Platinum Hobo’s Southwestern Adventure! Part 1.

Last month Platinum Hobo flew into Phoenix midday on a Saturday, to embark on a road trip in the southwest. We were going to of course start right in Phoenix, then check out Scottsdale, drive up the Apache Trail and head to Sedona. While in Sedona we were going to hike in Red Rock, then drive to Flagstaff and come back to Sedona. Or instead stay the night in Sedona, then check out Red Rock and Flagstaff, afterwards head to the Grand Canyon, and then off to Las Vegas to check in and maybe drive to Death Valley or the Californian Mojave Desert. If there wasn’t time for the Death Valley or Mojave trip that day then the next morning we’d do it and then head back to Las Vegas to turn in the rental car midday. All in 48 hours, seems legit. Let’s wing it!

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Wing it we did! Even at the airport you get a taste of the beauty of Arizona mountain ranges highlighted the skyline. With our rental car we began our southwestern adventure and explored Phoenix and Scottsdale checking out the jewelry stories and precious stone shops. With all this perusing, we had to nix the Apache Trail ride and head out to Sedona to continue our road trip. What a scenic ride! The huge saguaro cacti lined the roadways, neighborhoods and highways. Beautiful mountains near or far, always in view.

In the darkness we reached Sedona, whose beauty remained a mystery until sunrise the next day. It was pitch black. I blindly followed my GPS until the last turn had been made.

In the morning it was still pitch black, because we woke at about 3 or 4am! We are already early risers, couple that with still being on east coast time and now being in Arizona time, we were out of whack. I lived in Arizona a long time ago, but couldn’t remember what time zone it is. I looked at the microwave and alarm clock in confusion. They displayed 2 different times an hour apart. After some Googling, I found out that Arizona was on Mountain Standard Time (in the winter) and the hour earlier time would be what time it was in Nevada for example, Pacific Standard Time. Arizona follows that time zone in the summer. I laughed because that would mean, as we continued to Nevada, I would be waking up even earlier.

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The hotel was lovely and the concierge directed us to where downtown Sedona was the next morning. We perused the crystal and mineral shops. Stared at the beauty and continued our southwestern adventure to Flagstaff. On the way we went to a supermarket and other stores to gather food and supplies, and of course get a souvenir.

Good thing, because unbeknownst to us, N Route 89A was about to set us up on an epic segment of our road trip adventure. If you are not used to driving on the edge of cliffs, meaning virtually little to no barrier between your vehicle and a free fall, the trip up from Scottsdale was enough. That leg was spent racing against dusk and darkness. The speed limit at most times was 75mph on the highway with locals going 80 or 90. At certain points I had to say, it’s not happening. 75mph? How about 50 before I go off this cliff. The roads zig zag, overlooking picturesque epic views. Very distracting and beautiful.

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Route 89A made me really appreciate rest stops. With the GPS repeatedly saying the next exit is 100 plus miles away for each step of the journey, they become a welcomed break. In Arizona they seem to always be a gorgeous, clean, panoramic view of natures beauty and definitely well earned. One of our favorite stops was Oak Creek Vista. After the winding roads, going past small retreats hidden amongst the mountains and forest, then riding up and up, you will be treated to it. Native Americans sell jewelry, pottery and other beautiful wares there on certain days. We just missed them. I believe they were Navajo when we were there, from the pottery I saw that they were putting away. After all that, we only briefly stopped in Flagstaff.

Platinum Hobo’s Southwestern Adventure to be cont…