Out West

I was fortunate to recently go on a once-in-a-lifetime (but I think I'm going to try to do it again) trip "Out West".  I joined a friend for a 9-day trip to see as many sites as we could cram in (along with a little shopping).  We landed in Phoenix and headed North.  Seeing Saguaro Cacti is always a treat when you live on the East Coast.

Our first stop was for frybread.  Not pictured but enjoyed.  Our second stop was Montezuma Castle National Monument.  Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

After stopping in Flagstaff for dinner and groceries, we arrived in the pitch dark to our lodging for the next two days.  We stayed at Grand Canyon Oasis High Desert Camp.  The light of day would reveal an RV campground dotted with "Tiny Houses"

We laughed hysterically at the situation we found ourselves in.  I won't say I didn't consider abandoning the place for a hotel.  The fact we were not indeed close to any hotel made our option very limited.

We agreed that 

1. Tiny houses are very Instagramable but not very practical

2. This would be so fun if we were 20 (but not so fun at age 50+)

3. Ladders are not for people who have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night

4. Neither of us had any desire to EVER live in a tiny house.

I was on East Coast time and up before the sunrise.  I decided to explore while my travel companion slept.  I wandered the "resort", almost invited myself to someone RV for breakfast (they were cooking outside) and I found an entrance to the adjoining national park-so I went for a short walk.

Yep, this is a national Park.  Coconino National Park I believe.  And it had a disappointing number of visible rattlesnakes.  But I did find some tumbleweeds-which was also pretty exciting.

 Next Stop the Grand Canyon