Day 15: Heading South

Saturday, June 21

Fast Facts
Starting: Arizona (Flagstaff)
Ending: Arizona (Phoenix)
Today's Mileage/Total Mileage: 190 mi (305 km)/3022 mi (4863 km)

"LOOK!!!" screamed Bird as we made the treacherous way down 5000 feet in elevation.
"Straight pointy things!"

Sure enough, there were.



Personally, I can't look at a cactus without imagining it giving us the finger. But that's me. Bird & Bug were so enthralled by the whole concept of one that they would cheer everytime a field of them appeared on their side of the car.

Short trip today because we were actually visiting friends in the Phoenix area. They have a boy Bug's age, and they played in the way that 3-year-old boys do (Trains?! Yippee!). Bird played hours of fetch with their dog, who was roughly the size of me but very gentle & friendly.

For dinner, we decided to do something a little unique to the Phoenix area and visited a place called Organ Stop Pizza. The food is fairly basic: pizza and beer (soda), but the big draw is this huge gigantic organ that appears in the middle of the stage area:



In reality, it should really be called a Command Module. Although it did act more or less like a pipe organ (the pipes are behind all those panels), it also controlled about a bazillon other instruments located throughout the restaurant.

It was fun, but the organist was a substitute for the regular guy, and although you could theoretically request any song (am now kicking myself for not asking for Phantom of the Opera!), she had a penchant for showtunes. She played a version of "My Heart Will Go On" that must have lasted at least 10 minutes.

It didn't keep the kids from dancing in the aisles though. If the music got too dramatic, Bird would whip out her fancy ballet moves. Nice to know she still remembers those!



On a final note, after the kids were all asleep, I came to understand the nation's love of Rock Star Band. (shhh - don't tell anyone I actually really liked playing the guitar! We'll just keep that our little secret. ;) )