Our Southwest Adventure!

So…. FINALLY  I have had a moment to truly take a peek at some of our Southwest adventure/ vacation photos.  I have been so busy with “real work” but also anxious to sort through my 1200+ photographs.  Carl & I had such a fabulous time!!  It really was an amazing vacation and I hope to get back to the southwest sometime again soon.

In a nutshell, if you are interested of course, (otherwise skip to photos) this was it:::

Day 1: flew into Vegas & rented a car – stayed at the Luxor on the strip – saw Conan O’Brien’s “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television” tour at the Palms Casino.

Day 2: drove 200 miles to Mt. Zion National Park (bathroom stops included Mesquite, NV and  St.George, UT ).  Set up camp at the Watchmen Campground @ Zion.

Day 3: Hike, hike, hike!  We hiked Mt. Zion all day.  It was spectacular!  The trails included:  Watchmen Trail, the Lower, Middle & Upper Emerald Pool Trails, the Grotto and the Riverside Walk Trail.

Day 4: Drove along the most frightening and simultaneously the most beautiful drive of my life (literally at the very edge of the canyons and cliffs).  Drove over 250 miles to The Grand Canyon (southern tip).  I was in complete awe of the entire drive.  It was so desolate and magnificent.  We arrived at the Mather Campground and set up camp.

Day 5: Hiked part way down the Grand Canyon via the Bright Angel Trail.  I felt a little sick that morning (after camping in 30 degree temperatures!)  We both did a great way down but the way up was absolutely grueling.  Carl did great but I thought I was going to die right there on the trail.  Shew!  That was tough.  We hope to go back one day and camp at the bottom for a night.  I will certainly prepare better for that adventure!

Day 6: Drove to Sedona!  Along the way we stopped at:  Tusayan, AZ & Williams, AZ.  I definitely recommend a short stop in Williams if you are ever planning a trip.  Cute town!!  The entire drive was beautiful drive, of course!  We stayed at The Sedona Motel (I also recommend this place).

We hiked the Cathedral Rock Trail that day.  This was the absolute highlight of the trip for me!  A short .7 mile trail with a 600 ft elevation change.  It is labeled as “strenuous” but it is so beautiful there that it truly does not feel that way at all.   There was actual climbing involved (hands and feet involved) but I felt as if I had skipped up and down the entire trail.  It was an absolute pleasure to climb and the view at the top was magnificent.  I felt at peace and calm there at the top.  I have safely stored that in my memory as one of the very few “happy places” to go to in my mind.  🙂

We also saw the sunset from the Airport Mesa.  Yep, you guessed it, fantastic!

Dinner at a Korean Restaurant, Mago Cafe – recommended!

I could live without the tourist-y stuff that covers a huge section of Sedona but I completely suggest a trip there for its natural beauty, quirky places and celestial/ new age vibe.  As someone told us before we went, “you will probably giggle a lot”.  I really enjoyed it there!

Day 7: Hiked….  we think that it was Boynton Canyon but that isn’t official and we kind of made our own paths….  We also went to an amazing Vegan Cafe, D’Lish and indeed it was D’LISH!  Loved it there!!!  I wish we had this in Philly.

Drove to Phoenix and checked into the super fancy Radisson Hotel in downtown Phoenix.

Day 8: Walked all around Phoenix, saw a movie and got free tickets to a Arizona Diamondbacks game and a ride on a rickshaw!  Flew out of Phoenix and back to good old Philly!

Anyway, here are just a few randomly chosen photos……

Vegas!

All of the amazing architecture in Vegas and I preferred watching shadows on the wall…. (thinking of John Lennon now…)

Juniper tree @ Cathedral Rock in Sedona….. lots of vortex energy!  If you’ve never heard of vortexes in Sedona it is worth googling!  Or, let me google that for you…. 😉

This defines our trip!  The top of Cathedral Rock trail.  Took off my shoes and did a headstand.

Carl & I at the top.  We got to be all alone up there for about 15 minutes.  It was great!