January day in Phoenix

Almost there

New Mexico is a welcome relief after the mind-numbing landscape of northern Texas. But the most spectacular sight on our cross country trip is traveling from New Mexico into Arizona at Lupton, a former Navajo trading post also known as Painted Cliffs.  The area's soaring sandstone cliffs, formed from 60 to 200 million years ago, typify the stark, lonely beauty of the Indian country to the north.  From there, it was about a two and one-half hour drive to Flagstaff, where we spend the night with Katie before heading down the mountain to Phoenix amid zero visibility snow.

 

One last look before we depart

I hoped to experience one good snowfall before heading to Phoenix for the winter.  November and December were mildy cool.  Christmas came and went bringing sunshine into our midst.  Then, almost on demand, January arrived with more seasonal winter weather and just enough snow to whet my desire for the Arizona sun.