Christmas Trip Day 4 - Christmas Eve

Flagstaff, AZ - Santa Barbara, CA  The final stretch to our Christmas designation and celebrating with the Bergtholds. There was quite a bit of snow in Flagstaff with temps in the high 20's when we packed up the van to pull out. I didn't realize that Flagstaff is at 6,000 feet altitude with mountains in the background. After our fueling up with Starbucks, we were off. The first part of the trip was a mixed terrain and very beautiful.

We reached the California border and fruit inspection station. We wondered if our apples would pass. Thankfully they were from Washington so we were free and clear to travel MANY miles through the Mojave Desert. It's a flat stretch with lots of sagebrush and that's about it. You definitely feel like you are in the middle of no where. We stopped for lunch in Barstow and then continued on through the desert and into the mountains. Just a few more hours to go!

Mojave Desert

We reached the California coast at about 4:15 - ahhh - the Pacific Ocean at last! We pulled into the Bergthold's at 4:45 grateful to see our dear friends and to have arrived safely. We had a wonderful authentic tamale dinner - a Christmas Eve tradition among Hispanic people and Californians. These were our first tamales and they were delicious!

Then it was off for a drive to see the Santa Barbara Mission at night. On the way, we saw an over the top house of lights. The mission was beautiful all lit up and with a nativity scene in the front with live donkeys. We had some time to kill before going to the Christmas Eve service at Santa Barbara Community Church. It was a beautiful service and we all managed to stay awake despite being exhausted.

We lay our heads down with grateful hearts.

Decorated Santa Barbara house