The skies were a bright blue as we headed south on our way to Tucson AZ the morning of September 28. The contrast between the vermillion cliffs of Sedona and the tree-studded hills and valleys along Interstate 17 was dramatic. We stopped for a hearty breakfast at Matt's Big Breakfast in Phoenix, once featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. 

Inspired by our friend Laura, we set out on scenic route 89A on the blustery morning of September 26: from Flagstaff AZ, through the Oak Creek Canyon, and into beautiful Sedona Arizona. The early morning sun lit up the cliffs that screamed "Welcome to Sedona".

"36 Hours in Sedona" from the NY Times recommended breakfast at The Coffee Pot. It was clearly a popular place, but the wait was reasonable and the food was just what we needed to fuel a vigorous hike along the Teapot Trail to see the namesake of the restaurant - the Coffee Pot Rock..

We set off around noon on September 23 for the Grand Canyon - top on Richard's list of National Parks to visit. The GPS says we'll arrive around 3:00 - a nice short hop! Ugh..not so fast - Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings time! We settle in for the 4-hour drive and enjoy drive-by views of the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument that seems to go on forever along US-89.