There and Back Again...

Poor Tired Husband, safely held within his seat belt, slept next to me as I made my way through the darkness -- heading towards New Mexico. I had been mindlessly putting the miles behind us as the silver bullet's headlights burned an illuminated path through the black veil of night.

Dawn was knocking on the horizon, and wasn't about to wait for an invitation in. She flung the door wide open and arrived in all of her glory.

I was simply gobsmacked at what I was witnessing - it was so gorgeous that I fumbled around for my camera at the first sign of light-- Poor Tired Husband stirred -- I risked life and limb, driving down the 40 at 80 miles an hour, shooting these photos so you could see, too. Words cannot describe this sort of beauty.

It was the beginning of the day, and we were already in Phoenix.

On
a
mission.

Helping out an incredible Artist who's rep had gone rogue -- we were driving 1700 to retrieve and bring back her gorgeous Art -- and at the same time procuring stock for my store-to-be.

Little did I know the trip would also be a study in cloudscape and scenery -- views that would render me speechless - and grateful ... Grateful for living in such a gorgeous world.


With the sun well over the horizon and climbing its way up through the cerulean sky, we stopped to fill up the Silver Bullet and the most magnificent steel horse pointed us in the right direction to fill ourselves up on some fresh caffeine - we wanted to keep an endless supply coursing through our veins - a straight drive of 27 hours wasn't going to be an easy feat.


With the sun and heart rate up, we continued on our merry way. I have to say that I was amazed at the ever changing landscape -- within a matter of minutes it was as if we had traveled across hundreds of miles and into a different state entirely-- but the truth of the matter was there were drastic changes around every turn!


The desert turned to woods ... that became more and more lush by the second...




Windy roads and one of the best days for cloud watching ... ever.

Past Flagstaff, the pine trees were replaced by fields and flat top red rocks and the clouds hovered low like puffs of smoke lingering over the head of a pipe smoker.

Trains were many, and came through often, pulling long strings of cars - There is something romantic about trains - and these were beautiful. You couldn't have matched them better to the landscape if you tried.

Driving while looking through the lens of a camera -- multi-tasking, I say. ... and I'm still alive to say it.

Every two seconds it seems, I was trying to wake Poor Tired Husband up - he was missing so much beauty!

We were constantly trying to outrun the rain, and were in the lead --

Aren't these skies incredible?! You can click on all the photos to enlarge them.

This one looks like an oil painting (below) - I love that it's out of focus - I'm going to have this blown up and framed.

The sun would not be denied -- rain was not going to win this one.

The farther away from the hustle and bustle, the more I realized how little I have been paying attention to the simple things around me lately -

Like the Art show taking place in the sky above me.

These photos really can only capture part of what we were witnessing. Poor Tired Husband woke up to a good show.

And to scenery right out of a John Steinbeck book... I'm going to have to frame this one too (below) - and hang it in the shop-to-be!

Our trip was successful - we got what we came for. Loaded up the silver bullet and turned right around and headed back west. Back home. Relieved. Excited. And then the sky began another show - the opening act for the ride home couldn't have been more perfect. PTH, said that this was a sure sign that we were on the right road.. in more ways than one. I laughed out loud. I was waiting for the choir of Angels to begin singing.

I relinquished the wheel and between the thermos of coffee running out and the rhythm of the road -- I was lulled into sleep. The sky show continued without me, but saved some of the best for last

Dinner and a show - and only 850 miles to go to get back home...

I realized a lot on this little trip. One -- I'm too old for this sort of thing now 27 hours of driving in a 30 hour period- it has taken me days to recover. Two -- PTH and I don't spend enough alone time together - this was a huge reconnect without the distractions of teenagers, phones, computers - noise. It was wonderful in that regard. I could never have done this without him, and he made it fun. Three -- Not to take anything for granted. It's all worthy of appreciation and gratitude. I need to consciously spend more time living that thought.

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And that concludes the trip to New Mexico.

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... what was in the back of the silver bullet? Soon, my pretties, soon.

All photos by yours truly.