Arizona dreaming with desert vibes. From Neon Lights to Desert Nights

  

Still Christmas in the roadside Mexican joint

I so like the little libraries

All good things must come to an end — and today, it was time to say goodbye to Las Vegas (cue dramatic music and a slow-motion farewell to slot machines). We picked up our rental car, which turned out to be brand new, sleek, and only had 2,000 miles on it. A shiny spaceship of a vehicle that came with... attitude. But more on that in a moment.

First stop on today's tour: Me Gusta Tacos in Henderson (yes, we’ll travel for tacos). As always, the food was incredible. We kept ordering and eating like we hadn't seen food for the last three days. But then - the disappointment. We ordered churros, imagining a warm, cinnamon-dusted hug of a dessert served with gooey chocolate or caramel dipping sauce. What we got? One lone churro in a paper wrapper. No dip. No drizzle. Just... solitude. A dessert tragedy.

But onward! Next up: Hoover Dam, that majestic marvel of modern engineering. A few fun facts:

• It was built during the Great Depression (between 1931 and 1936)
• At the time, it was the tallest dam in the world
• It holds back Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S.
• It provides electricity to parts of Nevada, Arizona, and California

We had fun exploring, hopping between Nevada and Arizona and also took a walk on the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which soars 880 feet (268 meters) above the Colorado River. The views were jaw-dropping. The wind was life-threatening. We clung to our phones like they were winning lottery tickets. The side of the bridge was littered with the gone with the wind hats — sun hats, baseball caps, possibly a rogue toupee.

On the road again, Scott was grew increasingly frustrated in his intense battle with our car’s Cruise Assistant, which seemed desperate to become our third road trip member. Constant beeping, and wheel-grabbing led to Scott shouting things like “Let me drive, you idiot!” while searching (unsuccessfully) for the off switch.

We made it to Flagstaff, a charming university town nestled in the mountains - and fun fact: once upon a time, Scott worked here in a sports store!

Our motel turned out to be a hidden gem: spacious, sparkling clean, beds that felt like clouds, a KitchenAid water boiler, and a surprisingly lovely shower. We unpacked and took a relaxing stroll downtown, enjoying the cozy vibe of the town.

Dinner was delicious pasta followed by cookies, because obviously.