This day truly felt like an adventure. We woke up a bit later (around 7:30am) and had a pancake breakfast on the RV to ease our completely sore bodies and then took our geriatric selves to the Trading Post on the Grand Canyon grounds. We all picked up the souvenirs we needed (sweatshirts, shot glasses, and magnets) and then found the perfect place for a group shot before we left the Canyon.
We then headed back out through the forest and down to I-40 to head west. First, we stopped in Flagstaff for a quick supply refresh at WalMart and a grocery store. Then, we headed to Salsa Brava for lunch – recommended by Ms. Voss, my high school choir teacher, as well as Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. We LOVED the salsa bar and great Mexican food – be sure to check it out if you’re in the Flagstaff area in the future!
After feeling full from lunch, we headed back out in the RV – but we were no sooner miles down the road than we heard a POP! Shawn was the driver at the time and his first comment was “That was the sound of a blown inside tire.” And of course, he was correct. We pulled over and did some inspection and indeed, Shawn was correct – our inside driver’s side back tire was blown. We made a call to Cruise America and after 2 ½ hours of delay and replacement (on the whole, they did a very decent job of keeping in contact with us and expediting our tire replacement process), we headed back out on the road – a new tire in tow. To pass the time, Chris, Kathy, Amy, and I had started a game of Phase 10 – ALWAYS a good time waster! (Amy eventually won this first game – she’d definitely want me to let you know!)
Our next stop was in Seligman, a GREAT Route 66 historic town. Our first stop here was for shakes at the Snow Cap Drive-In. The owner of this place was a HOOT and he had a TON of business cards from travelers in the service area. He also had a ton of jokes to share with us and the laughter and great milkshakes were just what we needed to lift our spirits.
We then traveled down the road on foot to check out some the memorabilia and add to our purchases. It was great to talk to people on the street and see the friendliness in this historic town and how it’s still thriving through tourism.
When we got back on the road, we headed through historic Route 66 and passed through a few older towns, one being Peach Springs, which comes the closest to approaching the Grand Canyon South Rim from the highway. We figured this would be close to where we were, but it was amazing to see the western end of the Canyon we had hiked the day before.
Since we had been delayed from our tire debacle, we ended up stopping at a TruValue parking lot to make some dinner in the RV. We made up some quick chili and rice, enjoyed dinner inside, and headed back out on the road. This drive was a new one for us, since it was the first time driving the RV in the dark! The moon was full and gorgeous and led us right to our campground, Campbell Cove RV Park, for the night. It was quiet, clean, and the best part – had a hot tub! Chris, Kathy, and I headed down there to relax and get some heat therapy. We were able to chat with the campground’s web developer and heard a lot about the Lake Havasu area and Arizona in general. The weather was wonderful – dry and warm, a welcome break from the chill at the Grand Canyon. Then, we headed back to end the night as always – drinks and ending our game of Phase 10. It was a good relaxing end to the day.
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