Road Trippin' USA
Over the holidays, our family took on a road trip to see one of the seven natural wonders of the earth. We buckled up to see Grand Canyon despite our stuffed noses and heads. It was quite a wild ride through multiple climbs through the mountains, deserts and high prairies. I've always loved going on trips. Nothing makes me happier than packing my beloved ones into the car and heading out for an adventure!
My better half and I had so much fun reading the passing signs of Bloody Basin, Horsethief Basin and Dunaway State Prison. What a wild west the area between San Diego and Flagstaff, Arizona must have been in the good old days! It didn't take much to imagine gun fights and robberies that might have happened amongst the big cactus plants in the rugged desert landscape.
I've always loved Flagstaff, Arizona. It's small town feel and the pine trees remind me of home, Finland. It is a perfect place to land before heading out to Grand Canyon. The air was crisp, cold and dry, but unfortunately there was not much snow in the area. But the large mixed pine and aspen tree forests and views of snow capped mountains make up for it! Swimming in the Flagstaff Aquaplex and visiting the cute Old Town and Historic Down Town area were our favorite things to do in Flagstaff.
Grand Canyon itself is just grand! The views of the canyon are breath taking and it is hard to phantom it's enormous size. It is so neat to be able to see so many layers of rock and soil at once. It is such a wonderful geological gem that it demands our protection.
We drove from one view point to another and at times my son refused to get out of the car. The wind was breezy and cold and even our pictures capture the bright high desert weather beautifully. It is no place to be without sun protection even in the middle of the coldest time of year.We went with the flow and took turns peeking at the canyon. There are no words to really describe the beauty of it all. It is just so grand!
We left the canyon around 3:30 pm and could not believe the long line of cars which were only then getting ready to enter the national park. The line was many miles long. The best time to view the canyon is either first thing in the morning or during sunset, but to avoid the lines, I would still rather get there first thing in the morning than late in the afternoon.
Our short and sweet trip was great also on our way back, as there are always many interesting things to see in the desert. Here are just a few wonderfully strange and interesting sights along the way:
A Massive Experimental Solar Power Plant in the middle of the desert.
Surveillance tunnel? We are not sure what it really is, but it was located close to border patrol near the US-Mexican border.
Double Decker trains. A couple of my friends work for BNSF Railway, and now I see trains everywhere, even in the desert.
Farming in the desert. I am not sure how it can be profitable, but nevertheless, there are huge fields full of crops of all kinds in the desert.
Dateland, California offers the best date shakes in the world.
Imperial Sand Dunes in the desert and doombuggies. There are lots of people who love driving in the desert sands.
Actual rain clouds in El Centro, California.
Wind Power towers in the desert.
I hope that you have enjoyed peeking into our little road trip. Have you visited the Grand Canyon? What is your favorite memory from a road trip?
I hope that your New Year 2015 is filled with joy and happiness and above all - adventures of all kinds!
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