My father was a bush pilot. I spent more than an average amount of time in the wild blue yonder when I was young. In my early 20s I even had a stint at the controls myself, getting as far as my very own private pilots licence. But that’s where my love affair with aviation comes to an abrupt end. In short I hate flying! But… If you want to see any part of this beautiful planet without taking a great deal of time getting there, you have to buckle down and buckle up. 

The trip was fine, really. I have nothing to complain about, and WestJet is the best stagecoach company in the sky – even though they kept trying tell us they were taking us to Winnipeg instead of Phoenix! And of course, the view was breathtaking, with pillowy soft clouds bellow us for part of the time and jagged Rocky Mountains and deep canyons for the other part. 

Phoenix is someplace I never thought I would set foot in, but I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. We didn’t stay in Phoenix proper, but in the sprawling metropolis of Scottsdale, a city that seems too functional for its own good. We had a great dinner with family members who are very dear to us, and then hit the pillow early at the Best Western Thunderbird Suites.

We went to bed early so we could get on the road early, but what do they say about the best laid plans of mice and tourists? It was one o’clock by the time our wheels finally touched the well used tracks of Route 60 Eastbound. Roads are like the people that build them, they evolve and change as time passes by. Route 60 went through an entire life cycle as we drove eastward, starting out young and highly energetic, full of headlon optimism, slowing and losing lanes like some of us lose hair, until it’s where we are right now, quiet and contemplative with plenty of snow all around. 

Along the way we passed from desert cactus as far as the eye can see to the breathtaking Salt River Canyon, just past fields of fresh white snow. 

Tomorrow we drive from Show Low to Santa Fe, our main destination. I’ll let you know how it goes and try and give you a glimps into what we see along the way…

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