Egel Nest Road Trip Recap...The Trip Home...Days 9, 10, & 11

Days 9, 10, & 11
Date: January 1 - 3, 2008
From: Sedona, Arizona
To: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Distance: A long way (but done over 3 days)
Weather: Variable but mostly in the 40's and clear.

Day 9 (Sedona, Arizona - Albuquerque, New Mexico)

We left Sedona early in the morning. On the way out of town, the beautiful wife spotted a family of wild boars along the side of the road...so I quickly but carefully stopped the car and got a few halfway decent shots of them. One of them looked right at me...he looked kind of mad...although I don't really know what a happy pig expression would look like really. Then they ran away...surprisingly nimble little buggers!




We headed north towards Flagstaff to re-connect with the interstate. It quickly became colder...and the red rocks faded away out of the back window. Along the way, we saw this curious tree...I love strange trees!


Just north of Flagstaff is Mt. Humphrey. It is Arizona's highest point at over 12,000 feet. Here is a picture of it from the south just 10 miles away.


And here is a picture taken in my rear-view mirror...same mountain...only we were 50 miles away heading east when I took this shot. It did not completely disappear for about another 15 miles...pretty amazing!


We passed these curious bellowing smokestacks. They spewed smoke which was visible for many miles...I just like the picture...


Then we crossed the continental divide...Who doesn't love plate tectonics??


This is the view of Albuquerque when driving in from the west. It is such a neat view as you see the entire city sprawled out in front of you backed up by the New Mexico Rockies...


We checked into our hotel and napped...Our hotel had a lovely view of Sandia Peak and the surrounding mountains...not to mention that large white bubble thing...whatever that was...


Then it was Sammy run time...he did the halls...


We found the pool closed...


So he just ran around in circles...similar effect...



Then we found the gift shop and Sammy found the stuffed animal shelf and promptly destroyed it...


The store had mirrors on the inside of the shelves...Sammy kept looking in the mirror and playing peek-a-boo with himself.


I also saw this funny labeled Beef Jerky...With a price of $9.99...it will kick your wallet's ass also!


Then we had dinner and went to sleep...

Day 10 (Albuquerque, New Mexico - Canyon, Texas)

We did a whole lot of resting this day...so not many pictures were taken...with a few exceptions.

These shots were taken in a bathroom road stop...a McDonald's bathroom...doesn't this look WAY too nice for a McDonald's...I wonder what the truck driver thought of me when he walked in and saw me photographing the urinals.



When we got near Canyon, Texas...we saw this aircraft flying overhead...I think it might have been an Osprey...I am not sure...any aircraft experts out there? Identify this flying object please!



That was about it for the day...we did drive through Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge but it was very cold and we did not take many pictures...and the wildlife was nowhere to be found...neither was the lake for that matter! (It apparently dried up 35 years ago...so there are no buffalo and no lake...sounds like they need to consider a name change for this place)

Back to the hotel and then bed!

Day 11 (Canyon, Texas - Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Along the highway in Oklahoma were these very large windmills. You go...wind generated energy people!


Before we got to our hotel we stopped at a little gas station and I had to go to the washroom...the bathroom signs stopped me in my tracks...Have you EVER seen people on signs in such distress?? This was the first time I ever saw these poor little stick figures in THIS position!



We arrived at our hotel in Tulsa and it definitely was one of the most fun places we stayed at during our trip. They had an indoor water park for kids (perfect for Sammy), lots of running room, and a really fun elevator with an emergency phone well within reach!


By the way, could you not just die from the cuteness of that bathing suit??? As my mom would say...I'm just asking!

When Sammy saw the pool, named the super cutesy Leapin' Louie's Lagoon, he just stood at the wall overlooking the pool and stared in awe!


Then he wondered if he had met his pool match...


But as soon as he got in...he was in pool heaven...



Who does this kid think he is...Moses parting the Red Sea? Ha!


The beautiful wife put Sammy up on the foam lily pads and he really enjoyed being up there.



And THIS would be why we cut his hair when we got home...nice hair kiddo!


"Ohhh...mommy's bathing suit has beads to focus on for 10 minutes"


This is one of my favorite shots of the trip...The beautiful wife holding Sammy and playing in the water...I love the lighting...I love the moment captured...I just love it!



"Daddy...look that way while I go get into trouble...ok?"


"You aren't fooling me kiddo"


Then he waded over to and gazed at this rubber tree...


We had so much fun in the pool...then we had a little kiss before it was time to go upstairs and nap.


Then Sammy discovered that he could push the leather rotating desk chair near the window and wanted to stand on it...after we said no...he showed almost no reaction (no reaction pictured below)


So, of course, we let him try and he enjoyed looking out at the sprawling metropolis that is Tulsa...(ok...not so sprawling and not so metro-like) But he loved it anyway! (I can almost hear my mom saying..."Oh my gosh" while looking at Sammy standing on this chair...poor worrying Jewish grandmother)


Then he discovered as he sat down that he could make the chair spin around by pushing off the wall...after doing this several times...he stopped.

"Whoa...can someone stop the room from spinning please?"


After some more playing it was bedtime...but unlike the beautiful wife, Sammy was NOT ready for bed yet...so I took Sammy downstairs to do some lobby running...We went down to the lobby...and oh yes...we ran...

I am SURE my mom saw this face when I was a kid...

"What trouble can I get into now??"


First Sammy played peek-a-boo with a disinterested businessman. It was a fairly one sided affair...how out of touch with humanity do you have to be to ignore a baby? Anyhow...Sammy had fun!


Then Sammy made googly eyes at an older woman (not pictured)...I think she was about 6...I think he got her digits.


Of course, he flirted with ANOTHER hotel sales manager...I need to figure out a way to turn his success with the ladies into some free hotel night stays!


Before we went up for bed, Sammy took one long last look at the blacked-out pool area.

"Why...oh why do they need to close these beloved places?"



He gave up a little sigh and then headed for the elevator...and then we went to sleep.

Stay tuned for the conclusion, yes the last installment, of the Egel Nest road trip!

*Don't forget to click...We are still going strong on Top Momma! Apparently, even though I am a Daddy...I am also a Top Momma! Click here to vote for little Sammy! He is the little guy wearing the blue bucket on his head! After you click on Sammy's picture, it will bring you back to the Nest. Unless people click, I am no longer a Top Momma...so..click away!...Fun! I'll keep this at the top of my posts as long as I am a Top Momma contender*