Day 4: The Mirage

I woke up this morning and ran outside to explore the mountain. A small pile of snow greeted my feet as I gazed at the rocks and trees around the hotel. We had an amazing view of the peak, since Flagstaff is nestled snuggly in the range. Soon my hands were red with cold and my empty stomach craved a meal. We wanted to see more of the town before heading to California, so we stopped for breakfast at Macy’s European Bakery and Vegetarian Restaurant. It was warm and cozy, packed full with locals and college students. We ate hot vegan waffles topped with fresh fruit and pure maple syrup. I ordered a house roasted soy latte, which turned out to be the most amazing cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted. Smooth and silky like fine cocoa – no need for sugar. We bagged a vegan pecan cinnamon roll the size of my head and a blueberry tofu cream cheese danish for the road. For a moment, we considered ending our trip and calling Flagstaff home. Wonderful.

California was hilly and rainbowed with colorful cacti as we crossed the border. The rest of the day was pretty grueling though. We were on the road for a total of 13 or 14 hours. Half way to Sacramento, after hours and hours of driving through the Mojave Desert, we started to lose it a little. I guess seeing nothing but endless sand and spiky bushes for hundreds of miles can damage the psyche. Of course, just when we thought we couldn’t take it anymore (I hated hating California!) the ocean of sand transformed into giant hills clothed with short green grass. It was like a naturally occurring golf course spanning miles and miles in the distance. I think we were actually beamed to Scotland for an hour by magic, or aliens, or the power of our minds!

The sun set and we traveled through the night to our less than welcoming Sacramento hotel. But by the time we arrived, all we wanted was a bed to pass out on.

The next day, we would be driving home…to Oregon.