Day 10

Location: Ehrenberg, AZ


Total miles traveled: 4338


I'm sitting here at a "Flying J" service area off of I10, right near the border of Arizona and California. I'd prefer to stay outside near my car and write; however, the heat is very enveloping and it feels like you got stuck in the attic.

Today was pretty uneventful and the driving seemed pretty simple, as well. I took my time getting ready this morning, and after I checked out of the hotel I got an oil change at a Wal-Mart in Show Low. By the time I was on the road, it was after noon, but I didn't mind.

I originally headed South to Tuscon as I was planning to spend some time at one of the Saguaro National Park locations (there's two - East and West). The parks are renowned for all their saguaro plants (big cacti with flowers growing out of the ends). On the drive down, though, I saw a number of these plants along the highway. By the time I arrived near Tuscon, it was after 4 and I decided I'd rather just head to California. The drive to Tuscon was enjoyable, driving through highways cut into mountainsides, and driving in and out of small canyons.

The next major stop on the trip will be Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California, which I'll reach early tomorrow. From there, if time allows, I'll head north to Death Valley.

Thanks to everyone for all your well-wishes and support. The first third of this trip has been a blast, and I'm optimistic the rest of the trip will be even better.

Happy Anniversary to my parents!

Joe