FLAGSTAFF, AZ FOR THE NIGHT

One more image from yesterday in Angel Canyon

The rainbow out front this morning

Our first view of the Vermilion Cliffs

This was right below me when taking the above shot

Closer around to Marble Canyon and close to the tiny community of Vermilion Cliffs
And another shot of our wheels and house

We heard some heavy rain on the roof sometime during the night but the sun came out while we were having breakfast. In fact we had a nice rainbow out the front window a little later. We got packed up and on the road in fairly good time. A few minutes after departing, we entered Arizona for the duration of our stay and suddenly it was an hour earlier. Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time year round.

We took old Highway 89A so we retraced our route all the way to Jacob Lake where we turned off for the North Rim the other day. From there it was a long downhill stretch until we crossed the Colorado River at Marble Canyon where we were under 4000 feet for the first time since October 4th. We then climbed gradually all the way up to 7276 feet just before Flagstaff. It is about 7000 feet where we are parked for the night on the outskirts of Flag.It was 6 degrees C (47F) and raining when we arrived here and the guy at the office was in awe that I had shorts on. I only had them on as I couldn’t get at my long pants until we got set up and I put the slides out, but I didn’t share that with him.

Aileen has gone for a long nap – this is good napping weather! We’re thinking of heading east tomorrow to visit the Petrified Forest. We’re not sure what comes after that. We’ll have to check the weather forecasts for several areas to see if they appeal to us. The weather is forecast to be only mid 80’sF and mostly sunny in Caliente for the next seven days dropping into the lower 50’s at night so that could be pretty inviting too. At this time in the trip, I really start longing for the pool and hot tub which is only a few hundred feet from our door and which we utilize nearly every day all winter.

My next younger brother, Sam, was scheduled for a hip replacement today so we are hoping everything went well. Just over a year until I am officially an old age pensioner so I guess it is getting to the time in our lives when more and more medical procedures will be occurring with family and friends.