Wayfering 024 :: Arizona Road Trip

About two months ago, while a dear friend of mine was on project in Phoenix, I decided to take this opportunity to visit her and explore the Grand Canyon together. A quick trip to the Grand Canyon turned into a long-weekend road trip around Arizona. 

Page, AZ
The open road to Page from Phoenix was pretty clear as we headed up Friday evening. The skies were blue, the sun was merciless, but we made it there in one piece.



And we made it to our Airbnb without a problem and had the best BBQ I've probably ever had (with live band too!)

DAY 1 
Motor Rafting along the Colorado River
The next morning, we arrived to our motor boat tour, and realized very quickly that sun hats were probably the best investment we made on this trip.




It was a pretty cool boat trip, though we kind of wished we opted for the half day trip instead of the full day. It was interesting to see the ancient some carvings on Horseshoe Bend.
Grand Canyon National Park (Southern Rim)
Heading south from Page, we were on our way to our Airbnb treehouse in Prescott, and stopped by the Grand Canyon on the way. I mean, how could we not, really.

I was left completely speechless at the magnificence of it. I've seen the pictures, heard the stories, but nothing feels quite as real as seeing it in person - it's real life after all. I felt humbled in a way, to have the chance to gaze my eyes upon such a work of Nature. It's something I'll keep with me for a very long time.




We ended with dinner in one of the lodges inside the Canyon and tried a few different foods such as Bison tenderloin (didn't get a good picture). We had a rather charming waiter who helped make the experience there even better decided we would most likely love to return to stay in one of the lodges in the Grand Canyon in the future.
DAY 2
Prescott, AZ
Yes, I was serious when I said we stayed in an Airbnb treehouse.


Allbeit was a pretty modern treehouse, with outlets and all, but it was a childhood dream come true sort of experienc, without the bugs, and with insulated heat.
The Local

We. Love. Brunch.
And we love local picks. If you're in the Prescott area and looking for a brunch place, I highly recommend The Local.
Downtown Prescott
After brunch, we stopped by a local farmer's market? Whatever it was, there was food, art, and plenty of music and good vibes all around.


Prescott National Forest
To get to our next destination, we drove through scenic Prescott. There were a couple instances where the roads made us a little nervous -  with the twists, the turns, and unstable looking rocks above us on the cliffs - but we made it in one piece and enjoyed the view along the way.

Jerome, AZ
There was a little town tucked into the mountains (built into the mountains) trying to resist industrialization. Here, we happen to get advice from an intuition consultant (physic), and caught a glimpse of some advice we were avoiding. We were short on time, but we would definitely return to Jerome again.



While we were there, we also ran into an old friend (WPI alumni represent!). What are the chances? haha
Sedona, AZ
Being a first time camper, I was glad at least one of us knew how to pitch a tent. We picked up our gear that we rented from Airbnb and was able to set up camp before sunset.





We had a little time to spend in Downtown Sedona, and it was a sort-of hipster place. My favorite part of Sedona was camping with one of my best friends. There's nothing like roasting s'mores by the camp fire on a chilly desert night and gazing up at a sky full of stars.
DAY 3
Sedona. AZ




Meteor Crater, AZ
As any road trip, you see interesting things along the way. We ended up stopping by this astronomical phenomenon. It was so ridiculously huge that I can barely wrap my mind around the size of the meteor that probably hit this earth before it disintegrated. 




Petrified Forest National Park
Take some magnesium oxide and iron oxide, put it inside an old tree trunk, leave over a few hundred thousand years, and eventually you get fossilized trees.



Having been a few hundred thousand years, give or take, there wasn't much left of the forest. What barren waste land left used to be a lush and vibrant forest, as scientists say. It's interesting how time really changes everything.

 We crammed a lot in three days, and sure there were some things we could have planned differently, but over all, I'm quite satisfied with what we have accomplished.

This trip is definitely one that I will remember. From the long drives across the desert, and being terrified that our car could break down in the middle of the wasteland without phone service or any service station within miles, to gazing silently at the glorious cliffs of the Canyon. From sleeping in a tree house to camping in the red earth of Sedona. From feeling alive and other worldly, to feeling like a filthy animal in desperate need of a shower. From getting psychic readings to randomly meeting old friends from school.

Best of it was probably the only thing we really planned ahead of was the first day and our sleeping arrangements. Pretty much everything else in between was on the fly, and we had a pretty damn good time.

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” 
― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness

o-o-o-o-o-o

Have a great day!

-Chelle