Move Over Churrio Sundaes, Rolled Ice Cream is Here

I am all about getting ice cream when we visit different places. I prefer local spots as to regional or national chains unless I'm abroad. After the hubby and I finished the first leg (of many I hope) of the 2018 AP Mini Golf Tour, we were deciding on dinner when on the way out of the mall, I noticed a sign for rolled ice cream. This was new to both of us and we had to check it out.

Think Cold Stone Creamery meets fruit roll ups... kinda. Rolled ice cream is a Thai treat and it is basically what is sounds like.. rolled up ice cream.

It is a multiple step process that was done right in front of us.

First we picked out our mix ins (along with the rest of our flavors and toppings)-- there were pre-selected flavor combinations. We went with Oreo and Ferrero Rocher.

Then the ice cream maker took over.

1. Crush up mix-ins

2. Pour our choice of ice cream over it and mix until harden on cold stone.

3. Smooth out the ice cream

4. Roll up and put in a bowl

5. Add additional toppings -- we went with animal crackers (teddy grahams) and coconut

6. Drizzle syrup (caramel) and add whip cream

Then we had the fun part -- Enjoy.

It was interesting to see how they made it. I like that is made fresh to order. However, I wish we could have picked our own mix-ins especially since the hubby and I were sharing and that seriously limited our selections. There are some fruit options like Lychee besides just sugar options.

I would definitely go back but again to share since it is a bit price -- $5 for 6 rolls. A quick Google search shows me there are a couple Rolled Ice Cream places in Milwaukee... hopefully one will make it's way up to the Valley.

AP US Mini Golf Tour 2018: Phoenix, Arizona

Since our Mini Golf Tour last year ended after only game, I hoped we could at least do better this year. While planning things to do in Arizona, I found a couple mini golf courses near where we were staying. The one I thought looked like the best was more of an amusement part that also had mini golf. There was also an indoor glow mini golf that I found on Groupon.

When the hubby asked about playing mini golf in Arizona, I gave him both options and because the glow golf was way cheaper with the Groupon, we decided to do the Glow Golf especially since we got 54 holes of mini golf for 2 people for like $9.

Personally, I would have rather gone to Castles - n - Coasters. The glow golf was in a mall that didn't seem to have much in it. It was literally in a retail space that could have been a boutique store months before.

My other issue was that it wasn't 3 separate courses of 18 holes, there was only 1 18 hole course that you could play up to 3 times. After the second round, I had enough. We definitely got our $9 worth of golf in and then some.

Despite that it was in a small retail space and the course was constructed with indoor/outdoor carpet and two-by-fours, it was actually very challenging. It didn't look that way when I first walked in but looks can be misleading. There were plenty of challenges.

We both got a hole in one on the same hole. It was really a straight shot. However, the second time through the course we both missed the mark and didn't do so well. 

Hole in One!

Despite being a small course, we both scored in the 60s both games and I lost both rounds. Then to return your ball, it was plinko and neither of us hit the middle.

I would go back again if I got another Groupon deal but I won't pay full-price to play this course. I would like to check out an outdoor mini golf course in Arizona too.

Driving through Sedona

Most people actually spend time in Sedona. Apparently we aren't most people. We opted for the drive by version of Sedona -- stay in your car and snap as many pictures as you can through the car windows. I would not recommend this way of seeing Sedona. Sedona is chocked full of natural beauty that driving thru it in a blur does it no justice. However, when you marry a frugal sports guy and not an adventurous nature guy, this is the best look at Sedona I can do... for now.

Even if you only have a short amount of time, at least do the drive by tour. The sights are worth seeing. The red rocks and canyons are breathless. If you have time take a pink Jeep tour and actually go into the canyons and red rocks. They have to be even more amazing close up.

For the drive-by version, I would recommend coming from the North and taking Hwy 89A out Flagstaff as long as you aren't pulling a camper or trailer. Vehicles over 50 feet are not allowed on Hwy 89A. You are actually driving through the Coconino National Forest as you are coming out of the mountains.

Because I was hoping for a National Forest stamp in my passport, we stopped at the Oak Canyon Vista since there was a ranger station which was closed. However, it was worth the stop. The views of Oak Canyon are amazing and you actually get to see the switchback road you will be traveling down to get into Sedona.

After leaving the vista, you start the slow descend into Sedona on crazy switchbacks with minimal guardrails. The only thing that would have made this drive even better would have been doing it in a BMW.

Once we got to the bottom of the canyon, the red rock formations began to appear. I was there were more overlooks and pull outs to actually get some really good pictures. I have to admit nearly getting ran over when darting across the road to trying to get a few pictures was probably not a highlight of the trip. For the most part the pictures don't do the area justice.

One day I will get back to Sedona and do it right. Until then the drive by version is good enough. Trust me the scenery is amazing both ways but I think actually taking time to explore is way cooler. If you are ever in Arizona do the drive by version at the very least.

#1213. Go to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

When we decided to get the National Park Pass, I started to look for other National Parks near the Grand Canyon and on our way to and from Arizona that we could visit. One of the ones that caught my interest was Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument just outside of Flagstaff. Who would have thought there were volcanoes in a dessert.

Sunset Crater Volcano is the most recent of the volcanoes to erupt in the Flagstaff area and it last erupted around 1100... a mere 700 years ago. However, the lava flows look like they could have been created within the last 100 years. The actual volcano is a 1000-foot cinder cone volcano that when erupted it killed everything it's path.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a hidden gem. I figured we see a volcano and that would be it. Oh how I was mistaken. After stopping at the visitor center to get a map (and a passport stamp), we got back in the car for a 35 mile journey through the park which is actually two National Parks. Shortly after the visitor center is a look out and trail for the Bonito Lava Flow.

After taking a few pictures and walking a bit of the trail, we got back in the car and headed towards the Cinder Hills Overlook to view the volcano itself. We opted to skip Lava Flow Trail which is a one mile loop trail. If I wasn't with the hubby and his buddy, I would probably have attempted the trail. We somehow missed the overlook and volcano probably the hubby was speeding through the park. A bit further up the Kana-a Lava Flow -- another drive by sighting.

We then drove the rest of the 35 miles to get to Wupatki National Park which preserves the Pueblo Dwellings in the area. I could tell the guys were not into this at all and we barely stopped at the visitor center so I could get another stamp. We saw a Pueblo dwelling or two but didn't explore the trails or anything to get up close and personal with them. I was kind of disappointed. I would liked to a Pueblo dwelling.

A few tips
1. Make sure you have enough gas to get through the park and the 14 miles or so back to a gas station. We were cutting it close which might explain why we sped through the park.

2. Take time to actual hike and see the lava flows. By taking the Lava Flow Trail, you actually get to hike the volcano's base.

3. Make sure you don't skip the Cinder Hills overlook. I'm sure the volcano is quite impressive

4. Don't forget about the Pueblos. There are several trails to check out.

5. Plan about a good 90 minutes to get through the parks with taking time to explore.

6. Actually check out the visitor centers. They are full of information about the Pueblos and volcanoes in the area. Just don't stop to get your passport stamped.

I should have planned this one a bit more carefully and made the hubby go back to the Lava Flow trail so we could get a glimpse of the volcano. Alas, live and learn I guess. I do find it ironic that both times I try to visit a volcano, I never got to see it....
Who knows maybe we will be back again and I can check out the volcano and Pueblos more carefully.

141. See the Grand Canyon

There's about a million and one blogs about things to do at the Grand Canyon. There's even one about things to do on a rainy day in the Grand Canyon. However, none of them prepared us for a foggy day at the Grand Canyon.

Our Grand Canyon trip was doomed from the start. It had to be moved up a day to accommodate my aunt's funeral. Our smartphones didn't realize we were in Arizona which does not participate in daylight savings time and woke us up an hour early. Then the day dawned cold and rainy.

By the time we got to the Grand Canyon, the rain had stopped for the most part but it was still cloudy. I noticed a sign at the entrance saying something about no refunds because of the weather but kind of blew it off. I might wanted to pay a little more attention to the weather because we got to the South Rim viewing platform and saw nothing but clouds and fog. It was almost pea soup. Occasionally we would get a glimpse of the Canyon walls.

We wandered the rim path for a bit, occasionally getting a glimpse or two of the canyon. We took the shuttle bus to another look out point. Here we managed to see almost to the bottom of the canyon in a small section for a few minutes.. then the fog blew back in. Eventually we gave up and headed for lunch in Flagstaff... we had places to see.

Here are my "tips" for visiting the Grand Canyon in the fog, especially if you have more than an hour or two:

1. Check the weather report -- if it is supposed to clear up later in the day, wait and go later in the day if the time allows and you don't mind a few extra people. Our schedule didn't allow us to come back later and little did we know it was going to be fogged in otherwise we might have rearranged our schedule.

2. Go to the visitor center and watch the movie about the Grand Canyon. We skipped this and it might have given us a better window to see the canyon.

3. Hop on the purple shuttle to go to the Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center in Tusayan. You can explore the visitor center or see the Grand Canyon IMAX movie for $13.59.

4. Actually hike into the canyon. You might actually see more when you are in the fog then on top of it.. or then again you might just see fog. Just remember the easy part of the hike is down and don't go farther than you can handle climbing back up.

5. Walk the rim path and be glad for the glimpses of the canyon you actually get to see. Since the canyon looks different after every rain fall, you will see the canyon as no one ever has seen it or will see it again.

Yes I would loved to see the entire Grand Canyon. What we did see was impressive. We want to go back and see the Canyon when it's not fogged in but are not going to go out of way to do so. However, I would recommend as long as you aren't crunched for time, be patience, let the fog burn off, and watch the Canyon emerge from the fog. It may take all day but I will guarantee you will see some pretty amazing views of the canyon as the fog comes and goes.

164. See the Petrified Forest

When we started planning out trip to Arizona for spring training, I advised the hubby there were a couple things I wanted to do. One of them was the Petrified Forest.

The Petrified Forest National Forest is near Holbrook, AZ. It is actually two parks in one -- The Painted Desert in the northern part of the park and the Petrified Forest in the southern part. I assumed we could just go to the southern part of the park since I only wanted to do see the Petrified Forest. You can but it's much easier to see both. Depending on which way you are coming from depends on which entrance is best to use -- the Northern Entrance right off I-40 or the Southern Entrance closer to Holbrook. It doesn't matter what entrance you use, you will end driving through the entire park (28 miles) to get out the other side. Yes, you can only do part of the park but then you need to turn around -- much easier to drive through the whole thing. Besides the views are totally worth it.

5 Things I discovered about The Petrified Forest National Park

1. The Painted Desert is amazing -- and to think I was going to skip this part of the park. There are plenty of overlooks and photo ops along the 28 mile journey though the park.

2. Plan on getting to the park by 3:30. It closes at 5 and after 5 you have to be on the way out and not stop anymore. We get through around 3:30-4:00 and I felt rushed. We barely got to see the Petrified Forest -- okay some of that was the hubby's doing too. Give yourself that extra 30 to 60 minutes so you can enjoy the park.

3. It can be cold and rainy. I forget that even though we are in Arizona, the Petrified Forest is technically in the mountains and it's at like 4000 feet. Dress for the weather -- my sweatshirt was fine but a jacket would have been better in the mist along with pants not capris.

4. The Petrified Forest is really just a bunch of old wood that looks like it is haphazardly thrown across the landscape. It really wasn't that exciting. Maybe if we could have hiked a few of the trails, it would have been better but drive-by viewing wasn't all that impressive.

5. There are actually 2 passport stamps for this National Park -- one for the painted desert and one for the petrified forest. I was quite happy to find this out when we stopped at the visitor center to get my stamp.

This was a great stop. It was probably better than the Grand Canyon. I won't mind going back here and spending more time exploring the trails and enjoying the scenery.