Fixes, Vistas, and New Friends in Flagstaff
The “Ajo Gremlin” is Gone
There is nothing more aggravating than a dead outlet when you’re living on the road. After our month-long stay in Ajo, we pulled out only to realize the bathroom receptacle had quit on us. Since Flagstaff was our first major “prep” stop for the long trek to Alaska, that repair was priority number one. Luckily, it was just a failed GFI. A quick two-mile trip to the local Home Depot, a simple swap, and we are back in business.
In Flagstaff, the towering Ponderosa pines are magnificent, but they certainly clutter the skyline if you’re looking for a sunset! We decided to head toward the South Rim to find an unobstructed view.
That Grand Canyon Feeling
The 80-mile drive to the South Rim took a bit longer than expected, but the mountain views and steep, winding roads made the transit part of the adventure. Even though Lori and I have both seen the Grand Canyon before, that first step up to the edge still takes your breath away—pictures never do the scale justice. We scouted out our future boondocking spot within the park and enjoyed the rim drive before finally tucking back into the camper at 10:00 PM.
Lessons from the Foxtail Coffee Company
We started the next morning at Foxtail Coffee Co. We actually stopped in the day before and met the owner, Jeff. His story hit home for me: he retired two years ago, but his wife “strongly suggested” he find a way to get out of the house, which led to him opening this busy, cool little shop. It made me reflect on our own journey; we just retired and have a two-year plan to travel… I hope that keeps me busy enough!
Starry Nights at Lowell Observatory
We spent the afternoon and evening at the historic Lowell Observatory.
A Legacy of Discovery: Founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell, this is one of the oldest observatories in the U.S. It’s famously where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930. It’s also where V.M. Slipher gathered the first evidence that the universe is expanding.
The Experience: They don’t open until noon, which seemed odd at first—until you realize they stay open until 10:00 PM for stargazing. We returned after 8:00 PM to watch a presentation on the solar system and then took turns peering through the massive telescopes. Seeing the cosmos through that glass is a humbling experience.
Same Rig, Different Life
While waiting for the stars to come out, we spent some time on the patio at Woody’s Mountain RV Park sharing iced coffees and conversation with Ken and Suzanne. In a “small world” moment, they pulled in right after us with an Outdoors RV—the exact same size as ours, just a different floor plan. Ken just retired on April 1st, and they are out on their first month-long getaway. It’s always great to swap stories with people starting their own “uncharted journey.”
Until our next stop,
Brian, Lori, and Miss Ruby
