#scruffy adventures

[cubontherun]

Entering Sedona

Entering Sedona we started seeing some of the famous red rock formations.  They really are gorgeous

[cubontherun]

Sunset Point, Arizona

I didn’t know what to expect from Arizona.  In reality, the only visual geography i could pull from memory was the Grand Canyon, so this sweeping vista was a nice treat.  We don’t have mountains like this in the East so everytime I do see mountains, i get over excited.  When i drove through California with VERMILLION the year before, i would point to them in excitement and sigh “mountains!”  VERMILLION however was nonplussed about it all.  He grew up in Puerto Rico on a mountain with mountain roads and it really didn’t do much for him.  

Maybe I'm just easy to please.  I grew up in Connecticut in a beach town but the beach and water still make me happy as does forested new england towns.  

I thought the above beautiful enough to sit and absorb and enjoy but i didn’t know what i was about to drive into.  We were halfway to Sedona and that place really knocked my socks off

[cubontherun]

My thoughts so far

Landing in Sky Harbor Airport, my cold was holding off.  I was starting to think that i was over the worst of it (i wasn’t). Phoenix was a drastically different place  than home and this is what i wanted to show my parents.  The stark differences that lie within our own nation.  They’re travel hounds having been all over Europe, and South America and as far south as the Patagonia.  But they hadn’t explored this adopted country of theirs.  And as soon as we get out of the airport, the difference is staggering.  There is hardly any vegetation anywhere.  Truly this city lies in the desert.  The northeast is lush with green and forests and  it was a bit of culture shock especially with my dad and it gave me so much joy to be able to make that point.  to show them something new

The Jeep Grand Cherokee we rented was fucking awesome.  Im now in love with Jeeps and want to buy my own.  But here in lay our first issue.  Whenever i go on a big adventure I'm snapping away like crazy with my camera but this time, i was the guy in charge of a party of 4.  I knew the layout of all the cities and the locations and was the best driver.  My parents are good drivers but they get antsy when they don’t know where they are going and rely on someone spouting directions as does VERMILLION, so it was left to me.  In doing so, i didn’t get to catalog everything like i normally do.  VERMILLION however had the job of entertaining the folks and boy did he do a good job.  More on this later, because it speaks to the slightly fractured relationship i have with my parents.  But they were digging him and that worked for me cause I am going to marry the man.

We sought out this restaurant cause when in the southwest, you need to eat some Mexican food and it was bomb ass food.  I have this thing where wherever i go, i seek out the local foods that are indicative of the culture or at least locally known and famous.  Also i try to not eat anything i can find back home and avoid chains if i can.  I had planned on a lot of mexican food being in Arizona.  afterward the meal, which my parents did enjoy, i asked them if they wanted more mexican for later and they said no.  they weren’t really fans of mexican food

my mouth dropped.  that was weeks of restaurant research down the drain.  I guess i had to quickly improvise.  

Who doesn’t like MEXICAN FOOD?!!

We had our shopping trip for supplies at Walmart.  We bought a cooler and drinks and ice and snacks for the car for the long drives and toiletries and of course Walmart in Arizona carries alcohol so my dad found himself a wine aisle to peruse and tried out a chilean wine for the night.  My dad and wine is like a dog with a bone.  don’t get in between them.

We were in Phoenix for no more than a few hours.  I know a few people from online that i would have loved to meet in person but it wasn’t the time.  We took interstate 17 and headed north to Sedona.  ON the way we stopped at a lookout called Sunset Point and we got to explore and i got some shots in.  My dad strolling around the vegetation exploring.  My mom sitting in the shade and screaming when she saw a little lizard run up a tree.  VERMILLION keeping everyone laughing.  

i was happy

still horrifically sick.  but happy enough to not notice it