"Take the Long Way Home . . ." - July 12th - 13th

Normally, from Dillon, CO, Daddy drives through Utah on the way home to Lake Havasu.  This trip, we decided to extend the adventure and take the long way home through Santa Fe, NM. This choice added an extra 3-1/2 hours of drive time, but only about 82 miles (a lot of twisty roads).  And, as in Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, " I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."  Since I haven't taken the road through Utah - I'll just have to take Daddy's word for it.

So this is our trip home from Santa Fe, NM - overnight in Flagstaff, AZ - home to Lake Havasu City, AZ.


All during our trip, we saw a lot of these signs showing our Stimulus Money at "work".  Work = Force x Distance.  More often than not, there was no workforce over any distance past the signs. Tax dollars are not "hard at work" - it's more like they're "hardly working."   What we saw was money wasted on signs.  Trust me - the only "Shovel-Ready" projects we saw were from the messages I left behind.



$3.54 Santo Domingo Pueblo NM‏

New Mexico still looks the same.

Are we EVER going to be DONE with this trip?  Stick a fork in me - I'm done!

 

No balloons there yet, but by first week of October, things will be hopping like a bunny.  Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta started in 1972 with only 13 balloons.  Now, it hosts over 600 balloons and is the largest event in the country.  Lake Havasu City also has a Balloon Festival in January.



There is actually a place called, Continental Divide, NM.  Lucky for them, they are on the Continental Divide.  Seems like I've been on the Divide before, but I remember snow.




Nice commercialism, huh?




The Navajo Nation occupies an area called the "Four Corners" - this includes sections of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah & Colorado.  These are the remains of a Hogan - the traditional home of the Navajo. It specifically opens to the east for two reasons 1) spirit blessings, and 2) light from sunrise.  Even if the family has a more modern home, they still have a Hogan for ceremonial purposes.



WHAT?! Another rain & hail storm?  This one is in New Mexico, about 3 miles from the Arizona border.




Welcome to Arizona - The Grand Canyon State - Just don't park here!




This is the commercial version of a Native American home; however, the tipi (teepee) is common to Great Plains tribes (such as the Lakota). Tipi's are practical to nomadic tribes when hunting.




Don't ask me what this guy is still doing around.




Winslow AZ $3.46‏



In Flagstaff, AZ, Mommy & Daddy got to eat at Picazzos. They make gluten-free Pizza.  Mommy is STILL REALLY upset that the Picazzos in Lake Havasu City closed.




Picazzos is known for its different murals. All are customized and hand-painted - unique to the location.





Many people think Arizona only has cacti.  Our high desert is very green and heavily forested,  This is the Kaibab National Forest.



Kingman AZ $3.56‏



Once we were on the west side of Kingman, it was time to get serious and watch the road.




NOW it starts looking like Arizona with large rocks and cacti.



We passed the Golf Ball house again. Not long now . . .



There's our exit.  I'm SO excited I could pee!  Seriously - I could pee . . .

You know how some people look at clouds for images? I look at rocks.  I think this looks like a Catcher's Mitt.

Our first glimpse of Lake Havasu in the distance.

There's the sign I've been looking for.

We're home! We're home!  I'm so excited - now I can pee!

Boy! It has been one big adventure and a very long trip.  I've got one more post to do.  Thank you for sharing my first road trip with me.