Vacation: The Relaxing Journey Part I

It wasn't as much as we could have used, but it was all we could carve out. Vacation. As in out of the house, see cool stuff, road trip, smell different air, make memories kind of a vacation. We wanted cooler temperatures, and a chance to experience some grand scenery. We chose to visit Ouray, Colorado. We like to off-road, Ouray offers selection of primitive roads to get out and play in the mountains.

This was Galen's first major road trip. He'd flown on several occasions, but road trips are all together different. The first major difference is confinement. He's strapped inside of a car seat whenever we are moving. In a plane you can get up and walk around. Other difference will be discussed in a later paragraph.

This was a kid-, and dog-friendly vacation. We left Saturday morning and took our time. The goal was Cortez, CO by early evening. Just enough time to get dinner, and get Galen some stretching-the-legs time before bed. Practically speaking, that meant we stopped every two hours. Leisurely.

We stopped in Camp Verde for gas, remove-coffee, and snack.

Once we made Flagstaff, AZ we quickly topped off the gas and kept driving north. Just past the Cinder Hills OHV Park we pulled off on a dirt road, took the first small branch and parked in the pine trees for lunch. The dogs romped through pine needles and got off on new smells. Galen tromped about an entirely new landscape.

After a bit of exertion it was lunch, and off to the next stop. Later in the day we stopped between Tuba City and Kayenta, Arizona. A couple of interesting Navaho towns on a road that cuts through the Painted Desert.

I gotta say, this was one of the most Leisurely drives I've ever had. We made Cortez, stopped at a drive-through for some local brew, Sonic for dinner, and at the Travel Lodge for a quiet and peaceful sleep.