Over Spring Break in March we took a family road trip to Phoenix, Arizona for the week.  We have talked about making this trip for a long time to see my college friend, Amy, who has faithfully visited us in Colorado for many years.  We finally made it happen!  We had never visited the southwest before and we all had such a wonderful time.  March was the perfect time to visit – the weather was beautiful!  

The first day we drove through Canyon City and west to Salida.  We stopped in Saguache for lunch.  A tiny town where all we found to eat was the 4th Street Diner – a little hole in the wall but great food.  We continued on through Pagosa Springs, Durango, and to Cortez, CO, where we stayed the night.  Staying in a hotel and swimming in the pool was of course one of the things the kids wanted to do.  

Most of our first day of driving looked like familiar territory – going through mountain passes and slight changes in elevation.  A pretty drive, definitely, but because we were still in CO looked somewhat familiar.  We all agreed it was nice to drive somewhere new, though, and see new things. 

The next morning we visited Four Corners, about 45 minutes from Cortez.  It was a chilly and windy 45 degrees and hardly anyone was there.  In the summer I’m sure the place is bustling.  But, we have our token photos to prove we’ve been there.  This stop was one of the things Anna really wanted to do on the trip so glad we could make it happen.

The next part of the drive down into Arizona and through the Navajo Reservation was so pretty.  The Painted Desert was beautiful and I loved seeing the different landscapes of red earth, rocks, and bluffs.  It was dry and windy and desolate, but beautiful in its own way. 

The elevation changes were evident as we drove.  As we neared Flagstaff we climbed to a higher elevation than Colorado Springs, and the terrain reflected that.  Beautiful pine trees and snow looked like Colorado. 

We continued on, descended into Phoenix, and arrived late that afternoon.  The temp quickly rose to the upper 70’s by the time we arrived.  One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the hills full of cacti as we neared Phoenix.  James was the first to spot a saguaro cactus, and they were everywhere!  In CO we have pine trees covering hillsides and in AZ cacti cover the hills.  Again, so different from the vegetation we’re used to and so beautiful.  

One morning, Kenny, Anna, and I walked Amy’s neighborhood.  We admired the palm trees and enjoyed seeing the different kinds of cacti in people’s yards.  

Later that morning we had brunch at a great little restaurant and enjoyed a flight of eight different kinds of bacon.  The food was delicious and we all loved this place.  Anna’s colored pig picture made it on the wall!