Through the desert

For the whole trip, we decided to only use the power of our GPS to guide us.  So, no matter the distance or the quality of road, we followed it turn-for-turn.  This took us off the main Interstates, and on some of the more scenic routes of this great country.  So, we hit the road before sunrise for our next destination, Lordsburg, New Mexico.  This route took us back to Vegas from Mom's house, then south towards Phoenix.  Lordsburg was nothing special, just the first small town in New Mexico.  It made us feel good to think that we 

could make it through one entire state in a day. 

As we drove, we started seeing signs about the Hoover Dam.  Dam tours, dam information, and even dam radio stations.  After seeing so many dam signs, we wondered if we were actually going to see the dam!  It wasn't on our list of cool things along the way, but it was a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.  We saw the new bridge as we were diverted down and along the top of the dam.  Turns out the bridge wasn't quite finished, but we didn't care.  We were just along for the ride.  After we crossed, there were a number of great photo opportunities and information along the road.  After we got our fill of the view, we hit the dam road, and put some miles behind us.

We stopped in a quaint little town, which boasted their little strip of Route 66, for breakfast at the most adorable diner: the Roadrunner Cafe of Kingman, Arizona.  Someone in the parking lot even noticed our Missouri plates and said he enlisted in the Navy from Missouri.  By the looks of him, it must have been back in the 40's.  Maybe someday, I'll end up in Kingman, eating breakfast in a small, down-to-earth diner.

Arizona was beautiful, if you like the whole desert thing.  Long straight highways, with high clouds and blue skies, filled our view for most of the day.  When you think of Arizona, you think of cacti and when you think of cacti, you think of the saguaro cactus.  Oh man, were there a lot of these.  There were other desert plants too, but for endless miles, all that stood out were saguaro.

While we slowed down for Phoenix and Tucson traffic, Lindsay reminded me of the notorious highway speeding cameras, of whom she fell victim to once before.  We crept through each city with our eyes peeled, but our search was for naught.  No cameras were to be seen.

After a long day of driving, we pulled into the Best Western of Lordsburg, New Mexico.  After dinner, we got to bed early because we had a very busy day planned...

~Blake