Everyone on the bus? We've got a lot of territory to cover!
Today we are leaving the city and heading to the beautiful high-country of Arizona. The bus can only take us so far, so we're pulling over to switch our mode of travel, a Hummer caravan. This caravan will take us to our first few destinations.
Let's start the day by experiencing a real cowboy chuck wagon breakfast. Jeb and Zac have prepared us a wonderful meal here in the great outdoors: bacon, eggs, beans, biscuits and gravy and, of course, there's plenty of coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. Pull up a boulder, take in the canyon scenery and enjoy the feast.
Beano, anyone?
Now, back to the Hummers for our off-road adventure. We'll be climbing and winding our way through the canyons to an area that was once very important to Arizona gold mining, Crown King. A now-living ghost town, Crown King is situated in the Bradshaw Mountains and is surrounded by the Prescott National Forest which is 1.25 million acres of government land. The largest stand of Ponderosa pine on the planet starts here and for runs hundreds of miles.
Hold on, everyone, this could be a treacherous ride!
I hope you folks don't mind taking the back roads this morning, but you'd miss this breath taking scenery from the freeway. Just an hour or so away we will be merging with the Mother Road, Route 66. This will take us to our next stop, Williams - the gateway to the Grand Canyon.
Here we are at the Grand Canyon Railway station. We'll be boarding the train real soon that will take us on a delightful 2-hour ride up to the Grand Canyon. Our champagne lunch will be severed in the dining car. There is an aspect of danger though! Remember how I suggested that you brush up on your skills at the shooting range yesterday? Well, the train we're riding today is a bait train, there's a likelihood that we may be robbed (watch it here).
Hold on to your valuables and your virtue, these outlaws can be pretty rough!
Is everyone okay?
The train is slowing this time because we've arrived at our destination, the Grand Canyon National Park. Everyone, please choose a buddy for this segment of the tour. This steep gorge was carved by the Colorado River. It is 277 miles long and ranges in width from four to 18 miles with a depth of a mile. Isn't it beautiful? I've arranged for a guide to take us to a couple of the points of interest including the new Skywalk where you actually walk out over the canyon for a view 4,000 feet below. After we finish watching the IMAX film at the National Geographic center, we'll hop back on the bus for the last destination of our tour.
Head count!
Our tour will end with one more spectacular site, Hoover Dam which sits on the border of Arizona and Nevada. We'll take a brief tour where we'll learn a lot of dam facts. Plus there's a dam gift shop where you'll find dam keychains, dam coffee mugs, dam bumper stickers and just about any-dam-thing you'd want.
Dam it!
Just 30 miles away is Las Vegas, baby! I'm going to leave you here so you can make your connection for the next leg of the trip. For the time you are here you can freshen up, have dinner on the strip, take in a show or try your luck at the tables.
Thank you all for being a part of of the Humor Bloggers Virtual Road Trip, I do hope you enjoyed your time in Arizona. It's been my pleasure to host this portion of the trip and do come back to visit anytime.
VE will be your host for the next segment of the trip, I'm sure he has made many wonderful plans for you while in Oregon.
Adios!
This has been a very well-conducted tour. But did you have to throw my socks into the Grand Canyon?
ReplyDeleteCool! Wow that was great! I loved the tour and the train in particular. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteArizona looks gorgeous. A little too much nature for my taste, though. If they could build up the Grand Canyon and those forests with some condos and hotels, and maybe a theme park around Hoover Dam, they'd really have something!
ReplyDeleteLove it! The Hummer adventure and the train trip was awesome but you left me at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I just now got back up the Angel Trail. It must have been my evil twin you counted.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour.
Um, I'm a vegetarian so really wasn't digging on the bacon and eggs. Oh, and the Hummer, didn't seem very eco-friendly to me. Next time we can go horseback. I know it's a long trek, but gee, it would be fun. ;)
ReplyDelete@ Frank - Well, somone had to do it!
ReplyDelete@ Dufus - Glad you came along for the ride. I'll try to get your wallet back from those outlaws.
@ Joel - LOL! Scary, we think alike.
@ Reforming Geek - Remember this? Boooooby, Cinnnndy!!! When the Brady Bunch went to the Grand Canyon. IIs you evil twin a Ninja? I swear I saw one sitting at the back of the bus.
@ Rambler - Well, I hope you were able to fill up on beans, biscuits and gravy. And, you are right, horseback riding would have been awesome - maybe next time or how 'bout riding a donkey to the bottom of the Canyon?
I have lived here all my life and I don't think I've seen half that!! Aren't we lucky to live in such a kick ass part of the country! Loved the tour!!♥♥
ReplyDelete@ Chickenista - It's similar to living in NYC and never visiting the Statue of Liberty. But, you are oh so right - we do live in a kick-ass part of the country plus I think we have the best state flag design (notice the colors in my blog?). Thanks for stopping by!!!
ReplyDelete@ Me-Me King: Funny, I had you figured for a nature lover, which I considered to be your only flaw.
ReplyDeleteI just came across your blog. Nicely done! I will be sure to stop in frequently!
ReplyDelete