Mileposts/Events

See a Hopi Rain Dance • Party at a Monastery Meet Mountain Men Take a Bite Out of a Museum SING ALONG WITH THE NAVAJOS

When traveling across the Navajo Indian Reservation in northern Arizona, tune your car radio to KTNN, 660 AM out of Window Rock. The music you'll hear is country all the way, but the words are sung in Navajo.

KTNN speaks the language of the desert plains and mesas where the Navajos live and listen to their native tongue over the air, often using battery-powered radios on a reservation where vast areas are without electricity. By the time you can travel from Flagstaff to Page or Winslow to Gallup, New Mexico, you'll be hooked on country music Navajostyle. I was. Tom Kuhn

A BIRD'S VIEW OF LAKE POWELL

For a superb "aerial" view of Lake Powell, watch for Milepost 552 on U.S. 89 in far northeastern Arizona. Just north of the milepost, there's a dirt road to the east that takes you to a hill affording a bird's-eye look at the meandering lake. For information on the Lake Flake Powel Powell/Page area, contact the chamber of commerce, (520) 645-2741.Y

NOT TIRED? STOP ANYWAY

Even if you don't need a break from driving, pull into the Desert Hills Rest Area on Interstate 17 north of Phoenix at Milepost 227A. In addition to the usual rest stop amenities, it offers an introduction to some of the plants and trees that flourish in the Sonoran Desert.

Look around and you'll see saguaro, cholla, barrel, and prickly pear cactuses; paloverde and mesquite trees; and a variety of other vegetation, including creosote bushes, aromatic shrubs whose yellow blossoms peak twice a year: March-April and November-December, depending upon the weather.

LITTLE HOUSE ON SOUTH FORK CREEK

Ever wonder what happened to Ike Clanton after he sur-vived the infamous O.K. Corral gunfight? Well, the leader of the losing side took up a life of cattle rustling in Apache County and went to that Big Corral in the Sky after being gunned down by a lawman trying to serve a warrant.

vived the infamous O.K. Corral gunfight? Well, the leader of the losing side took up a life of cattle rustling in Apache County and went to that Big Corral in the Sky after being gunned down by a lawman trying to serve a warrant.

This and other Old West lore are part of Winkie Crigler's Little House Museum, located west of Eagar and south of State 260 along South Fork Creek. Museum exhibits include period fashions, art works, and musical instruments from the late 1800s.

The museum consists of four log buildings, the oldest dating to 1885; the newest went up a few years ago and houses a carriage donated to Crigler by actor John Wayne.

Little House Museum is open May 25 through Labor Day; winter tours by prior arrange-

SCHOOL'S IN SESSION

Arizona's oldest standing schoolhouse built in 1885 and closed in 1916 — would have been nothing but building materials for nearby houses if volunteers hadn't stepped forward. Because they did, the old one-roomer just west of Strawberry was restored and opened to visitors in 1981.

Strawberry, which was named for the wild berries that once grew there in abundance, sits just below the Mogollon Rim about 20 miles north of Payson.

Visiting hours at the schoolhouse are weekends, May through September, 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Admission is free; donations accepted. For information, call (520) 476-3547. - Sam Lowe Outdoor-lovers headed for the DeMotte Campground, located between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, enjoy an un-expected treat: the drive itself. This stretch along State Route 67 to the campground boasts such gorgeous scenery that it's known as the "Kaibab PlateauNorth Rim Scenic Parkway."

GETTING THERE'S HALE THE FUN

DeMotte sits at an elevation of 9,000 feet on a hillside thick with high-country trees, from quaking aspens to Douglas firs. The area abounds in wildlife, and chances of spotting some deer or wild turkeys are excellent. But perhaps the biggest treat of all at least for the camp cook is that there's a restaurant within walking distance of the campground. To ask about DeMotte, call Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District, (520) 6437395.

PUTTING YOUR FOOT IN IT

Charles Wescogname is the only Hualapai Indian who still makes the tribe's traditional sandals from the fibers of the banana yucca.

I met Charlie at Peach Springs up on the Hualapai reservation, 50 miles east of Kingman on Old Route 66. He told me he gathers the yucca from the hills near his house. He tears the plant fibers into coarse "laces" and weaves them together to form the shoe soles. Using a pointy deer antler as an awl, he painstakingly "sews" a tight sandal. Then he coats the bottoms of the soles with pine pitch and red sand and attaches loops of yucca for ankle and toe holds.

Charlie sells the sandals for $50 a pair, but he isn't big on marketing, so you won't find them anywhere except his home or on rare occasions at Indian fairs in Phoenix. If you want to stop by to see Charlie, ask around Peach Springs for directions. Sam Negri

MUNCHING AT THE MUSEUM

A while back an insider told us the most frequently asked question at the Phoenix Art Museum was, “Where's the food?” That was when the museum didn't have a restaurant. Now when hungry folks ask that question, they just want directions to Eddie's Art Museum Cafe. The eatery opened at the greatly expanded museum last fall and is run by Chef Eddie Matney of Eddie's Grill in Phoenix. The restaurant is open during the museum's normal operating hours: 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., Tuesday through Sunday; plus 5 P.M. to 9 P.M., Thursday and Friday. Brunch is served Sunday from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Call (602) 257-1880 during business hours to inquire.

A PLETHORA OF POSIES

In May and June, meadows along the Crest Trail in the Chiricahua Mountains of south-eastern Arizona look like baskets of wildflowers. Irises, especially, seem to flourish depending, of course, on what Mother Nature's been up to. For information on current blooms and to ask about hiking the demanding Crest Trail, call Coronado National Forest, Douglas Ranger District, (520) 364-3468.

EVENTS Cinco de Mayo Parade

May 4; Nogales An international parade celebrating Cinco de Mayo begins in the Nogales north of the border and winds down into the Nogales in Sonora, Mexico. There'll be marching bands and a couple dozen colorful floats in the procession, which caps a variety of activities street fairs, dances, art exhibits, and golf tourneys from April 25 to May 11. Information: (520) 287-3685.

Fiesta de la Primavera

May 10-11; St. David Holy Trinity Monastery, a cloistered Benedictine community, hosts this annual Mother's Day weekend event featuring arts and crafts, entertainment by performers from Tonga, a big raffle (prizes from $50 to $1,000), and a variety of food choices: a pit barbecue, Mexican dishes, and hot dogs and hamburgers. Be sure to allow enough time to explore the monastery and its grounds worth the trip in itself. Don't miss the museum with its incredible diversity of exhibits, the gift shop, the bookstore, and the “bird sanctuary.” The best time to see birds, says one of the Brothers, is early morning or late afternoon. Admission is free; a $1 parking donation is requested. Information: (520) 720-4854.

Hopi-Tu Tsootsvolla

May 10-11; Sedona Fair warning: A few years ago, when the Hopis performed traditional rain dances at this event, it hailed on the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. This year, the dances will be under the shade and protection of a large cottonwood tree. Highlights of the event include artists and craftsmen exhibiting their works and demonstrating traditional and contemporary arts: weaving, pottery making, kachina carving, silversmithing. There also will be traditional Hopi food available. An added bonus is the opportunity to photograph (noncommercial only) performances of Hopi social dances, which is strictly forbidden on the reservation. Admission donations are accepted. Information: (520) 282-6428.

PHOTO WORKSHOPS FOCUS ON AUTUMN COLOR

Looking ahead a few months, the Friends of Arizona Highways have scheduled some Photo Workshops that take advantage of cooler weather and the changing of the leaves as autumn makes its way around the state. The workshops include: Fall Color on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, River Rafting on the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, Indian Ruins, the White Stallion Ranch, and a brand-new Southern Arizona Photo Sampler trip.

For a complete schedule, contact the Friends, 2039 W. Lewis Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009; (602) 271-5904.

Greer Days

May 17; Greer Fishing, hiking, camping, and cool high-country air are enough to draw folks to this White Mountain community in summer, but this celebration adds to the attractions with a parade, arts and crafts booths jam-packed with souvenirs and one-of-a-kind gift items, and a fishing derby. To top it off, food will be available from local restaurants serving their specialties. There is a $2 entry fee for the fishing derby. Information: (520) 735-7540.

Rendezvous Days

May 23-26; Williams This Memorial Day weekend celebration is Williams' biggest event of the year, and the hometowners go all out to commemorate the traditional gatherings of the old-time mountain men. Small town fun's the attraction here, with a parade (Saturday morning), a buckskinners' black powder shoot and traders row, a gun and collectibles show, a carnival, street dances, and food and crafts booths. There'll be an admission charge for some activities. Information: (520) 635-4061. If you've got time and you plan ahead you can hop aboard a vintage train to the Grand Canyon. They depart from Williams' historic 1908 depot. For reservations, call toll-free (800)THE TRAIN.