Day Two in Arizona: Trains, Tempe, and a Big Plate of Meat

PHOENIX — The day started with a promise that went unfulfilled, although since the kid has been passed out for a hour now as I write this, I think it is safe to say that it was not an event that was truly missed.

Until he brings it back up a breakfast, but we will deal with it then if that is the case.

The hotel where we are currently situated is an Embassy Suites not too far from the airport; not the best neighborhood in the world, but certainly not an out and out 'hood. It is like many neighborhoods that one would encounter in Las Vegas or even Los Angeles, a certain weathered sort of old southwestern urban neighborhood. It could use some steady investment to make it better, but you're not necessarily taking your life in your hands visiting it.

Anyway, the building is built with a central courtyard, in which is located a swimming pool. The desire of the kidlet today was to go swimming. However, someone (meaning: me) forgot to pack swim trunks. Someone else (a person to whom I am related by marriage) forgot to bring a small tube of suntan lotion for face and arms, and said person is currently sporting a bright red forehead and a red blotch on their chest from getting sun at the baseball game yesterday.

So off to Target we went, which was conveniently located down the block. Necessary items acquired, we set off on today's adventure, which took us first to Scottsdale to visit McCormick Stillman Railroad Park. The park is free admission, although to ride the carousel or on the small gauge trains, or to visit one of the museums on the property, you have to but tickets. Most of the things mentioned above cost two tickets per person over the age of three, and tickets are $10 for a sheet of 12. Or you can purchase an all-access wristband for $10 per person. We wound up buying two sheets of tickets and killing a good couple of hours there. The kidlet enjoyed riding the train, especially the second time when he got to ride in a boxcar like a hobo.

After we had exhausted our tickets and checked out a very cool yet still in progress construction of model train villages representing the state of Arizona, it was time to head south to Tempe. One of my own personal loves is to visit college campuses, and it is hard to be in Phoenix and not drive over to visit Arizona State University. Wending our way down south, we came upon the eastern edge of campus, driving past Sun Devil Stadium and the athletic complex before parking. We wandered down towards the south edge of campus near the residence halls before heading up past W.P. Carey School of Business and towards the union and the bookstore. Hunger was overtaking the smallest member of the travel party, so we stopped and picked up some fast food in the union to refuel quickly before doing some shopping at the bookstore.

A painting on a wall in the basement of the ASU Memorial Union

By this time, a rest was definitely called for, so it was back to the hotel for some down time and to reorganize before heading out to dinner at a wonderful spot called Rustler's Rooste. Their catchphrase is, "Beef and Brew with a View," and the restaurant (only open for happy hour and for dinner) certainly lived up to that name, offering a splendid view of most of the Valley of the Sun as the sun set on this early Monday evening. Oh, and if you desire, because of how the restaurant is built, you can take a tin slide down to your table. I kid you not.




A cheeseburger kids meal, a filet, and two plates of beef ribs made their way to our table along with biscuits, frybread, corn, cowboy beans, green beans, and a big salad for the table. We passed on dessert, but did partake of the complimentarty cotton candy that was presented after the meal.

Filet

Beef Ribs. Plate one of two.

As it was getting late after dinner, we decided to do a quick lap around Arizona Mills after dinner to work off some of the food that we ate. If nothing else, it allowed for a bit of exercise but not a lot of time to shop.

So with all of that, you can see how the promise of swim time could go unfulfilled, right?