Road Trip: The Adventure Begins

I know I am a little bit crazy. But what can I say? I am living with the travel bug and when travel calls, the only way I know is to answer.  I just wish travel just didn't have to call at 5 a.m.  It's really not a time for waking up, ever. It should be reserved solely for returning home to begin sleeping post party and late night eats, not for beginning the day. But there is a long way to travel and plenty to see, so early it is. I am ready to go.

Of course, we must say our goodbyes, eat a good breakfast, and be sure the car is packed with everything we could possibly ever need. Our families wouldn't have it any other way. Five hours, a yummy breakfast, a stack of extra maps, and a wealth of motherly forewarnings later, the open road and I are officially one.

It's almost like we were meant to be together, like the road has been wondering where I've been all its life. I am actually starting to wonder that myself. The sense of complete and utter, untainted freedom has been hiding on the Interstates all this time and no one ever told me. I am immune to scheduled flight times, tour plans, or outlined destinations, and I can pack as many shoes as I like. I am free. This road is mine to map and I love it. I am fully prepared to channel my inner Audrey Hepburn, sunglasses donned and scarf fluttering in the hot Southwestern breeze...though I suppose it will be slightly different since we are missing the convertible. Oh well. We made it, we are finally here. After some minor hurdles, and explanations for yet another trip, this adventure has begun.

Hoover Dam!

I watched as the cities slowly faded into nothingness as we traveled farther from home and closer to the unfamiliar. California slowly melded into Arizona and Arizona into Nevada as we head for the Grand Canyon. We were on a roll. Aside from a quick check point in Arizona where we were "randomly" stopped (who knows...we could very possibly have had a tiny immigrant packed into our overhead cargo box) the ride was uninterrupted. We jumped out of the car at the side of the freeway to take a picture at the Arizona state welcome sign. We stopped again for the Nevada one. Wait...Nevada? That doesn't seem like where we should be...Ooh the Hoover Dam? Let's go! What's a road trip without a little rerouting anyway? And we get to see the Hoover Dam!

Too bad the little rerouting was more like a huge two-hours-out-of-the-way rerouting! It's okay, we are close to the Grand Canyon, right? No? Okay, so maybe we are getting there a little late, but we will get there, set up camp, and be fine. It is getting a little dark though...