Okay, okay, so we're not REALLY going to Mordor. No doubt there are similarities: hot fumes, rocky terrain, and a giant, yellow eyeball sun looming in the sky, watching your every move. And to get there you have to pass obstacles like giant mammoths, lakes of salt, Ents, a canyon of kings, the treacherous white mountains, and a valley of death**. But at least Phoenix doesn't have any Orcs. :)
No, I'm looking forward to it. But I'm REALLY excited about the drive. We're taking the "scenic" route, depicted by that pretty purplish line below (click on the photo to enlarge...). This route is also adding 4 hours to our overall drive time, but we'll be breaking it up. We're spending one night near Mt. Whitney (west of Death Valley), and the second in Las Vegas, with lots of scenic detours in between!
There's some gorgeous countryside along the way and I'll be sure and take loads of photos. :D Assuming the weather holds...it's been a late winter for the Sierra's!
I hope to return to the blogosphere in the next few weeks. In the meantime, hope you all had a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!
**A key to aforementioned locations (links are above):
mammoths = Mammoth Lakes
lakes of salt = Mono Lake
Ents = Bristlecone Pine Forest
canyon of kings = Kings Canyon National Park
white mountains = White Mountains!
valley of death = Death Valley
Years ago we took that same route on a trip to Scottsdale. We really enjoyed the diverse scenery. Scotty's Castle is a really interesting place to tour if you have time. Enjoy the journey and have a safe trip. I look forward to reading of your new adventure as it unfolds in Phoenix. All the best!
ReplyDeleteMy weekend was good. I wish you well on your trip and hope for a safe return.
ReplyDeleteI love the lord of the rings analogies.
What a fantastic trip! Just tell me you didn't run into Shelob anywhere along the way....
ReplyDeleteNow you just need to take a trip to NZ and see where those places were really filmed. ;)
ReplyDeleteMt Doom is Mt Ngauruhoe, a mountain right next to Mt Ruapehu where I grew up skiing. Weathertop was filmed on a farm my Granddad owned (at the time). Sadly I didn't get to meet Aragorn. :(
Like Sari referenced, my dream vacation is to go to New Zealand and just wander its beautiful scenery. Maybe I might run into Galadrial. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog today, Roland
lol... too funny! You will be driving thru beautiful countryside. I hope you have a great road trip, and love your new place. I think big moves are exciting... a fresh start somewhere else can be invigorating.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see pics of the new place! Steer clear of Mount Doom! :)
Oh wow, sounds like you're gonna have a fantastic time! Take lots of pictures so we can see a little photo journal when you return!!!
ReplyDeleteHonk. Honk.
ReplyDeleteI confess... I'm not a road trip kind of gal. Quite possibly may have something to do with my latent never-actually-been-diagnosed ADHD, which keeps me from being able to relax in one spot for more than... oh... say... an hour at a time! Haha ( :
ReplyDeleteBut this actually does sound fun! An update with lots of fun pictures on your next post, please?? ( :
You guys are awesome...sorry about the delay in response!
ReplyDeleteNorma - I think we may be driving right by there on our way to the Ubehebe crater! Thanks!! I'll be on the look out.
Jeff - Thank you!! And you know, Lord of the Rings can be referenced in everything!
Beth - I laughed out loud at that! Good call, haha.
Sari- That's amazing!! Wow, so jealous. Thanks for the links, too! I've gotta get over there...it's on my list! Too bad you didn't meet Aragorn :(
Roland - Well, I guess you can have Galadrial since we get Aragorn, lol. And sure, I love your blog!
Pk - Thank you! We are soooo looking forward to the adventure, though leaving friends and family is so hard :(
Lindsay - Will do!!! Keeping it to a minimum will be the issue...
Uncle A - STOP! My ears hurt.
Julie - Ha! That's alright, I love road trips as long as the scenery changes. It is hard to sit still, so, as we speak, I'm downloading lots of music to keep my mind busy :D I will have an update as soon as I'm able!
I loved all the Middle Earth references! I've been to alot of those places, many many years ago... uh oh, I'm waxing nostalgic.
ReplyDeleteHey, I tagged you on my blog this morning.
ReplyDeleteYay for road trips! (=
ReplyDeleteI used to make the drive between LA and San Francisco all of the time-- and sometimes would keep heading north to Oregon. It is a scenic drive.
I tagged you on my blog!