Miles driven to-date: 2,875
States visited to-date: 13
We awoke in our comfortable bed at the Blue Swallow and wished we had more time to chat with Bill and Terri. We had such a great experience at the motel and hope to be able to visit again. Bill, if you’re reading this, good luck with the fountain renovations!
We drove a few hours to Santa Fe and stopped for lunch at a restaurant right in the old part of the city. We tried their famous green chiles and had some amazing tortilla soup. We have definitely not been holding back in the eating department, which has been great as far as experiencing the local flavor but probably isn’t helping our figures much.
We walked around and enjoyed the beautiful streets and shops. There was a crafts fair taking place in an open plaza so we browsed lots of nice turquoise jewelry and artwork.
We then visited the Loretto Chapel which is famous for its “miraculous” staircase; a mysterious carpenter built it and disappeared before seeking payment, so legend holds that he was St. Joseph. The staircase is an architectural marvel because there is nothing supporting it, and was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” not too long ago.
We also saw the oldest house in the United States (below) from 1646, as well as the oldest church. Santa Fe is certainly a great town and we enjoyed the afternoon, in spite of the sweltering heat!
Once again it was back on the road again. We stopped for lemonade in Albuquerque but had a long drive ahead of us so we put the pedal to the metal and kept moving toward Flagstaff, Arizona. Steve had wanted to stop in Winslow, AZ so we could live out the words from the Eagles song "Take it Easy" ("standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona . . .") but the town was so small that we passed it by accident! The sunset was beautiful and it’s been so interesting to see the different terrain as we make our way farther west. We stayed at a Days Inn in Flagstaff and it’s on to the Grand Canyon, where we’ll camp for the night!
Thanks for checking in and reading our posts. We love getting your comments and are glad to hear you’ve enjoyed following along. I somehow doubt we’ll have internet access at the Grand Canyon so we’ll try to post again on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. Hope you are all well!
5 comments:
Your description of your visit to Santa Fe reminded me of our family's vacation there, Ali. It sounds as if you had heat this time, but remember the flooding rain we had that time? It certainly is a beautiful place, no matter what the weather.
Too bad you missed Winslow, AZ- I can certainly understand why you would want to 'stand on the corner'... Actually you could have told us that you did it and we would have been just as impressed!
You must be so excited about your Grand Canyon Expotition! What a great camping experience that will be. Can't wait to read about it.
We love you and miss you both,
Mum
You make me want to jump on a plane and follow!! I loved the stories about the Southwest. Dad and I are dying to go there and now I REALLY want to. Everyone sounds so nice. Sorry you didn't have time for Albuquerque....next time. I am anxious to hear what you think/feel about the Canyon. Watch out for snakes!
Love and miss you, but can't wait to hear what happens next!
Mom
One of my favorite Christmas stories of all time is about the mysterious staircase in the Loretto Chapel! The way I remember it, there is a young nun who can't speak, and after the carpenter disappears, everyone wants to know his name, and she finally speaks her first word, "Jose." It is a wonderful story and it's so cool that you got to see the staircase!! Also loved hearing about your night in Amarillo! Love, Smatty
Ali and Steve, I've finally caught up with you and have read about your first week on the road. Ali your descriptions make me feel like I'm right there with you. It sounds like a blast--I so want to take a road trip with the boys!!!
We miss you so much here!! I'll check in again in a few days. Until then, happy trails!
toni
Hey Ali and Steve!
Sounds like you guys are having a great time on your road trip. I'm glad you're taking the time to stop and drink some lemonade along the way--that's what it's all about! Particularly in the desert.
I'll keep checking in--drive safely! Enjoy seeing the beautiful sights and meeting interesting characters along the way. It'll be a great story to tell your kids some day, and you know some other families will be telling their grandkids, "Way back in 2006 we met a young couple on a road trip around the US, and they were...." The rest is up to you!!! Love, Calee
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