Phoenix, AZ and Gallup, NM

From Sedona we moved to Phoenix, AZ.  Phoenix is HOT !  We came to town to see cousins I had not seen in at least 40 years...Peter, Paul, Heather, Phillip and Leslie. Patrick has recently moved to SC so we will catch him on the other coast.  We had a nice lunch with My Uncle Tom and Aunt Ruth Belsan.  Then later met for dinner with Tom, Ruth, Leslie and her husband, Phillip, Paul and his wife Sonja, and their son Alex, his wife Michelle and their 4 children.  On Sunday we also had brunch with Peter, his wife, Michelle, and daughter Allison and son Justin, Paul and Sonja, and Heather and her daughter, Bethany.  It was great to meet as adults and get to know them in person instead of just on Facebook.

We enjoyed the pool at the RV park and the A/C at the local malls where we did our walking.  Our big adventure was taking a true 4 wheel drive road near Paul's house.  Paul drove his Jeep, we drove ours and Sonja rode with her co-teacher and friend Michelle who was also new to four wheeling.  We had a fun day.  Our Jeep did things we never expected it to be able to do.   We had thought about getting a more robust Jeep but ours will do for now.

From Phoenix we went to Gallup, New Mexico.  Gallup is a small town.  It's claim to fame is that it is the closest town to where the "Code Talkers" from World War II were from.  They should have been honored long before they were; they were an amazing group of men.  Gallup also has the El Rancho Hotel where many movie stars from the past has stayed while filming westerns in the area.  They has a balcony with autographed pictures of them all.

On our way to Gallup we stopped at the Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Dessert.  Beautiful scenery in the Painted Dessert.  We are still amazed by the Petrified wood.

Along the trail

Our Jeep Caravan...the others were better equipped but we made it

This was the first time Michelle had climbed a rock like this, she was so proud !

Paul going up a crazy trail...we did not do this one

At times Paul had two tires off the ground

Michelle climbing the big hill

Code Talker Memorial Statue, Gallup, NM

Painted Desert

There were pieces of petrified wood scattered everywhere

Beautiful Colors

Big pieces

And small

El Rancho Motel

Code Talker Memorial Statue

Sedona, AZ - Rocks

Our week in the Sedona area enabled us to see the beautiful Sedona Red Rocks almost every day.  It is like some other places we have been in that you are driving along and the terrain is nothing special and then you go over a rise and it is spectacular like you are Dorothy entering Oz for the first time.  We took pictures of the Red Rocks from LOTS of angles and never grew tired of seeing them.  We can see why Sedona has become such a popular place to visit.

These are some of Wayne's favorite shots that he took:

These are just some my of the favorite shots that I took.