For birders, hikers, and nature lovers, this is a great event that primarily takes place at my beloved Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood. There are numerous outings over several days and it’s a great way to explore the Verde Valley. It’s conducted by the non-profit organization Friends of the Verde River. They do such great work protecting this vital waterway. I’ll be one of the guest speakers at the festival on Saturday. www.verderiver.org.

Kick off spring by hanging with me outside among the saguaros at the Superstition Mountain Museum in Apache Junction. My talk is part of their free lecture series held in the outdoor amphitheater, a beautiful setting at the base of the towering Superstition Mountains. Lot of history packed into the museum grounds. I don’t know what my topic will be yet. We’ll just see what mood strikes me. 4087 E. Apache Trail, 480-983-4888, www.superstitionmountainlostdutchmanmuseum.org.

The Tucson Festival of Books is probably the biggest literary event in the state taking place the first weekend in March on the University of Arizona campus. I’ll be on a panel about Arizona travel along with talented writers Tom Zoellner and Chels Knorr. So this is a great time to pick up travel tips. We’ll be signing books afterward. I’ll also be signing sometime during the day at the University of New Mexico Press booth.

I’ll be part of Arizona’s winter boomtown, the little desert community of Quartzsite that attracts RVers by the thousands. I’ll give a presentation on Awesome Arizona at the Quartzsite Improvement Association. Admission to the event is $10 but includes a tasty dessert. 235 Ironwood St., 928-927-6325, www.QIAArizona.org.

I love small town museums and this one is a beauty. I’ll be discussing Awesome Arizona at 2 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Last year it was SRO, so better call soon. Cave Creek Museum is located at 6140 E. Skyline Drive. To learn more about the museum, visit www.cavecreekmuseum.org.

I’ll be back in Southern Arizona for a blabfest at the lovely new Marana Visitor Center, just north of Tucson. My first time speaking there and I can’t wait. This is your chance to get your holiday shopping done early. Books make the perfect gift for just about anyone! 13251 N. Lon Adams Road, 502-639-8040. 

I’m returning to the Maricopa Library almost a year to the day of my last talk there. We had a full house for that one and I hope for the same again. The Maricopa Historical Society puts on this event and it’s another talk on Awesome Arizona. Maricopa Public Library is located at 18160 Maya Angelou Drive in the town of Maricopa, south of Phoenix. The fun starts at 5 p.m. and is free.

It’s always a pleasure to spend a summer day in Rim Country. This time I’ll be in Payson and blabbing up a storm at the Payson Library. It’s your chance to play a little hooky on a Monday, hear about how awesome Arizona truly is, and then have an adventure in the pine forest. 328 N. McLane Road, 928-474-9260.  

Once again I’ll be the featured speaker for the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix at 10:15. Everyone is welcome to attend their wide-ranging lecture series. The morning kicks off with a breakfast buffet at 9 a.m., a few announcements at 10, and then I’m blabbing just a few minutes later, carrying on about the wonders of Arizona. It takes place at the Humanist Center in Mesa at 627 W. Rio Salado Parkway.  

Once again I’ll be taking part in the Western History Symposium at Prescott’s Phippen Museum. I’ll be discussing Awesome Arizona: 200 amazing Facts about the Grand Canyon State. This is a wonderful event, with an excellent lineup of speakers through the day. It’s also a free event. 4701 State Route 89, 928-778-1385.

I’ll be part of the “Hot Coffee” lecture series in Goodyear at the Georgia T. Lord Library, a beautiful facility. They’ll have coffee and pastries and I’ll give a presentation with slide show on Awesome Arizona. Let’s spend a summer evening making travel plans. Did I mention there will be snacks? 1900 Civic Square.

It will be great being back in Flagstaff and chatting up Awesome Arizona. I can’t think of a better setting than the elegant Riordan Mansion State Historic Park. The mansion is an architectural gem and the tours they give are delightful. Almost as delightful as listening to me sing the praises of this incredible state. It’s a free event. 409 Riordan Road. 928-779-4395.    

With temperatures warming up it will be nice to hang out in Payson. Rim Country Museum overlooks shimmering little ponds in Green Valley Park and I always enjoy a stroll around the water. Come join me for a walk, or just listen to me blab at the museum. 700 S. Green Valley Parkway, 928-474-3483.      

Here’s another wonderful independent bookstore, just footsteps from the Prescott Courthouse. I always try to support local bookstores on my tours and love coming back to this one. 219A N. Cortez Street, 928-445-9000.

Here’s a weird coincidence. I also gave a presentation at Sedona Heritage Museum on April 26 in 2022. That time I was talking about my award-winning book Arizona’s Scenic Roads and Hikes. This year it will be Awesome Arizona. But maybe we can just make April 26 my regular date at the museum. Come hang out in the big apple-picking shed on a fine spring afternoon for this free event. 735 Jordan Road, 928-282-7038.

It will be my pleasure to give a presentation at one of the all time great independent bookstores. Changing Hands is the kind of classic bookhole you don’t find anymore. The crowds are always wonderful at these events. Plus, they’ve got a bar so it’s going to be a perfect night to talk about Awesome Arizona. 300 W. Camelback Road, 602-274-0067.

Good news! For the first time in many years, I will be speaking in my hometown! Cottonwood Public Library recently changed their policy so now authors are allowed to sell their books at events so I am very excited. This one will be a pleasure to do and I’ll look forward to a large turnout. Plan to be there.100 6th Street. 928-634-7559.    

As part of the Brown Bag Lecture Series at Cochise College Center for Life Long Learning, I’ll give a presentation on Awesome Arizona. Cochise College Downtown Center is located at 2600 E. Willcox Drive in Sierra Vista. Lectures take place in Room G106. Free.  

It’s a pleasure to return to the Western National Parks Association Store, north of Tucson in the Oro Valley. The shop is a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service, so very much worthy of our support. I also planned this stalk to coincide with peak wildflower color at nearby Catalina State Park. I’m always thinking. The store is at 12880 N. Vistoso Village Drive. 520-622-1999.

I’ll be back on Good Morning Arizona. Yes, I was just on the program a couple of weeks ago but apparently they couldn’t get enough of me. So I’m back, this time talking about Arizona’s amazing wildflower season. 

This is another venue where I always seem to draw large crowds, the RH Johnson Library in Sun City West. Once again I’ll be cheerfully blabbing about Awesome Arizona with a slide show. This is a free event and all are welcome to attend. I’m not sure what room we’ll be set up in but there will be a bunch of us and they usually have pretty good signage. It’s at 13801 W. Meeker Blvd.  623-544-6130.

It’s always good to blab in my backyard so I’m be returning to one of my favorite venues, the Sedona Public Library. They’ve got a great meeting room with a giant screen, perfect to show off images of Awesome Arizona. This is a free event. Sedona Public Library is located at 3250 White Bear Rd. in West Sedona. For more information, call 928-282-7714. 

At Tucson Festival of Books, I’ll be the moderator for a panel of excellent authors, Tom Zoellner and Susan Lamb.. The discussion topic is “Taking it Outside.” The trek to tell a tale is only half the story. The writers discuss why hitting the trail is one of many paths to connecting with a place. It should be fascinating. We’ll be at the National Parks Experience.  

I’ll be signing books at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of New Mexico Press booth from 1- 2 p.m.

I’ll be a guest on Arizona History Happy Hour with your always genial host, Marshall Shore. Known as the Hip Historian, Marshall offers his entertain show on several streaming platforms. Tune in for some fun Arizona trivia.

Nothing I’d rather do on a Sunday morning than chat with my well-traveled friend, Jim Hinckley. Jim is the author of several books, and a true Route 66 expert so it will be a pleasure catching up and swapping some tales. You can listen wherever you hear your podcasts.

For my second television appearance in a week, I’ll be a guest on the Weekend Edition of Good Morning Arizona, chatting about my book with Whitney Clark, which I know will be a treat. I should be on around 9:20 AM.

I’ll be giving an outdoor talk amid the winter sunshine and wildflowers at the Superstition Mountain Museum nestled at the base of a towering rock wall. I’ll be discussing Awesome Arizona and since I’ll be outside at the Amphitheater, there will be no PowerPoint. The event is free with admission to the museum ($7 adults, $6, seniors). This very cool museum is located at 4087 E. Apache Trail, Apache Junction. For more information call 480-983-4888 or visit www.superstitionmountainlostdutchmanmuseum.org.

I’ll be a guest on one of my favorite programs, Arizona Horizon on PBS airing at 5 and 10 p.m. It’s always a pleasure to chat with the masterful Ted Simons, and I’m looking forward to discussing my book Awesome Arizona.Tune in if you get a chance. It’s a great public affairs show. Showing at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.

I’m doing back-to-back historical societies. The Maricopa Historical Society puts on this event and it’s another talk on those knucklehead Kolb Brothers, always one of my most popular topics. It will be at the Maricopa Public Library, 18160 Maya Angelou Drive in the town of Maricopa, south of Phoenix. The fun starts at 5 p.m. and is free.