Monday, March 19, 2007

The Grand Tour

I may have mentioned that every year on or around my birthday, we take a trip. My original intent was that every year, I'd go some where I'd never been before. But after I went to New Orleans, I so loved it that I had to share it with Jason (I'd gone alone the first time). So we went the following year.

Then decreased discretionary funds curtailed travels for a few years to the mountains of North Carolina. Don't get me wrong, I love and adore the mountains, but after three trips, well I was looking for something different.

This year the plan (and I do mean plan, discretionary funds aren't at their peak this year either) is for the Arizona Grand Tour 2007.

I lived in El Paso for a year, but that's the closest I've come to being in the desert Southwest. So it's going to be a totally new environment for both of us.

Plan is: Fly to Phoenix, rent a car, drive north to Flagstaff with a stop at Sedona along the way. Stay in Flagstaff. Drive east through Winslow (where I SHALL be seen 'standing on a corner') and on to Holbrook, hitting the Meteor Crater, Indian ruins, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest along the way. Stay in Holbrook. Drive back west, hitting whatever we missed on the first pass, up to the Grand Canyon. Stay overnight. Visit Grand Canyon. Drive to Camp Verde, visit Montezuma's Castle (not revenge). Drive to Phoenix and fly home.

Sounds ambitious, huh? If anyone has any tips/hints about this area, let me know.


Thor sez: Um, these plans do include me, correct?

6 comments:

Pat said...

Plan to spend as much time as you can at the Grand Canyon, Janet. I've been there three times and wish I could live there.

All the other places are cool, too. The southwest is just hauntingly beautiful. Great photography opportunity!

Marcheline said...

I did the exact trip you are describing, with my aunt.

All I'm going to say is this: If you and Jason don't spend a night in one of those motel rooms shaped like individual teepees, you're a bunch of chicken heads.

Also - check out the horseback riding in Monument Valley. Ranch is run by the Black brothers. If you ask them to give you a fast horse, they will. Woohoo!

8-) HAVE FUN!!!

- M

JanetLee said...

Pat - we'll have most of a day to spend at the Canyon. I'd like to go to both rims.

M- girl, you must be crazy in your head. It is enough of a sacrifice that I won't be staying at four star hotels or quaint B&B's on this vacation, I draw the line at tee-pee rooms. :)~

jaz said...

I want to do the overnight camping in the canyon donkey ride!

JanetLee said...

jaz - knock yourself out, I'll be waiting at the hotel with the soft beds, toilets and hot showers.

Anonymous said...

I did the trip, climbed down in and spent the night. It was only ruined by knowing that I had to wake up at 5 am and climb back out. Ouch. I couldn't walk right for three days. But, of course I think YOU should do it.