40 saloons. Today they are still known for their night life which can be experienced almost every night of the week!

I have lived all over the country and traveled much of the world, but I have never seen as many top notch restaurants all in one place anywhere else. I've had the best pancakes of my life here and can sample everything from a Western Steak House lodged in a century old former hotel to authentic Mexican fare, and pretty much everything in between. I think it could be difficult to have a bad meal in this town. Not impossible, but difficult for sure!

I did mention snow, and yes we have it. But it's beautiful. I feel like Goldilocks - we don't get too much and we don't get too little. It comes down softly glistening in the streetlights and is almost always melted away by noon the next day. It never stays long enough to turn gray and grimy and ugly. But it comes often enough to remind us of how beautifully Mother Nature can paint our town.

image courtesy of Sarah Lamb

I had no idea when I began writing this post that it would turn into a celebration of the town I currently live in. I fear I was born with an extra gene - the itchy foot gene which sends me out into the world constantly to see what's around the next corner. I've never stayed in one place for longer than 5 years and I had a goldfish who had moved cross country so many times he probably could have qualified for frequent flyer miles. But here, in this little town that nestles in the mountains there is more to do, see and take part in than anywhere else I've ever lived.

Want to ride some of the most scenic bike trails in the country? We've got 'em. Want to hike some of the most breathtaking trails in AZ? We've got those, too. Camp out in a stately National Forest? Yup. Boat and swim in a clear blue lake? We even have that. And of course if you're into climbing granite faced mountains, we're the place for that as well.

My backyard

This is the only place I've ever found where I can spend a morning prowling art galleries full of original artwork, have lunch on a patio overlooking a river, and finish my evening with a concert on the town square. And do all of it surrounded by a diverse group of friendly people who care about each other, the world around them, and ready to welcome anyone who shares that mindset.

It looks like I'll have to write another post that introduces me, since this one got away from me and introduced my town. But perhaps that's for the best. My little corner of the world is much more interesting and exciting than I am.