Day 12: California from Cactus to Pine

...or not!

I have to hand it to Vegas for some very convincing replicate architecture-- not pictured: the Eiffel Tower, L'Arc de Triomphe and a French street at Paris Las Vegas.

See that little sign on the right? We made it!

Flash flood! We're almost positive our car was hit by lightning.

Funny.

"Dios"

Nastiest gas station I've ever been to, but the old signage doesn't hurt.

After 12 days practically living in the passenger seat, you find ways to work with the space.

Seemingly endless desert.

It was crazy to go from the nothingness of the desert, up the mountain to this:

Fawnskin, California on Big Bear lake is a summer and ski vacation town with a bite to the air and cute mountain architectural bits. No traces of desert here.

Sharon and Paul's summer cabin:

Some moments can't be captured in film: our first night in California was everything: guitar-playing on the water, compelling conversation and great company. Thanks Sharon and Paul, and Stephanie for bringing us to such a special spot.

Day 10: Friendly Grand Canyon Squirrels

Good morning from the sunny South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

 

Hiking down Bright Angel Trail, which is about a seven mile hike down to the bottom of the canyon. (What sounds worse is the seven mile hike up, which needless to say, we did not venture).

These tourist-loving squirrels were super-friendly (come on, you have to pet one).

He's a natural.

How funny are these elk!? A park ranger eventually told us to move away because some have attacked if you're too close to the babies.

Touring Pink Grand Canyon hummer.

The South Rim and its crowds.

It's really the feeling of endless space that makes the views at the Grand Canyon inexplicable.

Taxidermy, once again. This gift shop did have a lot of desirable goods (turquoise rings and pocket knives, Native American flutes, suede cowboy hats), but it didn't seem right to buy it here and not at a Navajo-run establishment.

Producto de Cuba.

It's finally time for Route 66-- we actually bought the postcard leaving Flagstaff to find the mother road.

Can't get enough of these signs...

Raul was ecstatic to see the "real" cast of Cars in Seligman, Arizona.

Delicious chicken fried steak at Westside Lilo's Cafe.

I had to drive Route 66 at least for a little while. Raul took the following shots...

One hundred and six!

Beautiful shots by Raul. I was so jealous of this landscape (chose the wrong time to drive!)

We realized (thanks to the Route 66 postcard) that the Hoover Dam wasn't too far away, so we swung by. The tours had ended for the day, but we could walk over a bridge to get a better look. Cops stopped us on the way up to check our overhead luggage.

Welcome to Las Vegas.... the rest of the photos "stayed there".