We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
~Jawaharial Nehru
When Mike and I were in Italy in January, we decided that we would take a road trip in July to avoid the excessive heat in Las Vegas. We had planned to drive to Ohio first and then Florida with a number of stops along the way. My health problems put an end to those plans, but when I started to feel better in September, we decided that if I continued to be okay, we’d take that trip for the holidays.
Fast-forward to today, and we’re in the midst of another epic cross-country trip. The long drive is not new to either one of us. By my count, since 1987, I’ve driven east-west or west-east 12 times, and Mike is close behind at nine. Let me be honest and tell you that it can be a huge pain in the you-know-what (literally and figuratively). Traveling the width of this country, though, always gives me pause as I watch the world through the car window. The diverse beauty of the mountains and the plains, the hills and the plateaus, the rivers and the lakes never ceases to amaze me.
Yesterday, we drove from Las Vegas through Arizona and New Mexico to Santa Rosa. We’ve arrived in Little Rock tonight after traveling the rest of New Mexico, the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Let me show you a little of Arizona. Please note that I took the photos with my new iPhone through the car window as we were traveling 75 mph, so they may be a little pixelated.
Heading toward Kingman 
Kingman, AZ 
Snow in Flagstaff 
Humphreys Peak in Flagstaff
Many people don’t realize that there are mountains in Arizona. Humphrey’s peak, the snow-covered mountain in the photo above, is the highest peak in the state coming in at 12, 633 feet. It’s about 10 miles north of Flagstaff and is part of an ancient volcanic range.
Holbrook, AZ Power Plant 
Houck, AZ 
Houck billboard 
Houck billboards
The vast open spaces in Arizona are just amazing, but it’s sad to see how little the local governments do to take care of the signs and businesses on the interstate.
Concho, AZ 
Concho, AZ 
Concho, AZ 
Concho, AZ 
Lupton, AZ
I should have studied geology. I am so taken with rock formations. If you look that photo on the top right and the one on the bottom left, the rocks are across the highway from each other. Why are the ones on the south so rugged while the ones on the north so smooth?
The Little Dude refused to stay in the backseat. I’m not wild about having him sit on my lap as it is not safe, but I finally gave in. He promptly fell asleep with his head on the dashboard. (Please do not lecture me about the dangers. I know them.)
We’ll be searching for a doggy seat belt tomorrow.
TOMORROW: New Mexico and Texas
coldpastaandredwine.com 
Those animal folk just seem to have a minds of their own as we already know. Thought we were all through with pets when George rescued 5 kittens and their mother about 3 years ago under the tractor bush hog. All except mom and the only male are living with us and Sampson, the baby boy, is still a WIP while his mother, Isis, is just so happy to eat, sleep, eat, sleep and if needs be to go out a couple of times a day. Trust your trip will continue to be interesting and safe.
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Correction to prior comment: no, all not with us, others went to good homes, funny how my fingers thought that’s what they put in the comment, but alas they have never strayed above high school typing class.
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