Traveling the West, Part Three: Arizona

Well, here we are in northwest Arizona, friends.  We looped onto Route 66 hoping to see a lot of cheesy roadside attractions, but this was the only stop along the whole loop.  It's mostly antique memorabilia, but fun to look at.

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I took the next picture just for the cactus and Joshua tree.  Don't see those on the Oregon coast!

It was fun to look around inside the store, too.  We each bought a Route 66 sweatshirt.

After a long drive with not much to see, we put down roots for three days at a park in Williams, AZ.  It was the last place we stayed before heading into Grand Canyon National Park.

Wally and LuLu had room to run free, but it was so dang hot except in the early morning and late evening.

I thought of my blogging friend, Connie, when I took the following cool tree bark photo.  She likes this stuff.  So do I.

The remainder of today's photos were taken along the Grand Canyon's south rim.  They don't come close to showing the awesomeness of the place, but you've seen plenty of Grand Canyon photos, I'm sure.  We arrived mid-day when the sun was high, the distance hazy, and the shadow play minimal.  Nevertheless, these are my photos which will look fantastic in large print in our yearly Shutterfly photo book.

I was taking pictures when a nice lady came along and asked if we'd like her to take our picture.  Well, sure!  So here we are.  I'm squinty-eyed and wild-haired, but this was pretty much my look the whole trip.

I spotted this condor from across the canyon.  I didn't know there were condors in the Grand Canyon, but I thought if I could see a buzzard on a rock from that far away, I either have very good eyesight or it's a very BIG buzzard.  So we drove to another view point so I could get a closer shot.

I loved the stacked rocks in the next photo.  See the tiny people on the rim?

Rich parked alongside the road and stayed with the dogs and the air conditioning while I plowed through the brush and came out at a flat where I walked a fair distance.  I kept careful watch for rattlesnakes and mountain lions as this is their country, but I wanted to experience the views and the countryside without the crowds.  It would be so easy to fall off the rim...  I knew Rich would be getting worried by the time I turned around and, sure enough, before I got all the way back to the RV he started honking intermittently, just in case I was lost.  Sheesh.

As the day wore on the shadows grew deeper.

After this we headed into Utah, and that's another whole experience.  I'll see you again next Saturday.  Have an awesome day!