Rambling RV Rat's Road Trip Recommendations - February 4, 2015

We arrived at KOFA National Wildlife Refuge yesterday before sunrise in the hopes of seeing some of their notorious wildlife:  long-horn sheep, mule deer, coyote, bobcat, desert tortoises and gila monsters.  But despite our best efforts of getting up early, being very quiet, equipping ourselves with binoculars, and trekking through miles and miles of desert terrain, we saw nothing but one lone rabbit!  We soothed our disappointment by hiking up to see The Canyon Palms, Arizona’s only native palm tree. 

Today we unloaded the motorcycles to take advantage of the great riding weather.  

Road trip destination:  Wickenburg, AZ, once known as the “Dude Ranch Capital of the World.”  I learned that little fact by visiting the Desert Caballeros Western Museum on Frontier Street in Wickenburg.

 

The museum has beautiful and unique paintings, photos, and sculptures depicting Southwestern lifestyles and landscapes, including great renderings of Cowboys and Indians (I’m a stuffed rat—I don’t have to be politically correct!)  It is well worth the $9 regular admission (Rambling RV Rat did not qualify for the Senior Citizen or AAA discount they offer).

Another cool thing about Wickenburg is the human-sized statues located throughout the town.  These things look just like real people!   They were created by world-renowned artist John Seward Johnson II, a native of New Jersey, like me!  If you enjoy his works of art and happen to be in NJ, visit the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, which Mr. Seward founded in 1992 (http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/).  And, can you believe, they have a French restaurant on site called Rat’s Restaurant.  (No, no relation to me, Rambling RV Rat or to  my idol, Disney’s Chef Ratatouille).  But it has a unique origin, atmosphere, and menu—a bit pricey, but a memorable experience.  Warning:  Don’t get lost!  You may end up in Trenton, New Jersey’s very unsafe and crime-ridden capital city.

All this talk of Rat’s Restaurant has made me very hungry!  Time to indulge in some macaroni and cheese. (My Mom is Italian descent—so you know some form of pasta is part of every dinner)!

Talk to you soon!