McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

Friday, on the way back from Ak Chin Casino, we stopped at the Railroad Park in Scottsdale.  I had never heard of it before, but a check at TripAdvisor showed this was a top rated spot.  It was truly a great place to walk around and take pictures.  There were full sized engine and cars and also a small train that gave rides on tracks that ran through the park.  There was also a carousel, museum, and other buildings in the park.  Admission to the park was free with a small charge for the rides.

There was a large Model Railroad Building that housed an expansive layout of working model trains.  It was interesting to see the elaborate setup and model buildings with the electric trains chugging along the tracks.  Admission was free and donations accepted.

Definitely a place to visit and bring the kids along.  This would be worth a return trip.

Dedicated to Bil Keane "The Family Circus"

Getaway at Ak Chin Casino

We took a mid-week getaway to the resort hotel at the Ak Chin Casino about 75 miles south of home and spent 2 nights there.  The resort was very clean and the rooms were large and comfortable.  The bathroom had both a shower and a separate bath.  All the staff was very friendly.

It had a very nice pool with comfortable lounges and umbrellas.  We spent a whole afternoon relaxing there.

The dinner buffet was excellent.  There was a large selection of food and it was all very tasty.  The dessert bar was well stocked and I made several trips there to taste their chocolate items.  There was also a restaurant near the pool that had great omelets in the morning.  Unfortunately, the slots were not paying out very well.

There is a newly constructed Entertainment Center adjacent to the casino.  It had several movies showing, a bowling alley, a game center for the kids, and a restaurant.  We walked through it but did not do any of the activities.

This was an enjoyable place to spend a few days.  The rates were low during mid-week and there are often special rates for Harrah's club members.

Big Dog Cycle Run

After taking in an Auto Show on Saturday morning, we went to Westgate Plaza to have lunch and do a little shopping at the Outlet Mall.  While having lunch at an outdoor patio, we heard a loud roar and saw hundreds of motorcycles coming to the Plaza.  This was the end point for the Big Dog Cycle Run, a benefit for the Veteran's Scholarship Fund.  I wasn't aware of the event, but walked over to the Plaza center where all the cycles were parked and the participants gathered for lunch and entertainment.

There were some terrific looking cycles there.  They were all parked in an orderly manner which made for a nice view of the fancy machines and some nice picture taking.  This was one of those serendipity moments that was unplanned but very rewarding.  Here are some photos of the event.

Here they come!!

Lined up in the plaza.

Auto Show at Sanderson Ford

There was an auto show at Sanderson Ford, in Glendale, on Saturday, April 19 to raise funds for the Glendale K-9 unit.  The weather was terrific and the lot at the car dealer was a great place to have a show.  The dealership also has an operating food diner.  There were over 50 nice looking classic and customized vehicles.  Shown below are some of the autos that caught my eye.  I processed most of the photos using the Photomatix HDR program to help highlight the details of the cars.

Some of the show cars at Sanderson Ford

A real diner serving food at Sanderson Ford

1935 Auburn.  The company also produced Duesenbergs and Cords.

1933 Ford coupe stretched into a limousine

1929 Ford Pickup

1935 Chevy with Corvette Engine

1933 Ford Coupe

Cody Lang with his special creation