AKA:
Flagstaff, Arizona: Better Late Than Never (2011)
We'd had a winter storm the Tuesday before and the snow began melting Wednesday (as is the norm here), but there was still a little bit left by the time these pictures were taken on Friday (Veterans Day 2011).
That said, in a place that averages over 300 days of sunshine per year, I've learned to appreciate/cherish cloudy days. It also, in my opinion, makes Flagstaff look extra dreary, so given my typical demeanor, the clouds were welcome.
Some music, first:
• Video Link
Starting on the east end of Downtown
And looking down Aspen, one of the main east-west drags through Downtown
You can see one of the Lowell Observatory telescopes up on the hill
Also, my brother tagged along for the journey
Moving over to the west side near City Hall and the Library is the Flagstaff Townsite neighborhood.
Also, there's a greenbelt/wash separating Wheeler Park from the Library
I don't know where he learned that. Also, a BNSF train in the background.
Back to Flagstaff Townsite. Apparently the city's been trying to get this registered as a National Historic District, but hasn't had much luck with that.
Either they haven't yet taken down the Halloween decorations, or college students live here
A little more charming
The main library branch
Three words that, to me at least, don't make a whole hell of a lot of sense together
Closet Buckeyes fan? The red's a little too dark for scarlet...
Signs!
There's a disturbingly large percentage of salons in this neighborhood
Flagstaff Federated Community Church, a Presbyterian/Methodist congregation. Open and affirming.
Christ, another hair salon!?
Huh.
Milton/Santa Fe/Route 66 passes under the BNSF tracks. During the monsoon season, this floods way too often.
It was Veterans Day
Front view of the library, right across the street from City Hall
Looking east down Aspen. The building with the clock is where I took the first couple of shots to start this thread.
Where do you want to go?
Route 66 on a typical Friday (even though its a holiday). Flagstaff's Amtrak station in the background
City Hall, constructed in 1983. Very po-mo.
Along Aspen, east of San Francisco
Good Thai food, if that's your thing. I don't much care for it...
Canyon shot down Aspen
The Hotel Weatherford, with mast. On New Years Eve every year, they drop a metal pine cone to ring in the new year. I'm surprised that even though it always seems to be freezing cold on New Years Eve, the pine cone drop is attracts a significant crowd and its damn hard to find parking that isn't on or near the NAU campus.
Across the street from the Weatherford on Aspen and Leroux. Maloney's and San Felipe's: Ground zero for drunken college students during the school year.
Looking south on Leroux, which ends at 66 and the train station.
Newer building overlooking Heritage Square, northeast corner of Aspen and Leroux. Fifteen years ago, this was nothing more than a parking lot.
Heritage Square, the city's primary gathering spot
Across the street
Ah yes, the Monte V at the northeast intersection of Aspen and San Francisco. Many an attempt has been made here at a pretentious asshole shot looking up at the building...
The Babbitt family is originally from Cincinnati. They have their name attached to damn-near everything in this town.
The Coconino County Courthouse, constructed in 1894. Most recent renovations, including the yard (grass replaced all the concrete), were finished in 2002.
Yeah, I like this building.
But I'm not sure what he was doing.
Me, trying to look like the guys on one of those lawyer ads you see in the phone book...Didn't go over very well.
Snow still on the San Francisco Peaks
And finally, shots of the city and NAU from Mars Hill
Train coming
Thanks for taking a look. Next up: Tempe, Mesa and Phoenix on a sunny day in late December.