Now in Verde Valley - no closer to home though

We left Amado yesterday around 8:30 and got to Verde Valley around 2:00 – 245 miles with a stop for gas and lunch. Seemed strange to be driving on a highway without having to watch for cows crossing the road, topes with people selling birds or dried shrimp and toll booths. It’s good to be in the USA again.

Really enjoyed the scenery. Along the road. Especially all the flowers. Some yellow ones.

Orange ones

And purple ones. 

They aren’t real clear but had to take good shots when traveling at 60 mph. I was using my old Sony – as with the new Fuji all I would have would be blurs.

It is definitely shorts and t-shirt weather here – and not supposed to get real cold at night – I hope. [no furnace on this morning.]

I like all the over passes here in Arizona they have been decorated so pretty. This one was unusual with the black background. 

When did Phoenix get so big? I thought we'd never get back out to open desert. 

As we came over the hill into Verde Valley we saw a lot of clouds over the mountains north of us – and what looked like a heck of a rain storm.

Quite a view with the red mountains of Sedona in the background.

Heading down the hill into the campground.

I was wondering if the MiFi would work because all the RV spots are on the valley floor. Direct TV came up with no problem and the MiFi works when it wants to. Have to find the right place in Jennie to put it – when I put up the silver sun block in the windshield it stopped working altogether. Coincidence or????  Working fine now as I moved it closer to the window.

We didn’t do much after getting here. Did make obligatory trip to WalMart. What is with Arizona? Saw another guy with his gun strapped on his hip in this WalMart too.

Today we will be watching two important soccer games starting at 10:00 – so this afternoon we’ll go out and about some. Maybe make reservations for a train ride. Or go to the Visitors Center to get a map of the 4 x 4 trails and Indian Ruins around here.  

Love being in this area - it is so beautiful. But to come here we added more miles to our trip home. Oh well.