ARIZONA: 5 HIKES 4 DAYS

Arizona's highway sign motto says 'The Land of the Grand Canyon' but I find that rather unfitting. Maybe 'The Land of Cacti' or 'The Land of Big Rocks' but to only say it's about the Grand Canyon? Such a pigeonhole.

After Las Cruces, I took a quick stop through Tucson, grabbed a huge cup of guac and made my way to Phoenix. Jamie, Curt and Chris were such amazing hosts! Cooking dinner, giving advice on which hikes to do and generally making me feel at home with them.

Phoenix was all about hiking. I started with Tom's Thumb and Pinnacle Peak, over to Piestewa Peak where I had a very close encounter with a squirrel who enjoyed salmon jerky, up to Sedona and Devils Bridge and finishing up with the Grand Canyon (that will be in my next post, it's pretty grand). Every trail had it's own character, it was rather astonishing considering how much can be different in not very much distance. Sedona is certainly more colorful, the people as well as the rocks.

As for me, I'm getting better at not flinching with buzzing bugs around my ears, getting better at applying and reapplying sunscreen (though you wouldn't know it from my hilarious tan lines) and getting better at accepting help, sometimes even from strangers.

Current location: Circus Circus hotel in Las Vegas!

Total mileage: 2,083.6

Average MPG: 38.1

Total drive time: ~37 hours

Up next: A quick hike through Joshua Tree on the way to Los Angeles, finding a farmer's market and my next post including Brena, the Grand Canyon and Vegas!