Red Rockin' in Arizona

As we crossed the state line from New Mexico to Arizona there was an instant shift in scenery. We went from dry deserts, to red cliffs, to wet forest in the matter of 5-1/2 hours. Approaching Flagstaff it was clear that a wild rain storm was battering our path to Sedona as well as our camp site.

Sara, natural innovator that she is, found us a alternative activity just north of the city, out of the storm. We decided that we would wait out the rain and break in our hiking boots at the same time. Sunset Crater National Park lies just 12 miles north of Flagstaff and is home to the remains of a volcano that erupted close to 900 years ago! The trails were easily accessible and not very strenuous, a great practice hike.

It was like nothing either of us had ever seen. The trails weaved through the remains of twisted ponderosa pines and black lava rock that has overtaken the mountainsides.

 

We also got a view of the Painted Desert from afar.

 After the weather radar cleared up and we took tons of pictures of the crater we headed south to our campsite for the next two nights, Pine Flats, nestled in the serene Oak Creek Canyon just north of Sedona.

Our campsite was nice and quiet. This was by far the best night's sleep I have had in a while. We could hear the birds, crickets and wind passing through our tent windows lulling us to sleep. We woke up early and Sara cooked pancakes for breakfast. 

The view waking up this morning

The first hike of the morning was Cathedral Rock. It was only a mile or so long but it went UP. As we made it to the first layer of flat rock, the views were unbelievable. This vantage point allowed us to see most of the amazing red rocks that surround Sedona.

Next up was Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. The Bell Rock Trail was about 3.4 miles one way and carved in between these monsters. This hike was much more flat and runners and mountain bikers accompanied us along the way.

Bell Rock

Courthouse Butte

We ate lunch on Main Street in Sedona. It was littered with small boutiques, restaurants and breathtaking views. From our rooftop seats at Oaxaca Cantina we could see Snoopy Rock in the distance.

After lunch we decided to tackle Devil's Bridge. With another afternoon thunderstorm approaching, we hurried to the trail head. There were two options to reach the Devil's Bridge, a natural bridge-like formation made of red rock: 

A) Drive off-road down the mountain to shorten the hike, or 

B) Hike the whole way. 

Liking the idea of off-roading a bit, I creeped over the edge with our 4-cylinder RAV4 (yeah... I know) and gave it a shot. Not even 100 yards in I decided that if I wanted to drive out of this canyon, I'd better turn around. 

On to plan B, we took the long hike admiring the burnt orange cliffs off in the distance. In the end, we never made it to the Devil's Bridge. Nature won; the storm moved in and moved us out. While we are excited to continue our trip - the Grand Canyon is tomorrow - I will never forget the landscapes and laughs that I have shared in Sedona with my bride.

Roughing It On The Open Road

What is it about a road trip that conjures the feeling of freedom?  Is it that you are leaving behind the cares and responsibilities of everyday life?  Or the excitement of experiencing new places and meeting new people?  Or maybe it is the feeling that anything could happen along the way that turns a long drive into an adventure.  Reminds me of a country song...

Whatever road tripping means to you, it has come to mean all of the above and more to us. As newlyweds, Brian and I are enjoying taking on new challenges together and working as a team. Being on this trip, so far out of our element, has given us more opportunities to develop those skills than our individual daily routines ever would. We have been joking that every newly-married couple should have some kind of experience where they learn to rely on each other and have to navigate unfamiliar waters and make decisions together. As my mom says, there can only be one captain and Brian has done an incredible job of steering this ship almost 2,000 miles. I am first mate, navigator, photographer, and DJ. I have to say, giving up control is not second-nature for me, but I am getting very comfortable in my role as passenger. 

Another thing about road tripping is doing without some of the modern conveniences we take for granted. Driving through West Texas and most of New Mexico, we've driven a hundred miles without seeing a gas station, much less a Dunkin Donuts. We have come to depend on our smart phones to guide us, stream music, choose a restaurant, and book lodging.  And of course, update our blog!  But driving through some of the more remote areas, we've gone hours without cell phone service, just praying we don't need roadside assistance. It blows my mind to think about not having any of this technology, how my dad had only the Rand McNally Road Atlas and his keen ability to sniff out whatever he was looking for.  

Camping has been interesting. So far we have camped three nights.  I am realizing how much I take convenient access to a restroom for granted. The first night I encountered a tarantula guarding the door to the ladies bathhouse and was diverted to the mens.  Last night the low was 51 degrees and I was so reluctant to get out of the cozy tent to relieve myself that I lay there for half an hour trying to talk myself out of it. I have never been more jealous of a male's ability to pee anywhere standing up. Of course, it doesn't help that I have paralyzing fear of snakes. Ironically, what Brian and I woke up to this morning was potentially a more imminent danger. Can anyone tell me if this guys is a brown recluse?

All in all, this trip has been an amazing gift. This morning, as we were driving the scenic route to our next destination, I was looking around and suddenly full to the point of overflowing. Full of gratitude, full of wonder, full of the Spirit, whatever you want to call it, but praising His name. 

"And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16 NKJV)

Santa Fe, NM

Last night our campsite was put to the test. I am happy to say that thanks to Sara's uncanny ability to erect a full-on storm proof tent we remained happy and dry all night!

Brian finds a rainbow

Our campground in Santa Fe is located a mere 12 miles from downtown.  After a wonderful breakfast of bacon and grits (thanks, Dad, for the propane grill) we were ready to see the sights. We began our tour on The Plaza, or city-square, a beautiful center point for markets, artwork, genuine Indian crafts and quaint cafes and restaurants.

The architecture was really the stand-out for us. Being from south Florida we don't really see a lot of adobe-style homes and buildings. We spent the morning poking around some really cool Native American stores with amazing, intricate craft work from mainly Navajo Tribes.  We also walked by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Loretto Chapel, but mass was in session so we didn't venture inside.  

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis

Loretto Chapel

We also discovered the oldest home in the USA where people still reside, built by natives in 1646.  As you can see, it doesn't look like much from the outside, but still pretty impressive that it survived this long.

Santa Fe definitely has a chill, relaxed vibe to it. Sara and I were surprised that there were not a lot of people our age out and about. If you are in to folk art, fresh naturally grown vegetables and southwestern apparel this is the place for you.

We very much enjoyed lunch at The Blue Corn Cafe on Water St. Anytime we can find a place with cold A/C and great food you can believe that we will find it. This restaurant also has an on-site brewery so we had to sample the goods.

It's another rainy evening here in Santa Fe, so we headed back to our campsite and called it a laundry night...  We had company!

Tomorrow we take a short, hop, skip and jump to Albuquerque along the Turquoise Trail to spend one night before continuing on to Sedona. 

New Mexico - A State of Enchantment

Saying goodbye to San Antonio was difficult, either because I knew it was the last time I would sleep in a comfortable bed, or because it was such a fun time. Anyway, we continued along into New Mexico, Carlsbad to be exact. In all honesty we viewed Carlsbad as a stopping point to break up the trip to Santa Fe from Austin/San Antonio after a long drive through west Texas.

We also decided to use this point in our adventure as a dry run for setting up our camp site. The grounds were beautiful and provided us with some much needed silence and solitude after our night on the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Carlsbad is home to the famous Carlsbad Caverns National Park. After a full nights sleep we were up and ready to go visit the caverns. It took about thirty minutes to pack up camp (which I believe we will significantly improve as our journey continues) and hit the road.

What we encountered is hard to describe. The caverns truly are a natural wonder. No camera could depict the beauty and vastness that surrounded us as we slowly were engulfed by endless darkness. Sara and I walked a total of three miles through all of the self-guided trails deep inside the Guadalupe Mountains. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this eighth world wonder, you must. Something about it is very humbling, we couldn't help but feel very small, very grateful.

Descending into the cavern's mouth 

Sara showing off her strength

Rock of Ages

Stalactites and stalagmites

A portion of the "Big Room"

San Antonio Surprises

The next leg of our journey took us a short hour and a half drive southwest to San Antonio.  I hate to admit, but we almost bypassed this stop in our attempt to get out west.  As it turned out, we were very surprised by the city's rich history and charm.  It is quite possibly my favorite city so far, but I said that about Austin too..

When we arrived late morning, we kicked into full tourist mode starting with a visit to the Alamo.  Texans refer to this place as a shrine, hallowed ground where a few brave men fought for independence from Spanish rule against impossible odds.  Originally built as a Catholic mission, the Alamo was later fortified for battle. It was truly awe-inspiring to learn about the chain of events and see the place where the epic scene unfolded.  Although the revolutionists lost their lives down to the last one (including my childhood hero, Davy Crockett) "Remember the Alamo" became the battle cry that led to the ultimate victory at San Jacinto and the formation of the Republic of Texas.

Next we made our way to Riverwalk, where the banks of the San Antonio River have formed a city of their own.  Just below the street level are miles of riverfront sidewalks connecting restaurants, shops, hotels and even an outdoor auditorium.  We took a river boat tour to see the sites and get our bearings, then grabbed a bite at Casa Rio, established in 1947.  Robert Hugman, the architect who designed Riverwalk created a haven on the water complete with cyprus and live oak trees for shade, making it a subterranean retreat from the heat.

                  

After lunch we took the steps up to the city and walked to the San Fernando Cathedral.  Dating back to 1731, it is the oldest cathedral in the United States. Entombed in the cathedral are the remains of three of the heroes of the battle of the Alamo: Travis, Crockett, and Bowie.

                 

By mid afternoon, the intense Texas heat finally drove these Floridians to find water.  We checked into the El Tropicano and made straight for the pool to cool off.  The hotel itself had a retro-chic and colorful vibe, including a large iguana that surprised me when I looked up from my deck chair into his glass case.  

                

Relaxed and showered, we made our way back to Riverfront for a date night.  Brian felt the urge to return to his Italian roots, and I have never said no to pasta (which may be my problem) so we enjoyed a delicious meal at Michelino's.  I ordered a margarita and found out that everything really is bigger in Texas!

                 

After dinner we wandered the river popping in and out of shops and bars where the music called to us.  Our last stop was the Iron Cactus where we shared the fried cheesecake, the house specialty.  Tired and happy, we returned to the hotel to pack up and prepare for the next stage of our journey - camping!  Adios to air conditioning and comfortable beds for a while...

Keeping Austin Weird in The Lone Star State

New Orleans made a great first impression but it just keeps getting better. Austin was the next stop on our tour of the West and I have fallen in love! This being my first time, I didn't know quite what to expect, I mean it's Texas - cowboy boats and trucks... right?

Wrong! Austin seems to have everything bundled into one beautiful, friendly city. When we arrived in town we went to grab a bite to eat and have a cold beer at The Broken Spoke. It was a blast watching locals and tourists do the two-step to some authentic honky tonk music.

Tired from the 8-hour trip from New Orleans, we retired to our hotel for the night.

This morning we woke up to the big sky of Texas, full of sunshine just calling our names. After some quick research we found Barton Springs Bike Rental, around the corner from our hotel. Sara and I spent the morning exploring the banks of the winding Colorado River from the comfort of our cruisers.

 Austin has an amazing Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail that meanders through the lush greenery of surrounding parks and recreational areas. A complete bonus was the opportunity to cool down at the Barton Springs Pool. This was no ordinary pool, as it is filled by natural spring water from the fourth largest spring in Texas. It was a chilly 68 degrees but exhilarating and refreshing after a long, hot bike ride.  Did I mention it was 101 degrees today?

After all that recreation, we had worked up quite an appetite.  Since Whole Foods originated right here in Austin, we figured why not visit the mecca AND have a healthy, delicious meal?

The flagship Whole Foods store on Lamar Blvd. in Austin

Austin is also home to the beautiful campus of the University of Texas. We were able to park and explore the campus just as if we were students (both wishing we still were). The architecture along with the clear blue sky made it worth the stop.

The University of Texas Tower

We returned to the hotel to escape the elements for a little while before heading out to dinner on 6th street in downtown Austin. We ended up at The Dogwood Bar and Restaurant and enjoyed the food while live music played on the patio. As the sun set we worked our way back to the car, popping in and out of the bar-lined streets. It seems that whatever you are looking for you could find it here, as all different types of music floats across the bustling streets and is sure to have you swaying to the beat.

Sara breaking in her cowboy boots

The beer of choice for locals

We've really enjoyed our time in Austin. San Antonio tomorrow! We'll keep you posted.

The Big Easy

Wow, what a city! I can't think of a more fitting way to kick off our road trip than to begin in New Orleans. Sara and I have enjoyed wandering the endless streets and soaking in the vibrant culture of the 'Big Easy.' This place makes Key West look like the annoying little brother; it just does not stop.

We are staying in an amazing hotel right off of Bourbon St. and Toulouse St, Hotel St. Marie. Just feet from out front door lies the intoxicating energy of the city.

This morning started off with a trip to the historic Cafe Du Monde for coffee and beignets, which we ate across the street in Jackson Square.

The Original French Market Coffee Stand Since 1862

Jackson Square

Enjoying the cafe au lait chickory coffee

We spent the rest of the morning perusing all of the shops and scenery that NOLA has to offer.  And then there was lunch...

1/2 Shrimp, 1/2 Oyster Po Boy

Desire Oyster Bar and Restaurant

A must-do when visiting the French Quarter is to have a 'hand grenade,' the self-proclaimed strongest drink in New Orleans at Tropical Isle.

The World Famous Hand Grenade

To get away from the party (temporarily) we jumped on the St. Charles Street trolley and explored the Garden District. Rows and rows of beautiful historic homes lined the sun-streaked St. Charles.  But they were not completely untouched.

Mardi gras beads hung from oak trees.

Aside from all of the folklore and hype of the city, the best part of visiting New Orleans is sharing it with someone special.

Strolling along the mighty Mississippi

Sunset in the French Quarter