Tortilla Flat Saloon -- Tortilla Flat, AZ

Tortilla Flat Saloon - Tortilla Flat, AZ According to Sarah Love, camping is the best thing in the world and we got to experience it first hand. Lost Dutchman State Park was where we decided to pitch our tent and stay a couple of nights. The campsite was clean and clear of vegetation. It was not too close to the bathrooms, but not too far, either. Dinner consisted of steak on the grill with vegetable foil packs. At breakfast we ate eggs and left over potatoes, while our afternoon lunch was a hearty sandwich. Camp food is the best!

As we were consuming our morning beverages, there was a decent sized covey of quail that wandered past our campsite. Kenny thought it would be fun to see if he could lure them closer by playing quail noises on YouTube. It did. The birds were super cute as they wandered around extremely confused. We soaked in the warmth of the sun and breathed in the fresh air while enjoying the beautiful nature around us. We could see dark clouds from miles away. In anticipation, Kenny thought to store the firewood in the dome tent. Thank goodness because everything was drenched after the dark gray clouds rolled in bringing with them a horribly, torrential downpour. We hid in the tent with the firewood and waited for it to pass, enjoying being together and the much needed rain. Now you may be asking how was there enough room in the tent for the firewood and us since it's a dome tent supposedly able to sleep three. BUT, Kenny is fancy and has car camping essentials, a custom fit air mattress from LunoLife, specifically designed for sleeping outdoors. So a tent for us is essentially storage. Unless there is a deluge of monstrous water droplets falling from the sky!

Following the rain storm, Kenny and Sarah Love jumped into the Subaru and traveled northeast on Apache Trail to Tortilla Flats. The town sat at the end of the travelable portion of this road. Individuals used to be able to drive through the mountainous Apache Trail by following the Roosevelt River north to Roosevelt Lake. However, with a tumultuous wild fire and severe flooding in 2019, portions of the road washed away preventing vehicles from traveling on it. Recently, ADOT stated the road way was open primarily for high clearance 4-wheel drive and UTVs though. The views on the drive are absolutely beautiful though and driving through the twisty, curvy roads reminds you how amazing the pioneers were to establish a trail around all of those mountains.

Pictured above Superstition Mountains

Upon arriving at Tortilla Flats, we explored the river bed. The water level was low but the beauty of it was not lost on us. After climbing on the rocks, Kenny and Sarah Love went into 'town' and checked out the museum and gift shop prior to entering the restaurant. Interestingly enough those are some of the only buildings in Tortilla Flats. There is a post office though and a population of 6. It is quite a unique location that we definitely encourage you to visit. As we walked into the Tortilla Flat Saloon we were greeted with the sight of dollar bills on the wall. Not a couple, not a few, but the entire inside of the building was plastered with them. After ordering our pretzel we started playing a game trying to find anything larger then a dollar bill. Surprisingly, we found a $100 amongst the other currencies. Ridiculous, but to each their own! And that's when, as we were sitting at the bar, the waitress brought it out... 11/18/2023 Name: Colossal Pretzel Menu description: Bigger than Bavarian style pretzel served with our beer cheese queso and beer mustard

The Colossal Pretzel certainly lived up to it's name. In our notes it read "COLOSSAL" which was almost an understatement! The pretzel took on a golden brown hue but the lighting was dark. The next thing we noticed was a moderate amount of salt sprinkled over a buttery shimmer. Our bites proved the treat to be quite doughy but the beer cheese, with a hint of spice, evened out the texture nicely. 3.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Hundred Mile Brewing Company -- Tempe, AZ

Hundred Mile Brewing Company - Tempe, AZ The pretzel’s history is obscure but we did our research and have compiled some of the information we have found for you. The German word ‘Brezel’ translates to pretzel, our delicious subject in question. The treat is originally thought to come from Germany, though there is an argument that pretzels first started elsewhere. Like many things of old, the pretzel has been tied to religious roots. Church monks may have first started baking these treats in Italy in the early 7th century. The pretzels could have been used as a reward for astute students who learned their prayers. They were also a perfect alternative meal during Lent. And the most interesting link to a religious idea is that the three holes in the pretzel symbolize the Holy Trinity. Regardless of where the pretzel first was born, the Germans were the ones responsible for bringing it to America. Around 1710, German immigrants brought the pretzels to Pennsylvania at the delight of the colonists. Lititz, Pennsylvania was where the first commercial pretzel bakery was founded in the 1860s. 80% of pretzels produced in the United States still come from PA today! Pretzels are so well loved the Pennsylvania governor instituted a National Pretzel Day every April 26th, as of 2003. The last pretzel tidbit we’d like to share is that Sarah Love adores the Switzerland custom of ‘tying the knot’ using a pretzel during wedding ceremonies (similar to that of a wishbone) to seal the bond of matrimony. Wouldn’t a pretzel tasting be fun at a wedding, too!?!
09/17/2023 Hundred Mile Brewing Company.

As Sarah Love and Kenny sat at the bar, we were excited to taste the pretzel we ordered. It came out glistening like it was dipped in butter. Which in fact it must have been since our taste buds registered it as too buttery. The three long skinny sticks were perfectly brown and had just enough salt to taste. Biting into the snack we were pleasantly surprised to find a moist texture that didn't disappoint. The accoutrements, beer cheese and whole grain mustard, were a nice addition. The most notable part was the side of sliced pickles - Kenny's favorite! 3.0/5.0 Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love