At the end of a momentous summer, we decided it was time to squeeze in one last adventure.
We left early on Friday and made it to a truck stop in Salina, Kansas. It was great to have a working generator, as for the last year the generator would not start. I turned out to be mud daubers in the intake port for the Onan generator. We had a lot of work done on the Navion before this trip.
Most people think Kansas is flat, and it is in spots. But there is a variety to the landscape, and gradually, we rise in elevation to meet the rock mountains as Kansas becomes Colorado. Our route took us mainly on US highways, which is alright by me.
Stopping to eat breaks the monotony of travel...
We randomly picked our first camp ground from the googles and got lucky....
South Fork, Colorado
Our next days travel took us through the mountains of Colorado and over the dreaded Wolf Creek Pass.
Wolf Creek Pass
All the towns seem to have a hard tourism bent in this part of Colorado. It was hard to find reasonable prices even for campgrounds.
Our second day of travel was one of the longest.
We stopped at a casino on old route 666.
Dennehotso is an interesting desert stop. We stopped for a little break, but mainly we stopped to make sure we had fuel as service stations are a long distance apart and you don't want to get stranded in the desert.
Dennehotso, Arizona
We crossed the painted desert on our way to our destination.
https://www.arizona-leisure.com/painted-desert.html
Reaching the park by late afternoon, we still had a long drive to get to our camp ground.
First Day at the Grand Canyon
We walked and walked until we could walk no more.
We took pictures....
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/RimTrail.pdf
2nd Day at the Grand Canyon
We rested from the first day, and rode the bus everywhere. We finished the day with the sun set.
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/gettingaround.htm#CP_JUMP_2209195
Sun Set over the Grand Canyon
Zack and I used what we learned to build a tiny model of a pueblo shelter... need some work...
Last Day at the Canyon
We went to the eastern part of the south rim at Desert View...
Leaving the Grand Canyon and Traveling Route 66
On our way back, as I had planned, we took route 66. Our first stop was the birthplace of historic 66 and a major inspiration for Radiator Springs in the movie Cars -- Seligman Arizona.
Seligman, Arizona
The kids did not get to meet Angel, but they enjoyed the Snow Cap Drive In...
Angel Delgadillo
Our first overnight on route 66 was at the Flagstaff KOA
Standing on a Corner
Jack Rabbit Trading Post -- Joseph City, Arizona
New Mexico
San Fidel, New Mexico
San Fidel was a great opportunity to stop, take pictures and stretch our legs...
Our last stop, and goal for the day was the Route 66 RV park and casino, just west of Albuquerque, new Mexico...
Tucumcari New Mexico
Texas
Our overnight stop was at the Cadillac Ranch RV Park
We had a brief stop over in Alanreed Texas.
Shamrock Texas
Shamrock, Texas
U Drop Inn
Oklahoma
We blazed through Oklahoma this time around as time was running out for our vacation. Kids had to be in school and we had to be back at work. Our goal was Pops in Arcadia, east of Oklahoma City...
We had one last overnight stopover at Matfield Green Rest stop on the Kansas Turnpike, (I-35) due to severe weather rolling in. I didn't want to punch a core of a severe thunderstorm at night in an RV to try to make it home. We pulled over and had a good sleep as the rain pattered our our roof.