Day 4 - Arizona

There is so much to say about Arizona..  Most of it I will say through photos.

 The beginning of AZ, just out of New Mexico is relatively flat.. transitional, if you will.
But then it becomes so different and colorful. 

We took a few quick stops, but most of the small towns off of I-40 (the highway that replaced Route 66) were creepy old towns.  Everything is fenced in and dirty.

Our first big stop in AZ was the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. This is a 28 mi circuit which drives through beautiful landscape and points out places for photo ops and hiking trails. There are some areas on this road that resemble a different planet.  It was breathtaking, and we kept saying to each other, “where did this come from?!” At one point there was a section called “the tepees” which looked like blue mounds from space or somewhere.  The outlooks were points where you could see for miles and miles.  It just opened up..

Eventually I just stopped taking pictures because they didn’t even look like the real thing. 

Two huge ravens. They let me get really close to them.  And then they flew away because someone else pulled up… and broke the trust we had established.. :) 

A far off storm

Once we were done staring at nature, we found our way back to Route 66.  Stopped for gas and a few pictures of kitsch and then continued on I-40

We drove for a really long time and then came upon Sedona.  Have you ever heard about Sedona?  It’s AMAZING! I can’t even describe it.  We got off of I-40 for a little road called AZ 89-A.  My mom offered to drive, she said, “I think you’ll enjoy this part of the drive”

Oh boy, did I ever!

snow on a mountain peak near Flagstaff

We entered the canyons of Sedona at sunset – perfect timing.  The sun was blue and pink and the red cliffs were ignited with color. 

I hate that this is all I can do with pictures.  You just have to see these mountains.  Please look it up, or go there yourself. I was literally shouting I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. And then all I could do was stare with my mouth open.  It’s gorgeous. 

Now for the philosophical rant…

There is a Creator.  All land that I’ve seen on this trip just reiterates this truth to me.  Our world was intentionally and lovingly made.

And I feel so grateful to be an American, that I can freely explore this amazing land.  I’m a young single woman, and I can own my car and travel and move wherever I want.  I can hold a job that I’m passionate about, explore education, and do what I want with the money that I earn.  Not everyone has these opportunities.  How lucky. How humbling.  God has a plan for me, and I’m so excited. I’m so grateful!  His plan for me didn’t end with my salvation, but continues, and will be perfected until the end (Philippians 1:6). 

 

We stayed for the evening in Sedona.  The layout of this town is really unique.  Some houses and buildings appear to belong to rock dwellers – they are in these clefts and are barely noticeable.. and the driveways are treacherous.  Other places look like total suburbia – just pavement and plazas everywhere.  The lights in this town go out like a light; one minute it’s sunset, the next it’s nighttime. They don't have many street lights either, so it's dark and hard to see.  

 This is also a really hippie and spiritual area.  Lot’s of psychics and alternative medicine.  And now, I feel more balanced and my chakra is aligned. 

Hey, thanks for reading and being interested in what we’ve seen on this trip.  I hope you’re enjoying it J