Sunday, December 30, 2012

Christmas Road Trip - Day 10

Day 10 San Diego, CA - Phoenix, AZ We started the day off a little slower today. Before heading to Phoenix, we went to the San Diego Persidio Park & original mission site. The views from there are spectacular and it was a gorgeous day so we could see in all directions. Next we headed to the Mission Beach area and walked along the boardwalk. The waves were huge today! Knowing we will be driving many days on flat more barren lands, we soaked in the ocean view and beautiful sunshine. It's also a great place to do some people watching. Always a favorite pastime of mine.

It was time to hit the road. The drive from San Diego on I-8 East was actually quite beautiful. We traversed through some mountains or at least some steep hills. About an hour out, the terrain became very rocky like nothing we had seen before. John had planned a stop for us at the Desert Tower about halfway between SD and Yuma. The guy who ran the tower was full of information and the tower itself was an eclectic collection of memorabilia and artifacts from all over America and especially the desert.


The gentleman who ran the place told us where to get lunch in Yuma - Lute's Casino. Lute's was not a working casino but a step back in time with an old west feeling and lots of Americana all over the walls, ceilings, tables, anywhere something could be put. It was a great lunch stop!

Back on the road. We got a bit off the beaten path by taking 95 east instead of I-8. It was more of a 2 lane highway and took us right through the Yuma Proving Grounds which is where the military trains and tests weapons. It was barren, that's for sure. We made a stop somewhere along the way to get a picture of a cactus. We took this until it met up with I-10 and then made the final leg into Phoenix.

We're all getting a little road weary. Emotions were a little quicker to come out and patience ran a bit thin. Hopefully a good night's sleep will do the trick. Overall, everyone has done really well and so has the van. For those things, we are grateful! Tomorrow it's off to the Grand Canyon!

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