FLAGSTAFF to PHOENIX

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THE BASICS
We progressed from Flagstaff to Phoenix. We are currently parked in my brother's driveway while John coats the roof, etc. etc. On Tuesday, the vehicles will go into storage and on Wednesday we will fly home. I guess we will have to get used to putting on coats and hats before we go outside, again...

THE FLUFF

Thoughts from last week:
On my day of neck-resting, I did have some nice experiences. First, I was rambling around the cable channels and found "Windtalkers." It's a movie about the Navajos who spoke their language in battlefield communications during WWII, and the Japanese were never able to decode it. They were not officially recognized until decades later. When we traveled from Monument Valley to Canyon de Chelly, we stopped at a small codetalker museum in Kayenta. In a Burger King! Those people were pivotal in our Pacific victories, and are real heroes. It was so neat to see that movie when we were still fresh from the Navajo lands.

Late in the neck-rest day, we went for a drive and ended up at the Snowbowl atop a mountain near Flagstaff. We, along with dozens of other folks. The road curved (a lot) through pines and yellow aspens, and at the top we looked up and saw snow on the peaks. The sky was very dramatic, with bright blue punctuated by puffy clouds in some parts and heavy gray clouds in the rest. Gorgeous view. There were fallen trees all over the ski slope as a result of the recent tornadoes, but a sign promised that they would be cleaned up by ski season. Awhile later, we emerged from a grocery store to a fantastic, jaw-dropping sunset with gold, silver, and orange linings on all those clouds.

The day was capped with a Mexican meal at Salsa Brava, where you must go if you visit Flagstaff. I had a portobello mushroom quesadilla. Unfortunately, although only an appetizer, it was so filling that I couldn't get fried ice cream as I had planned. They bring tortilla chips to your table with a couple of empty small bowls, and you go to a station to choose your own dip, from mild to very hot. Neat idea.

Two ponderings inspired by the Navajos. One, their Anasazi ancestors apparently traveled widely throughout the Southwest to trade. And they traded not just for "useful" things, but a lot for ornaments and decorations. I am thinking that acquiring (nonessential) material possessions might be a basic human inclination.

The Anasazi also left petroglyphs wherever they settled. We saw so many! They wanted to leave a record that they had existed. Another basic human inclination. In that light, the rock faces with dozens of handprints, left by all members of a family/clan, were every bit as significant for me as the stick figures of humans and animals.

Okay, back to our adventures. Not very many this past week, actually. In Flagstaff, we visited the Museum of Northern Arizona, which is wonderful. A handsome building in a wooded setting, fascinating displays, and a gift shop which was like another museum room, especially with its spectacular Indian woven rugs. We also took tours of the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto (whatever it is) was discovered and the universe was discovered to be far larger than had previously been thought. It was neat to see the telescopes, both large and small, and our guide told stories well.

The main highway between Flagstaff and Phoenix has a lot more ups and downs than I had expected! We didn't actually do any more exploring. We just got started on our preparations to return home, using up frozen food, sorting out clothes which need to go home, waxing the exterior, etc. Now in Phoenix, I zipped off to a thrift store with my sister-in-law Katy to find more items for our Western costumes. We got a takeout pizza for dinner; John wore his DHOP (Durham House of Pizza) t-shirt to help our transition. We watched the Texas Rangers win their fourth. Johnny and Katy's son lives near Dallas, so they are especially excited. The game started at 6:00 Phoenix time, so we were able to get to bed around 9:00! Time differences really do make a difference.

We look forward to returning in January, and heading eastward and southward. But for now, we are pretty much looking forward to visiting our stable-home. Best to all, L and J

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Comments

[Jane Davidson]

safe travels
Hi There, You may well be home by now, if so, hope your trip home was uneventful and you two are settled back in. Call us when you have caught your breath, as we would love to see you in person and hear about your trip. Hope to hear from you soon. Jane and Rick

[anonymous]

Sounds like a great trip! Welcome back to the East. David and Thora