TB Adventure: Catching up! - July, 2018

Thank you to my nephew, Taite, for holding me accountable and encouraging me to get up-to-date on our blog. I asked him if he felt I should post recent items and go backwards or start from where I left off and move forward to present. So here we are - going back to July, 2018! 😊

Taite & Jax on the beach in CA

We were invited to a wedding in a most incredible place - Havasupai. This was to be a unique wedding with most guests backpacking 10 miles down to the campground and camping out for a few nights then wrapping up with a reception in Tucson. Great - we're in! We had seen so many amazing photos and heard amazing stories about this special place. We were psyched! Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans. A week before the wedding monsoon season struck and flooded the area. People lost their tents, backpacks, etc. and had to be helicoptered out (thankfully nobody was hurt). While everyone was sick about this last minute change in plans (especially the bride and groom, Audrie and Jake - our road "kids") we were all thankful we had not been there during the devastation. The campground remained closed for approximately 6 weeks for cleanup.

Jake and Audrie quickly put together Plan B so all of their guests could still have adventure options. We were fortunate to have a place to stay in Flagstaff (thank you Ed and Sandy) and ventured out from that home base for the week.

Sunrise at Humphrey's Peak - view from our window

Ed & Sandy's Blue Spruce Chalet

Jake led a ramble to northern AZ and everywhere in between while Audrie worked on the details in Tucson. We met up with the group for dinner in Flagstaff and then again later in the week for a trip to the South Rim.

The Rambling Gang - on their way north - fun gathering at Lumberyard in Flagstaff

The groom, Jake (left), and his other parents, Jim and Laura :-)

In all of our years in Arizona we never made it to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as it's only open May through October (not the months we are in AZ). So this gave us the opportunity to finally visit this natural wonder.

Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River - on our way to the North Rim

The Colorado River

South Rim and our favorite "secret" place - We were thrilled this tired Rambling group agreed to meet us in Cameron and head to this incredible overlook at the South Rim.

The Wedding! Instead of at Havasu Falls the selected location became Windy Point Vista on Mount Lemmon in Tucson, where the couple had their first kiss. Even though this was not their first choice it was so perfect!