The final leg

On Monday, September 9, I set out after breakfast for the final leg of my cross-country journey.  Jackie (sis-in-law) had suggested a scenic route, which took me over Wolf Creek Pass. It was most certainly scenic. Also very high altitude, and would have been quite a challenge to a self-driving car.

Once I was through the pass, I was in the flat lands. Miles and miles of long, straight roads through open country. There was a long detour at one point. Not a lot of traffic by New England standards, mostly 18-wheelers.  I got to 4 corners, drove about a mile or two in New Mexico, before reaching Arizona. I briefly considered a quick diversion into Utah, just because, but didn't as by then I was pretty much done with driving.

Spent the night at the Cameron Trading Post. It dates from 1910, and was a trading post in the days of the Wild West, but is now a bit of a tourist trap. That being said, the rooms were clean, the bed comfortable, and the food while nothing spectacular, was decent.

That bridge is I89 over the not-so-grand end of the Grand Canyon. This was the view from my hotel room window.




Clean and comfortable, I got a good night's sleep here!

The Trading Post had all sorts of mostly tourist stuff for sale in its huge store.  There were several decorated cow skulls (of which more later), lots of rugs and other hand-woven items. This rather fine, and apparently fully-functional, warp-weighted loom was on display in the hotel restaurant. It was nestled about 6' up on a ledge in the huge fireplace. So I couldn't get a better look at it.

Tuesday morning, September 10, I headed out on the final, final few hours. It was raining in Flagstaff much to my surprise.  I arrived in Peoria just about lunch time. And then the fun began...