Thursday, March 08, 2007

Flagstaff, AZ

The last two days have been spent seeing the desert and entering canyon country. Wednesday we drove from Amarillo to Santa Fe, and then yesterday from Santa Fe to Flagstaff, Arizona. Texas is flat. Flat flat flat. At times you can see so far in all directions that it feels like you can see the Earth's curve. The landscape starts to change closer to New Mexico. Mesas and canyons start to appear.

We had a rest at the New Mexico welcome center. For those traveling with livestock, they are kind enough to provide corrals.

We arrived in Santa Fe in early Wednesday afternoon, but didn't do anything touristy because we needed to do laundry and get the oil changed on the car. We stayed in a little hotel in the middle of the historic district of town, which is pretty with all of the adobe architecture. But it's the off-season, so everything is deader than disco. We walked a couple of blocks into town to get some dinner and passed one other couple -- and this was in the most touristy area of town. Nothing but galleries and jewelry stores and restaurants.

I liked Santa Fe, but I've never enjoyed desert climates. I hate feeling constantly dehydrated, with dried out skin and parched eyes. I also have regained my morning sickness and insomnia, so I spend alot of time nauseated and exhausted. All of that came to a head Wednesday afternoon, when I had a big fat pregnant lady melt-down. I picked a stupid fight with Jason and then spent the next 2 hours crying. Pretty pathetic. But I'm feeling better now, at least emotionally.

Yesterday morning we got up and had a very tasty but outrageously expensive breakfast, and then headed north of Santa Fe to Bandelier National Monument, to see the ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings. It was incredibly interesting to see these tiny caves in the sides of cliffs where people lived, and the ruins of the communities they built.

After that, we hit the road and started the trip to Flagstaff, about 350 miles away. The landscape in western New Mexico and eastern Arizona is so spectacular. We've had great weather this entire trip, and the air is so clear out here that you can see miles and miles into the distance. Jason and I sometimes pick out a landmark way off in the distance and then count the mile markers to see how far we could see. On the road, it was usually between 10 and 15 miles.

We took a little detour at Petrified Forest National Park about 30 miles over the Arizona
border, and there were spots where we could see Flagstaff, 120 miles away. In the park, we drove around and looked at the Painted Desert, which really does look painted. We were there at about 6pm, just as the sun was starting to set, and everything was pink and purple and white and brown. This is such a beautiful country.

Today we are off to see the Grand Canyon. I am so excited I can barely stand it -- I've never seen it.

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