The Day After

Hello anyone still watching!  We got home yesterday, and I don’t think I can beat Cherri’s post for expressing how wonderful it is to see home.  I thought I would take a moment and outline the highlights of our amazing adventure, to aid any of you who might follow our footsteps.  We were surprised at how little advice we had gotten from those going before us.

First, be sure to come and go on Interstate 70, the northern route, unless you like a scary version of Interstate 81.  Interstate 40 through eastern Arizona and all of New Mexico was like your worst nightmare about Interstate 81:  long, very boring (scrub, scrub and more scrub) with a trillion trucks going 85 and a wind that would knock you off the road.  Interstate 70 is much gentler and Kansas was just plain wonderful to look at.  The best “road” part of the trip was from Boulder to Valley of the Monuments in Utah, first through the wild Rockies and then through amazing country, unlike anything ever imagined on the east coast.

At the Grand Canyon, which is a MUST, go in the East gate, NOT the more normal South gate, to get to the South Rim.  This gives you 20 miles of views and a half dozen unpopulated places to stop and look.  If you go in the South gate, you are instantly met with the hordes and no real overlooks until you find a place to park and walk.  At the Grand Canyon, if you can, stay at the El Tovar Hotel, pricy, but right on the rim, historic and absolutely gorgeous.  Dinner there was a highlight of the trip for me.

Valley of the Monuments in Utah, yes absolutely.  Sedona, no, unless you like lots of tourists and tourist places to shop.  That was my impression and it might be wrong in our short visit, but it seems to have lost any magic it might have held to the almightly lure of $$.

If you are driving, keep the gas tank half full at least.  We had a couple of scares of driving past exits with gas, and finding there is not another for a hundred miles and coasting into the next station.

I think this trip should have been done in two weeks or more.  There was the pressure of drive, drive, drive,  Unfortunately, none of us adventurers had two full weeks to take, and if ten days is what you have, go for it.  Hampton Inns were lifesavers every time, completely consistent and excellent.

I know my feelings will mellow and change as time passes and I get to think through things and recover from the exhaustion of the last couple of days.  A thousand thanks to my dear friends Cherri and Elizabeth for putting up with me, good times and trying times, and for the spirit to get out and GO.  Also thanks to all of you who went with us in that same spirit.  We felt your support and prayers.  And finally, thanks to my family for giving me the wonderful gift of freedom without guilt to run off and leave you.  Now I am like Dorothy:  There’s no place like home, there is no place like home…  Love, Ginger

Our Arrivals home

This is Cherri and I hope each of my fellow travelers will share their homecoming experience with you also:

We are no longer rolling. Near home, we stopped off and dropped off E. to be picked up by her husband.  Secondly, Ginger arrived home where her hubby and pups were overjoyed at her return. Lastly, I returned home. Looking forward to tidying up the RV… reminiscing about the fun we had with each item as it is returned to it’s place until the next family/friend group gets to take it out and use it also.

Upon my return home, smoke signals stroked, “Welcome home” to me as the fire burned in our humble little fireplace. My home sparkled with the loving cleaning it had undergone to great me with a smile and my dear husband had a crockpot full of my favorite food….. yes, home-made soup!  Have I ever felt more welcomed home, and cherished? No.

Girls, I enjoyed our big adventure. Thank you for your fellowship and friendship. To our followers on the blog, thank you for your fellowship and we will meet again, but for now?

It is done.

The Long Trek Home

Sadly, it has ceased to be about the journey . . .

Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona

What a fine sight to see.  It’s a girl, my lord. . .

Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

Yes, this really is us.  We exited in Winslow, drove to a corner and took a picture!

And here are a few more from the drive across Arizona:

   

We drove into New Mexico and spent the night in Gallup.  Headed east on 40 this morning.

The twisty road to Sedona

We drove from Flagstaff to Sedona on the scenic route 89A–a beautiful way through the red rock canyon full of S curves and cutbacks.  Pictures from our drive:

Walked the main drag and did a little shopping in Sedona, but didn’t stay long enough to see much of the town.  The pull to head east overwhelmed. . .

We got our kicks on Route 66!

Interesting pictures from our drive on Route 66.  We had lunch at the Roadkill Cafe!

  Pictures from our drive south to Sedona to follow in the next post.

Getting Our Kicks On Route 66

It is Ginger again.  Morning in Arizona, we were up early to see the sun come up and visit the mules before their hard day.  Then into the RV and headed west to the part of Route 66 that is supposed to be the best preserved part of “the old road”.  We are hoping to find a soda bar and some history…  We seem to have gotten a bit of the wanderlust: cannot seem to stay in one place too long, too many things to see!  Then later today we head east and from that point on, we are headed home on Interstate 40 then Interstate 81, with stops in Albequrque (spelling) and maybe Santa Fe.  Meanwhile, look for Route 66 reports and later Sedona. Love and thanks for watching…Ginger

Sunrise over the Grand Canyon

Here’s what we saw this morning:

G’s ready to roll.  Off to see more of Arizona.

We Made It!!

Entering GC National Park

We made it!!  And it is spectacular!!

The drive from Monument Valley was another beautiful experience.  Just when the scenery started to look the same, we would round a bend and see a whole new vista. 

And then we got to the Grand Canyon.  Amazing!!!  We are all totally awestruck.  We viewed the canyon from the various viewing areas.  We then decided to stay the night and got rooms in one of the hotels in the Park.  We parked Gypsy for the night, got our things into the hotel and then headed out.  We hiked part of the trail into the canyon, and then returned to the top for an exquisite dinner overlooking the canyon.  Our plan is to see the sunrise over the canyon tomorrow. 

Here are pictures from today:

We are here!!!

We are entering the Grand Canyon!!! We’ll post pictures tonight!!

PLEASE leave us comments so we can feel the love and not be homesick.