Arcosanti Kilted

[Riverkilt]

Drove down to Arcosanti, Arizona for a friend's birthday party this weekend. My lady snapped this pic just before the sun went down.

The background is the Agua Fria National Monument. Arcosanti is hard to describe...my first trip even though I've lived in Arizona for 34 years...don't plan to be back. Sorta like being on another planet...and the life form behind me seemed ready to attack.

Anyhow, now that slightly cooler weather is here can sport my argyll jackets. And of course the kilt is Kathy Lare hand sewn 16 oz strome in Isle of Skye, Lewis Kilt hose from Matt's Museum, the most lovely leather nightstalker sporran from Jerry at SWK. Kathy had the argyll made to measure for my beer belly at Lochcarron.



Ron

[McMurdo]

Great picture Ron, and you're right it does look like an alien landscape. The good news is the Argyll is back, it looks great with the Isle of Skye.

[Mr. MacDougall]

I've always found Arcosanti to be inspiring, rather than daunting. I wish they had better funding, so they could move forward with the project.

[Riverkilt]

Aye MacDougall,

I was expecting to be inspired too. Just one of those weekends when the Ol' Coyote was all over us.

The dirt road in was rougher than any up on the rezlands. You'd think an outfit that catered to tourists for funding for their project would find a way to grade the road from time to time...or (gasp) even pave it.

On arrival this olde guy needed the men's room. Turns out to be three flights of stairs down from the unmarked office...down was okay...trudging up was needed exercise after the ride. Just my silly expectation that the check in location would have a sign for first time visitors to find it.

Upon check in the guy at the desk insisted we hadn't reserved a room. We went around and around (politely) until he got out his reservation book so we could see for ourselves. It was turned to November 24th. We arrived on November 17th. Then, when I pointed out that the day was the 17th he insisted strongly that it was, in fact, the 24th...until a coworker in the back corrected him...what do we know, we're just paying guests.

When we arrived at our room, which we expected to be Spartan, it had not been made up. One bed had been slept in, there were wet towels on the floor, and ALL the toilet tissue had disappeared. The door was propped open and the room was full of flies. This was an hour after check in time began.

Its a long hike back up to the main desk - no phone service. By now we know the Ol' Coyote is afoot and I'm doing all I can to be polite despite the circumstances. When I explain the situation at the desk the guy says I must be wrong...all the rooms are made up...he finally agrees to find someone to rustle up some toilet tissue and make up the room...in about 45 minutes. I talked him into the tissue "now!"

When the lady came around to bring towels and change the bedding she said their housekeeper didn't speak English and something important must have come up. No biggie. We settled in.

At night we found that the toilet would not stop running and there was no water shut off to be found. I spent most of the night trying out new ideas to get it to stop running or trying to get to sleep despite the noise...not just running water..a lot of bubbling and gurgling and choking as the valve and float attempted to deal with the changing water pressures.

So, we left unrested for the long drives back home. The folks that work there seem more interested in their project, than they are in the visitors and overnight guests they expect to make money from to fund the project.

The birthday party went well. The food was good. And no one that worked there (sorta kinda "hippie" types) commented on my kilts. Just felt accepted and that was nice. The scenery is great and the stars at night were nearly as good as up on the rez. Sadly, the lights of Phoenix were visible in the south...but I think at last count Arizona has added about six million folks since I moved here. Gotta put them somewhere.

Ron

[pipesndrumsnun]

As always, lookin' good, Ron! Your pictures are always so beautiful...what amazing landscapes AND excellent clothing!

[macwilkin]

Great picture Ron, and you're right it does look like an alien landscape. The good news is the Argyll is back, it looks great with the Isle of Skye.

He's referring to Arcosanti.

I wasn't impressed with the place when I visited...but I was in 5th grade. I wanted to see Ft. Verde. :mrgreen:

T.

[Riverkilt]

Hey Todd,

Next time I drive that far south I'm gonna wear my replica cavalry gear and poke around Ft. Verde for sure...have yet to stop but have blown by it in a hurry to get somewhere else too many times.

Still wanna figure out a way for my replica cavalry knee boots to work with my kilts...top of the boot and selvedge of the kilts wanna argue with each other about knee space.

Ron

[McMurdo]

He's referring to Arcosanti.

I wasn't impressed with the place when I visited...but I was in 5th grade. I wanted to see Ft. Verde. :mrgreen:

T.

Well what do I know I'm just a Canadian, don't know nothin' bout the geography down that end of the world, it still looks alien to me.

[cessna152towser]

Sorry to read that the accommodation wasn't up to standard.
It sounds like what we experienced in Croatia.

and the life form behind me seemed ready to attack.

So that explains why you look a bit anxious in the photo.

[ccga3359]

He's referring to Arcosanti.

I wasn't impressed with the place when I visited...but I was in 5th grade. I wanted to see Ft. Verde. :mrgreen:

T.

I think McMurdo was calling the landscape alien, not Rons new look! Sorry to hear the lack of customer service.



I read this little blurb in Wiki.