Took a short holiday to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.  I had thought it was further away than it was — just 5 hours, give or take, with a stop for gas to Williams, where we stayed at the Travelodge (about 350 miles from Albuquerque.)

Williams is a quaint little town, very quiet, nice to walk around at night.  They roll the place up at 9pm.  I’d go out of my mind if I lived there, but it was a great place to get away to.  The Travelodge was clean, but I was allergic to something in the room.  Had dinner Saturday night at the Red Raven restaurant — well worth the visit!  I had a swordfish steak that was near perfect and mashed potatoes made with a hint of green chile, pico de gallo, and red pepper.

Here’s Willams on a hoping Friday night about 6pm…

Saturday morning, up and at ’em with a trip to the Grand Canyon — my first time visiting.  Gorgeous place and well worth the visit.

Took a trip to Sedona afterward, which meant an hour of battling 30+mph side winds with a couple of very violent gusts, followed by another hour or so on Route 89A — a twisting series of switchback through a deep gorge.  Lovely scenery and very green; reminded me of Jim Thorpe in PA or a little place in southern Arizona (another art community — Benson?)

The getting there was great.  Sedona was essentially a giant mall set in some wonderful natural beauty…  As the wife put it:  It’s Taos…but people here bathe.

Left out on a very cold Sunday and stopped for a spot of breakfast at the Red Garter Bed & Breakfast.  The proprietor was very nice; his wife(?)…not so much.  Not impressed.

The trip back included a frigid stop at Meteor Crater — $15/person is a bit steep.  A quick note on Arizona roads…they make Pennsylvania look good.  ADOT and PennDOT are in competition for who can leave a road in the worst condition.  It made New Mexico seem downright conscientious!  The weather through NM:  attrocious.  Snow, sleet, wind, and apparently it rains screws at some point, because I got one in my rear right tire.

Fortunately, the screw was still in.  A fill-up with air and a can of Fix-a-Flat saw us the other 100+ miles.  Strangely, my Taurus actually got 30+mpg on the trip…