Trip Day 4

Last night we stayed in a great motel on Route 66. Besides the bathroom window not locking (which Casey fixed) it was a great room.

This morning we woke up early and headed for the road. We had a great breakfast at some little cafe and then headed towards Flagstaff. Because we had already done the Grand Canyon we decided to hike Lenox Trail at Sunset Crater. I had been given the suggestion by a friend. It was a killer, straight up .5 mile hike. I got pictures in progression going up because honestly, I needed the breaks. For my friends, I'm sure pictures will be posted on Facebook sometime after the trip. This hike is not for the faint of heart, and usually we would qualify as ones who may have given up, except that the National Park Service charges money. So, we made it to the top, and it was so worth it. The view was amazing. Casey fell in love with the snow capped mountain accross from the volcano which seemed to follow her from the flight to Vegas and throughout today. It even seemed to say goodbye when we drove away.

Then we headed towards the Painted Desert. I had studied the map, and because I wanted to spend more time there, decided to take a scenic route. This is very bad with a hungry sister. However, after we got snacks, we were good. Casey admitted it was beautiful, and when we stumbled upon the majesty of the desert, it was well worth it. Finally, we got some Subway (the only thing around) around 3. We headed to the Petrified Forest, which was beautiful. After that we began heading toward the New Mexico line, finally stopping for dinner and the night.

It's been an amazing trip, and despite a few minor disagreements, we are getting along great.