Finally, I get to roam a bit. Since our last trip to Disney World, we have been so busy with the holidays, indoor soccer, outdoor soccer, etc, etc, etc… But finally, the trip that has been on the drawing board for 15 months is here. Over 20 years ago, I was blessed to have the chance to take a look at this wonderful country of ours. I spent 3 wonderful weeks going west. Unfortunately, the boss never got the chance to do the same and has never had the chance to get out here. So, when we were trying to decide what to do for vacation this year, a trip out west was the clear winner. The planning began. Our route will become clear as we progress, but for now know that we are starting in Phoenix and ending in San Francisco.
Flying west is tough. Flying east is tough. Flying is tough. Our car to RDU arrived at 4:10 EST this morning (translation 1:10 PST) We had little trouble clearing ticketing and security at the airport. We were allowed to use the family lane which was nice though the TSA agents didn’t seem to appreciate having the early shift. We were at the gate by five, the girls were eating bagels by 5:05, and at 6 we were on the way to Detroit. It makes little sense to me why we fly north to then turn south, but it was a pleasant flight and we were on time and by 8:40 we were in the air bound for Phoenix. The flight was uneventful (always nice) and at 9:45 local time, we were in Phoenix.
Those who know me know that I am a planner. My vacation trips are laid out and I plan for every variable. The one thing I can’t plan for is a freak tropical storm off of the Baja Peninsula that is pushing clouds and moisture into the Valley of the Sun. Instead of sun, we had clouds. The clouds though kept the temperature at a respectable 92 degrees. I will give credit to whoever came up with the rental car setup here. You board one shuttle bus and are dropped a few miles away at a location with all of the rental car companies. You simply enter the door of your company and take car of the rest. I checked in at Enterprise and was able to score a free upgrade. This may prove to be crucial as it gives the girls more room in the back seat. So under cloudy skies, we set off to meet up with my out west cousin.
She suggested that we eat at True Food Kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised with the scope of the menu and the knowledge of our server. The boss had a quinoa burger, Ethel had a rice bowl, and Lucy and me had tacos. All was wonderful and I would highly recommend the place to anyone- gluten free or not. Good choice cuz. Also, great to see you and catch up a bit. Your East Coast family misses you.
After lunch and desperate to stay awake, we headed to the state capitol museum. Parking was free as was admission. We easily spent an hour at this great, kid-friendly attraction. It was four levels of well laid out exhibits detailing the history of Arizona. The girls were interested and there were plenty of hands-on activities. If you ever find yourself in Phoenix, I suggest a visit here. Park for free across the street, visit the cool park out front with all types of memorials to Arizona’s war efforts and enjoy. For me, all of the exhibits and the anchor for the USS Arizona were particularly poignant, having been to Pearl Harbor. For me, it brought all of that full-circle.
Growing ever more tired, we headed to something the boss found. Cerreta’s Candy Shop in Glendale. The drive there was not exactly the most scenic but once we got there, I felt like we had driven 4 hours out of the way to the world’s second largest ball of mud. In fairness, it was a candy shop that has been in production for over 50 years, so there was a bit of nostalgia and kitsch about the place. Obviously, I let the family make a few selections and after being wished a sweet day, we headed towards our hotel.
The Hilton Garden Inn in North Happy Valley is your typical run of the mill Hilton. The people are nice and it is close to a few stores so we could stock up on provisions for the ride north. Also nearby are tons of restaurants. We opted to grab a to-go order at PF Chang’s and head back to the room. Now the girls are at the pool and we are trying to make it a little longer before collapsing.
All in all it has been a good day as travel days go. We’ve seen things we’ve never seen and done things we’ve never done. That’s what travel is. Step outside your comfort zone and try some stuff. After a good sleep we’ll all be ready. Tomorrow our holiday road takes us north to Sedona before ending at the Grand Canyon. If Camelback Mountain impressed the kids, I can’t wait to see their faces when they first walk up to the rim the biggest hole in the world!
