Thursday was technically the second day to our five day trip, yet the first full day for exploration. After waking up about 9, we were dying to cruise around town!
As we got in our vehicle in search of a recommended Red Mountain, we jumped in our rental car and began wheeling around. As soon we pulled out on the road Graham said, "look mountains!" Unbeknownst to us when we flew in at dark, we were surrounded in every direction by them! It was my first time personally seeing mountains; they were magnificent.
Our first stop really just showed us (mostly me, Graham had visited Arizona once before) the true desert landscape. It was just a stark contract as opposed to Georgia or Florida. It's crazy the diversity that can be found on this continent!
After stopping for a moment to buy breakfast at CVS we decided to hike a mountain, Graham has scoffed at that title and insisting it was merely a foothill! Nay, I say, it was not- at least, climbing it certainly felt mountain like. Judge not from the initial photos! The later ones show how large it really was :)
When we came back down I finally saw my first cactus over a few inches tall! The desert is a strange, beautiful place.
From this point on, Graham and I did not have a point in our trip with just the two of us. We formed a few different groups with friends who flew out with us from back home. It was really nice though, it definitely enhanced our trip! We met up with Graham's younger brother and his wife who were staying with a local who served his mission with Jared. This guy chauffeured us around all day, which was so nice!
Our first stop, after a really good lunch at Cafe Rio, was an old mining town called Goldfield Ghost Town. Imagine time traveling to an old western town and you've probably conjured up better than what I could describe! This actually was pretty interesting location; there was a gold mine to explore, an ice cream parlor, a train ride, a place to pan for gold, a little gun shooting game, a small zip line and some of the most scenic views to exist. I'm telling you, if you're in Mesa, visit this place. It is SO worth it.
Yes. I did say zip line and you know we had to ride it! I will just say that when we were at the top, it was breathtaking. The mountains towering around us, the desert just as dry and exotic as ever.
After this we drove over to some place I'll never remember the name of it! It was in the outskirts of Mesa, and we drove on an intensely bumpy and winding road! I was actually terrified, just because I am so nervous about wrecking, and prayed for our driver throughout.
We passed a humongous water fountain, I believe the highest shooting fountain our tourguide said. We actually passed that to visit a National (possibly? I don't know) park and gorgeous place alongside the road with horses.
But what I was excited about was the Indian reservation we were on :) I'll be honest, it wasn't what I expected at all. It mostly appeared to be inhabited desert land, sprinkled with a few mobile homes and one large casino. More than anything, it made me sad that all of the recent things I have heard or read about Native Americans seem to be true: Anericanized, poor, gamblers. Of course I can definitely not say that this is true of all, just seems to be a generalization with some truths. But I did have to smile when I saw an old red skinned man with long black hair and a few feathers on his cap. I love my heritage!
After all of traveling we had to rush over to the groom-to-be's house to prepare for a preweddig party! So we met up with Mitch (aka Groom) and his two friends visiting from England -international wedding, woop woop!- and all left for supper. In and Out is one of those fast food places that I have heard about from friends who live (or have lived) out West. I, not being a hamburger kind of lady, had a grilled cheese and a shake: pretty tasty :)
Then we were on to Scottsdale to engage in a go kart activity. Okay, I know what you're thinking: 'go kart? So what. Lame.'
Wrong. This is an intense 45mph race, in an open little cart, subject to more danger and this more fun. We wore head socks (giggle, giggle), Graham tested his strength with a punching bag, I played a few rounds of ice hockey. I'm coming back for a rematch Jared Alexander (who seems to beat me in every single competitive thing we do- croquet, phase 10, ugh)! Overall, this was so, so much fun! I told Graham that if we ever opened a business then this would be it.
(FYI: Lav Fox=Mitch, Midfield General=Ollie, Graham Cracker=Graham, Lacizzle=Lacey, Birdy=Jared, Kipin It Real=Kipin, Rachael=Rachael. Ha! Totally forgot I beat Jared! Woo! Redemption! For real, I'm too competitive.)
Go, Mitch, Go! The man of the hour was our winner! After we exhausted ourselves with that, we had to go for some gelato. By the time we finished with that I was ready to crawl in the bed. Originally Thursday was our only free day, and boy did we give it justice. This was one of the most amazing days I have ever experienced.
