Southwest Road Trip

10-18 January

After the insanity of the Capitol riot, I needed out. So I hit the road without much warning

Pipe Springs National Monument. Didn’t get to really see it…closed
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
The cold doesn’t keep my shoes on
Cozy Campfire
Also cool in the daylight
Toadstool hoodoos hike at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Steve got me a thermal camera attachment for my phone
Wahweap Bay at Lake Powell
Glen Canyon Dam
Painted Desert Inn at Petrified Forest National Park
Part of the historic Route 66
So much awesome petrified wood
Log bridge
The temperature of the log is the same as the surrounding rocks and much cooler than wood
Phoenix temple
Yay! A pool! I stayed at this rental so that I could swim laps
Boo! the “heated” pool is 11 degrees Celsius. I was lied too 😦
Mesa temple
The breathtaking Gilbert temple
Arizona state Capitol. All barricaded up after the Capitol riot aftermath. I had dinner with Davon and Mikaylee (cherish didn’t feel well) which was fun. Didn’t take a photo 😦
Saguaro National Park. Amazingly monotonous
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Gila Valley temple
Dipped down into Texas to see Big Bend National Park
I was a little underwhelmed by the “mighty” Rio Grande
Guadelupe Mountains National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Could never have had this experience outside a pandemic
Saw exactly 2 other visitors in the whole huge cavern
Delicious fudge and apple pie
Also has a fun kitschy store. Found this alarmingly timely 🙂
White Sands National Park
Love these dunes!
Albuquerque temple
New Mexico State Capitol. Also fenced off. But besides the closed streets and the alert police all was normal. No insanity
Los Alamos National Historic Park
The artifacts are scattered around this beautiful park
Bandelier National Monument
Such cool cliff dwellings!
Great Sand Dunes National Park. If I can’t go to the beach at least I can have sand 🙂
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The drive through Colorado National Monument was terrifying, dizzying heights abound
Welcome Home Sunset on highway 6