Travel Log: Phoenix

Canyons and copper and America's favorite corner characterize this state, and Arizona is good when it comes to characteristics.

Its mountain ranges are unlike anything seen east of the Mississippi. Not that one is better or worse, just different. So when out-of-towners roll down South Avondale Boulevard and first glimpse the range that serves as a backdrop to Phoenix International Raceway, it's nothing short of a stare.

The scenery is just a taste of Arizona, which was the final puzzle piece to the continental 48.

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• Arizona is known as the Copper State, and the total amount of copper used to form the roof of the state capitol building is the same amount used in 4,800,000 pennies ($48,000).

• The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, measured in river miles (Colorado River), and is measured more than a mile deep at the South Rim of the canyon. The deepest part of the canyon is about 6,000 feet. Havasupai, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, is the only place in the country where mail is delivered by mule, according to the Arizona visitors' Web site. It is approximately a 431-mile drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon.

• Arizona is one of two states (Hawaii) that does not observe Daylight Savings Time. One area in Arizona, however, does observe the time change: the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of the state.

• Lake Havasu City is home to the original London Bridge, made popular in the children's sing-a-long. The bridge was constructed across the Thames River, but increasing traffic forced the British government to sell the monument. The winning bid: $2,460,000. Stones from the original bridge were numbered and transported to Arizona, where many were used in the exterior structure in Lake Havasu City.

• At Four Corners, located in Northeast Arizona, one can stand in four states at one time as it is the location where Arizona borders Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

Best Burger: Delux Burger
Best Local Place: Matt's Big Breakfast
Best Restaurant: Pinnacle Peak Patio
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Admitted as a State: Feb. 14, 1912, as 48th state
Capital: Phoenix
Nickname: Grand Canyon State
Population Rank: 14th
Largest City: Phoenix

At the foothills of the Estrella Mountains lies the mile track of Phoenix International Raceway. And fans take advantage of it.

A mere $35 gets you a general admission seat on what locals call "the hillside," a plot on the steep grade that overlooks the track. (The best seat in NASCAR really isn't a seat at all)

The view is priceless. But when it comes to the upscale amenities offered at race tracks, this isn't the first luxury spot, with its dusty trail and cactus-laden terrain. But for those OK with roughing it for a unique view of NASCAR, it's worth the hike.
• Phoenix International Raceway

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