On a Tuesday morning it was up early, light breakfast, throw some stuff in the car and take off. What fun to be on the road again. First stop was in town for gas, then onto the 303 and finally North on Interstate 17 headed toward Flagstaff. Those who know us will not be surprised that second stop would be for a Starbucks.
There is quite an elevation gain on I 17 between where we live and Flagstaff, which means driving through cactus, then juniper and finally pine. All that in less than two hours. Although a nice drive, many spots on I 17 need work and fortunately crews are working in several areas.
Rather than drive through downtown Flagstaff we took a little jog on I 40 and picked up State Route 89 East of town. Our plan was to have lunch at McAlister's Deli in Cameron, Arizona, but the best laid plans of..well you know the rest. Yup, closed. Too bad because it's a good deli and there really isn't anything else until our overnight stop.
The rest of the drive to Page was a real mix. First, this was probably one of the best drives ever from a driving standpoint. A great road with no traffic. Most of the time there was no car in sight either behind me of in front. I have no idea why there were so many passing lanes. Second, the scenery was great. Mountains, rock formations, colors it was all there. Third, this is Navajo country and Navajo country is big. The Navajo reservation is the largest in the country, covering 27,413 square miles in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. That's a lot of land and with that much land they must be doing well. Well, they aren’t. The median household income is $20,005, with 42.9% of the population living below the poverty level. So, great drive and wonderful scenery surrounded by poverty. Along the highway there were numerous stands with Navajo selling their traditional crafts. What I like best is what they do with silver and turquoise, although they are also known for their weaving. The stands are really no more than shacks that would leave a viewer wondering how they remain erect. It is an absolute shame that the indigenous people like the Navajo, along with homeless military veterans are treated so much worse than those that cross our borders illegally.
For its size, Page must have more motels than any other city. Every brand is represented and they are everywhere. The big draw for Page is Lake Powell and all the water adventures that are available. Our first night was a freebie at the Courtyard. Of course, it wasn't really free, as we had to stay so many nights to earn it. But from a financial standpoint it was free and that's a very good price. First thing was lunch and we ended up at Dam Bar & Grill. We shared the Nachos, which had more jalapenos than I have ever seen in one place.
After lunch it was too early to check in, so we drive over the bridge to take a look at the lake. Or what's left of the lake.
After a day of driving, we elected to eat at Pepper's restaurant, which is part of the Courtyard.
All in all, a good day and now looking forward to visiting Zion National Park tomorrow.
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