After nearly 8 weeks visiting National Parks in the West we have turned left and now travelling along Route 66 (aka Highway 40). Currently in Grant, New Mexico.
The weather has been mixed from 100s to rainy and some thunder - makes for great sunset photos:
Saturday August 28th - DeMotte Campground - North Rim
When we arrived at the North Rim we saw a couple of hunters in their hunting camo and waist holster guns. We were told it was hunting season by the De Motte Camp Hosts. In the middle of the night we were woken up by a high velocity rifle. Our camp hosts told us, yes, that was a rifle shot, hunters when they can’t find the buffalo shoot the buffalo sign instead, which they did near the entrance of the campground. After a quick cup of coffee and we drive to the North Rim’s Grand Canyon Lodge for data access to watch Chelsea v Liverpool, luckily it was 1 -1 draw. After the game we zoom chat with Granny Scotland, SF kids, Guildford Baldwins and Reading Festival Baldwins. Great to see everyone, chat and show them the view of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim.
We drive to a few overlooks on our way back and then to the East Rim Overlook with a cocktail for the sunset as suggested by our camp hosts. Our camp hosts also recommended a campground outside of Winslow called Homolovi State Park, we call and make a reservation.
Sunday August 29th - North to South Rim
We have a quick breakfast and pack/hitch up for our drive to Mather Campground in the North Rim, this was a 200 miles plus journey and again we dropped down from 9000 ft to the Colarado River at 3500 feet in the basin which we drove over and then back up to 7500feet. The Vermillion Cliffs were amazing as was the vistas to the Grand Canyon South Rim. I was so surprised to see so much greenery on the North and the South, unfortunately no Quaking Aspens, our favourite trees.
We pull through to our camping spot, I thought the south rim was going to be a lot more touristy. Its busy, but not that busy 😊. We ride our bikes through the camp ground and on the bike paths to all the areas of the South Rim, we find wifi at a closed library with the details of access on their front door, a couple of other people show up for wifi too. Our T-Mobile account is not roaming so we make a call to them via the wifi and after an hour and 30 mins we can now receive and make calls and texts again, hello world….
South Rim Panoramics:
Monday August 30th - South Rim
In the middle of the night we are woken up by a scurrying sound, yep, two mice are having fun in our trailer. After an hour of hitting stuff, they disappear or we fall asleep. Ewww! In the morning we saw the camp host driving by and we asked about the mice, she said yes, there are lots, she has two cats and catches one a week. She gives us four traps for our trailer wheels and we buy some more at the market. After seeing Elks wandering into campsite (see airstream in background), we had a fun day cycling along South Rim. to Yaki Point,
That night after supper we set the traps and even before we go to bed we SNAP TRAP 2 inside and hear 1 outside. We reset them and go to bed, we have just turned the lights off and its SNAP, SNAP & SNAP another 3 caught – 6 total. There is silence and we fall asleep.
Saying good bye to Grand Canyon with a sunset drink - watching out for thunder clouds
Tuesday August 31st - Williams & Flagstaff
So pleased we are leaving today to get away from the Mice Killing Fields in the Airstream. I wonder how many will be travelling with us. Peter is awesome at being the funeral director and disposing of them, so sad, they are cute. The Camp Host couldn’t believe we caught so many in one night. We were definitely parked in the favourite spot for all small and large beasts.
I have been taking photos of different small camping models, some that have tents that pop up from the roof of the car with a ladder, some tiny trailers that pop up and out and then the smallest pop-up trailer is Sam’s, he’s biker from California and has fitted this tiny trailer to his Honda Goldwing, with some prototype stuff he is testing, ready for market soon. Peter and Sam talk battery charging, DC-DC conveters amps, watts usage for appliances. They are both geeking out! I am loving the tiny space of the trailer and how it has everything, and everything has its place…
Sam pops by our old trailer and oo’s and argh’s and takes a photo of the Magnetic Herb containers he wants one for his home 😊. We are invited to ride whenever we are back in California as he has a couple of extra bikes – do they have AC, I wonder?
We drive to our next camp site near Williams AZ, this is a KOA (Circle Pine) and we will have showers and laundry, HURRAH! 6 loads later. We then jump in the car and drive to Flagstaff to meet friends, Daniel (Dandelion Chocolate work friend) and his wife Andrea for dinner, they have recently moved to Sedona. We had a lovely evening chatting and giggling. Hoping they both come to the UK for our next dinner date.
That night we catch one more mouse!
Wed Sep 1st - Winslow/Homolavi/Meteor
Another shower and load of laundry and then we get on the road for Homolovi State Park outside Winslow.
On the way we stopped at Meteor Crater, this thing is HUGE!
In keeping with last week's photo's from 1982 - here is one I took of Meteor Crater. As you can see, back then there were no tourist visitor centers with 4D rides and museums.
The Homolavi nature signs here are, poisonous insects and rattlesnakes, Jo High Alert is on! We quickly un-hitch the trailer and drive into Winslow to see the sights of Route 66, La Posada Hotel, Inspiration for the Eagles song "Take it Easy" - written by Jackson Browne. We buy a Route 66 magnet and Sign.
No mice noises and our traps are empty.
Thursday September 2nd - Petrified Forest and Painted Desert
We leave Homolovi for Holbrook KOA After un-hitching at our KOA we drove through the Petrified Forest National Park, this is a small park about 28 miles long and we stopped at a lot of the recommended sights. The Petrified tree trunks are amazing and their story of being. The painted desert was also beautiful. Its HOT!
The Hollbrook Wigwam Motel looks just like a scene out of Pixar's Cars movie - compare it to the Cones Motel
Friday September 3rd - Hollbrook, AZ to Grant's, NM
Grant's on Route 66 is where most of USA's Uranium is mined and is a typical Route 66 town that has gone downhill since the 50-60s heyday. Seems appropriate that we camp at Junkyard Brewery which is on the original Route 66 road, next to the Sante Fe railroad and, yes, it is situated on a car junkyard - see photo of where we are camped.
We are about to pop in for a taste 😊
We really liked how the Brewery was built around old car parts. Tailgates as tables, wheels as walls, pistons as draft beer handles and the whole bar was built around an old truck.
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