We hit the road fairly quickly yesterday and began our trip east. Soon, we crossed the Colorado River and were back in Arizona, which the day’s journey would cross. Having checked temperatures and wind for the week, we committed to sticking to I-40 for nearly the entire trip. The alternative was ducking down to I-10 for a warmer southern route, but that would’ve added at least a day and hundreds of miles to the trip. Cold temperatures and strong winds could have been an issue over the mountains through Flagstaff, but while overnights are dipping into the high 30s, I know I can get through that after my experience this past winter. The wind blew me around slightly, but not very much, and I didn’t have to reduce my speed for it.
Since I-40 replaced Route 66 across Arizona, the trip soon became a trip down Memory Lane of my October 2021 Route 66 trip. We stopped for lunch in Seligman, within sight of where I had taken a bunch of pictures during that trip. I kept calling out places I’d been or stayed before to Melissa over the FRS radio. We even made a couple of detours.
The biggest detour was Meteor Crater. I’d been here during the Route 66 trip, but Melissa never had, so we stopped to check it out. The admission price is up to $29, which is a lot to look at a giant hole in the ground, but it was worth it just this once to see it with her. We spent some time looking at the crater and the exhibits, including part of the actual meteorite itself.
I also took her to stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, just like the Eagles song says. That picture is on her phone, but I took this one of my own. Birgit and Tom had added their Moondance sticker to the red flatbed Ford parked on the corner, not during our visit but a later time around. I not only found it but also added a friendly companion. If you visit Winslow, let me know if you find it.
Our overnight stop was the free campground at Crystal Forest Museum, right outside the gate to Petrified Forest National Park. The extra stops meant that we pulled in just after sunset, but I’d stayed here before and even got the same campsite I stayed in last time. It’s busier right now than any time I’ve seen it before, but there was still plenty of room. We had a light dinner and settled down for the night.
Today was probably the most difficult day of travel, thanks to the mountains, slow trucks that accelerate to prevent you from completing your pass, and fast trucks flashing their high beams at you to get out of their way when you can’t because of traffic. I think 99% of truckers are excellent, courteous drivers, but when you’re on the road for hours with hundreds of them passing you, you’re going to get a few idiots along the way.
I don’t normally like traveling this quickly, but we’re on a mission, so it’s okay. My work is light this month, which gives me the flexibility to blow off a couple of days of working to put some miles behind us. The weather looks like it will continue to be good, so our window of opportunity is open. I’m also glad we can make at least a few fun stops along the way instead of just grinding down the highway for hours.
Smokey Da Van 