Today would be a long day as we hoped to make the Grand Canyon before dark. We bid farewell to Amarillo between 8 and 9 AM under sunny but comfortable skies. Around 10 AM, we crossed into New Mexico. By this time, we were driving through a landscape of semi-desert scrub land and lofty mesas. It came as a rather abrupt change from the prairie land of northern Texas. By 1 PM, we stopped for lunch at Moriarty, NM. Now it was HOT, HOT, HOT again and we drove through several thunder and lightning storms and at time, quite heavy rain, such that the windshield wipers could barely keep up. Most of the place names were in Spanish and we listened to Mexican music and talk on the radio. The state of New Mexico is well named.
Interestingly, much of the highway here follows the legendary Route 66. We had also noticed that ever since Texas, we had seen wild Brown-eyed Susans growing along the side of the road. They were everywhere. We stopped at Gallup, NM for gas, souvenirs and pictures at a Navaho Indian trading post.
We crossed into Arizona at around 5 PM. By now we were in true desert country with high mesas but high mountains on the horizon. We started climbing and gaining altitude. By the time we reached Flagstaff, we were into evergreen forest land at about 7,000 ft elevation.
Somehow, we picked up the wrong road and wound up headed for Page, AZ. Since this would take us to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, we decided to carry on. At one point, we could see a rim of land illuminated brightly by the setting sun We were excited to think it was our first look at the Grand Canyon. Not so; it turned out to be a large mesa with the canyon many miles distant. Darkness was falling quickly and we were pretty much alone on the highway with towns and gas stations few and far between. We were actually in a large Navaho and Hopi Indian reservation. Finally, we came to a gas station at an Indian trading post. After fueling up and getting some information, we decided to turn around and go back several miles to Cameron, where we arrived at about 9 PM, tired and relieved.
Cameron had a large hotel and trading post complex complete with gas station, restaurant and souvenir store. It sure looked good to us. We registered for a 2 day stay because it was the Labour Day weekend so lodging could be scarce. We enjoyed a good meal of Mexican and Navaho cooking at the dining room, then fell into our comfy bed.
Interestingly, much of the highway here follows the legendary Route 66. We had also noticed that ever since Texas, we had seen wild Brown-eyed Susans growing along the side of the road. They were everywhere. We stopped at Gallup, NM for gas, souvenirs and pictures at a Navaho Indian trading post.
We crossed into Arizona at around 5 PM. By now we were in true desert country with high mesas but high mountains on the horizon. We started climbing and gaining altitude. By the time we reached Flagstaff, we were into evergreen forest land at about 7,000 ft elevation.
Somehow, we picked up the wrong road and wound up headed for Page, AZ. Since this would take us to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, we decided to carry on. At one point, we could see a rim of land illuminated brightly by the setting sun We were excited to think it was our first look at the Grand Canyon. Not so; it turned out to be a large mesa with the canyon many miles distant. Darkness was falling quickly and we were pretty much alone on the highway with towns and gas stations few and far between. We were actually in a large Navaho and Hopi Indian reservation. Finally, we came to a gas station at an Indian trading post. After fueling up and getting some information, we decided to turn around and go back several miles to Cameron, where we arrived at about 9 PM, tired and relieved.
Cameron had a large hotel and trading post complex complete with gas station, restaurant and souvenir store. It sure looked good to us. We registered for a 2 day stay because it was the Labour Day weekend so lodging could be scarce. We enjoyed a good meal of Mexican and Navaho cooking at the dining room, then fell into our comfy bed.
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