After an overnight in Page, it's time to head home. Would we drive straight home? No way. There are things to see along the way AND we have our favorite spots to stop. The one "new" stop today was Horseshoe Bend, a couple miles east of Page. It's a short hike to the overlook, just .75 mile. No biggy, right? Normally, no. Today, we are almost three weeks without doing laundry. We had planned for shorts weather on our final day, expecting that the Valley would definite warrant that. Well, the Valley, yes. Northern Arizona, not so much. It was in the low 50s and very windy...again. Fortunately we had warm jackets so the hike was tolerable. And we did hike a little faster so it was a pretty quick stop. The early morning meant that half of the horseshoe was shaded by the overlook cliff. We could still see the whole horseshoe, including a tiny little boat on the far left side.
Our second stop is a routine favorite: Cameron Trading Post. The gift shop is enormous and you have to walk through it to get to the restrooms and restaurant. The restaurant is classic. Tin ceiling, Tiffany glass. Huge stone fireplace. There is also a lodge here, which is a tempting thing to try sometime. Meantime, coffee or lunch and a restroom stop are a given.
Our third stop is either Montezuma's Well, which we did this time, or Cordes Junction, that's a good restroom/gas/stretch leg spot. Montezuma's Well is a good short hike up stairs to the overlook, or a longer hike if you go down to the well. There were reports of bees so we thought the overlook was a good place to stop. It is unique to see the green water and the informational signs around the overlook explain the unique water conditions and critters within the well. Not your typical fishing lake! There are remnants of cliff dwellings around the walls of the well, too.
Our final stop before home is a favorite spot where we've taken many people, and offer to go with anyone who's interested! It's just an hour from home. Rock Springs Cafe is the longest continual operating cafe in Arizona, at 103 years. They have excellent home-cooking, an unique historical setting, and pies, oh the pies. The location is great for a final restroom break. There isn't a thing not to like about Rock Springs Cafe.
At last, home. Now my question is, why does it take two-to-three days to pack for a trip like this but we can unpack and have things put back where they belong in two-to-three hours, excluding laundry, of course. I don't get it.
Tomorrow a little wrap-up. Then we're back to ho-hum life for awhile. Oh, yes, we do have one or two more trips we hope to take yet this year. And there's the kayak we have to try out yet. Golf, of course. Maybe a little hiking. Oh, the weekly adventures will continue. The challenge, can I post weekly updates for the next twenty weeks until another trip? Time will tell.
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