THE JOURNAL

THE JOURNAL 05.15 Cool Pool

A placid pool reflects the night sky and a rocky butte at White Pocket, part of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona Strip. The remote monument, overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, is known for its rock formations, which display hundreds of layers of richly colored rocks, and for its population of reintroduced California condors. For more information, call 435-688-3200 or visit www.blm.gov/az.

EDITOR'S NOTE: In August 2016, the National Park Service will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Leading up to that milestone, we'll be spotlighting some of Arizona's wonderful national parks.

PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK

Petrified Forest National Park is a semi-arid grassland, but it took more than 200 million years of continental drift to make it so. Evidence of an ancient tropical forest litters the scaly sand, from big logs to shattered trunks - trees transformed and broken since the time of early dinosaurs. During the Triassic Period, the trees (mostly tall conifers) were buried in floodplains and eventually turned to stone as silica from groundwater replaced the original wood tissues. Besides petrified wood, the park also preserves a long fossil record from the Triassic Period and human artifacts dating as far back as 13,000 years. To explore this strangely beautiful landscape, full of colorful mesas, buttes and banded hills, hike one of the many trails from the 28-mile-long park road. Or find your own path in the park's expansive wilderness. To stay overnight, grab a free permit from the visitors center and hike into one of two backcountry camping areas. - KAYLA FROST

Route 66

Much has been written about Historic Route 66, in this magazine and many others. And you might think you know all there is to know, but did you know that the Mother Road almost bypassed Northern Arizona?

Today, the path Historic Route 66 once cut through Northern Arizona seems inevitable, but if it weren't for business leaders from Kingman, the famous Mother Road might have taken a different direction.

Route 66 evolved from the National Old Trails Highway, a transcontinental route that linked segments of historic trails. The initial route proposed by the National Old Trails Road Ocean-toOcean Highway Association would have traveled from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Springerville, then south to Phoenix, crossing the Colorado River at Yuma.

But a group of business leaders from Kingman and Needles, California, organized to promote an alternate path across Northern Arizona. The route they championed, along the tracks of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, essentially aligned with the historic wagon road constructed by Lieutenant Edward Beale in the late 1850s.

Representatives of the group, including John R. Whiteside from Kingman, successfully lobbied for the route at the association's 1913 convention in Kansas City, Missouri. They argued that their proposed route offered more services, provided by the Fred Harvey Co., and that proximity to attractions like the Grand Canyon would drive tourism.

The Automobile Club of Southern California added signs to the western half of the National Old Trails Highway in 1914. In 1926, the section west of New Mexico became U.S. Route 66.

In Kingman, commerce grew around the popular roadway. It included auto courts and motels such as the Wal-A-Pai, the Kit Carson and the Branding Iron. Among the earliest, likely built in the 1930s, was the Gypsy Garden Auto Court, later renamed the Coronado Auto Court.

Although decommissioned in 1985 with the completion of Interstate 40, Route 66 remains a powerful engine for tourism in Kingman, which is located along the longest remaining continuous stretch of the old highway. The town features Route 66-themed businesses and museums, along with an annual Route 66 Fun Run.

In May 1965, Arizona Highways took readers into the Kaibab National Forest to explore the life of the Kaibab squirrel, a gray squirrel with a unique bright-white tail. The magazine also explored some of the other animals that inhabit the forest.

Spotting Wildlife

Photo Editor Jeff Kida discusses the art of photographing wildlife with wildlife expert Bruce D. Taubert.

JK: How did this beautiful image come together?

BDT: I spotted this mule-deer fawn while I was on a nature walk at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I didn't use a tripod, so image stabilization was important. I used a high shutter speed, and it was an overcast day, which was perfect for this type of photo. Looking through the thicket gives the photo a sense of "wildness," rather than making a viewer wonder if it was made at a zoo or a wildlife park.

JK: What are some of your favorite places to photograph wildlife?

BDT: National parks, like the Grand Canyon and Chiricahua National Monument, are great because the animals are used to seeing humans, so they act more "normal" in their presence. I also like riparian habitats and natural water sources, especially in the Southwest. At times, I'll photograph from inside a vehicle, but I prefer to hike, use a blind or gently follow the animals. Shooting from a vehicle is often limiting, especially since lighting, background scenery and animal behavior can be unpredictable.

JK: Do all your photos come as easily as this one did?

BDT: Not at all. I often have to travel into the "boonies" to photograph certain species that might not be easily found inside the boundaries of state and national parks. In those cases, I might have to scout for weeks, set up blinds and sit for days - or longer - until I make the photographs I'm looking for.

ADDITIONAL READING Look for our book Arizona Highways Photography Guide, available at bookstores and www.shoparizonahighways.com/ books.

~iconic photographers~ DARWIN VAN CAMPEN

If Darwin Van Campen hadn't come down with so many colds as a child, prompting his family to move from Ohio to the more favorable climate of Arizona, he might never have become a prominent photographer for Arizona Highways. He arrived in 1943, when he was 8, and discovered the thrills of photography while constructing a pinhole camera for a West Phoenix High School physics course. Inspired by Arizona's endless beauty, Van Campen was driven to capture all its moods and seasons. In the October 1962 issue of Arizona Highways, he said that living in Arizona was "one of the greatest assets available to a scenic photographer." Van Campen originally wanted to become a lawyer, but that goal was derailed as he spent more and more energy making photographs. Upon graduating from Arizona State University, he studied for two years at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. He then returned to his true love, Arizona, to pursue his passion full time. And there he mostly stayed until his untimely death in 1981.

~ dining~ Soldi Back Alley Bistro

In a steak-and-potatoes town like Prescott, a restaurant that specializes in global street food might seem out of place, but this trendy BYOB is making locals think twice about what's for dinner.

IN 2005, AIMEE NOVAK TOOK A TRIP to Europe that shook up her life and ultimately enriched the Prescott dining scene.

During her travels, she frequented bistros and osterias small, casual eateries, with limited menus and small plates, where diners could enjoy a bottle of wine. The lingering memory of those alfresco dining experiences got the hair colorist and salon owner thinking about her career. The delicious result is Soldi Back Alley Bistro, built around a food cart behind Prescott's historic Rudolph Baehr House.

Soldi means “loose change,” “beer money” or “dough” in Italian, Novak says. Her idea was to provide elevated food, but not necessarily gourmet. “We wanted to do creative and affordable global street food,” she says.

Novak built her BYOB slowly and in stages. She went back to school, completing the culinary program at the Art Institute of Phoenix. She commuted from Prescott, where she continued to work as a stylist. Then she found a food truck for sale and installed it behind the salon.

Novak's father, a steel fabricator, built fencing and ironwork for an outdoordining space that Novak decorated with potted flowers and fountains underneath a colorful canopy of umbrellas.

She experimented with the salon's clients, picking a day to cook and waiting to see who came back to eat. News spread by word of mouth until the eatery became so popular that Novak closed the salon and renovated the building, a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian built in the 1890s, for indoor seating.

A seasonal chef, Novak changes the menu weekly based on produce available at the Prescott Farmers Market or from Whipstone Farm in Paulden, and she posts current offerings at the beginning of each week on Facebook.

Lunch always includes a trio of mixand-match street tacos and two sandwiches: one with meat, one without. Taco options might include Moroccan turkey, spice-rubbed chicken or ginger-beer-battered tofu. Sandwiches could be braised beef with corn relish and roasted poblanos, or an asparagus sub with raisins, feta cheese and chipotle dressing.

When fresh greens are available, Novak puts a salad on the menu. When they're not, she switches to seasonal soups and Asian noodle bowls using root vegetables with gluten-free options.

The beautifully renovated salon feels homey and comfortable, with a central seating area and two smaller nooks: one with a couch and chairs overlooking a leafy front yard, the other with a table for six and a patio view.

With lunch well established, Novak expanded to include breakfast and a Friday happy hour, and now she's contemplating her next steps.

For Novak and her happy customers, Soldi adds up to change for the better.

Soldi Back Alley Bistro is located at 111 Grove Avenue in Prescott. For more information, call 928-777-0444 or visit www.soldicreativecuisine.com.

Western Hognose Snakes

Western hognose snakes are sometimes called “bluffers” or “faux vipers” for their dramatic playacting when they feel threatened. At first, they'll spread the skin on their necks for a cobra-like hooded appearance, and puff up their entire bodies. They hiss and strike with their mouths closed. Finally, if these snakes still feel threatened, they'll pretend to die - rolling onto their backs, thrashing back and forth, and eventually going limp. Their mouths will hang open with their tongues sticking out, and the snakes might even bleed from their mouths or throw up the last meals they consumed. This theatrical defense may be necessary for snakes like Western hognoses, which are stocky and have heavy bodies, making them relatively slow and clumsy. The name “hognose” comes from their pointy, upturned snouts, which they use to dig through the dirt for toads, their main source of food. But Western hognoses also eat other reptiles and amphibians, such as frogs, lizards, snakes and reptile eggs. They subdue prey with slightly toxic venom - hognoses aren't dangerous to humans that flows from their large rear teeth. They also eat mice and birds that nest on the ground. Western hognoses live in areas that are flat and dry, with little vegetation. Prairie areas are most suitable for these snakes, which thrive in loose, sandy soil where they can burrow. They live throughout much of the United States, including Arizona, and in parts of Canada and Mexico. - MOLLY BILKER

nature factoid BLUE DEATH-FEIGNING BEETLES

If Jurassic Park taught us anything, it's that predators prefer live prey. Blue death-feigning beetles (Asbolus verrucosus) use that fact to their advantage: When threatened by spiders, birds, rodents or lizards, the beetles roll over and play dead, with their bodies becoming extremely rigid. Once the threat has passed, the beetles right themselves. Native to the Sonoran Desert, these nocturnal beetles are also notable for their unique color, which comes from a wax they secrete to protect themselves from dehydration and overheating. Blue death-feigning beetles have been known to live for as long as eight years, although predators that get wise to the beetles' act can shorten that life span considerably. - NOAH AUSTIN

~lodging~ Hull Cabin

Located JUST A MILE from the Grand Canyon's South Rim, Hull Cabin offers convenient access to the national park but is a world away from the bustle of Grand Canyon Village. The 128-year-old cabin was originally the home of 19th century sheep rancher William Hull and a pit stop for tourists on the stagecoach route to the Canyon. It then became a ranger station and, after falling into disrepair, was recently restored by the Kaibab National Forest as part of the Rooms With a View cabin-rental program. The three-room structure, which retains the original log walls made from ponderosas that were cut in 1887, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The guest book on the hand-hewn wooden dining table in the well-equipped kitchen includes positive comments about how much visitors from all over the world enjoy frontier life at this off-the-grid oasis (no cell service or electricity): playing board games by the glow of propane lanterns, sipping coffee on the front porch, seeing a coyote slip across the gravel driveway and hearing the wind whistling through ancient pines. “Time passes gently here, instead of with a roar,” Nancy wrote. “We are so blessed for experiences like this that draw us closer to our souls.” Hull Cabin is located 16 miles east of Tusayan off Forest Road 307. For more information, call 928-638-2443 or visit www.recreation.gov.

~ things to do in arizona ~

Car Show May 2, Prescott Ford Mustangs are on display at this show - all years, models and conditions are welcome. Proceeds benefit the Yavapai County Jeep Posse, a volunteer search-and-rescue group. Information: www.mustang projectcruise.com Horse Races May 2-3, Sonoita This 100th-annual event, presented by the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association, features exciting live horse-racing along with simulcast Kentucky Derby betting, a VIP turf club, a beer garden and a Cinco de Mayo celebration on Sunday. Information: 520-455-5553 or www.sonoitafairgrounds.com Ignite Phoenix May 9, Scottsdale At this “information exchange” at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, everyday people are encouraged to share their stories and ideas. Judges choose 18 presenters who speak for five minutes apiece at the event. Information: www. ignitephoenix.com Overland Expo West May 15-17, near Flagstaff Mormon Lake Lodge hosts this event, which focuses on “overlanding” — a form of self-reliant, long-distance travel that places the emphasis on the journey, rather than the destination. Camping and vehicle outfitters and other exhibitors will be on hand, and more than 170 classes and workshops will be offered. Information: www.overlandexpo.com/west Rodders Days May 21-23, Tucson Join the Tucson Street Rod Association and hot-rod enthusiasts for an excitement-filled weekend that culminates with the oldest car show in Arizona. Automobiles from 1972 and earlier will be on display on the University of Arizona Mall. Information: 520-869-4925 or www.tucsonstreetrod association.net Photo Workshop: Grand Canyon August 6-9, South Rim Capture the drama of the Canyon during monsoon season at this four-day workshop, where Arizona Highways contributor Suzanne Mathia teaches participants how to make stunning photos and use Adobe Lightroom to simplify and enhance the digital-photography process. Information: 888-790-7042 or www.ahpw.org AH For more events, visit www.arizonahighways.com/events.

MIND IF WE TAG ALONG?

THE STATE OF ARIZONA GAVE US OUR OWN LICENSE PLATE, AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE US FOR A RIDE. To order an official Arizona Highways license plate, visit www.arizonahighways.com and click the license plate icon on our home page. Proceeds help support our mission of promoting tourism in Arizona.