Road Trip

Starting May 31st in Los Altos, Calif. and ending almost 4,000 miles later on June 10th in Greenville, North Carolina, Wendy and Garner ventured
across the southern U.S. to deliver Wendy's 2002 VW Beetle to Diana (so she could drive to/from her new pediatric residency starting mid-June).
Below are pictures from Calif. through our first two tourist stops in Grand Canyon, AZ then Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM.
Garner and Wendy shared lots of laughs, a minor mishap (no air conditioning for 3 days in 100^o 100% humidity in the South),
many fun tourist stops, a couple of books on tape, the endless state of Texas, marginal to great food and hotels--AND fabulous memories!



DAY 1: (Above Far L) The mighty "Bluebird" pauses for a breather--and we for a pit stop--early in the trip. (Center L & R) California's Mojave Desert is dramatic, rugged, arid, and yes, quite hot. (Above Far R) We try to drive on the famous old Route 66 throughout the trip, but in many places, we're only parallel. We arrive at a Best Western motel in Kingman, AZ in time for a lovely dinner at the Brunswick Hotel's renovated dining room. Kingman's claims to fame: birthplace of Andy Devine (old actor) and a key railroad stop.


DAY 2: We arrive at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (1st time for both of us though Wendy's been to the north rim twice). After a quick lunch, we took a 3-hour geological tour in a van, which turned out to be (Above Far L) just the 2 of us plus a young, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. At every stop, the canyon's colors and shadows changed and amazed us (Above L to Far R)


DAY 2 (cont'd): It's hard to gain perspective just looking over the canyon rim (Garner is Above Far L). So without driving your eyes too crazy, can you find: (Above L) the person walking through the tunnel which is a patch of light? How about (Above R) the California condor (dark spot in the brush) with its wings spread the full 9 feet across? (Above Far R) Now just enjoy the sunset with us as we pause after dinner at the famous El Tovar Inn, originally built by Harvey Hotels in 1905.


DAY 3: (Above Far L) Garner and I walk to our helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon (1st ride for us both), where we were lucky enough to sit up front,. (Above L to R) The view as we approached the lip then flew into space was absolutely breathtaking, spectacular, astounding, etc.!


DAY 3 (cont'd): Our 30-minute helicopter ride flew us over the Colorado River (Above Far & L). Even though the canyon looked vast from above, it's hard to grasp that the Colorado runs through it for 277 miles, 4 miles wide at its narrowest and 18 miles at its widest points.


DAY 3 (cont'd): After the helicopter landed (Above Far L) we drove to Grandview Point (Above Center L to R) which in 1898 was also a popular tourist spot including hotel. (Above Far R) Our last Grand Canyon stop was Desert View Watchtower, designed by pioneering female architect, Mary Jane Colter. As the railroads expanded, Fred Harvey commissioned her on 21 hotel projects all over the western U.S., each of which was designed and built with materials that complemented each landscape.

DAY 3 (cont'd): We headed from AZ to NM, "Land of Enchantments," and lots of desert, plateaus, and trains (L to R). Early evening, we arrive at Garner's sister-in-law's in Albuquerque--for 2 whole nights!


DAY 4: Marilyn drove us for the day to Santa Fee by way of Bandolier National Monument which is one of the sets of ruins with cave dwellings where the Anasazi Indians lived from before 700 B.C.E. until sometime from 1300 to 1600 A.D. The Anasazi dwindled then disappeared from history. (Above Far L) Garner starts her camera clicking as we (Above L & R) begin the trail to the ruins. Some homes were built in front of the cliffs (Above Far R) and some were expanded caves in the cliff-faces (Below Far L and L). The Indians carved hieroglyphics into the rocks (Below R) which probably had special religious or community significance but appear to us like encrypted messages. It is unclear whether the Anasazi also enhanced water erosion to create other fascinating formations (Below Far R)


DAY 4 (cont'd): To help us recover from the searing desert head, Marilyn drove to Santa Fe where we had lunch in a picturesque adobe-style hotel, shopped in the cute town, visited the Georgia O'Keefe Museum then headed back for a family dinner in Albuquerque.