…oh my!
The final two days of our Arizona adventure brought us to the Buffalo Chip Saloon for some Friday night, “Southwestern style” adventures. You know you are in the right place when you see ten-gallon hats everywhere you look and a bull riding arena in the back of the bar.
And so we bought giant mugs of beer and found our spot in the stands. When in Rome Cave Creek…
I may have been a little sunburned.
Alex took some amazing video of the final rider – the only one who was able to stay on his bull for the full eight seconds required to qualify. As a result, he easily took home $1,200. Not bad for eight seconds of work.
The announcer’s commentary is always entertaining if not slightly ridiculous.
I didn’t know much about the bull riding process, but you can learn more here. Once the show was over, we headed into the saloon to ooh and ahh over the amazing Western dancing, and took a crack at it ourselves.
Sam and I even learned how to line dance! I wish I would have been paying enough attention to remember what the song was called, but it was so much fun. We aced the basic moves by the end and were keeping up with the group!
When we got home, we refueled after all the dancing with some fresh strawberry shortcake.
We substituted angel food cake for the biscuits. It was heavenly. Then we called it a night – after all, we had to wake up early in order to begin our road trip to Sedona!
The red rocks of Sedona are breathtaking. The Grand Canyon has its own unique beauty, but Sedona is something else. You literally turn a corner on the road and are greeted by fiery mountaintops.
The four of us decided to hike the Jim Thompson trail, a five-mile loop with slight uphills. Along the way, we didn’t come face-to-face with much wildlife other than our good friend the lizard (with chameleon-like skin).
It was a great hike – the weather was not too hot (we really lucked out this trip). Alex and Sam each purchased new hats to keep extra cool. Doesn’t Sam make an excellent cowgirl?
We stopped at multiple points to take advantage of the vistas.
And re-live some of our Grand Canyon silliness.
After our hike, we even secured a self-timed group shot off the hood of the car.
Mad photography skillz if you ask me. 😉
We drove back into town famished and ready for some lunch at the Cowboy Club. The special of the day was a buffalo chicken sandwich, which I know is just about on the opposite end of the healthy food spectrum, but was delicious nonetheless.
It was served with a pretzel bun (I’m sensing a trend) and sweet potato fries.
Super spicy and just what I was craving. I also had a cool bottle of Sioux City Sarsaparilla.
All in all, it was a determinedly Western weekend. We arrived back in Scottsdale for a sunset dinner with my family at an Italian restaurant called Constantino’s.
Not-so-baby Bender was the photographer, but we had to get a family shot in, too.
The trip was over too soon, as always, but we had a really great time and look forward to future fourth-some adventures in the years to come. 🙂 Thanks again for coming, Sam and Alex!
Do you have any upcoming trips that you’re looking forward to?
Julie recently posed this question, and I’m curious to hear, too. We’re headed to San Diego in August and Minnesota in September to round out the summer, while also having some family in town in the coming weeks. Looking forward to it!
Abrazos,
So much fun! The hike looks incredible. I’ve always wanted to visit there. Trips? Ummm we have a couple weddings coming up. We’re trying to plan some vacation time because we’re in desperate need.
You will have to come visit once we are there – that would be amazing!
HOW FUN! I want to watch bull riding someday! and line dancing and country bars are the BEST! I went in January and have been itching to go back ever since! Plus, I love how many older people come out to dance at those types of bars….By the end of the night, I always have danced with a few gentlemen my grandpa’s age! They are adorable; warms my heart!
And Scottsdale is definitely a place I want to visit again! I loved the hiking there!
lastly…angel foodcake + strawbs? YES.
LOVE YOU
I love that about those bars, too! It’s so cool to watch them all dancing with the ladies. 🙂 And they are always SUCH good dancers, too! Please come back to Scottsdale when we’re there – that would be amazing! Love YOU.
I heart Cave Creek.
Perhaps bull riding is order for Caroline and Kelly at Thanksgiving… 😉 Just kidding!
OMgolly this looks like SO much fun!! I have always wanted to go to Sedona and after taking a look at your pics, I almost went ahead and booked my tickets now! Lol. When are you going to be in MN girl? I am heading up to the cities the weekend of September 22 for a friend’s wedding. Maybe we might run into each other!! 🙂
You definitely should go there – and the sooner the better! If our paths ever cross there you’ll have to let me know. As for Minnesota, I’m actually going to be there over Labor Day weekend so unfortunately I won’t be there at the same time as you. But I’m determined that we’ll meet one of these days!! 🙂
Ahhh, so much fun! I’m jealous you went to sedona, i have yet to visit there and get in some good hiking, and birding of course! Be my tour guide when i want to visit!?
Sad i won’t be home in august when you’re in sd! I’m thinking of going to nyc in late October or earlier November to see my brother; maybe a stopover in Chicago should get worked in there?! We’ll, unless I’m permanently on Maui , we’ll see!
Of course I will be you’re tour guide when you come visit! That will be awesome. 🙂 I’m sad you won’t be there, either, but I would LOVE for you to have a stopover in Chicago when you go to visit your brother. Let’s make this happen! Although if you’re permanently on Maui then I may just have to come visit you.. 😉
How fun! I am a sucker for a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. I probably let myself have one about once a year for a treat. But sweet potatoes make it healthy 😉
Sedona looks awesome!
Haha that’s exactly what I told myself – sweet potatoes are a superfood even in fried form, right? 😉
omg LOVEEEE your dress from the italian dinner! it’s gorgeous! you have such a sunkissed AZ glow haha. what a fun trip! i’ve never been bull riding but it’s definitely on my must-do list!
Thank you, Julie! My sunkissed glow is rapidly disappearing after returning home and getting back to work, haha! And the dress is a new favorite!!
It’s not really a vacation until someone line dances. 🙂 You guys are too funny! Sedona looks so gorgeous- I really need to go there!
Haha that is my new quote for vacations for the rest of time. 🙂 You must check out Sedona sometime soon. It really is incredible!
[…] show her our still new-ish neighborhood. Of course, we did have to bring back some favorites from the last time she visited, including a Friday night at the Buffalo Chip […]