Not So Native

If you were looking for somewhere that you could arrive in your private plane or helicopter, stay in an RV one night, a motel the next, enjoy some great food, visit some dinosaurs, have a glass of wine or beer in a prehistoric cave, some more good food and delicious giant pies, hunt some ghosts, then finish off the last night sleeping in one of the worlds most unique hotel rooms 220 feet under the ground? Stop searching because we found the only place where you can experience all this and more, its the Grand Canyon Caverns in Peach Springs, Arizona. This world class attraction is located off the Historic Route 66, one hour west of Williams and an hour or so south of the Grand Canyons south rim. We had the privilege of sitting down with John McEnulty, Partner Grand Canyon Caverns, to hear the story of the caverns. We enjoyed the hospitality of John and his staff as we toured the property above and below ground. While sharing a meal with John we learned some history of the cavern, how it came into being, along with the features and improvements that have been added since John and his partners obtained ownership. After our time with John we took a tour of the amazing underground caverns complete with bar, hotel room, and fallout shelter. Yes a fallout shelter, in the event of doomsday above ground you’ll be equipped with enough supplies for you and 2000 of your closest friends to survive for weeks underground. So enjoy this episode and be sure to check out the cavern grounds on your next trip down Route 66. You will not be disappointed.

Special Guest: John McEnulty.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

Rob and Stephanie finished their weekend trip in Williams with a visit to the beautiful animals of the Grand Canyon Deer Farm. Pat George, who is the owner and operator of the Deer Farm, was kind enough to walk with and narrate as Rob and Stephanie journeyed through the park. Situated just 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon National Park the farm came to be in 1969 which makes the park 50 years young. This farm has more than just reindeers who 'snowbird' from the North Pole, in fact the first animal Rob meets is a camel named Gracie. So join us on this journey through the park and be sure to stop by during your next trip to Williams and visit these animals, some native, some not so native.

Sponsor Spotlight: Dru Bacon - CASE Arizona

Special Guest: Pat George.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

When you think about the wild west thoughts of men like Wyatt Earp or Zane Grey may come to mind. After this episode you can add Mayor John Moore to that list of names. Large brim cowboy hats are not the only hats John Moore wears. Currently serving as Mayor, he previously held the title of Police Chief and provided entertainment to the good people of Williams, Arizona. Rob and Stephanie got the opportunity to sit down for conversation and drink with John in the saloon of his Wild West Junction establishment. Having lived in the Route 66 town of Williams for 33 years he spent the majority of that time in public service to its citizens. If he was not serving in city government he was protecting the passengers of The Grand Canyon Railroad from the Cataract Creek Gang train robbers as the Marshal. So enjoy this conversation with this entertaining and old fashioned Mayor.

Sponsor Spotlight: Charlie Miller of Argent Solar

Special Guest: Mayor John Moore.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

This week Rob and Stephanie spent time with Shirley from The Canyon Motel & RV park in Williams, Arizona. The motel is located right off the historic Route 66. Not only is the Canyon Motel situated in the beautiful landscape of Williams but it's also the only place where you can stay in a real train car. Experience Americana on Route 66 and stay the night in a caboose that once carried people across country. So enjoy the conversation with Shirley and be sure to visit next time you're in Williams. If you interact with any of the supernatural residents of the Canyon Motel during your stay we'll give you your very own episode to share the tale.

Sponsor Spotlight: Mary Reha of MLR Professional Tax Services

Special Guest: Shirley Young.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

In Part 2 of our Bearizona special Dave O'Connell takes Rob and Stephanie on a stroll through Fort Bearizona. In addition to the drive through portion of the park you featured last week Bearizona has a separate walk-through area full of wildlife. We explore the different exhibits and animals along the way with Dave introducing each by name. Enjoy.

Special Guest: Dave O'Connell.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

In this weeks episode of the Not So Native podcast Rob is joined by a special guest host, his wife. Stephanie Lamb chose to tolerate him for a family vacation up north to Williams and Flagstaff. Their first stop was Bearizona in Williams where Dave O’Connell was kind enough to provide a guided tour through the park. If you’re looking for a professionally narrated tour look no further than this episode. Anything to be known about the park and its beautiful wildlife occupants Dave is the man to know it. As they drive through the park Dave shares interesting facts about the park and its wild residents. One of these being, did you know that bears don’t hibernate at Bearizona? - I didn’t. Dave will explain why. Next time you make the trip up north be like the bears and don’t sleep on Bearizona. A visit and tour through the park is well worth it, so as Dave’s and our gift to you, enjoy your very own guided tour. If you start the episode as you enter through the main gates you’ll find the narration will match along with your journey through the park. Enjoy the episode and be sure to let us know what you think. Next time you’re at Bearizona stop by and say “Hi” to Dave letting him know ‘Not So Native’ sent you. - Aaron

Special Guest: Dave O'Connell.

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

Sweetheart State. Valentine State. Do you know how Arizona came to be known by those names? I'll give you a hint. Arizona turned 107 years young on February 14th, 2019. In this episode Rob shares an article written by Jana Bommersbach originally for the Arizona Republic during Arizonas Centennial Birthday celebration. The article shares the journey Arizona took from territory to statehood and the bumps along the way.

http://archive.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/20120130arizona-centennial-state-fight.html

Sponsored By:

• Argent Solar - Charlie Miller
• CASE Arizona
• MLR Professional Tax Services

In this episode we travel all the way to north Peoria where we enjoy wine and cigars on Robs back porch. We spend the time sharing what motivated us to start the podcast and what we’ve learned throughout this inaugural season. We also share some of our favorite moments spent with our guests and experiences we’ve shared. Now one cigar and a bottle of wine does does not provide enough time to share all the experiences we gained throughout the season, we simply scratched the surface. We also share a small preview of things we can expect for season 2 where we ask you as the listeners to get involved and provide feedback on what you want to hear about. We thank you for coming along on this journey with us and hope to provide you with entertainment and education in the seasons to come.

Sponsored By:

• MLR Professional Tax Services
• Ted Verschuren - Cruise Planners

We spend some time with Laura Hansen in the brewhouse of her Goodyear restaurant, Saddle Mountain Brewing Company. Laura shares the history of what led her and her husband Jacob to open this delicious and unique space in October of 2014. From the award winning brews, great food and chic restaurant decor all come with a story and a purpose. If you like beer and delicious food you’d be crazy to not check out Saddle Mountain again and again. In fact, after our interview with Laura we made sure to chase our beer flights with a couple of burgers and we’re glad we did. With great food and great beer all around you’ll be happy you decided to visit Saddle Mountain and make sure to stop by the Prop Shop for some local swag. When you visit be sure to say hello to Laura, Jacob or manager Panda and tell them the guys from ‘Not So Native’ sent you. Cheers!

Special Guest: Laura Hansen.

Sponsored By:

• MLR Professional Tax Services
• Ted Verschuren - Cruise Planners

In this weeks episode we tour the Litchfield Park Historical Society Museum located on the grounds of the former Litchfield mansion. Judy Cook, who is a board member and caretaker of the museum, guides us through the many exhibits that tell the origin stories of Litchfield Park, Goodyear and the surrounding areas. Judy expands upon many of the stories we heard last week about the founding of the Wigwam and how they have impacted the rest of the surrounding community. Goodyear and Litchfield Park may have started with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber cotton fields but have grown exponentially since. From aerospace engineering firms that assisted with war effort and would later turn into a major employer for the city, to the development of the Wigwam resort corridor, and ultimately to the major residential areas that have followed in recent decades, all started with the cotton fields. If you’re a student of history and enjoy hearing of the correlation within the West Valley you’ll enjoy this episode.

Special Guest: Judy Cook.

Sponsored By:

• MLR Professional Tax Services
• Ted Verschuren - Cruise Planners