Hiking Elden Lookout Trail

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Coco

After spending a few days hiking, cycling, and walking along the Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon, we headed to Flagstaff for a change of scenery and a change of pace. But after an afternoon of shopping and relaxing at more luxurious accommodations, we were ready for another challenge. When I realized that we could hike to the top of the mountain we could see from the hotel parking lot, I knew how we would be spending our last day of vacation. 

Mount Elden Lookout Trail I found information about the hike on the Forest Service website, and although I hesitated at the “strenuous” rating, I figured we always could turn back if it got too difficult. 

Continue reading →

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Taking Starbucks On The Road

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Coco

It’s no secret that I love coffee, or that my go-to coffee is a Starbucks bold, preferably Komodo Dragon–the flavor that turned me into a Starbucks junkie. 

Komodo Dragon

(Source: Starbucks.com)

So, how did I survive a vacation with no Starbucks in sight? Continue reading →

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Bradstreet Gate Book Review

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Coco

One thing I look forward to on vacation is having more time to read, especially when I make an effort to unplug, like I did over our last vacation. I prefer novels, and find myself drawn to stories with a mystery, so I selected Bradstreet Gate by Robin Kirman as a selection to review for Blogging For Books. 

Bradstreet Gate
One of the blurbs on the cover calls it a “page-turner” and while I did read it in two days, that may have had more to do with my cross-country flight than the story. Continue reading →

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Grand Canyon Sunrise

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Coco

Just because I wasn’t getting up early to squeeze in a run didn’t mean I was going to sleep in on our vacation. I even set an alarm to make sure I would catch the Grand Canyon sunrise. My husband thought I was crazy, but he was a good sport and joined me outside at o’dark-thirty every morning.

Grand Canyon Sunrise
The lodging at the South Rim has views looking north or west, so one morning we walked a few miles east to the Yavapai Museum of Geology where people gathered for a better view of the sunrise. Continue reading →

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Grand Canyon Hiking At The South Rim

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Coco

A trip to the Grand Canyon was on my husband’s bucket list, and for once I let him take the initiative and do all the planning. When he couldn’t get reservations at Canyon Ranch (the lodging at the bottom of the canyon), he set his sights on hiking from the South Rim to the Colorado River. 

Grand Canyon Hiking

Although signs and park rangers tried to discourage us from doing it as a day hike in mid-August, we walked the line between badass and dumbass and made out to the river–and back. Continue reading →

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