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 Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey This morning, I decided to dive into my photo archives and find an image to share. As luck would have it, the very first image that popped up was a shot I took during our cross-country trip from Winston-Salem, North Carolina to our new home in Victorville, California. Terri and I had stopped in the historic town of Williams, Arizona along the way, and I snapped a photo of a classic car in front of an old gas station on the famous Route 66.

Save up to 15% off Train Tickets + Hotel with the Grand Canyon Wonder Package This Spring Ever wonder how you can make the most of a journey to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World – the Grand Canyon? Come visit this spring and see how we have it all sorted for you, including a trip by historic train to this amazing natural phenomenon. Package and enjoy savings of 15% with our 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-night Grand Canyon Wonder Package* that bundles up roundtrip train tickets and overnight stays! The best part? Stay three nights or more and stay overnight at Maswik Lodge inside Grand Canyon National Park. Book Your Vacation Package Today! Check Out: Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel - Spring Break Savings Have Arrived! Unlock the ultimate spring break escape with our unbeatable Canyon Discovery Package. Dive into a world of savings where adventure and convenience meet, with a 10% discount on train tickets, hotel rooms, a guided motorcoach tour, and meals*. All aboard for a memorable spr...

 From Visit Arizona: The Road to the Final Four heads to the Valley of the Sun The 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four® events, playoffs and championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale may be the main attraction, but there’s plenty more for sports fans to see and do while they’re in town.

I just got my Arizona Travel Guide in the mail and after going through a few pages I came to this add for Discover Navajo. It made me smile. It reads: "Near Tuba City, AZ- right off Highway 264 - past mile marker 337.25 - just east of the dirt road - If you pass the windmill you've gone too far ..." I think that Terri and I will follow those directions one day.

 From The Grand Canyon Railway Make Spring Break Memorable With the Canyon Discovery Package Unlock the ultimate spring break escape with our unbeatable Canyon Discovery Package. Dive into a world of savings where adventure and convenience meet, with a 10% discount on train tickets, hotel rooms, a guided motorcoach tour, and meals*. All aboard for a memorable spring break without the premium price tag. Book now and get ready for a vacation to remember!

  Brookhill Ferry Shipwreck Site in Baton Rouge, Louisiana The lack of rain in the South and Midwest over the past several months have resulted in the depths of Mississippi River reaching record low levels. Due to these unusually low water levels so really interesting things are being discovered in areas that are generally under water. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana the shipwreck of an over one hundred year old ferry has recently been discovered. The now exposed wreckage is believed to be of the Brookhill Ferry that used to transport people and horse-drawn carriages across the Mississippi River in the late 1800s and early 1900s before any bridge in the area ever existed. According to newspaper records the ship went down in a severe storm way back in June of 1906. FIND OUT MORE An Antique Paradise in Oro Grande on Old Route 66, California Located along the Mojave River, the vicinity of Oro Grande was the location for Native American settlements hundreds of years. The river was also the ...

According to eyewitnesses several Air Force fighter jets were scrambled this past Friday night to intercept a set of mysterious glowing lights over Buckeye, Arizona. On Friday March 6th several residents in Buckeye reported seeing multiple sets of orange lights on the horizon. The lights, which were grouped in sets of 2, 3, and 4, reportedly moved south over the town, between interstates 8 and 10 towards the open desert. The lights would periodically blink on and off in a repeated order. The eyewitnesses noted that during their observation several Air Force jets attempted to follow the lights but as they came close to them, they blinked out making location impossible. After circling for a short period of time in an attempt to relocate the lights the jets left the area. Almost on cue, two minutes after the fighters had departed, the lights returned. Reportedly two additional sets of lights appeared to the west of interstate 10. One set moved slowly towards the west in a straight line w...

Grand Canyon Railway Photo By Ken Hulsey  From Xanterra (Press Release) As many seasoned travelers know, autumn is the best time to hit the road. From the redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters, this is the time when temperatures take a dip, when downhome festivals take place, and when nearly every kid and every parent is back at their desk. If you happen to be one of the fortunate few who can escape to Grand Canyon National Park during the ideal weather between September and November, you’ll see this natural wonder in what may be its best light. This is the time of year when a pleasing level of calm and fewer visitors are paired with activities that are exclusive to autumn — from specialty train journeys to seasonal packages to the allure of America’s Mother Road. And all of it begins at the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel . An Unforgettable Season Throughout the year, Grand Canyon Railway offers travelers an opportunity to experience one of the world’s great train journeys. Dep...

 I don't know of any non functional steam locomotive that has logged in more mileage over the past couple of decades than ex Spokane, Portland and Seattle Locomotive #539. It has been moved around the Pacific Northwest, shipped to Arizona, ten ultimately returned to Washington where it resides today. I was lucky enough to see it back in 2019 while it was still owned by the Grand Canyon Railway. Here is the story in a nutshell: Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway No. 539 is the only preserved example of the class O-3 2-8-2 "Mikado" steam locomotive. It was built by the American Locomotive Company in 1917 for the Northern Pacific Railway as engine No. 1762. It was sold to the NP's subsidiary, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway and renumbered 539, in 1944. The locomotive was retired in 1957, and it was displayed in Esther Short Park, Washington, until 1997. That year, it was moved to Battle Ground for a potential restoration that never came to fruition. In 2007,...

All Photos By Ken Hulsey I took this photo atop a cliff overlooking this bay just south of Santa Barbara, California. I was lucky to have stumbled upon this location as I was driving back home. The view was so beautiful that I pulled over to enjoy the sunset on the water. Of all the photos I took that evening I like this one the best. I love the colors produced in the waning twilight just after the sun had set.  I took this photo of this lone sailboat just off Newport Beach, California. The image always makes me think of peace and calmness in an otherwise hectic world. I love the dots of light just below the horizon created by the sunlight coming through the hazy cloud cover. I am a sucker for both sunsets and clouds and in this image both come together to create a spectacular combination of color and light. There really isn't anything more beautiful than a sunset in the American southwest. I literally took this one from my front yard in Victorville, California.  I don't know ...