Sunday April 28, 2013

As we left Tucumcari, N.M. this morning, we are so glad that we stopped last night when we did and slept a little while, because we are really enjoying the beautiful changing scenery today during the daylight hours.  Lots of flat scrubby looking land with majestic mesas rising up from the desert floor, gradually changing to larger hills and then to mountains the further west we go.  Very rugged and unforgiving landscape!  Not much out there for the occasional cows we are seeing to nibble on.  Homes are few and far between.  Did you know that a full 1/4 of the population of the entire state of New Mexico resides in Albuquerque?  There are thousands of acres of uninhabited land in this state!  The miles are really clicking by, since the speed limit is 75 m.p.h.!

It was funny to see miles and miles of huge billboards one after the other, close together, advertising Clines Corners or the Flying C Ranch.  Then when we get to the exit for each one, we see it is just one building, sort of anti-climactic after the buildup from all those many , many billboards!

Before we arrive in Flagstaff, we begin to see the snow covered peak of Humphrey's Peak, the tallest mountain in Arizona at 12,633 elev.

When we arrive at the entrance to the Flagstaff Airport, there are state troopers there who have the road temporarily blocked!  It seems there is a security risk because Vice-President Biden's plane (Airforce Two) has landed there.  After a few minutes, the barricade is removed and we are allowed to enter the road to the Airport Terminal where Don is patiently waiting for us to pick him up.  We are so glad he is able to fly in here to join us on our hike into the Grand Canyon tomorrow!  (Don did this same hike with three of my sisters in 2011)

It is a really pretty drive north out of Flagstaff on U.S. Hwy.180 north to Ariz.Hwy 64, to Tusayan, Ariz. where we have a reservation for two nights at the Best Western Grand Squire Inn.  This is such a nice hotel, and after we enjoyed a good mexican food dinner at a nearby restaurant, we are in bed early (6:30 p.m.) in preparation for an early start in the morning for our hike into the Grand Canyon!

This elk is peacefully grazing right next to the hotel next door to where we are staying!  Guess they are used to all the tourists!