Saturday, April 21, 2018

Lodged In The Mountains

We didn't make any hotel reservations before our trip to follow the AZBDR, we just thought we'd find something along the way.  It was mid-week, off season, so our chances were good.

I'm glad we didn't book a room because we would have wound up staying at the Forest Lakes Lodge.  I'm sure plenty of people stayed at Forest Lakes in the 35 years they've been around and liked it just fine.  But when we got there and went to look at the room - something Ed has learned we must do at sketchy-looking places - I decided it was more Murder Lodge than Lakes Lodge.  It was just old, and depressing, and run down.  There had to be another choice. 

Of course, the boys had initially planned on camping, in a tent, on the ground, so they probably would have stayed if I wasn't hanging around, and I didn't want to be a pain in the ass, but I just couldn't stay there.  No. Way.  Thankfully, they were both willing to find something else.  We thought we'd just go to Payson, but on the way there we saw a sign for Kohl's Ranch Lodge and turned in their direction. 


When we drove up and I saw the lodge exterior, I was already happier, and stepping into the lobby sealed the deal.  Look how pretty! And log cabin-y.  And lodge-like.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The front desk staff was amazing and the rate was fantastic - $80 for a studio room, right off the main lobby area and close to the parking log.  What a deal!
We were starving by the time we got there since the restaurant in Young we had planned on eating at was closed, so we decided to check in first, take showers, and eat at the restaurant on the property. 

I loved the room!  It was huge, clean, and the bed was a dream.  Crisp white sheets, four amazing pillows, a table with two chairs, and a little, enclosed patio with seating that led out to the front of the building.  

We had a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, toaster.  The lobby sold food items (frozen waffles, microwaveable meals, coffee creamer, etc.) that were just enough to supplement if you needed a little something extra. The only negative to mention was the oddly minuscule bathroom, it was child-sized.  Overall though, I'd give the place a thumbs up.

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant, called Zane Grey Country Barbecue.  They had great appetizers, amazing wood-fired pizzas, and some kickass fall-off-the-bone ribs and pulled pork.  Everything was delicious!

We slept like rocks and got an early start the next morning.  The guys headed off to Winona and I was going to mosey up to Flagstaff to meet them after they completed the next section of the AZBDR.  
Bike parking right outside our rooms.
The Kohl's Ranch Lodge is definitely a place I'd stay again.  A simple mountain lodge nestled in the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the world, at the base of the Mogollon Rim, with views for miles.

It was the perfect place to spend the night.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: 
Getting Your Ducks In A Row

2016: Rise Up
2015: Slide
2014: Sitting In The Sun Of The Southwest
2013: The Sunniest Black Hole
2012: A Visit From Woodland Creatures
2011: The Man I’m Spending My Nights With
2010: Let’s Hope This Industrious City Can Get Our Truck Fixed
2009: Free Range Horns And Humps
2008: The Earth Is Sending The Paper To The Folder
2007: Some People Are SAD; I Am Not One Of Them
2006: An Eye For Fashion…And Other Things
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

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