Day 9 - Grand Canyon - South Rim

Sara and I started the day at Sunrise.  We grabbed our cameras and the tripod and headed out at 5 am (yes, 5 am)!!!

We then went back to bed..haha.

We ventured off on some ranger tours on fossils and history of the park.  All interesting, but we decided to venture off on our own.  We took the Hermits Rest road (via bus) and got some great photos.

We ended the day taking in another ranger tour called Critter Chat, we learned about the California Condors in the park and two types of squirrels, separated at some point in the past; ones on the north rim and one on the south, slightly different from years of evolution.

We ended the night having dinner with friends from Cheshire (Feb & Rebecca).

Day 8 - Grand Canyon North Rim

Because we didn't do enough driving so far, we decided to drive to the North Rim on Sunday.  It was about a five hour drive, one way.

On the way, we saw some amazing landscapes.  We crossed the Colorado River, which was emerald green.

We hit the North Rim around 1, grabbed lunch and took a short hike out to Bright Angel Point.  This was a little nerve wrecking for Dee & Sara!!  We made it though and it was so worth it.

Day 7 - Sedona & Sunset Crater

Welcome Dee!!!  

After some much needed rest, we set off for our new adventure.  Sara had to teach Dee the ropes, how to pump water out of cooler (will try to get a shot of this later), how to open beef stick package, etc.

On the way north, we had to stop for pictures of the Saguaro cactus.

Then we hit Sedona Arizona.  We can see why this is a popular destination.  Red rocks everywhere, the homes blend in with the surroundings, just stunning!

We continued north to Sunset Crater, a cinder cone volcano.

We then headed to our final destination of the day

The Grand Canyon

Sara's first view

Day 6 - Phoenix

External temperature in Phoenix was 110!!!!

If you touched the windows on the car, it was almost too hot!!!  Ouch!!!

Day 6 - Travelers converge in Phoenix

Weary travelers to converge in Phoenix AZ, temperature 108🌞🌵

Bob and Sara arrived in Arizona at 12:10 eastern.

 They stopped at the Painted Desert

Petrified Forest

And Winslow Meteor Crater

Dee is sitting in Atlanta airport with a two hour layover, but a great view

Phoenix arrival time 11 pm (2 am eastern)

Day 5 - Santa Fe & Albuquerque

Change of plans!!!

Instead of taking off for Phoenix today, it appears Bob & Sara were enjoying New Mexico too much and had soooo much more to see.

So, the culture tour of Santa Fe continues:

This one is a train!!

Then - off to Meow Wolf (some sort of crazy multimedia art place)

PUNY PEOPLE!!!!

Does she think this is a Jackolopes or perhaps Fred - reincarnated (the Prairie Dog)?

In Alburquerque - thye visited Sandia Peak

And the Cholla Cactus has started to BLOOM!!!

What will tomorrow bring - off the the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Winslow Crater, Phoenix and best of all DEE!!!!  She arrives in Phoenix at 11 pm, but the group will be re-united!!!

Day 4 - Santa Fe New Mexico

The day started with a lovely pastry from the Sage Bakehouse (yum).

Then it was off to Jackolopes (kinda a Pier 1 on steroids), for some exploring.

Great place to explore

And then, she saw the prairie dog compound, she almost jump in to take one home.

After dragging Sara away, kicking a screaming that Fred, her new pet, was missing from her purse, they grabbed lunch at La Posada.  

(Best chicken quesadilla ever).

Then off for a cultural tour of Santa Fe, the Loretta Chapel (read the story about the staircase: 

http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html)

They visited the Palace of Governors, a must see and headed north to Camel Rock

All together a GREAT day!!

Day 3 - Tuesday

Leaving Oklahoma City, the traveled through 2 more states:

Texas - 10:39 am

New Mexico - 1:31 pm

I think Sara has a new appreciation for how BIG this country is - she says she can see FOREVER!!!!

They said the Cholla Cactus had not bloomed yet.

Final Destination - Santa Fe and the Coyote Cafe for Dinner - I think Sara appreciated the artwork

Day 2 - Monday

Day 2 - Sara & Bob leave Tennessee behind and enter a couple more states:

Arkansas - 2:24 pm

Somewhere (Bass Pro Shops & Duck Dynasty) - also at 2:24 pm

Oklahoma - 6:49 pm

OOOOk-lahoma, 

where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain,

And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet, 

When the wind comes right behind the rain. (Sara didn't get this-lol)

Day 1 - Sunday

Day 1 - Bob & Sara left on Sunday Morning, around 8:45 and starting texting Dee to let her know where they were (or to taunt her) throughout the day:

New York - 9:59 am

Pennsylvania - 10:57 am

West Virginia - 3:03 pm

They missed the Virginia sign - but this came in around 3:58 pm

Tennessee - 8:22 pm

Ended the day between Knoxville and Nashville TN around 11:47 pm