Even though we’ve been planning this trip for some time and we knew exactly what days we would be in Phoenix, coordinating breakfast this morning turned out to be a little bit of a challenge.

My dad and stepmom live 45 minutes away from where we are and in the opposite direction of our trip out of town today.

So where to meet up for breakfast?  My brother-in-law Drew recommended a breakfast spot that he and his wife really enjoy, about halfway between us, so we all decide to meet there.  I called ahead for a table but they don’t take reservations.  We arrive to learn the wait is 45 minutes!  Too long for us, so I quickly call a restaurant a block away and she puts us on the list; just 10 minutes!

Terron walks in first and immediately one of the customers stares at him with a shocked look!   It’s my step-brother James!  He is as shocked to see us as we are to see him.  He and his buddy had just haphazardly wandered into this restaurant to have breakfast this morning, just like we did!  About 4.5 million people live in the Valley and none of us live within 15 miles of this particular restaurant, yet here we all are!  So maybe the new game is titled Where’s James?, instead of Where’s Waldo?!

We sit and share stories over breakfast.  It’s great that my dad can hear me!  He’s gotten hearing aids, since the last time I saw him!

Now that my hunger is satisfied and my heart is full after spending time with family, it’s time to hit the road.

We head northwest out of Phoenix hitting the back roads up to Prescott and through the mountains. For a short time the road was flat and full of round-abouts with great art in the middle.  My favorite are the giant spurs!

On a long, flat stretch, I now see a huge mountain range in front of us and as I stare ahead it, I’m wondering exactly how we were going to get around it since I am sure there’s no tunnel through it. As we get closer I can see other cars snaking their way up and down the mountainside and we do the same on a winding, curvy road all the way up and over this mountain.

On the other side I giggle at the prairie dogs off in the shoulder that suddenly stand up on their back legs peering out at us.  They’re so inquisitive, wanting to know what’s whizzing by.

After Prescott, we pick up parts of the old Route 66 again.  Seligman is an awesome little spot, with quite a few old buildings still remaining and lots of after-market kind of decorations!   It has, like so many other vintage Route 66 towns, nostalgic touches added in. There are a lot of old cars positioned as attractions on the side of the road. There are also mannequin of what people may have looked like, dressed like and what they were doing back in the day scattered across the rooftop of at least one building.

Peach Springs is another Route 66 town with a bit of a western flair and then we reach the town of Kingman.   We stopped here for gas before we end our Route 66 travels for the day and get back on the expressway. This is a small convenience store/truck stop that actually has 18 taps so you can grab a pint or fill a growler and hopefully not get back on the road!  We opt for ice water!

Even though we’re back on the expressway, and dang it we missed Oatman (where readers of this blog suggested we go with carrots in hand for the wild burrows! Next time!), we are treated to a beautiful sunset as we end yet another day of fun travels on the Mother Road.  We cross into California where I notice that the temperature reading on my dash says 117 degrees!

And guess what?  Monday, we are skirting Death Valley!  I better really fill up on ice water!  Yosemite is also on the agenda!