SNOWBIRDS, SNOW AND ONE BIG DITCH

There were two things we wanted to with our time in the states.  One was see Utah and the other was drive the old Route 66 through New Mexico and Arizona.  We didn't end up doing either.  We tried though.  The day before we left Albuquerque, we drove the entire route through the city, taking pictures of all the old signage and stopping at the Route 66 diner for milkshakes and green chile burgers.  We were all geared up for vintage signs and mom and pop diners and we planned to stay in one of the old motor courts.  But it was not to be.  After we got on the interstate we saw the turnoff to get on the mother road, we took it and yikes.  It was a disaster - broken pavement, weeds growing in the cracks and it was skinny like the roads in the Baja. Been there, done that.  We got off of it as soon as we could.  (Its not all like that we've been told).  If it was the beginning of the trip, we would of seen it through but at this point, knowing that there is smooth pavement close by - well, the choice wasn't hard.

this place has phones

 this place has colored t.v

the last green chile burger

old fashioned diner - amazing milkshakes

the actual route 66

As soon as we entered Arizona, we noticed there was something very different about it.  There was a very distinct change in age range.  Every little town or restaurant we went to we were always the youngest around.  It finally dawned on us - it was the SNOWBIRDS.  All heading south for the winter.  And what were we doing - heading north.  We have a lot to learn from our elders.

We took a detour to the Petrified Forest.  We spent a day exploring this beautiful area.

painted desert

the teepees

petrified logs

over 225 million years old

We made our way to Flagstaff where we spent a couple of days.  As soon as we got there we had a big realization - no more palm trees, kind of depressing.  Its all pines and other trees of the sort, nothing tropical.  And it was cold.  We can't just walk outside in T-shirts anymore, we have to bundle up.  Very different from what we have been used to for the past year.  Another thing we learned, after we went out for Halloween is that 7000 feet in elevation combined with rum make for a cheap night out.

We drove to the town of Tusayan.  Not sure if it really is a town, its just a couple of streets with hotels, restaurants and trinket stores, all serving the Grand Canyon.  We were actually forced into spending some money for a hotel, nothing cheap around.  But it was the most comfortable room we have had in a very long time.  It was nice to not have a choice in the matter!  The cost of food here - wow.  We tried a Mexican restaurant and the mid price for one meal was $16 - hard to swallow, when we were buying the same food for a couple of bucks a month ago.  We moved on to a grocery store and they wanted $4.50 for 4 bananas, we put those back.  There were signs everywhere explaining why the prices were so high (because of transporting to a remote location).  Needless to say, we went a little hungry.

Then the Grand Canyon, what can I say - WOW.  Go see it, you won't be disappointed.

the colorado river

You see pictures of the Grand Canyon in books, magazines and on television but the reality is you haven't seen the Grand Canyon at all until you've seen it in person.

Next in line for us was going to be Utah.  We knew exactly where we wanted to go and exactly what we wanted to do.  The night before we were going to leave, a wind advisory went into affect for the area we were going to be driving through.  So, we decided to wait it out and stay for one more day in our expensive but very comfortable hotel room.  The next night, we heard about a snow storm that would hit the area in Utah that we were first going to (and our current location as well.)  At first we thought, no big deal, it might be kind of nice in the snow.  THEN WE ACTUALLY SAW SNOW.  And that was the end of that.

We are now wearing flip flops again and we've seen palm trees.  Everything works out in the end.