It was a whirlwind month as predicted although we must have mostly paced ourselves because upon returning I did not feel the need to sleep for 5 days.  Just one and some change.  I think I’m back on track now and glad we didn’t miss Spring in Austin…all 6 days of it before it just gets hot for 6 months.  /End weather report rant.

The El Rancho Hotel in Gallup.
As a New Mexican I’ll admit maybe we have a prejudice against Arizona for a few reasons.  One is that most of the country interchanges NM with AZ because we are “one of those southwest states.”  I have actually met (only a couple of) Texans who think Arizona is their western neighbor.  So we New Mexicans have an inferiority complex.  Also Arizona might import it but they don’t have claim on real green chile, so there’s that.

However, I discovered it’s a lovely state with some really unique scenery.  And that whole saguaro cacti stereotype thing…it’s not a stereotype, it’s true.  They have them.  Everywhere.

We played in Prescott and Clarkdale and Sedona, which really does look like a Route 66 postcard from 1954.  I want to go back and investigate these weird “energy vortexes” they have around Sedona…I like energy and I figure if I can stand in a vortex of it, well why not?  Next time.

Yes, an Arizona Pig was had.

Not a saguaro, but an alien cactus nonetheless.