PlannedOvers: Good Old American Arizona Road Trip-Part One

PlannedOvers is taking a break this week for a good old fashioned road trip. It all began long, long ago, well actually about two years ago when the wee one, who by the way is not so wee anymore these days, mentioned a desire to visit the Grand Canyon. Being the planny people that we are, wheels were set in motion and the road trip planning began. Now that we have embarked on this journey, not only is it the first time for wee out west, it’s also, shockingly, his first ever road trip.

Our journey....

Day One: Early, early flight from the east coast puts us in the 108 degree Phoenix at noontime where we pick up our rental and head on to scenic 89A. A quick google search finds a Trader Joe’s in Prescott where we stock up on snacks and, of course, vino. Overnight at the Hilton in Sedona, where we are all too beat, sadly to check out the planned dining destination, Javelina Cantina, opting instead to eat on property at Oak Canyon Grille. A complimentary wine tasting featuring Girard Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir as well as a lovely selection of cheeses(yeah Cheese!!! Including cambozola - a most lovely marriage of Camembert and Gorgonzola, really, need I say more??? ) greeted us which we sampled before seating. Despite a somewhat limited menu, we found the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable and the food decent. We were all out for the count at 9pm.

Day Two: Upon the recommendation of the restaurant manager we stopped by Indian Gardens to gather supplies for a picnic at Slide Rock Park. While waiting on our sandwiches we overheard that the park was full and not allowing additional cars or visitors at the current time. The very helpful staff at Indian Gardens pointed us directly across the street where we could access the river, less crowded and free. They braved VERY cold water and climbed the rocks downstream until out of sight returning a little battered and WET. A quick dry on the rocks and down the road to another scenic spot to picnic on the way to Flagstaff. Little America Hotel, is as it’s moniker suggests, is just that, a little slice of Americana and exactly what we were envisioning when planning this trip. The two story, four building, accommodations, complete with pool, ginormous gift shop, volleyball, and (!) horseshoe pits was perfect for our overnight stay. We opted for ease to eat on property again and the Western Gold Steakhouse, which scored high in convenience and friendliness but not so high on everything else dinner should be. Especially the apple pie.

Day Three: While the wee one slumbered we rose early for coffee and to explore. A sign pointing to a nature trail led to a lovely, highly unexpected, 3+ mile hike through the woods owned by and adjacent to the Little America Hotel property. On the agenda for today Meteor Crater and while not the largest meteor crater on earth, it boasts being the most well preserved

Some 50,000 years long, long ago, a meteor traveling 26,000 miles per hour (to put THAT into perspective - a flight from New York to LA traveling at that speed would take 5 minutes!!!) struck the earth leaving an indentation that today is nearly one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep. Pretty impressive. Our plan is to see as much of the scenic beauty that Arizona has to offer so our drive will take us down 180 and a quick stop at Wildflower Bread supplied us with provisions for our journey. As this journey was planned many, many months out, we are able to stay on property and El Tovar Hotel will be our home for the next two nights, and we and the wee one rally and we make it to the Dining Room at El Tovar, gracious service, the very short commute to dine, and good conversation placate the high for what you are getting prices in the dining room. There is something to be said that we are in the middle of practically nowhere, in the desert no less, and I am eating grilled salmon....but I digress. As a side note, as I am writing this on day 5, after many, many, many days of my only protein choice being salmon, I think, no scratch that, I am pretty sure it will be a few months before, I will find myself “in the

mood.”