How Cold Can It Get?

It can get SO cold that you wake up shivering at 2:30am and decide to quit this tenting business and end up in the car with sleeping bags and pillows looking for warmth. Wimp!

The car goes on, the heater gets jacked up to 92 degrees until you thaw out, then the car goes off, you slumber like a wee little one until the chill creeps back into your bones. Repeat said cycle until you're tired of it, or dawn arrives. Whichever comes first.

Welcome to Monument Valley, late October. What were we thinking! Fred added this to the trip because he wanted to see some of the large buttes that are in the great John Ford westerns of his time. They even have a John Ford "alley" if you want to check it out.

Dawn was beautiful - cold and clear. We packed up the forlorn looking tent, hopped in the car. "How about that 3.2 mile hike around West Mitten?" say I.
"We're going to skip it," says Fred.
"Why?"
"We're going to take the loop road around the valley to see more, that's why."
".... um, don't you need a 4 wheel drive, high clearance vehicle to do that?"
"So? Let's see how far we can get!"

Hold on to your hat, the car seat and your loose change, because it was a bumpy ride. Nice, but a few close calls. I just hope that the computer in Fred's little Mazda, clearance of maybe 6-7 inches, didn't log the rough treatment. There are now a couple of road rocks on the 17 mile Loop Road that bear a bit of the Mazda black underbody paint.

I must admit, we did get a few great pictures, and the car drove fine all the way to the Grand Canyon. We arrived to see some major renovations going on. It appears that they will be converting to a shuttle system to get around the park, much like Zion has. With all that traffic through there, it seems a good idea.

Mather Point, where Fred wanted to set up for some sunset shots, was closed due to construction. We had to find another suitable vantage point. The most difficult part was figuring out what time sunset was, and then what was the local time. Goofy. Must be the altitude again. But we stayed until sunset, neither of these to addleminded travelers thinking to put on a winter coat to await a cold and windy sunset. I guess we didn't learn from last night in Monument Valley.

After sunset, it was off to Flagstaff, with the heat on HIGH. Fred, that nice guy, not the curmudgeon this trip at all, said he was going to treat me to a night of comfort. So we're here in Flagstaff at the Motel 6, all clean, shaven and tidy with a load of wash in the laundry room across the way. I could enjoy this!

Tomorrow we're off to Winslow, AZ to see the large Meteor Crater. Afterwards, we'll be the heat-seeking Mazda Speed3 hurtling south to Phoenix to the comfort and warmth of Anne & Dave's winter retreat.

Over dinner we talked about all we've done so far. There's more adventure afoot, of course. But NEXT time, we agreed to set the timing a bit better. But without all the rain, hail, cold and wind, what type of a camping trip would it have been!?!