Grand Canyon Road Trip '21

[gorgonzola]

Gonna post this a little at a time...

10/1-10/3 Lehigh Valley PA / Pittsburgh / Nashville

After months of (Mrs. SnoBunSki’s) planning we set out for our great Grand Canyon adventure. The original plan was to leave 10/1 for Nashville but that was to change late summer when my nieces’ fiancé’s INS paperwork came through, first stop would be a big fat Greek wedding in Pittsburgh. Our fine accommodations were our hybrid camper trailer for Mrs. SnoBunski and I and my son in-laws parents in their RV, first campgrounds was an empty lot across the street from my BIL.

Snuck in some MTB and liquid preparations before the wedding

Survived the night and not too foggy for the early morning start for Nashville, one of the longer drive days so it was nice to stop and stretch the legs a bit in Kentucky ?

Got into Nashville and set up in time for some dinner and a nice Kentucky night cap.

 

[gorgonzola]

Nashville TN / Altus AR / Amarillo TX

Nashville is, well, Nashville. We went for a nice morning hike with our mascot Lulu, had a good hot chicken lunch at Hattie B’s, and some day drinking at the Redneck Riviera. Broadway was hopping for a Monday afternoon /evening, lol. Consolation for not being able to see the Drive By Truckers who were in town was a good GD cover band at Acme Feed & Seed, and I got a new hat!

Set out the next day for Altus, in the heart of Arkansas wine country – who knew?! After some wine tasting and education on how the Ozarks got their name (bastardized French Aux Arc “bend in the river”) we retired to camp, basically a parking lot in the middle of a vineyard.

Long drive and a little vino really activates the lazy eyelid lol…

Very cool, but not as peaceful as it sounds between the low flying squadrons of C-130’s running training missions and a pack of coyotes(?) onto something in the middle of the night. I was hoping to get to see them (the planes) in the daylight the next day but never did.

On to Amarillo, TX to meet the kids flying in that evening. Another big travel day, not much to say about Oklahoma… wind farms, cattle, wind farms, native American trinkets…

After a very straight and dark pre-dawn bike ride, set off for Holbrook AZ. We pulled over about a mile down the road for a sunrise stop at the Cadillac Ranch.

Photo credit Paulie B

 

[Campgottagopee]

Nice!

Rolling Rock happens to be one of the best beers out there. I dig it.

Love Greek weddings, great party atmosphere. Been to two of them, both for the same groom who happens to be an old roommate of mine from college and smuggs.

 

[Harvey]

Gonna post this a little at a time...

I can play some moderator games to put all of the posts together at the top.

Looking forward to it!

 

[2000yroldskier]

I can play some moderator games to put all of the posts together at the top.

Looking forward to it!

Great report , was that money on the wedding dance floor ?

 

[gorgonzola]

Great report , was that money on the wedding dance floor ?

yessir, the first dance is a dance to the bride and the couple is showered with money. Unfortunately the custom these days is that it is swept up afterwards and goes to the band... this band did pretty well, lol

 

[Campgottagopee]

yessir, the first dance is a dance to the bride and the couple is showered with money. Unfortunately the custom these days is that it is swept up afterwards and goes to the band... this band did pretty well, lol

Dang
And this whole time I thought it was for the strippers
Maybe it wasn't a Greek wedding I was at?

 

[tirolski]

Dang
And this whole time I thought it was for the strippers
Maybe it wasn't a Greek wedding I was at?

They call those things bachelor parties. They come before weddings.

 

[gorgonzola]

Holbrook & Winslow AZ / Petrified Forest

What would a road trip be without a little car trouble, between Amarillo and Holbrook I took a stone to the windshield, thank God that was the worst of any car or camper issues. Early the next morning I was off to Safelite in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see… while it was being replaced I hung out a bit with this guy across the street from the girl in the flatbed Ford.

And had a great huevos rancheros breakfast at La Posada Hotel, beautiful building and grounds.

Back in Holbrook by mid morning to set out for the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. Basically you drive through the park stopping for mini hikes around. This was the start of the oohs and aahs of the surreal landscape – my first time experiencing the spatial vastness, sculptural beauty and colors of the western desert.

BELIEVE!

We also found out what was making the burrow holes all around

 

[Brownski]

Awesome so far. Thanks