Giant Schnauzers

Route 66 In Western Arizona

On our trip up north this weekend, we got to see just a short part of Route 66.  We joined it as it went up in to Oatman, AZ and then on to Kingman.  As we left to come back to Phoenix, we took the road northeast out of Kingman and followed it to Seligman, Arizona.  It is amazing to see the numbers of signs and restored businesses along the way, many old gas stations that are now tourist destinations.  In that short distance, the condition of the road varies considerably and it is nice to see how nice some portions of it were.

These are just a few of the many pictures we took of Route 66 on that small portion of the road last weekend.  We want to explore more of it when we are near it and have the time.

The above sign is just as we left Oatman and headed back to Kingman. Below is Route 66 as it winds through the mountains east of Oatman.

Cool Springs is in between Oatman and Kingman.

One of many signs in Kingman about the historic route.

Route 66 at Hackberry, Arizona and this is a very interesting place.  There is so much to see and is a great place to get out and stretch.  Wonderful people own it.  He said during the summer about five hundred people a day stop here.

The above is the garage at the station.

Couldn't resist putting a picture in of the sign on the front door!

Or a picture of the resident dog in the station.  He obviously could have cared less that we were there.

A blazing sunset over the north country of Arizona, and.........

fall color in Prescott.  We do have four seasons in Arizona, kind of.

Almost home down our own dirt road in northwest Maricopa County.

Road To Oatman, AZ and Other Points of Interest

This last weekend we left the giant schnauzers at home and headed for Kingman, AZ and points beyond.  It was a fascinating trip and one we thoroughly enjoyed.  We have a love of junk stores and antique shops which are numerous in Kingman.  Early Saturday morning we drove towards the Colorado River and then south and came in the Western road and on to Route 66 to Oatman.  Tom pointed out some plate shifts that had occurred thousands of years before.  These can be seen right along I 40 in Kingman. Now you know what is going on  during earthquakes. 

We stopped and took old roads along the way, enjoying some rock hounding and the scenery.  We only have 4WD and not a Jeep, so we had to turn back sometimes. But the scenery was spectacular!

We drove over to Laughlin and these are the Arizona mountains from the Laughlin side of the Colorado River.

Our favorite part of the trip was visiting Oatman, Arizona and the burros.  Oatman was founded more than 100 years ago as a gold mining camp.  Supposedly two miners found a ten million dollar strike in 1915 and the two swelled to several thousand people.  Fire burned down many of the wood shacks in 1921 and then in 1939 Clark Gable and Carol Lombard honeymooned there.  Gable returned several times to play poker so the story goes.  In the restaurant at the Oatman Hotel where the Gables stayed is a restaurant that has the walls papered in signed one dollar bills.  It is quite amazing to see and the buffalo burger was very good!

But our favorite part of Oatman is  the wild/semi tame burros that wander the town.  Vendors sell bags of carrots and the burros will follow people  anywhere to get them from you.  One of the burros even yanked on my shirt from behind and tried to nip at me to get the last of the carrots I was hoarding.  Reminded me a lot of giant schnauzers!!!

Tom had fun with the burros.  Some of the people who visit are a little intimidated by the burros, but they did remind us a lot of giant schnauzers.  Tom quickly had the burros taking carrots from his mouth.  But he did so very carefully.  I will post photos of Route 66 and some of the sights from that part of the trip tomorrow.

Download tom_and_the_burros.wmv

Best Buddies

Download hank_and_celtic_playing.wmv

A few years ago we adopted Hank, the giant schnauzer, after he became a foster failure.  He came to us weighing a little over 50 pounds and skin and bone.  He was so thin you could see all of his ribs and his coat wasn't that short.  He couldn't run around the yard once without panting.  Now three years later he has grown several inches and is strong and sleek.  He also has a wonderful compassionate side for his friend Celtic, another giant schnauzer.  Celtic is a rescue who was turned over to us by a wonderful lady with many sudden health problems.  After Celtic arrived, VSGSR discovered that Celtic had severe hip dysplasia and would have to have at least one hip replaced if he were to survive more than two years.  This little boy with his disability has a heart of gold.  His eyelashes stand askew on his forehead and he always has the schnauzer wiggle butt in motion and a smile on his face.  Before he had the surgery, he would run around the yard with the big boys and his hind end would give out and he would do a face plant in the dirt.  He would jump right up and run to catch up.

Hank was very aware of Celtic's limitations and would play with him so carefully.  When Celtic was tired, Hank would lay down and they would wrestle on the ground or floor.  The night before Celtic's surgery, he had to go back to the clinic to get medications and spend the night.  Hank went with him and spent the night with him to keep him company.  Celtic is back with us for two months while the lady who has fostered him since his surgery is out of the country.  Hank and Celtic have renewed their friendship, and Hank is for the most part, his courteous self in playing with Celtic.  You can see them in the video.  It warms my heart to watch them.

A Giant Schnauzer Welcome Home!

This is how giant schnauzers welcome hubby home.  You would have thought he had been gone for weeks instead of a few hours.  Notice the toys being offered as gifts.  Pretty cute.

Hank just had to give him a kiss.

Can I be the first to get petted???

You can't see the wagging tails, but they are there.

It is Raining Giant Schnauzers

Tuesday Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue was contacted by two different people who had giants that needed to be placed.  One was from a very nice rescue here in the Phoenix area whose vet had talked a lady out of taking her young giant to the Animal Care and Control and had gotten him to a no-kill rescue.  This rescue realized that he needed to be with a breed rescue.  He seems as though he will eventually be a nice dog but needs LOTS of socialization and training.  Right now he is as wild as a mustang who has just been lassoed after running with a wild herd of horses and who needs some firm and gentle training and will then be ready to make someone a great companion. 

Meet Tyrus.......

While wonderful husband went to pick up Tyrus, a friend and I went to Wickieup, Arizona to meet and pick up Sophie Rae whose very nice parents had lost their jobs and their home and needed a rescue for their baby.  They had tried to place her but it had fallen through.  They called the local mini schnauzer rescue who in turn, called us.  Ms. Sophie is an older giant who needs some grooming and an adjustment period to take in all that has happened to her so quickly.  But I think she will make someone a wonderful pet.  She rode down in the backseat with an eighteen month old baby that she adores.

Meet Sophie Mae........

On the way back to the Valley, we had passed a sign that said "Pick Your Own Organic Apples" and since it was a nice day and fairly cool, a side trip seemed to be in order. When we reached the turn off, a wide dirt road opened before us.  It looked to be better than many of the roads around here that we travel, so we felt comfortable exploring.

There were Joshua trees all around with their interesting shapes and shadows against the sky.

We traveled several miles up this road and every mile kept telling us that Date Creek Ranch was further up the road.  Finally, we reached the entrance to the ranch and this sign was posted to the side of the road next to the cattle grate.

On the other side of the road were the cows and calves in one pasture and the bull calling to them in the next pasture.  The cows just kind of ignored him, causing him to wail louder.  All to no avail.

And the bull calling to no avail..........

After passing a tractor and a big pick up on the narrow road further up, we finally reached the orchards.  The ancient scale was there waiting for us to return with our apples, and off we went and picked twenty pounds.  We lugged them back across the orchard, weighed them, recorded the weight and put the money in the cash register.  After giving the dogs a potty break and water, we headed out to the highway again.

It was a beautiful side trip and a chance to see another part of this beautiful state.

Mr. Celtic, the Giant Schnauzer Comes to Visit

Celtic is one of the most unusual dogs I have ever met.  He just turned three years old on September 4th.  Last fall he was turned in to Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue from a lady who was unable to keep her giants because of sudden severe health problems.  Little Celtic is a pepper salt giant with the heart of  Superman.  After he had a check-up by our vet, it was determined that he had severe hip dyplasia and without hip replacement surgery, he had less that two years to live.  Our rescue group decided that Celtic was worth raising the money to provide him with a chance at life.  After fostering him for two months prior to surgery, we learned that few animals or humans have the heart that Celtic does.  He was always running to keep up with the big boys and sometimes his legs would just give out and he would do a face plant as he tumbled down.  He never made a sound when he fell, but got up to run to catch up with what looked like a smile on his face.  One of our own giants, a rescue himself, quickly identified with Celtic and would lay down and wrestle with him.

When Celtic came back to us last Friday from where he had been being fostered following his surgery last Spring, he resembled an Old English Sheepdog.

But after some grooming on Saturday, the old Celtic was back with us looking like the cute giant that he is.

It is good to have the boy back, even for a few months.  It reminds me of how special life is and how I should approach life, no matter the hardships I face.  This is my favorite photo of Celtic before surgery.