As if we didn't have a long day yesterday, we went to bed late because girls love to TALK and we got up at 7 to hit the road to see the Grand Canyon.
It was about a 3 hour drive up. It was neat to see the landscape change every hour. We started with cactus riddled hills that soon became dry grass and then pine trees, then juniper, then bigger pine trees, then snow. We drove through some pretty snowy sections that was very foggy and difficult to see. My biggest worry was ice. Thankfully, we didn't encounter any.
It was about a 3 hour drive up. It was neat to see the landscape change every hour. We started with cactus riddled hills that soon became dry grass and then pine trees, then juniper, then bigger pine trees, then snow. We drove through some pretty snowy sections that was very foggy and difficult to see. My biggest worry was ice. Thankfully, we didn't encounter any.
After our 3 hour drive up, we were so excited to see the Canyon. And THIS was our view. I was NOT happy. Oh well, at least I got to yell into the Canyon something that was on my bucket list, "REEEEEKOLAAAAAH!" And yes, thanks to my big ass mouth, my voice carried into the mist and reverberated back to me. Did I feel like a tard? Yeah. So?! It's something I've ALWAYS wanted to do! After griping about the crappy fog, we decided to hop on the shuttle bus to the General Store. We had no idea we could just drive there on our own. After picking up our souvenirs and water bottles, we headed back to our starting point to get the car. By the way, for those visiting the Canyon BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLES. They do not sell bottled water there. They have water stations that pump fresh SPRING WATER (how cool is that? Fresh canyon spring water!).
After getting our car, we decide to drive to the desert view lookout. We were going to continue on to the end of that road but got hit with a nasty snow flurry and could NOT see the road directly in front of us. It was like we were being swallowed up by the fog. So, the first turn I saw, I took to pull over and wait it out.
After we stopped, we looked behind our car and saw this ice covered tree. We stepped out and took some pictures. It's about 29 degrees now. Not too bad. Five minutes after this picture was taken, the fog moved and we were blessed to see this.
After we stopped, we looked behind our car and saw this ice covered tree. We stepped out and took some pictures. It's about 29 degrees now. Not too bad. Five minutes after this picture was taken, the fog moved and we were blessed to see this.
As soon as it cleared, I almost started crying. It was the most beautiful and breathtaking thing I have ever seen in my LIFE. Aside from each of my babies, of course.
I said out loud, THANK YOU FATHER! Seriously, thank you father for giving me this opportunity and opening it up for me to see.
Five minutes after we snapped our pictures, the fog came back thicker than before. Coincidence? Or just lucky timing? This is just a sample of the MANY beautiful pictures I was able to get. All I have to say is, I'm so grateful for the opportunity my job has given me to be able to see this once in my life. Everyone should.
I said out loud, THANK YOU FATHER! Seriously, thank you father for giving me this opportunity and opening it up for me to see.
Five minutes after we snapped our pictures, the fog came back thicker than before. Coincidence? Or just lucky timing? This is just a sample of the MANY beautiful pictures I was able to get. All I have to say is, I'm so grateful for the opportunity my job has given me to be able to see this once in my life. Everyone should.
Before I went on this trip, I asked for certain things.
I wanted SNOW and I got it. The snow was the perfect kind for making a snowman. Though I'm a shitty snowman maker (I'm from HAWAII cut me some slack!), I managed to ball up some snow and created my sad attempt at a snow man.
The snow was perfectly wet and sticky. So it was also perfect to make snowballs to throw at friends. No, I didn't. Ok, I did. ONCE.
I wanted SNOW and I got it. The snow was the perfect kind for making a snowman. Though I'm a shitty snowman maker (I'm from HAWAII cut me some slack!), I managed to ball up some snow and created my sad attempt at a snow man.
The snow was perfectly wet and sticky. So it was also perfect to make snowballs to throw at friends. No, I didn't. Ok, I did. ONCE.
Another thing I asked for was to see a deer. Well, I got what I asked for and then some. I got to see ELK! As we were driving out to Flagstaff, in a clearing, there was a group of Elk.
Seriously, how blessed am I? It was beautiful and this picture looks like it belongs on a postcard.
The drive to Flagstaff on scenic road 89A had me in awe. The snow covered mountains covered in white flocked pine trees was something out of a storybook.
It went on and on for days! The snow flurries along the way wasn't fun to drive in. It was scary. But, we survived. By the way, on the way there, we were again blessed to see a HUGE family of Elk. There were about a dozen or more Elk hanging out in a clearing right off to the side of the road. I was so excited!!
Seriously, how blessed am I? It was beautiful and this picture looks like it belongs on a postcard.
The drive to Flagstaff on scenic road 89A had me in awe. The snow covered mountains covered in white flocked pine trees was something out of a storybook.
It went on and on for days! The snow flurries along the way wasn't fun to drive in. It was scary. But, we survived. By the way, on the way there, we were again blessed to see a HUGE family of Elk. There were about a dozen or more Elk hanging out in a clearing right off to the side of the road. I was so excited!!
Historic Route 66. I had to get on this road just because.
Not only because of its fame, but because it was where our late lunch restaurant was at. Salsa Brava.
Yes, another Guy Fieri DDD approved eatery.
Not only because of its fame, but because it was where our late lunch restaurant was at. Salsa Brava.
Yes, another Guy Fieri DDD approved eatery.
Thanks Guy for the guidance!!
This place had us mmm'ing and awwww'ing the entire meal, again!
The portions were ridiculous and the price was low. They have a fresh salsa all you can eat bar that had multiple salsas to choose from. The Pineapple habanero hurt so good.
I stuck with the basic mild salsa cause my mouth couldn't handle the heat.
While we were in devour mode, outside the snow was falling pretty heavily. I was worried about getting snowed in because I had no idea how the roads would be by the time we got out of there.
Luckily, it wasn't too bad, and it subsided as soon as we hit the road again. But our car sure did have a nice dusting on it when we got out of the restaurant.
This place had us mmm'ing and awwww'ing the entire meal, again!
The portions were ridiculous and the price was low. They have a fresh salsa all you can eat bar that had multiple salsas to choose from. The Pineapple habanero hurt so good.
I stuck with the basic mild salsa cause my mouth couldn't handle the heat.
While we were in devour mode, outside the snow was falling pretty heavily. I was worried about getting snowed in because I had no idea how the roads would be by the time we got out of there.
Luckily, it wasn't too bad, and it subsided as soon as we hit the road again. But our car sure did have a nice dusting on it when we got out of the restaurant.
From Flagstaff, we continued down the scenic roads through Oak Creek Valley to Sedona. The views! Oh my god the VIEWS! There were some points where I thought I was in Hana, Maui.
It was starting to get dark and I was so bummed because I knew we'd miss the beauty of the Red Rock in Sedona.
But, we spent justifiable amounts of time at the Canyon which ate up most of my itinerary and that was OK.
We hit downtown Sedona in the dark but I've got to admit, it sure was pretty at night. All the lights, the decorated trees, it was nice.
Sedona had us spinning with their roundabouts every mile. Do you know how annoying it is to hear the GPS say, "in one quarter mile enter roundabout".
After passing through dark Sedona, we headed straight home. We were dead tired and I thank my friend Robin for driving majority of the day. I drove in between, but she did the long hauls.
And that was our weekend. Thanks for reading!
It was starting to get dark and I was so bummed because I knew we'd miss the beauty of the Red Rock in Sedona.
But, we spent justifiable amounts of time at the Canyon which ate up most of my itinerary and that was OK.
We hit downtown Sedona in the dark but I've got to admit, it sure was pretty at night. All the lights, the decorated trees, it was nice.
Sedona had us spinning with their roundabouts every mile. Do you know how annoying it is to hear the GPS say, "in one quarter mile enter roundabout".
After passing through dark Sedona, we headed straight home. We were dead tired and I thank my friend Robin for driving majority of the day. I drove in between, but she did the long hauls.
And that was our weekend. Thanks for reading!
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