Ithaca? or Flagstaff? Here's a clue.

Hint: look at the sky.

This sign seems vaguely suggestive, but I'm not sure why. "Stop in for our signature $5 Downtowner!"

 

I have been told that this hotel is haunted, specifically the bathroom I used.  There were no unexpected encounters.

I don't have a story.

Historic Flagstaff has free parking for cars. We were incredulous, and so put eight quarters into a paperbox.

Obligatory Route 66 picture. No, I mean Route 66 will take YOUR picture.

This young man is on the cusp of wishful thinking.

The Ithaca Commons used to attract the goth kids. These are definitely cheerleader girls.

I'm crazy for bead shops, and I wasn't disappointed by Animas Beads. 

We agree that Flagstaff feels very comfortable. It's like we could slip right into the groove here, if we had a groove. But, OH! their winters.

Here's a rundown of Ithaca: Rundown of Ithaca

You can run down Flagstaff, too.

Most amusing statistic: 

     Ithaca's annual "chance of sunshine" is 49%. This seems high. Flagstaff's is 78%. This seems low.

Far from the madding crowd.

Little Maddox had his first birthday party last night. I know, right? He didn't like cake, but he did like the talking card his Gigi got him.

A baby and a birthday party, and you thought there'd be no picture? You're getting off easy.

But, enough about the adorable baby. Lori surprised Annie and me with a vegan "cheese"cake for our birthdays. You know how you might try a vegan dessert and think "well, if I were vegan I could eat this and survive"? No. You would BEG to be vegan for this cake. You would go home and pour your dairy milk into the streets for this cake. You would picket Elmer's glue for this cake.

Lori asked when she bought it (New Frontiers) if it was really vegan. They checked with the pastry chef who confirmed. We ate it and our taste buds ruled it "completely full of delicious animal products." Lori went back this morning to be SURE it was really vegan, and they gave her the ingredient list. SCORE!

We braced ourselves for the holiday weekend here in the piney woods, and it happened. Sites filled up with toy haulers. What? Everyone is considerate? The really big group right next to us is utterly silent at night, and even in the morning their generator is almost inaudible. They start riding mid-morning.

This is a good crop of riders, and people (including the small kind) seem to be staying on the road. It may be becoming obvious to everyone that the national forests could institute a charred-earth scenario if damage is not stopped and reversed.

The rarely-seen Piney Woods cactus