When we pulled into Grand Canyon Village today, the snow was everywhere. When we saw the train at the station, it reminded us of the Disney Polar Express movie. In the background is the towering El Tovar, one of the oldest lodges in the Village.
We will post some images taken from the South Rim tomorrow. We were sidetracked today and did not get to the rim itself – but that’s another story.
First of all, we hope everyone is having a very Merry Christmas.
Our journey on this Christmas Day started in Wickenberg, Arizona. We traveled across the north side of Phoenix, got on Interstate 17 and got as far as Flagstaff. We’re currently parked in an RV campground.
This was the first time our dog, Bear, ever saw snow. She was great with it! She romped in it a little and then decided that the RV cab was where she wanted to be.
This is the Cap’n and Bear as they walk back to the RV after having enough snow for a while.
As we drove through Joshua Tree National Park today, we passed the Cholla Cactus Garden. The park is not all about Joshua Trees, but has many varieties of vegetation. Click for bigger.
Also, we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
We’re now underway for our winter vacation. First stop is Twentynine Palms, on the high California desert near Joshua Tree National Park. Tomorrow, we will be touring the park before heading off to Arizona.
This picture is of the wind farm near Palm Springs, just off of interstate 10. Yes, that is snow, yes this is near Palm Springs, and yes, there is no global warming.
We went to Cruise America to watch a motorhome orientation video. It was very interesting to learn about the features and operation of our temporary home-on-wheels. While it was interesting, it also made us all the more anxious to get started on our vacation. Soon, we will be enjoying scenery and sunsets similar to this one taken at Lake Havasu, Arizona, last summer. Click for bigger image.
I checked the National Parks System webcams today and was not disappointed with the scene I saw at Grand Canyon, Yavapai Point. Later this month, Damsel will be capturing scenic photos like this (we hope) when we’re in Northern Arizona.
Just a note about the winter storm that just passed through the southwest – snow in Malibu, California? Four inches in Las Vegas, Nevada? Sunspots at a minimum? Must be that pesky Glow Ball Worming.
Maybe some of the alarmists should find out more about the Sun.
Today was the last workday of the year for me. I finished up an important milestone at work which gives me the opportunity to take some authorized time off to relax and celebrate the Christmas Season.
For part of that celebration, Damsel and I will be taking a cruise – no, not like on a vessel, but in a motor home headed away from the teeming masses. We plan to stop at some famous and some little-known places along the way. We got a pretty good deal from Cruise America – almost a 2-for-1 deal on the cruiser.
Damsel will have her suite of camera gear as she plans to capture some dazzling scenery shots and some wonderful artsy compositions. We’ll have internet access with us so check back here for some of her pictures in near-real-time.
One of our stops along our route will likely be near the little-known landmark “Tea Kettle Junction,” seen in the photo.
Photo found at Panamint Charlie’s interesting website. Click for big.