Scottsdale 2012

After some lengthy debate about going to the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show this year (because of issues at both home and work) I decided that I needed this mini vacation with my mom, so we took off Friday morning for Phoenix. I have done most of my travels by car and, although it's slow going, it's often the journey that makes for an especially memorable trip.

On the first day of this trip, my mom and I were treated to wonderful vistas and amazing cloud formations. Long, colorful trains often traveled along parallel to the highway.

We had fun guessing where these beautiful bronze sculptures were going, maybe to Scottsdale? They didn't stop in Gallup.

 I love how the red rock contrasts with the blue skies.

These government houses all had such brightly colored roofs.

The cloud formations were so unusual, all ribbons and swirls. 

This water tower is at Fort Wingate outside of Gallup.

You can see the old bunkers in this photo because of the snow remnants.

The clouds entertained us for miles; the formations were ever changing. 

Then we came to Gallup, full of neat old buildings along the Historic Route 66 Highway.

How about a larger than life wooden Indian?

Seeing this landmark tourist trap, gift shop in the heart of such beautiful country (such a shame), we knew we were almost to the Arizona state border. Notice how the clouds are kind of frizzly now?

In Arizona, you can see all kinds of things along the freeway, a parked school bus on a hilltop and a dinosaur, who knew they were still around?

This gift shop, with teepees, is near the painted desert but, look at the clouds!

We had to stop at one of the many trading post/gift shops. Sometimes you can find good deals on stuff. At this one, I got good photo opportunities to take pictures of fake teepees.

But these are real petrified wood tree trunks. Amazing, aren't they? They can be polished up to show all kinds of beautiful colors.

Even the rest areas offer pretty vistas.

We traveled all day and finally arrived in Phoenix as the sun was beginning to set. It was fun to see hot air balloons in the sky, reminding us of home.

We found and checked in to our hotel and then went back out for an evening of gorgeous, fancy Arabian horses at the WestWorld equestrian complex in Scottsdale, later that evening.

to be continued...