Yesteryear's "rock stars" were the men of the mines.

MILEPOSTS Fill 'er Up with Fine Art

Converted gas station in Kingman - or a onetime fix-it shop for tractors, depending upon who you ask - nowadays houses Southwest Art, a "unique tourist shop" with nary a coffee mug or rubber snake in sight, according to co-owner Sandra Ellis. "We try to stay away from that kind of thing," she says. "We sell a lot of types of fine crafts, including sandpainted pottery by the Navajos and turquoise and silver jewelry by the Navajos, Zunis, and Hopis. We also sell Kingman turquoise. Southwest Art is located at 1143 W. Beale St. in the town perhaps best known as the birthplace of actor Andy Devine. Says Ellis, who owns the store with her husband, Charles, and another couple, Jean and Roy Frey: "We keep a guest register on the counter for them to sign. We've had customers from all over, even Europe." To inquire, call (520) 753-6670.

Playing Whirlybird Golf

Resort Suites of Scottsdale offers its golfing guests the opportunity to play 18 holes on some of the finest courses in the state - without driving a long time to get there. Guests opting for Heli-Golf hop aboard an executive helicopter at the hotel's on-site helipad for a quick trip to the red rock country's Sedona Golf Resort (45 minutes), Gold Canyon in the Superstition Mountains (30 minutes), or Starr Pass in Tucson (one hour). The cost per golfer, which includes everything from transportation to breakfast and greens fees, is $244 for Gold Canyon, $314 for Sedona Golf Resort, and $399 for Starr Pass. Reduced rates are available for nongolfers. For information, call (602) 585-1234 or toll-free (800) 541-5203.

Jingle Bells in July

We forgot about the shorts and T-shirts we were wearing ing and concentrated on the pine trees around Flagstaff so hard we could almost imagine jolly old St. Nick was in the back of the Mountain Christmas store turning out toys for good little girls and boys. It'snever-too-early-to-shop-for-theholidays might be the motto of this year-round store jam-packed with everything from Santas, angels, teddy bears, and dolls to candles and nutcrackers. Even if thoughts of sugar plums dancing in our heads was a bit much in July, there was plenty of other merchandise to catch our attention. Mountain Christmas, in Flagstaff's Old Town off Old Route 66 and San Francisco Street, specializes in handmade ornaments and collectible goodies for every season. For more information, call (520) 7744054. Stuart Rosebrook

A Tree Grows in Strawberry

At first I thought the rounded wall in the lobby of the Strawberry Lodge was an architectural blunder. But when the owner explained, I realized the "bump" served a worthwhile purpose: it spared a venerable tree.

When Jean and Dick Turner expanded the lodge in 1983, they ran into a problem because an old oak stood right where they wanted to build. Rather than destroy the tree, the Turners indented the new wall, detouring around it. They got their expansion, and the towering oak prevailed, providing shade in summer, an array of yellow, red, and gold leaves in autumn - and hope in springtime.

Strawberry Lodge sits on the corner where State Route 87 bends to the north in downtown Strawberry, a hamlet nestled in Mogollon Rim country that attracts flatlanders seeking relief from summer temperatures. Now widowed, Jean Turner still greets guests warmly and invites them to sit around the fireplace for a spell and enjoy the high country. - Sam Lowe

It's a Bola Celebration

A current exhibition at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg salutes the Silver Jubilee of the bola tie, that unique sartorial accessory that was decreed the official neckwear of Arizona in 1971.

The bola as we know it was invented by Wickenburg resident Victor Cedarstaff by accident in the 1940s. (See Arizona Highways, October '95.) Concerned about losing his silver"Nice tie," and the rest is history.

The museum's exhibit showcases bola ties in a variety of styles and made from materials ranging from "the truly sublime to the outrageous," along with finely crafted examples by some of today's best artists.

The exhibit runs to October 20, 1996. Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N. Frontier St.; (520) 684-2272, is open Monday through Saturday, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.; Sunday, 1 to 4 P.M. Admission is $4, adults; $3.50, senior; $1, ages six to 16; free, under six.

No Foolin' Mountain Fun

One of the newer recreation areas in the state invites families to head for the White Mountains to fish, hike, swim, picnic, camp, and boat. Fool Hollow Lake, which sits atop a field of lava caves near Show Low, offers a catch of catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, and brown trout. Amenities include full hook-up spots for RVs and tent sites near water as well as a small boat launch area. Open all year, Fool Hollow is a great jumping off spot for exploring the high country in all seasons. For information, call (520) 5373680. Stuart Rosebrook

The Desert After Dark

The desert's a different place after the sun goes down. "That's why we have the Summer Saturdays with extended hours," says Mary Erickson of Tucson's zoolike ArizonaSonora Desert Museum. "We invite people to come out early