How badly do you want to get away?

Over the last few years we have all had ample time to plan a lifetime of trips. Many of us have promised that this time we will go to that exotic beach in Bora Bora, or strap a backpack on our back and travel Europe.

I hope you do. Travel gifts us with more knowledge than we will ever read about in a book, and it is the only way to understand cultures that differ from ours.

But today…I just wanted to get away. Today I don’t want to plan anything, and I definitely don’t want it to be a place where everyone else got the coolest selfie.

I just want to get in the Jeep and go.  

Don’t get me wrong. My blog is about impressions from near and far and I love the chance to plan all the details of a trip. But sometimes the grandest places on the planet are in our own backyard.  

All too often, we set aside places near us because it doesn’t feel like a trip or that mighty adventure we were looking for.  When I lived near NYC I was surprised at the number of people who had never been to the Stature of Liberty.  It is the same at the Grand Canyon with locals.  

So go and let the road be your guide. You might find, what you do, and more important, how you do it, is a part of the adventure.

Last year, rumor told us of a beat the heat road trip around Lake Loop Road near Prescott, AZ.   It was recommended by Arizona Highways.  While off-road, high clearance is not necessary,  so if you want something off the beaten path, this is it.  It was well worth the drive, and the trip might even be considered eclectic.

Our first stop was Lynx Lake. An adorable cafe here might be our breakfast stop next autumn, as it was a morning gathering place for kayakers and paddle boarders this time.

Rumor also told us of an old pink car that is fun to search for on the side of a dirt road. We figured we would keep our eyes open, with hopes there might be clues. Instead we learned it is tucked in around the evergreen trees and has become kind of a landmark off Walker Road. The locals love it. While there is speculation about what the make and model of the car is, it has rested here for 83 years. In 2011, a group of high school kids stole the car and painted it in their high school colors.

The outraged citizens got it back and repainted it pink.

And it’s not really that hard to find.

A few twists and hopefully right turns brought us here. I am never an advocate for defacing nature, and this made me smile anyway. We realized my photo stop was the marker for a hike down to the Old Senator Silver Mine. Looks like a curious place to wander, and is no doubt a photographer’s dream. As I recovery from surgery we will have something else to look forward to next time.

Hassayampa Lake is a beautiful lake on private property, and I wonder if the homeowners appreciate that view with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine on their deck, like I would. Is it a summer home? I don’t know, but it would sure feel like they were in a snow globe in the winter.

Who knows, maybe they get away someplace else, like we do.

A stroll through the historic downtown Prescott is always the right thing to do.

Prescott was Arizona’s capital, prior to it’s move to Phoenix. The City Hall is a gathering place for farmers markets, art shows, and concerts. Most days it is filled with people passing the time of day. Walks around City Hall will invite you to quaint shops, eateries, and history. Be sure to stop in The Palace Saloon as it is on the Top Ten list of Historic Bars, and Best Bars That Serve Up History.

And the best thing about getting away on road trips is we are home in time for happy hour.

Wind Kisses, Donna

#gettingaway 

#Sundaystills