Huff Family SW Adventures

Lost an hour in AZ and still felt like a long day!

Lots of driving - I've never driven anything so big. We are ~8.5' wide and nearly 12' tall. It's like directing a barn down the road! Feel okay on open roads - nervous in tighter areas (anything other than open highway!) Definitely not used to being passed so much!! ;-)

Really enjoyed the peace of driving down Route 66. Tom had just handed over the wheel and was snoozing. The kids redeemed their screen time poker chips and were enjoying a movie together. Hardly any cars on the road. Struck me that exactly one year prior I was at my first chemo treatment. Particularly reflecting on the shock and sadness of a fellow parent from school simultaneously drawing his last breaths (diagnosed with agressive AML less than two weeks ago), I reveled in my health, my freedom, my beautiful, crazy family, and just feeling very content with life.

Taking a bit to settle into RV routine! Figuring out where I stowed everything is a challenge. Everything needs to be put away immediately or the place is instantly trashed. Easier said than done with two kids! ;-)

Been some bickering, bossing, teasing, and antagonizing from the immature humans, so situation normal. L got car sick, which hasnt happened in years! The boys had a very hard time going to sleep in a new, exciting, and close quartered environment the first night. Up until 10:30pm (I took another hour to finally fall asleep.) L was up at 6am yesterday and read until the parental units awoke at 7am and R another 30-45 beyond. Crashed pretty hard last night!!

Getting used to the quirks of an RV - not having water and electricity until you flip switches is strange. The place shakes anytime someone moves, which is interesting at night. Bumping into one another trying to access stuff, brushing teeth, etc. And the shower is definitely efficient! Thank goodness for the skylight or Tom would have to hunch!!

Set up camp, Tom and the kids made a fire while I skewered meat that Heather had chopped and marinated and we flew down frozen. So easy and yummy! Fresh corn and spinach salad, plus smores for dessert (of course!) Bathed the filthy urchins and threw 'em in bed - we were asleep soon after.

Overall, a good first day. Looking forward to staying parked the next two days as we explore the Grand Canyon!!

~ARead more

Beyond unbelievable!! Loved Antelope Canyon, but Monument Valley is absolutely stunning! Have to say it was a fav. Our guide, Will Cowboy, taught us a lot about Navajo history and customs, movies and shows shot there, his family history (he is 18th generation). We spent three hours on the main 17-mile loop, plus backcountry. Sunset over Grand Canyon was actually nicer, but Monument Valley is a very special place. So cool seeing all of this for the first time. Took hundreds of photos - impossible to pick a handful of the best! Sorting through them this evening, it was magical to relive the experience. The early shots in broad daylight felt less impactful than in real life, but the sunset ones turned out better than I dreamed. Not professional quality for sure, but this was one heck of a day for natural beauty!! :-)

L is predictably more engaged and interested and asks good questions of the guides. R is still a monkey sometimes and had more fun playing in the sand, beating Will's drum, and climbing rocks, but seemed to enjoy himself as well. Bought himself a neat (supposed) buffalo bone necklace, which he was happy with. Hoping he remembers being here as he gets older!Read more